Packing to Move to Another Country

I'm currently struggling to fit everything that I want to bring into my backpack. No surprise there! Even with all the traveling I've done, I still find it hard to narrow down to what I absolutely NEED to have, rather than what I want or what I feel I should have.
And this trip is even harder. I'm moving to Guatemala, not just going there for a week or two. I have to take my life with me. And it's weird to see what parts of your "life" end up getting put in the Value Village pile. :)
Here are my tips for efficient packing for a long trip or move to another country.

CLOTHES

The dress in question.
So pretty!

I've invented an acronym for packing: WIWI = Will I Wear It?
Going through my closet, I found a lovely purple dress that I bought for a party and wore once. I'm thinking, "Oh, it's so pretty! I should bring this in case there's a party to go to!"
But that's when my WIWI senses kick in. I can tell this is a WIWI situation because of the words "should" and "in case".
In the three or four years since I bought the dress, I never wore it again. It collected dust, literally dust, in the back of my closet. So why would I think I would need it for Guatemala? I'm sure there are parties there but I'm also sure there are dress shops.
Good-bye, purple dress. Into the Value Village pile!
Many travel bloggers suggest that no matter how long you are traveling for, only pack enough clothes for one week... and do laundry! Seeing as how I'm moving into an apartment that actually has a washer and dryer (yay!), this is the rule I'm following.
Another packing light tip: wear your bulkiest clothes on the plane. I'm thinking of layering a tank top, t-shirt, and cardigan under my raincoat. Yeah, I'm going to be sweltering hot! But once I'm on the plane, I'll just remove a few layers and use them as a pillow for a quick nap. Brilliant.
Extra tip: if you're planning on visiting any religious sites and you're a woman, be sure to pack a skirt.  For example, the Vatican has a strict dress code and they stick to it. Another church I visited had jackets on a rack outside for people to wear to cover their short sleeves.

BATHROOM STUFF
Another efficient packing tip that I've read about online is regarding toiletries. Never pack bottles of liquid toiletries, such as shampoo, body wash, toothpaste, etc. All of those things can be purchased at your destination.
I'm trying to practice this, but it's hard for me because I hate to throw stuff out! I've got half bottles of shampoo and conditioner that I want to bring because it would be wasteful to toss them. I've got hand sanitizer and lotion and sunscreen and even toothpaste. My face scrunches up with dismay when I think of just chucking them in the trash. I'm hesitating on fully implementing this tip but we'll see what gets tossed when it comes down to the wire.

SHOES
Oh, gosh, shoes. I have to say, I'm not the stereotypical woman with a closet full of shoes. I hate shoes actually. I'd rather go barefoot. But in many situations, that's not appropriate! (Barefoot at the airport = trip to the windowless room.)
For Guatemala, I've been told there are two seasons: dusty & muddy. I've got to be prepared for both!
I've got a good pair of running shoes, a raggedy pair of sandals, and the rubber boots and cute crocs I showed you in the last post. But they are soooo bulky. How do you pack these? Honestly, they take up so much space.
I really am tempted to chuck the sandals but ... but ... I love wearing sandals!
Then I think about chucking my running shoes but... but ... I can't wear sandals in the rain or hiking in the forest because of nasties living in the underbrush, so I need the running shoes.
The rubber boots and crocs are coming for certain. (I imagine they're high-fiving each other in the corner. "Yeah, we're in!")
So this tip is a struggle for me right now. But I do know that whichever shoes come with me, the key is to stuff things inside them to utilize all available space.

TO ROLL OR NOT TO ROLL
Easy: Roll. Roll roll roll roll roll.


YOUR CARRY-ON BAG
First thing to do: check with your airline for their carry-on restrictions and freebies. Here is the Delta website. Check your own airline's webpage and note the dimensions, weight, and anything you can take on for free.
Because I'm taking my cat, she counts as my carry-on. This is so frustrating to me! I'm paying $200 to bring her. What is that fee for? I think I should still get a carry-on bag. *pouting*
As it is, I'll have Willow in one hand, my big rainbow umbrella in the other, and a small camera bag over my shoulder. Willow's carrier has pockets in it that will be stuffed with stuff, plus the pockets of my raincoat will be brimming with things as well. Security is going to be fun! (NOT.)

So those are just a few basic packing tips for anyone heading out on an adventure. I hope they were helpful. If you have any packing tips for traveling, please post them in the comments. ¡Buen viaje!

Seventeen Days To Go!

It's getting down to crunch time here in Canada. Seventeen days until we get on a plane and change our lives forever. Couldn't be more excited!!

The checklist I made a few months ago is almost all checked. Willow and I have received all our shots. Bert is working on his last few Twinrix boosters.
I'm taking Willow's papers to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency tomorrow to get signed by them, then I have to mail them to the Guatemalan Embassy in Ottawa, and have them mail them back to me before we leave. This is stressing me out! I think I will write an entire blog post about the process of taking a cat to Guatemala later on when it's all finished. I will try to remember to link back to it here.

