I was raised in West Virginia, Oklahoma, Texas, and many places in between. I have lived in NYC, Washington DC, Dallas, Charleston, Fort Benning, Charles Town, and several other places. This is, by far, my favorite. 

About thirty years ago I decided that I was going to get off the paycheck hamster wheel and spend my days writing, traveling, and reading. Since I wasn't born into money, the way to do that seemed to be building up several small pensions and investments into an income I wouldn't have to work for. That way, I could write what I pleased without worrying about whether it would "sell." It took thirty years to do it, but with Kathleen's help, we've finally managed it.

We spent years planning and scouting our eventual destination. It needed good weather, peace and quiet, political stability, and access to travel and cultural opportunities. It was crucial that it have a low cost of living, good internet, excellent health care and a welcoming populace. We scouted in Spain, Italy, and many other places. In the end, we settled on our place here - a penthouse condominium overlooking the Pacific in Salinas, Ecuador. This is a wonderful place that meets all our needs more than amply.

Whatever we please. The only thing I do every day is write. Some days we walk around town and explore. Some days we plan our next trips to Europe and Asia.  Some days we travel around Ecuador - one of the most diverse places on Earth. Some days we just sit on the terrace, cook, and relax. It's a fine life. I recommend it.

It seems unlikely in the extreme. I don't like what American culture and politics have become. I have yet to run into anyone in a coffee shop toting a military grade rifle, and the gangsters here have the courtesy to confine themselves to very occasionally shooting each other. The political scene here isn't as intrusive into everyday life, and the constant competitive hustle that American life has become just isn't a thing here. People, on the whole, have less, and some folks are very poor, but the pace of life is far more congenial.  And most Ecuadorians are just plain nice. Oh, and finding fresh food and produce at very reasonable prices is much easier. We're healthier here than we have been in years.