Lifestyle Migrants

I attended a weekend seminar in April, "Fast Track Your Retirement Overseas, 2019," hosted by International Living (IL), a magazine that for the last forty years has sold the idea of better living abroad. Clutching a "welcome pack" tote bag, I joined an eager cadre making its way into the exhibit hall of an Orlando hotel. In exchange for approximately $1,000, conference organizers had promised not only to "reinforce [our] dream" of retiring abroad, but also to explain "how to make it happen." We would learn to navigate cross-border legal status, tax laws, property transactions, banking, investment, and cultural attitudes, while acquiring strategies for maximizing profits and avoiding frustrations. We would also enjoy the company of "like-minded people." Beyond a shared interest in moving outside the United States, the meaning of "like-minded" remained unclear.