I have lived from border to border and coast to coast. Born in Wisconsin, I moved around the US as a child because of my father's job. After college in Michigan, I went to Texas to work and lived there for two decades.
My career in high tech and manufacturing eventually took me abroad. For the next 14 years I lived and worked in the UK, Denmark, Ireland, Malaysia and China. In 2011, I moved to San Francisco for family and health reasons.
In 2016, at the age of 61, I began to seriously consider where I wanted to spend the next chapter of my life. Soon I had a list of 20 places I could imagine retiring to.
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Seven of them were U.S. states with no personal income tax, including Texas. I also considered the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, but none of these places offered pension plans.
Moving to Penang
However, Malaysia had everything I was looking for.
When I worked there years earlier, I was in Penang – and that's where I decided to retire. In 2017, I applied for the Malaysia My Second Home visa and in 2018, I moved there officially, on my own.
While working in Ireland, I was struck by how hospitable and kind the people there are. I thought I would never experience this again. I was wrong because the same spirit was with me the first time I came to Penang.
All the friends I made in Malaysia back then are still my friends. When they found out I was coming back for good, they enthusiastically showed me around.
Living in Penang is very comfortable for me. Being able to communicate in English almost everywhere also made things easier. Plus, Penang has a charm that big cities like Kuala Lumpur or Dallas lack.
As a retiree, health care issues are always at the back of my mind. My first major experience with the medical system in Penang came after I broke my leg slipping on a slope while hiking.
The orthopedic surgeon put me back together using a six-inch metal plate and seven screws. I was honestly impressed with the quality of care I received.
Additionally, I am a cancer survivor and one of the factors I considered when choosing where to retire was whether I would have the opportunity to volunteer for cancer patients.
And that's what I do now three days a week in a specialized oncology hospital. I'm there before 9:30 a.m. and stay until about 5 p.m.
In addition to my time in the hospital, I also undergo training to better support cancer patients and their families.
I once read a book that recommended two hours of exercise a day, six days a week – and I try to stick to that. I regularly go to the gym near my home and train on my own.
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“My Only Home”
Penang is very dynamic. The food culture here is amazing. People are constantly opening new places serving new cuisines at reasonable prices.
If I want peace and quiet, that's not a problem either. One of the things I like to do is take long car rides. It takes about 70 minutes to get around the island, so I put on one of my old compilation CDs, listen to music and just enjoy the solitude.
Penang also has direct flights to many destinations in Asia, including cities in Thailand and China, so it's easy for me to visit old friends.
Of course, moving abroad comes with its challenges. For example, if you live abroad, it can be surprisingly difficult to use an international phone number with US banks.
Looking back on all the moves you really gain a much broader perspective on humanity and a greater tolerance for many aspects of cultures. This helps you become more accepting of differences.
I used to say that home is where my toothbrush is, and that could even be on an airplane 10 km above the ocean. However, this is not a lifestyle for everyone.
My attachments are not necessarily to places, and certainly not to things. I like to say that I measure my wealth by the number of great friends I have.
I have the ambition to become an antique, so I would like to live to be 100 years old. I come from a long-lived family, so it's possible – and I want to spend the rest of my life in Penang.
People say, “Oh, so Malaysia is your second home?” I answer: “No, this is my only home.”
The above text is a translation from American edition of Business Insider
