Came back from a 2 week holiday in London/Canterbury/Interlaken/Zurich.
As usual every return from an overseas trip arouses the question whether your home country is the best place to live out the rest of your life and embraces the feasibility of having a second home somewhere. This is especially so when the visit was to places with open country. Back home the lack of vast open greenery and sweating buckets in a small home triggers longing for nature and cool crisp air. Of course I have consoled myself that back home in Singapore I can fall sick without the stress of not finding a doctor like in London where all the doctors went on strike. Or for that matter I can walk anywhere without the need to blend into a local culture or habit as perhaps a minority person in Switzerland may have to. Still the idea of having a second home where one can stay part of the year is appealing.
A friend and her soon retiring husband bought a house with an acre of land in Oliver about 4 hours east of Vancouver, They seem so energized by the house project, clearing trees, fixing roof gutters and planning/redesigning. As they are plant enthusiasts and a bit into farming, the house will definitely keep their mind and body very active. The photo she sent shows the balcony looking into the mountains at the horizon. Living there to me is like taking a never ending holiday in a resort; though I am again romanticizing.
Well, what's keeping me from buying a retirement home in another country to spend part of the year? This is a question I have to seriously consider. This is especially so since climate change has rendered many parts of the world quite unlivable certain seasons of the year.
Needless to say family, friends, accustomed lifestyle and sense of safety/certainty hold back such a move. In short it is leaving a comfort zone. On the other hand a change in living environment offers new experiences, excitement and growth.
Well as per the teenagers and young adults' buzzword: YOLO
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