Both Bert and I sold our cars. Very strange to be on foot again. I've had a car since I was 25, I think. But it's quite refreshing to walk places, although it's still very cold! A lot of our snow has melted in the past week but the wind is very nippy.

I had to buy boring black rubber boots because
they were the only ones that fit,
so to make up for that I bought
these cute fake Crocs!

Also, lugging groceries back from the store puts a crick in my neck. Bert laughs at me huffing and puffing along the road. He says, "You're going to DIE in Guatemala... of a heart attack!" Admittedly, I am out of shape. Very out of shape. But I am also determined to not let that stop me. I know that every time I push myself to walk more, it will be that much easier next time. I'm thinking the hills of Guatemala might kick my butt into shape. Another post for the future, eh?

What else are we doing to prepare? Photocopying and taking pictures of all documents for safe-keeping. Changing our mailing addresses with places like the bank, the government, etc. Taking a lot of junk to Value Village. Throwing a lot of stuff out. Oh, and shopping! I got a nice fat paycheque yesterday and trekked up to Walmart to buy some essentials: socks, underwear, Aleve, and rubber boots. :D

I've got more sorting and packing to do, so I'd better get to it. Nos vemos!

Learning Spanish Like A Canadian

Canadians are a polite people, with some exceptions of course. We like to say please, thank you, excuse me, pardon me, and best of all... Sorry!

Please -- por favor
Thank you -- gracias
You're welcome -- de nada
Excuse me -- disculpe
Pardon me -- perdone, or con permiso
Sorry -- lo siento

The next thing you learn in a lot of Spanish lessons is the difference between polite or formal "you", USTED, and casual or informal "you", TU. The polite form is used to show respect for strangers, elders, and persons of authority. The informal form is used for friends, equals, and children.

How are you? (formal) -- ¿Cómo está usted?
How are you? (informal) -- ¿Cómo estás?
Do you have a map? (formal) -- ¿Tiene un mapa?
Do you have a map? (informal) -- ¿Tienes un mapa?

Did you miss that little "s"? Yeah, that's all it takes to be rude to someone! Although, I imagine most folks wouldn't be too mad about it as they will probably be able to tell you're a non-native speaker.

Here is another tip that I picked up along the way that  helped me feel that I can continue to portray myself as the truly polite and respectful Canadian that I am.
"Quiero un café, por favor." This translates to "I want a coffee, please."
In Canada, if a waiter asked you, "What would you like to drink?" and you replied, "I want a coffee," it would seem a bit brusque. We are more likely to say, "I would like a coffee, please." Or even just, "Coffee, please." Literally translated into Spanish, that would be, "Me gustaria un café, por favor," or "Café, por favor." But apparently no one says that in Latin America. It would sound strange or rude. So to fit in, start with, "Quiero."
Thank you to Ana at Butterfly Spanish for this tip!

Some other useful Spanish phrases for all the Canucks out there!

I am Canadian -- Soy canadiense.
I'm from Canada -- Soy de canada.
It's so hot today! -- Hace tan calor hoy!
I'm hot. -- Tengo calor.
(For more instructions on feeling hot and being hot, watch Ana's video!)
Beer, please. -- Quiero una cerveza, por favor?
I would like a bottle of water, please. -- Quiero una botella de agua, por favor.
Do you know how to play hockey? -- ¿Sabe usted cómo jugar hockey?
This coffee is almost as good as Tim Hortons! -- Este café es casi tan bueno como Tim Hortons!

Final bit of advice: try to learn as much Spanish as you can before you go, but remember to cut yourself some slack if you don't understand a lick anyone is saying when you arrive at your Spanish-speaking destination. Learning from videos or programs is way easier than the real world because everyone talks slowly and enunciates. However, immersion and practice in the real world will vastly accelerate your skills! Buena suerte!

Slight Panic Attack

Today I bought the plane tickets to Guatemala. I wanted to cheer and/or throw up.

Both Bert and I have been having minor panic attacks. Every now and then, one of us will turn to the other and say something like, "We're crazy! Are we crazy? We're crazy." Or, "Nope, can't do it. Changed my mind."
So far, the un-panicked person has been good at reassuring the panicked person!

Here are a list of various things I'm freaking out about:
Natural disasters, such as earthquakes, volcanoes, mudslides, hurricanes, floods, and the sudden outgassing of the lake leading to carbon dioxide poisoning and death.
Crazy and/or criminal people trying to do unpleasant things to me, like robbing all my stuff, or stabbing me, or shooting me, or stabbing me then shooting me, or other nasty things that I try not to think of too much.
Getting sick from the food and water. (Undrinkable tap water? What's the point of having water come out your tap if it's not potable?)
Clogging the toilet. Can't flush toilet paper? Ewww.
Dying in an accident while riding a chicken bus.
Getting hit by a chicken bus while walking.
A chicken bus driving off a road and into my house, crushing me in my bed while I sleep.
(Chicken buses are scary.)
Being overwhelmed with sadness at the stray dogs.
Being overwhelmed by the poverty.
Getting killed because I inadvertently offend someone. I do that here now and people just shake their heads, or nod and smile and back away slowly. I'm notorious for saying the wrong thing and silencing an entire dinner party!
Unstable Internet; When I was making this list, the first thing I thought of was "unstable Internet". Ha! But it's because of work and communication and information and fun-time. If my Internet goes down, I don't work, and I don't make money, and we can't eat. NEED INTERNET.

