Learn how a US citizen found a way to retire to a new country. Australia is one of the safest countries To Retire in the western world.
Stephanie Cunningham and her partner visited Australia, fell in love and came back to stay permanently.
In 2000, Stephanie joined a round-the-world bicycle tour which included Australia to celebrate the millennium at age 52. After the tour was over, Stephanie decided to stay in Australia to live in rural New South Wales. She applied for a “retirement visa” which had originally been established to let the English come over to Australia for a few years and enjoy the sunshine. They were successful in obtaining the visa, but one condition caught her by surprise and changed her life completely: Stephanie couldn’t work. She was forced into an early retirement with no real plan nor preparation.
With little choice, Stephanie participated in “retirement” activities: volunteering, remodelling an old house, travelling, hobbies, and exercising. None were particularly fulfilling nor held her interest for very long.
As the working conditions of the visa were eased and you could work part-time, she decided that she wanted to become a yoga teacher and teach primarily seniors. This idea had merit as I had taken yoga classes since coming to Australia and knew that yoga, modified for seniors, could be very useful as the body aged. And no one else was doing it so Stephanie looked forward to the challenge.
A great way to fit into a new country is to start with volunteering and work your way up. Through a love of yoga Stephanie started teaching and found a new purpose of helping seniors. After all Australia is one of the safest countries to retire in. This US citizen found a way to retire to a new country.
SUMMARY
1:30 Introduction to Stephanie Cunningham
3:45 Retiring to a new country, Australia
7:00 Finding a new purpose
8:45 The Retirement myth
10:55 Finding fulfillment and pleasure
15:00 How to keep moving
17:30 Podcasts, listen to conversations
18:30 Contact
Connect with Stephanie online.
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