Retire There with Gil & Gene

Have you ruled out living in Europe due to its high price tag? You may want to check out Bulgaria. It has a low cost of living, welcoming locals, authentic culture, a low crime rate and provides a great launching point for hopping over to other European countries. Richard Barbree and Rumyana Marcheva moved to Pravets, Bulgaria and are loving it. The only thing they seem to be missing is Pop-Tarts!...

South Carolina is known as the palmetto state but it offers much more. With stunning beaches, world-class golf, rich history, delicious cuisine, and no shortage of southern hospitality, coastal South Carolina provides an incredible backdrop to live a fulfilled and abundant retirement. On Episode 49 of Retire There with Gil & Gene , find out why the guy who literally wrote the book on retiring to S...

You love Vietnam, but it’s a little too noisy for your taste, especially when you’re attempting to catch some zzzzzs? Move to Phuket! That’s what Richard Joynes did! When he is not volunteering, Richard enjoys a fun and adventurous life! He lives on the water in a hotel where his boat is docked and he eats out every night. Find out more about retiring to Phuket, Thailand, on episode 48 of Retire T...

Monte A. Melnick traveled all over the world for over 22 years as tour manager (and much more) to the legendary Ramones. Monte could live anywhere, but he stayed in the place where it all began for him and the Ramones, Queens, New York. He has encountered many cultures around the world, perhaps that is why he has remained in Queens--one of the most ethnically diverse counties in the United States....

Are you on the hunt for distinctive pottery? The city of Santa Ana in Costa Rica is the home of over 100 locally owned and operated pottery shops. If pottery is not your thing, Santa Ana is also the place for upscale grocery stores, gourmet restaurants, cozy coffee houses, beautifully groomed golf courses, and private schools. According to ex-pat Helen Dunn Frame, all that is great, but what makes...

Where can you find powdery white sand beaches in the central time zone? Panama City Beach, Florida. Yes, Florida! Much of Florida’s panhandle is, in fact, in the central time zone. Christine Bennett visited Panama City Beach many times, and when retirement arrived, she made the venue her home. Learn more about Christine’s relocation to her dream beach destination, on Episode 45 of Retire There wit...

Are you still thinking of Mexico? How about a city with beautiful historic buildings, weather that’s not too hot or too cold, and a low cost of living?  Look no further than Santiago de Querétaro, Querétaro, Mexico. Bill and Jacqueline Dahl searched all over Mexico and discovered Santiago de Querétaro, listen to their story on Episode 44 of Retire There with Gil & Gene . Find Bill Dahl’s website h...

If you desired to live in Ireland, but circumstances prevented you from doing so, what’s your Plan B? Jane Fadely found herself in that situation and she discovered Fletcher, North Carolina. Fletcher is in the Blue Ridge Mountains, centrally located 12 miles south of Asheville and 9 miles north of Hendersonville. Jane has led a fascinating life, including growing up as the daughter of a candy sale...

In preparation to retire in Sicily, Italy, Barbara Palermo and Ken Hill gained Italian citizenship, tracked down long-lost relatives, purchased and renovated an old farmhouse, opened a bed and breakfast, and moved during the COVID 19 pandemic. They did not, however, find “Sicilian” pizza in Sicily. In fact, “Sicilian” pizza does not exist in Sicily. Find out more about Ken and Barbara’s inspiring...

Does your younger self wish you had joined the Peace Corps? Well, it’s not too late, David and Champa Jarmul did so for two years while in their 60s! For them, it was a “life changing experience.”  David’s book on the couple’s service in the Peace Corps titled Not Exactly Retired: A Life-Changing Journey on the Road and in the Peace Corps is inspirational! Champa’s article about their service is h...

If you moved to another country and endured fraud and illness, would you stay there? Diane Maxwell, a retired nurse, encountered such troubles in Panama, yet she fought through it, stayed, and loves her adopted country.  Diane lives not far from the beach in an area in between Las Lajas and Coronado. Find out more, on Episode 40 of Retire There with Gil & Gene . Diane tells her captivating adventu...

How about living within 3 hours of New York City, at affordable housing rates, low taxes, a variety of outdoor activities, and a relaxing lifestyle? Brian and KJune Harris were looking for all of that and they found Wilmington, Delaware. Brian still works in New York City, but he and KJune also have some side hustles. Aside from his day job, Brian, also known as DJ Rivs plays music of all genres....