When I get panicked, here is what I tell myself to calm down:
LOTS of people have done what we're doing. Heck, even OLD people do it. If those retirees from Florida can do it, why can't I?

Tickets are bought. Apartment is paid for.
No backing out now!
56 more days.
*grin*

Rose-Coloured Glasses vs. Shades of Doom

I have learned that I'm a tad idealistic. (*snort* Understatement of the year!) My abundant optimism helps me to take risks, have adventures, and laugh when things don't turn out as expected.
However, I do need a more practical person in my life to point out that not everything is sunshine and rainbows. Bert is perfect for that!

Me: (*big goofy smile*) Guatemala is going to be so awesome! Look at these beautiful pictures online! Read this awesome blog post! There are Internet cafes everywhere! Wow, such a beautiful volcano! Ooh, look at the monkeys!

Bert: (*scowley face*) There is rampant crime in Guatemala. We're going to get kidnapped if we go there. That blogger sounds naive. It's going to cost too much. We're going to die when that volcano erupts. Monkeys bite.

When I was younger, I would get frustrated at people who were such downers. (To be honest, I sometimes still get frustrated! Occasionally, I'll ask Bert to "say one thing positive, please!")
But having become more wise in my "old" age, I can recognize when people bring up legitimate concerns that I shouldn't be ignoring. By paying attention to his pessimism/realism, I can see where I need to be a bit more cautious or perhaps plan a bit more, rather than jumping ahead with my big silly grin and ending up face-down in the mud.

It's all about balance, isn't it?

UPDATE: Bert just said to me: "I've always wanted to do something like this but I've never found anyone crazy enough to do it with."

Found An Apartment for April 1

OMG so excited!  :D

After all the forums telling me that it would be near impossible to find a place to live April 1 because of Semana Santa, I decided to take a chance and posted on a Facebook group asking for an apartment.
Lo and behold, I found a lovely woman I'll call P. who had a perfect apartment for us!
It's a bit more money than I was really expecting to pay, but it does include Internet and utilities, so I think that makes up for it. I was originally budgeting for $300 a month but expected that to be non-inclusive of propane, etc. This apartment is $375 and comes with all the lovely gringo stuff, like a fridge and stove and big bed.
It's a little bit outside of Pana, along the road to Santa Catarina. I worried about that but Phyllis assured me that it's a lovely downhill walk to town, and a cheap tuk-tuk ride back. She also told me they have a full-time "guardian" on the property who will pick up your groceries for you for a small fee. Ooh-la-la fancy!

There were a few fascinating and revealing tidbits in our conversation about the apartment that she offered seemingly without being aware that they were unusual statements.
1. "Downhill walk." I guess in Guatemala, walking is never done on the flat!
2. "No church bells." Um, didn't realize that would be a problem, but I guess it's a "feature"!
3. "We prefer non-tobacco smokers." Interesting how she specified tobacco.

I was going to post the pics that she sent me of the apartment but I figure it will be more interesting to post my own pictures when I get there!
Instead, here is the approximate location of the apartment. See the little gold star?  :D

Where I'm moving to! Lake Atitlan, Guatemala.

More Postponements

I realize that the throngs of people reading my blog (*snicker*) are probably here to read about my adventures in Guatemala and these "before" posts are pretty much boring, but I feel the need to blog about things that are happening related to my trip because I'm still so freaking excited to be going! Even if it's getting further away instead of closer.

So here's the latest news. I was preparing to book my flight from Toronto to Guatemala City for Tuesday, March 31, 2015. And then I had a niggling thought: When is Easter? Semana Santa is HUGE in Guatemala and I'd been warned about trying to find accommodation during that week.
Well, bend me over and call me a burro, but wasn't Holy Week starting that exact freaking day. ARGH!

A traveler's photos of Semana Santa in Panajachel

I went to the Expat Exchange forums and asked the question. Sure enough, the friendly folks there came back with advice to postpone my flight. *sigh* I talked to Bert and we hummed and hawed about possibly going a week early rather than later, but that didn't seem to work either. That means it'll be April before we get to go. Totally pouting as I type this!

Here is a picture of my current view from my desk in Canada. I want to take a picture in Pana when I'm all set up to show the difference!

