Retire to the Sun

Whether it's speaking to your new neighbours or friends and family many miles away, when you retire abroad staying in touch is a vital part of avoiding unwanted isolation.

Language

Language is a key factor when you are looking to move abroad. How big a factor it is depends on where you go and what you do there, but in a non-English speaking country, it is always a good idea to know some basic terms for emergency situations.

How important is learning the language?
English-speaking countries are an obvious choice for expatriates, as there is no language barrier. For many, however, the attractions of a country outweigh any linguistic concerns.

The area you settle in is all-important to your language requirements. Even in a foreign-speaking country, if you live in a community of largely English-speaking expatriate owners you may only require a minimal knowledge of the local tongue.

On the other hand, if you are planning to renovate a farmhouse in a rural area, an ability to speak the language is a necessity. It is unlikely that locals will speak English and being able to communicate freely with local tradesmen will make a huge difference.

On a daily basis, it can feel extremely isolating if you are unable to understand, and be understood by, your neighbours, shopkeepers, banks and just about anyone you come into contact with.

While it is possible to remain at home a lot and use the phone or internet to communicate with others, it is much more difficult to integrate into your new surroundings this way.

Often, locals will appreciate the fact that you make the effort and will not be overly critical of your accent or occasional slip-ups.

The only real way to learn is to try the language, make mistakes and carry on regardless! Once you know a few basic words, it is much easier to get by.

A final reason for learning the local language is in case of emergency situations. Being able to phone the emergency services, speak to someone close at hand, or understand what a notice says can make all the difference.

Generally, it is well worth taking the time and effort to learn how to speak the language of your adopted country.

It will give you an insight into the local culture, too, and will help you fit in with your surroundings.

Language courses
As part of your preparation for moving, starting to learn the language well before you go - at least a year if possible - is a great idea. It can be relatively difficult learning a new language later in life, but with some dedication and application, it is certainly possible.

Language classes are on offer at many night schools offered by schools, colleges and universities, usually only requiring a couple of hours of teaching time a week. Apply direct to your local establishment for a prospectus, and look out for open evenings where you can enrol.

Foreign students and other teachers frequently teach their language on a one-to-one or small group basis at home. While more expensive, you will get more attention and may feel more confident about speaking in front of one person rather than a whole class.

Check local newspapers and shop window adverts to find a suitable teacher. How well you do is down to your own diligence, but even an hour a day of dedicated study can take you on leaps and bounds in a short period.

You may also be able to find daytime courses on offer in your community, if you are able to attend; look in your local library for adverts.

Other options are distance learning courses and online, audio or CD Rom courses. These can be good for learning to read and write, but have obvious disadvantages when it comes to speaking. Look online at the range available, or in bookstores.

Staying in touch

Living abroad may be able to offer you the lifestyle you want, but staying in touch with family and friends back home is an important consideration.

The ease with which you can do this depends on the telecoms infrastructure of the country you move to and, of course, the cost.

As with all aspects of planning your move, preparation will make the transition simpler. Find out if there is a phone line to your new property and, if not, how difficult it is to have one installed. This will also give you the ability to access email and the internet.

Home telephone
You should be able to set up a phone line to your home with relative ease. Contact the local phone companies for a competitive deal.

If there is no line to the house, speak to them about installing one and how much it will cost. Always start a new contract with a phone company, in case there are outstanding debts from the previous occupant.

Ask for a copy of their call costs, particularly for international calls if you will be phoning home frequently. Look into billing - if you want to set up a direct debit payment, you will need a bank account set up in your name first (see our oney and Banking section for more information). Doing this before you go will make your life much easier once you have moved.

Phone sockets abroad are often different from country to country, so your best option will probably be to buy a new phone once you get there. A basic model is very cheap in most cases.

Cheaper calls abroad can often be had with phone cards bought from local shops. These require you to dial one number, usually freephone, from your home telephone and enter a unique passnumber from the card.

Once connected, you have the set amount of credit on the card to use. The companies that make these cards can usually buy airtime from the major companies, allowing them to offer cheaper calls without the costs of maintaining the line.

You can also call for free if you have a broadband connection using call systems like Skype. They allow you to call other Skype users worldwide over the internet and have the added advantage that you can see who you are talking to if they  have a webcam.

Mobile telephones
Find out which phone companies cover the area you will be living in. Many of the same mobile phone companies you will know from home have a presence in lots of countries, particularly across 

You may be able to transfer an existing phone contract to your new country - speak to your service provider to find out. Do not be tempted to carry on using your home mobile phone abroad, as all calls will be charged at international rates, because you are outside the country where the phone is registered.

This even applies to incoming calls, for which the caller only pays for the portion of the call in their home country and you pick up the tab for the international portion.

Coverage and signal strength will depend on where you are in relation to the transmitter. You should be able to view which areas have the strongest signal on your service provider's website.

email and internet
email is a great way to stay in touch with lots of people very cheaply, so find out if you will be able to use it in your new home.

Is broadband internet access available?
Broadband uses a fast modem to allow more information to pass down your phone line than a standard 'dial-up' connection.

The higher the connection size, the faster the service will perform - a 1 megabyte connection is quicker than a 512 kilobyte connection.

Many companies give away free modems to encourage you to sign up with them. You will need minimum system requirements on your computer, but most modern ones should be OK.

If you intend to buy a computer abroad, remember that keyboard layouts can be different from what you are used to and software will be in the language of the country where you bought it. Unless you know how to change it yourself, taking a computer from home is your best bet.

You can pay a flat fee, usually on a monthly basis, for an 'always on' broadband service, which gives you unlimited access to the internet and your email.

This is very handy if you are planning to run a business from home or are setting up a website. For example, you might want to create a few pages to keep people updated with your news and even give them directions to your house.

With broadband, by purchasing a webcam and a microphone, you can make video calls back home. This could save a lot of money on international phone calls because it is all covered in your monthly fee.

Research which companies provide internet access before you go, as you will undoubtedly find using your computer an invaluable way to stay in touch.



Post
One of the biggest chores of moving house or business is informing all the companies that need to know about your change of address.

If you move from the UK, the Royal Mail website has an excellent, free section that allows you to contact them all in one go with your new details. You can ask your mail delivery service to redirect post for you.

You will have to pay a small fee for this and can choose how long you would like it to run for. The Royal Mail will redirect your letters for set amounts of time between one month and two years.

Another option is to arrange to have your mail sent 'Poste Restante' to a participating Post Office in a large town near you. Senders mark the envelope with the words 'Poste Restante' or 'To be called for' and send it to the relevant Post Office for you to collect.

This is a free service in some countries, but you could be charged for picking up your post in foreign Post Offices. Details for both of these services are on the Post Office website.