I need your advice, suggestions, etc.

Tamara


We have younger friends (late 20's early 30's at the time) that use to meet us in SoWal every year and kept talking about moving someday - I told them you are young - no children - why wait - give it a try - you can always go back home if you need to. They have been living in the area for 4 years now - have 2 kids - recently bought a house and love it. Sometimes it is best to try living your dreams now instead of waiting for things to happen that hold you back - like mortgages - kids or elderly parents.
Not saying it was easy at times for them - there were a lot of jobs cleaning rentals and waiting tables - but eventually they found full time jobs that they like that pay the bills :clap_1: :clap_1:

Tamara


We have younger friends (late 20's early 30's at the time) that use to meet us in SoWal every year and kept talking about moving someday - I told them you are young - no children - why wait - give it a try - you can always go back home if you need to. They have been living in the area for 4 years now - have 2 kids - recently bought a house and love it. Sometimes it is best to try living your dreams now instead of waiting for things to happen that hold you back - like mortgages - kids or elderly parents.
Not saying it was easy at times for them - there were a lot of jobs cleaning rentals and waiting tables - but eventually they found full time jobs that they like that pay the bills :clap_1: :clap_1:

Leaving the elderly parent is the issue. When my fathe passed away he told my mother that we would take of her. You get the idea.

Leaving the elderly parent is the issue. When my fathe passed away he told my mother that we would take of her. You get the idea.

That is our stumbling block right now - my father-in-law. He has been ill for four years - but even if we move him with us - he would lose the friends from the old neighborhood and church that still make the effort to visit him.

All of your encouragement is making me want to pack my bags! All of my family (small) is in Tennesee and my parents are in good health. I am not so sure I would get their support on this though. Mostly it would just be fear that would hold me back if I could find a job and a place for my and my dogs. I have always said I would retire to Sowal...but then I really just started to question why not now? I have no children....why not just go for it?

My 23 year old son told me 3 weeks ago that he's actively seeking employment in New Zeland. He has friends there and he has a couple of leads on jobs there. he spent time there in college and fell in love with the place and the people.

As hard as it would be to have him go, I am fiercely proud that he's willing to take a chance and go for it.

He was suprised that I would be so supportive of his choice to do this. I'd rather have him go and give it a shot before he's obligated, than to regret that he didn't. Your family may suprise you. You'll never know if you don't try. Besides, we all support you!

Plus, Tamara, nothing is ever written in stone. If you found that actually living in SoWal was not to your liking, you could always go back to where your family lives. You'll have lost nothing, but gained experience that you'd otherwise not have had.