View from my desk in Canada

We've had a  few days of mild weather so there's not actually that much snow out there. Across the street is a parking lot for a auto parts store, and then you can see the nice old brick houses that are in my neighborhood. In fact, my apartment is in a renovated house much like that one in the pic, except quite a bit larger. It's quite lovely to look at on the outside, but the landlady is a grouch and never does anything to keep the place looking nice.
When looking for apartments in Guat, it seems a lot of them list the total square meters so I measured my place. It's about 33 m², without the bathroom. Pretty small, eh? I don't think I'll be too phased by the small places in Pana. I've always loved cozy spaces and never felt the need for a spacious home. Too much cleaning! I like to walk 6 steps to get from my bed to the bathroom, and 7 steps from my desk to the kitchen. :D
(Yes, I did actually just get up to count the steps! Willow got excited cuz I went in the kitchen.)

All right, I'd better go find some work to do. Today is a slow day so I usually pick up smaller jobs to make a few bucks. Business will be picking up a LOT this week and next until later in February with all the year-end conference calls. Yay, money!
Hasta luego!

The News is Out!

Tonight I told my parents about my plans. I have to admit, my heart was pounding pretty hard when I spoke the words, "I'm moving to Guatemala next year." I babbled on for quite a bit to allow them time to adjust to the notion, and also because I'm still so super excited to talk about it! I showed them some pictures online of Pana and Lake Atitlan, and they agreed it does look lovely. They didn't really have a lot of questions, though perhaps that was because I blurted out everything I had researched in one long soliloquy.
In the end, I don't think they were very surprised that I would come up with this sort of idea. All three of their daughters are very independent and wander-hungry. Gypsy blood, perhaps?

Fun Spanish

My excitement for Guatemala waxes and wanes. Money issues have set me back lately, and I'm reevaluating my planned departure date of late January. It might be February now, although I hope not.

In the meantime, I am following the advice I've seen on numerous blogs: learn as much Spanish as you can! I''ve been slacking on my Fluenz and Rosetta Stone lessons but have enjoyed scouring the Tubes of You for learning videos. My latest addictions are: Señor Jordan, Pepa Pig, and Toobys. Yes, the last two are kids shows! They're fun and colorful and make me smile while I learn.

Below is one of my favourite Toobys songs. I'm trying to memorize it so I can sing it all the time... and it annoys Bert! :D

 

P.S. Está nevando MUCHO ahora!

Why Would I Leave Canada?

I freaking love Canada!!
As part of my efforts to cherish every last moment in my home and native land, I went for a walk down by the waterfront this afternoon. I live on a very large, very clean, very beautiful freshwater lake in Ontario. I sat down on a rock near the shore and gazed out.

The gorgeous lake I live on now.

I listened to the birds, watched people strolling by on the path, and breathed in the crisp autumn air.
Then I had a thought. If I just put two triangles... right there...

Pretty much Lake Atitlan

Ta-dah! Now I'm in Guatemala, baby! Yeah! :)
I guess my love of water is one of the major reasons I chose Panajachel as my future home. I couldn't imagine not being near water!
I will be sad to leave my wonderful country, but I am excited to have a new adventure. Can't wait! Time is going so slowly right now. Hurry up, January!

Midnight Epiphany

Fall colours in Algonquin Park, courtesy of Kyle McDougall Photography

Last night I was drifting off to sleep when I had a sudden thought and my eyes popped wide open.
"That was my last Canadian summer."
And then...
"This will be my last Canadian fall."
Oh no! I felt a bit panicked, and then scrambled in my mind to recall all the fun things I had done this summer. Had I gone swimming in a clear Canadian lake? Yes. Had I gone camping under the stars? Yes. Had I enjoyed the beautiful sunshine? Yes. Had I hiked in a pine forest? Yes. Had I taken wild random road trips with the car windows rolled down? Yes, yes, yes!
Whew! Seems like I had enjoyed my last summer without realizing it would be my last.
As for autumn, it is my favourite season and I intend to cherish every second of it! It's hard to imagine never seeing the leaves change colour again. Or hearing Canada geese honking overhead as they fly south. Or feeling the frost crunch under your feet on a brisk morning walk.
But never say never, as they saying goes. I imagine that I will be gone from my lovely country for quite a while, but still somewhere in my mind I know I will be back. And I'll be sure to plan my trip for fall!

What Is Your Nahual?

I was visiting the Guatemalan Tourist Website and noticed a section that said "Discover your Nahual". I had no idea what that was, so of course I clicked on it!
Your Nahual is your spirit animal according to Mayan astrology, and it is calculated using your date of birth. Wikipedia also says that a nahual or nagual is a shapeshifter who can assume the form of their spirit animal. Wild!

On the Guatemalan Tourism site, they made me enter my email, which I hate, so I'm not going to directly link that webpage here, but instead direct you to Mayan Jade Jewelry's page. There is a simple form there to fill out and they will give your Nahual, and of course offer you some lovely jewelry with your spirit animal on it. :)

Iq', my Nahual

So my Nahual is... *drum roll* ... Iq'. Yes, I said ICK. Ha ha! Or it could be IQ, as in intelligence quotient.

Anyhoo, it's represented by a hummingbird, which is hilarious and ironic, since I weigh approximately 47,000 times as much as a hummingbird! But I do love them. They are bright, zippy, and beautiful. We feed them up at our log cabin and get quite a number of them fighting over the feeder.

