Lauren Fonda in Ajijic, Mexico.Supplied
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In Tales from the Golden Age, retirees talk about their spending, savings and whether life after work is what they expected.
Lauren Fonda, 67, Ajijic, Mexico
I retired in 2021 at the age of 65 after a career teaching music and art – first in Saskatchewan and British Columbia, then internationally in Indonesia, Vietnam, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Poland and Myanmar.
I had planned on retiring after my fifth international teaching contract ended in Poland, but a friend who managed international schools in Southeast Asia offered me a two-year contract teaching art at Yangon International School in Myanmar starting in August, 2019. A few months later, COVID-19 came along.
Most international teachers, including myself, evacuated the country and taught online classes from other locations. After spending some time in Thailand, I moved back to my hometown of Medstead, Sask., and taught online classes out of my sister’s basement – in the same home where we grew up.
In February, 2021, there was a military coup in Myanmar and mayhem broke out across the country. My students were traumatized, but they persevered. Then, my contract ended about a year later. It wasn’t how I wanted my 33-year teaching career to end, working online out of my sister’s basement, but the pandemic has thrown people many curveballs.
I initially thought I would retire in my hometown, but after a while, I realized I couldn’t live in that little town again after having lived and worked all over the world. It would have been a good move financially, but not socially – not for me anyway. I then tried living in a larger town in Alberta where my brother, his wife and two of my international friends were living, but everybody was so busy working that I rarely saw them. I was lonely, depressed and bored, which was not what I had envisioned for my retirement.
In November last year, I moved to Ajijic, Mexico, a small town on the north shore of Lake Chapala. I chose Mexico because it’s a culturally rich country with friendly and welcoming people. I rent a great place here that’s very affordable. I am studying Spanish and tried Latin dancing, but I decided that I preferred to spend my time playing pickleball, meeting some fellow musicians and playing guitar and singing at various open-mic venues. I also do a lot of horseback riding, which is an important part of the local culture here.
My money goes much further in Mexico than it would in Canada, so I don’t worry too much about finances in retirement. I was also financially prepared for retirement, having saved and invested throughout my career. I have a pension from my work in Canada and had some good retirement packages from a few of the international schools at which I taught, particularly in Saudi Arabia.
While retirement is good now, I still miss teaching. I’m passionate about art and music education and will try to find ways to volunteer in the local schools once I’m more settled and my Spanish improves.
Anyone considering retirement should figure out where they want to live first. Also, maintain your health because poor health can limit the quality of your retirement. If you don’t have any hobbies, find some quickly because being lonely and bored at home is bad for your physical and mental health. And if you’re single, like me, find ways to meet different people and spend time with them. Life is so much more fun with a varied circle of friends.
As told to Brenda Bouw
This interview has been edited and condensed.
Are you a Canadian retiree interested in discussing what life is like now that you’ve stopped working? The Globe is looking for people to participate in its Tales from the Golden Age feature, which examines the personal and financial realities of retirement. If you’re interested in being interviewed for this feature, and agree to use your full name and have a photo taken, please e-mail us at: goldenageglobe@gmail.com Please include a few details about how you saved and invested for retirement and what your life is like now.
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