Where may one retire on a budget if they love the beach, all the conveniences and easy access to the arts that come with living in a large city? The tricky part of that question is the low cost requirement. That was journalist Janet Blaser’s criteria and she landed in Mazatlan, Mexico. Janet lives a stone’s throw from the beach and her rent is a fraction of what one would pay in the States.   Jane...

Many midwesterners, tired of brutal winters, dream of retiring to warmer weather. Wisconsin teachers Greg and Vikki Winkler had their eyes set on Florida. They ended up in Punta Gorda, but Punta Gorda actually picked them. The couple has since fallen in love with the city. In their amusing book Welcome to Florida (WTF) Our Journey to Paradise , Greg and Vikki tell their story of relocating to Flor...

If you traveled to 60 countries, do you think you would end up with a favorite place? Karen and Richard McCann did just that before deciding to retire in Seville, Spain. Sevillianos like to stay out late, perhaps that is why the siesta is still alive and well in Seville. Karen and Richard usually spend half of each year in Seville and the other half split between a home in northern California and...

This is a special episode, as Retire There was invited to present at the first Asian Podcast Festival! The festival was organized by the Asian American Podcasters Association and broadcast live on May 30, 2021. We invited Hazel Sumile back - formerly retired in Las Vegas, Episode 7 - for her story of how she returned to and ultimately retired in Hawaii. Hazel talks about some of the usual topics -...

In 2011, Alison Armstrong and Don Read, of Vancouver, Canada, wanted to retire and travel the world. Finances were preventing them from living their dream. That May, Don had a premonition that selling the couple's condo would allow them to blow past their financial roadblock.   A series of unplanned events allowed the couple to realize their wishes. By September, they had sold their condo and most...

When Russell Blake sold his real estate development company in 2002, he could have moved anywhere, but ended up in Mexico and has never looked back. He started writing suspense and thriller novels but was unable to find a publisher. In 2011, he started self-publishing and sold his books on Amazon. His idea was to write and publish books quickly, and at one point he released 25 thrillers in 30 mont...

Rhode Island is the new Florida! says Warwick, Rhode Island resident Colleen Kelly Mellor, and her life partner Paul Wesley Gates. These two visited various popular retirement destinations before falling in love with Asheville, North Carolina. For 9 years, they enjoyed winters in Asheville and summers in Warwick, but a fluke accident on a mountain road and the crisis that followed forced them to r...

Would you like to live in a place where the old and the new co-exist gracefully side-by-side? If your answer is yes, check out the beautiful and tranquil city of Cuenca, Ecuador. An Ecuadorian city with no shortage of expats. To guide us there, we have the man who, literally, wrote the book on relocating to Cuenca. On Episode 31 of Retire There with Gil and Gene , Terry Dean Roberts provides an ho...

Would you like to live near the beach in a place with a small town feel with plenty to do?   Dania Beach is that place, with a nice beach, a long pier, antique shops, and one of the largest jai alai frontons in the United States. And for more entertainment and dining options, Dania Beach is nestled between the larger locals of Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood. On Episode 30 of Retire There with Gil a...

Life coach Margaret Nash and her husband Luis were searching for a place to live with a thriving art scene and plenty of hippies. They landed in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, a place which combines old-world charm with a modern and cosmopolitan atmosphere. Hear about Margaret’s circuitous journey to San Miguel, on Episode 29 of Retire There with Gil & Gene . As a life coach, one focus of Margaret...

Denise and Bill liked living in western Massachusetts but were getting tired of the cold and snowy winters. They wanted to move to a warmer climate but knew they would miss family and friends in the Northeast. The solution - they  became snowbirds and now spend winters in Greenville, South Carolina. Greenville provides year-round golfing, which is Bill’s joy, and many diverse restaurants to enjoy....

From 2015 to 2017, Neill Kramer took extended vacations in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Bali. He enjoyed all of the Asian areas, but Bali stood out - he felt it was the place to be. Convinced, he purchased a villa there during a visit in 2017. Find out what led Neill to move to and open a hotel in the magical land of Bali on Episode 27 of Retire There with Gil and Gene . Neill’s highly rated ho...

Ken and Bina Cline enjoy hiking and travel immensely. They searched for a retirement location to serve as a launchpad for travel to other parts of Europe and beyond. They landed in Tavira, a fishing town with a year-round comfortable climate in a southern region of Portugal known as the Algarve. It is no wonder that Tavira has become a popular retirement destination for Americans and even more so...