WikiGuate says that Iq' people "can be strong, impulsive, proud, imaginative, obsessive, with good memory and mathematical ability." Sounds about right!

In Western Astrology I am an Aquarius, with strong influences of Gemini and Aries, making me weird, impulsive, idealistic, and talkative. In Chinese Astrology I was born in the year of the Rat, which shows intelligence, resourcefulness and curiosity.

I agree with most of what astrology of all methods tells me, including the bad stuff. I am imaginative but a daydreamer. I am impulsive but adventurous. I am idealistic but opinionated. I am intelligent but also a scatterbrain. My sister says I'm "the dumbest smart person" she knows. She also quips, "Genius Girl strikes again" when I do something really ditzy! :D

Of course, all of this stuff comes from Cloud Cuckoo Land, but it's fun to think about.

Oh, oh, oh! Bert's Nahual is Kawoq, the Turtle! Ha! We're the Hummingbird and the Turtle. That sounds like a fairy tale or something. :D

What's your Nahual? Do you think it's appropriate to you?

EDIT: Another great site with awesome interpretations is Mayan Astrology Sign.

First Round of Needlesticks

I'm not afraid of needles, so the thought of getting vaccinated for Guatemala was no big deal. I spent more time fretting over which ones I should get, and the cost of them. I would have got them all if I could afford it!

Typhoid Fever vaccine capsules

I went to my general doctor last week and tried to talk to her, but she was singularly unhelpful. I knew more than she did. So she finally just looked at me and said, "I will write you a prescription for whatever you want." I told her I was going to go with Hep A and Typhoid, and not Hep B. I have to say that it was purely a monetary decision. I'm awful short of pistos right now. Besides, I'm not planning on engaging in risky sexual behavior or intravenous drug use, the main transmission methods of Hep B. Never have, so why start now?

Well, when I went to the pharmacist to talk to them about it, she was super-helpful, much better than the doctor, and convinced me that I needed Twinrix, which is the brand name for Hep A + B vaccine. She said that you can get Hep B by interacting with infected children, or by being in an accident, or by being raped, and also that Hep B is a serious disease so I really should not take chances. I was thinking, "Yikes, I guess if any of those bad things happen to me, I don't want to have a Hep B infection added onto that!" So I called my doctor back and got the prescription changed.

I took my first Typhoid pill on Monday night. I laughed a bit maniacally, and said to Bert, "I'm now infected with Typhoid Fever!" I love vaccines, they're totally cool, but there is something unsettling about giving yourself just a disease on purpose, even if it is just a teensy-tiny bit. Like, what if I can't fight it off?
I took the pill before bed cuz it had to be on an empty stomach, and then I lay in bed waiting for my body to break out in a fever and rash. Instead, I just fell asleep. :)

Today I went to the doc to get my Twinrix injection. No biggie. My arm feels sore but that's it.
However, I have developed a nasty cough and sore throat since taking my Typhoid pills. Hmmm, wonder if this is a teensy-tiny bit of Typhoid making its appearance? Go get it, white blood cells!! Do your thing!  :)

For reference: I'm in Canada, have no private insurance, and the vaccines aren't covered by OHIP (the government health plan). I got my prescriptions filled at Costco because they have a very low dispensing fee of $3.98.

4 Capsules of Vivotif Berna Vaccine (Typhoid Fever) = $25.59
1 mL Twinrix (Hepatitis A + B) = $51.11
(I will need two more shots of Twinrix.)
Total will be = $178.92 (plus $15.56 for dispensing) = $194.48

Willow's Carriage Has Arrived

After much debate and comparison shopping, I purchased an airline-approved cat carrier online. It seems to be pretty similar to the more expensive ones with the fancy labels, but a lot less pricey. Shipped from China, of course. I always fret over strange diseases accompanying packages I get from overseas. *washes hands obsessively*

Here is what Willow did when presented with her new travel-home.

"Hmm, what is this?"

"Smells interesting..."

"Looks cozy..."

"Naw, I think I'll sit over here on the plastic bag it was shipped in."

TYPICAL!! Silly kitty.

Here is my unbiased review, but remember I haven't actually used it yet!
I'm impressed with it! It is airline-approved, meaning that is has mesh on two sides, plus all the appropriate measurements for in-cabin travel. It seems solid, good stitching, and of course a pretty color. (Green-yellow to match Willow's eyes!)
It's got a removable insert for the bottom. It's covered in vinyl, but I imagine it has a foam core or something in case of accidents. It's got a little velcro strip on the bottom to keep it from shifting around. I will probably put newspapers in with her when we go. She actually loves newspaper! She enjoys shredding it and sleeping on it, so I'm hoping it will make her feel more comfortable, plus soak up any problems. Although I sincerely doubt she will make a mess.
The carrier has a small zippered pocket on the outside for stuff, and a bigger pocket on the inside. Why on the inside? Not sure if I would ever use that. I actually wish it had more pockets, but then again, I would probably stuff the pockets full and that might put it over the 10-pound weight limit, cat & carrier together.

