Many people dream of spending their retirement where they once went on vacation. Countries such as Spain and Italy are attractive to retirees with modest incomes because of their generally lower cost of living.
Experts warn that many retirees move abroad “naïvely” and then face major challenges. Moving and emigrating requires strength, patience, perseverance and courage, says one expert. But as an emigrant you are never alone: “We experience again and again that the network and mutual help down here is a given for most people when we need something,” says a member of the Facebook group “German speakers in Andalusia and Spain’. “Everything here is half as expensive, and often even less, than in Munich. But remember: the heat in summer is unbearable (often over 40 degrees, slightly inland close to 50 degrees),” warns one user. For animal lovers, bullfighting and the attitude of some people towards it is almost unbearable, says another.