Anyhoo, it seems small but I think that's okay too, as Willow has no problem squeezing into my grocery bags when I leave them on the floor. It's actually the medium sized one. There was a smaller one. For Chihuahuas, I guess? Same price, go figure.

This is the eBay picture. Click it to go buy one!

Buying a cat carrier was the easy part. Actually taking my crazy kitty on a plane... that's going to be difficult. I'll try to remember to take pics!

We've Chosen! It's Panajachel, Guatemala

We've decided over the last few weeks that our destination for this mad adventure will be Panajachel, Guatemala. Yay!

Reasons:

• Cheap
• Beautiful
• Expat friendly
• Safe

I won't bore you with the details that I'm sure you can find on Wikipedia or any other website about great places to retire. Instead, I will post this.

Lago Atitlan, Guatemala

Where I'm Coming From

Here is a little bit about me.

This is the driveway of our cabin in winter.
The front of the cabin looks out over a beautiful lake.

I was born and raised in Northern Ontario, Canada. My home town has only 600 people. We don't even have a stop light. It's a lovely little place right on Lake Huron, but not much going on.
I am the middle of three daughters. Yup, I'm trouble. :)
Both my parents were elementary teachers, now retired.
Both my sisters each have a set of twins! My older sister has a boy and a girl; my younger has a daughter, and then two girl twins. I have no kids, but I tell everyone that's okay because my sisters have extras. :)

When I was a wee lass, my Dad built a log cabin in the woods. Like, even MORE in the woods than where we were already living! We dubbed it The Great Escape Inn. It is my "Happy Place". I will probably miss Camp more than anywhere else in Canada.  (I've had some confused comments about me using the word "camp" to describe our cabin. Some people call them "cottages". In the North, it's a camp because they were usually hunting camps, not places to vacation. Here's a website of some neat Canadian slang.)

I attended the University of Guelph and received my Bachelor's of Science degree in Biology in 1994.
Soon after I graduated, I spent six weeks touring Europe. Best time of my life!

I wandered about Ontario living in various cities and changing jobs frequently for many years. I hated working and hated offices and hated bosses and hated schedules and hated getting paid by the hour.
In 2008, I quit my office job and started working from home as a transcriptionist. The pay is crap but I absolutely LOVE it. I love working from home in my PJs with Willow to entertain me.

At the time of this blog post, I am living in Barrie, Ontario, Canada, which is about an hour north of Toronto. (That's another Canadian thing apparently: describing distances using travel time instead of kilometers. Huh. Never noticed until someone pointed it out.)
I have a very small one bedroom apartment. It's like 33 square meters (355 square feet). It's nice. I don't really need more space. It's just me and Willow, and Bert sleeps over sometimes.

I have a beat-up 1995 Toyota Corolla that I have named Daisy. She's falling apart, the poor thing. We're trying to cobble her together with duct tape and epoxy until we can leave to Guatemala. Then we'll sell her to some punk kid who will be soooo excited to have a car, even an old jalopy like her. :)

On the wall of my apartment is a map of the world that I took out of a National Geographic magazine when I was a kid. I've kept it all these years. It used to have pins in all the places I wanted to go. You can still see the holes. I had such an adventurous spirit as a child. I hope I can recover at least some of that now in my middle age. Guatemala is a start!

No Hablo De Nothing

So it appears that Spanish is the language of choice for my travels. That's cool. I learned a bit when I went to Cuba, and I know some French, which is similar, so that might help with feminine and masculine words and stuff.

I've started with Duolingo. Fun and free! But I'm finding that the exercise are kinda... hmm, how do I say it? Useless? Random. Confusing.

For instance, I learned, "Los caballos beben leche." = "The horses drink milk."
Say what?? What kind of crazy horses am I gonna find in Latin America? (Bert says, baby horses!)
Another good one: "¿Quién soy?" = "Who am I?"
I mean, really? Am I going to be speaking a foreign language when I get hit on the head and forget my own name? Or do you think I'm going to ponder philosophical conundrums in Spanish? Nah, I'll stick with English for my existential crises, thank you very much. (Or should I say muchas gracias!)

I also got Rosetta Stone for Latin American Spanish. Eeks! It's intense. There is no English. It's supposed to be complete immersion, like the way little kids learn. But I have to confess that I cheated and copy/pasted some things into Google Translate to figure out what was going on! Still, it's excellent and a good add-on to DuoLingo.

I've also tried Fluenz a little bit, although I find it very, very slow. I just got frustrated really quickly with it, especially when my microphone refused to work. I've heard it's much better for learning proper pronunciation and common phrases that are useful to travellers.

I have one big pet peeve with the Spanish language. What is with the Bs and Vs and Hs?? It's almost better to NOT look at the spelling of the word and just listen to it. Trying to read the words gets me all mixed up.

For example, the word "huevo" (egg). How would you think that's pronounced? Hoo-ay-vo. Nope. Not even close. It's way-boh. HUH?? Where is there a W or a B in that word? If I was applying crazy made-up Spanish rules to English pronunciations, I would say "egg" as "hay-jee-gee". :D

I know, I know. English is even harder to learn. You can read all about our messy language here. I'm just saying that I think I would prefer to learn with my ears, and worry about the spelling later. Not like I'm going to be reading and writing in Spanish much. I just want to learn enough to be able to buy food and not get ripped off.
"¿Cuanto cuesta? ¿Qué? ¿Me estás tomando el pelo?" (Thanks, Google Translate!)

To sum up:
Duolingo, FREE, awesome and fun and easy but maybe not entirely correct, my fave!
Rosetta Stone, $$$, harder and very visual and more intuitive so maybe it will stick with me more
Fluenz, $$$, excellent for learning traveler phrases, but really really slow
SpanishDict.com, FREE, good for translating stuff
Fluencia, (from SpanishDict), only partially free, wasn't interested in signing up because I have the others
StudySpanish.com, FREE, great for looking up lists of things, like days of the week, and for getting in-depth on verb conjugations

Introducing My Other Travel Companion

Willow, aka The Fluffinator

This, dear readers, is Willow. She has been my furry friend for, hmmm, lotsa years now. I should look that up, shouldn't I?
Her full name is Pussy Willow. She was named after the pussy willow plants that grow in Ontario in the spring. The buds come out as soft grey fuzzy things that look like kitten toes.

I adopted her from the OSPCA, where she had been causing trouble for almost a year. She was not a friendly cat. She bit everyone who tried to touch her. She bit me the first day I met her. But I knew she was the one I was going to take home. Something in her eyes begged me to get her out of there.

Because of her lengthy stay in prison and the shady past that got her there, Willow is not the kind of cat you just pass off to someone else. Plus, I'm of the firm belief that pets are for life. They are not throwaway toys. She and I are in 'til death do us part.

For these reasons -- plus the fact that I freaking love her and need her soft fur to soak up my tears when I'm sad -- I am planning on taking her with me to wherever it is I'm going. Yeah, crazy. I know.

Here is what I have learned so far about taking a pet to another country:

• She needs to get a rabies vaccination and a certificate of health from the vet.
• There are only certain airlines that take pets. I will probably go with Delta. 
• Some airlines will let her be in a crate with me inside the plane. Others, she will have to go underneath in a special pressurized baggage compartment, which is not available on all flights.
• Some people have suggested that the underneath option is better because it is dark and safe. Plus her meowing and/or pooping won't disturb passengers. (Much like babies! Too bad we can't stick them underneath, eh?)
• Certain "snub-nosed" breeds of cats (and dogs) are not allowed on planes (Persian cats, pugs)
• Customs will take longer due to having to wait for a vet to come and inspect her. 
• Bringing her back to Canada in the future is pretty much the same thing, only backwards. There are no quarantine periods if you can prove rabies vacc and general good health. 

Here are some helpful links I've been using. 

Canadian Food Inspection Agency - The certificate you need for your pet plus lots o' info

Delta Airlines Pet Travel - great info and tips, plus customer service has been very helpful

PetTravel.com - good info, but remember to always confirm directly with your airline

Air Canada Travelling with Your Pet

United Airlines Traveling with Pets 

Why I'm a Good Expat Candidate

1. I'm Canadian, and a stereotypical one at that. I'm polite, open-minded, and tough as nails. Plus, people like Canadians. :)
2. I grew up in a town of 600 people. I'm used to smaller places, and won't miss the city. I'm accustomed to planning ahead with supplies because the city was far away. 
3. I also grew up in the woods. My dad built a log cabin in the middle of nowhere and we spent every spare minute there. I'm cool with boiling water, washing in the sink, gutting my own fish, using an outhouse, and being grubby. (In fact, I prefer things that way!)
4. I'm optimistic. Sometimes too optimistic, but that's what Bert is for. 
5. I love travel. I love new places. I'm moderately adventurous, but not foolish. 
6. I love to learn languages. I'm a great mimic and love challenging my brain with language. I'm notorious for reading the French on food packages out loud at the table! (My little nieces love it!)
7. I work entirely online. I have very few monetary obligations. I'm used to doing my own taxes.
8. I don't mind being poor. I'm not materialistic. I don't care about stuff or getting ahead or being successful. I won't miss all the junk I've collected at home. In fact, I've already started donating stuff!
9. I'm meticulous. I love planning trips and researching locations. I've planned a bunch of trips with my ex-boyfriend all over Canada and the U.S. and to Cuba. I'll be well prepared for this!
10. I don't have kids, or ailing parents, or tons of family obligations. I love my family, but we're all pretty independent and do our own things. My younger sister lived in England for two years, and my older sister moved to B.C. for many years. My family is used to everyone going their separate ways and not seeing each other often. However, when we do get together, it's a blast! 

Why none of the above really matters:

1. Because I'd rather try and fail, than never try.

Pondering the Options

Where to go? Where to go?
I have the whole world at my toe tips. Where should I go?
Here's the thought process of ruling things out.

The first Google search I did was: best countries to run away to.
This came up with strange results about "countries without extradition", "how to erase your life", and "escaping the law". Um, yeah, not quite what I was looking for. :)
But buried in those results were a few that said something like, "best places to retire". Hmm, let's check those out.
That line of searches led to International Living's Best Places to Retire 2014. I have used this list as my guide for places that are worth really looking further into. I like their ratings and the thoroughness of their research.

International Living's Best Places to Retire 2014

The first thing I noticed about that list was that it was split between South/Central America, Europe, and Asia. I immediately ruled out Europe and Asia because of three reasons: the distance, the newness, and the time difference.
If I'm working online with North American countries, I need to be somewhat in the same time zones, not five or six or 12 hours off!
"The Newness" means "I've been there, done that." I traveled around Europe when I was in my 20s, so moving to Europe doesn't have the same appeal to me as other places. But "newness" also means, "I don't want to go someplace TOO new," which rules out Asia. The language and culture barriers are too damn high!
The distance factor is just me thinking that it's too far to fly to Europe or Asia. Somehow going over an ocean changes everything.

So we're down to Latin America. Here are my top of mind thoughts as I went down the list. Some are completely untrue, but it's interesting to look at my prejudices.

Panama: full of American developers who just want it to be a little U.S.
Ecuador: beautiful, full of nature, top pick, though I didn't think people moved there, just vacationed.
Costa Rica: to live? Um, isn't it all jungles and monkeys? Nice place to visit, not live.
Colombia: NO. Drugs. Drug cartels. Cocaine. NO.
Mexico: Boring. Too mainstream. everyone goes there. Also, drugs.
Uruguay: Where is that?
Nicaragua: Gosh, no! Didn't they just have a war or something? Isn't it full of guerrillas that kidnap people? Or Rambo? Not a safe place. Also, drugs.
Honduras: Hmm, that's another one of those little Central American countries, isn't it? I don't think it's a safe place either.
Guatemala: Mayan ruins, yay! Don't know much about this place.
Brazil: No, too much soccer. Too expensive. Too metropolitan. Also, drugs.
Chile: Sounds boring. Don't know much about it.
Belize: Ooooh Belize!! I've always wanted to go there on vacation! Pretty pretty pretty.
Dominican Republic: That's a tourist place. And an island with no escape if shit goes down.

Bert made an addition to the list:

Peru: Machu Picchu! No clue what it'd be like to live here though.

Strange perceptions of foreign places, eh? I wonder what the locals there would think of my preconceived notions? Anyway, that was my starting point in my head. From there, I spent hours on Google to find out the truth and to blast away my ignorance!
As I researched, I learned a lot of cool stuff. I found out where Uruguay is, that all Latin American countries seem to have a drug problem, and that almost all countries have volcanoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, landslides, drought, and strange diseases. Hmmm. Dangerous destinations, to be sure.
I learned that tourist travel restrictions range widely, but most have an easy way around if you want to overstay your visa. I learned that South America is HUGE and has immensely varied climates and geography. I learned that I'm pretty dumb when it comes to the world. :)

So Bert and I talked back and forth and did tons of reading and really thought hard about what is important to us. We thought about what we needed, what we wanted, what we could live with, and what we couldn't live with.

Need: inexpensive, excellent climate, Internet for me to work, easy visa requirements
Want: safety from crime and natural disasters, easy to have pets, possible for Bert to work
Can live with: some natural disasters, isolation, poor plumbing, boiling the water
Can't live with: too much heat, big cities, getting stabbed

So now here's the revised list with results!

Panama: Maybe. Good climate, few natural disasters, excellent expat community
Ecuador: Maybe. Great climate, but difficult visa restrictions (three months)
Costa Rica: No. Getting expensive, too hot, bad hurricanes
Colombia: Still NO. Drugs. Drug cartels. Cocaine. NO.
Mexico: No. Will vacation here but not live.
Uruguay: No. Actually has become quite pricey. Also very far south.
Nicaragua: Nope. Still not a safe place to live.
Honduras: No. Hot, unsafe, natural disasters.
Guatemala: YES. This is our top pick right now. Easy visa renewal, great climate, nice expat community, smaller cities to live in that are safer, although Guat. City is scary-scary
Brazil: No. Too expensive.
Chile: No. Bad weather, too far.
Belize: No. Too expensive, hurricanes.
Dominican Republic: Nope. Touristy, next to Haiti, and hurricanes.
Peru: Tempting but no. Too far, hard to find a city we could agree on, kinda boring.

As it stands, we are heavily researching Guatemala, especially La Antigua and Panajachel on Lake Atitlán. Super excited! Tons of emails and texts flying back and forth with Bert, and many late night conversations. Sometimes it feels overwhelming because there is so much to consider but I always keep in mind that I really only have two main priorities: make money, learn Spanish. The rest is just details!