How did we come to this decision?

CQ and I wished that we had been able to backpack across Europe or even Asia after our college days, but since we both paid for our own education getting a job was imperative and our 'adult' life began. Several years later, CQ did return to university (Cornell) to get his MBA. I worked hard and supported us. Our only son was born just before he graduated and we moved here to STL where we still are.
Raising our son, two careers and elderly parents filled the next few years. CQ returned PT to school for his PhD in Latin American History (Mexican historian) , opened his own business (computer's, repairs and web stuff), and we started hosting high school exchange students.
We always said that our son learned to swear in 7 different languages. That said, we really enjoyed kids from Spain, Finland (3), Denmark (2), Sweden, China, Croatia, Germany, Czech Republic (2), Hungary and France.

We hosted beautiful Solene, from France 2009-2010

And once they had returned to their respective countries, we of course had to visit them.

CQ, Aug 2009 visiting our 'kids' in Finland!

Our travels began! During our travels we began to look around for a future 'home'. Europe would not be the place as the Euro would kill us (and our budget)! Than we traveled to Argentina, nope... too far away! Panama, nope, Costa Rica, nope! We also looked at many areas in the USA. Tucson, Santa Fe, Florida, Reno, Seattle, Vermont.. but no where really felt like whatever we were looking for. Until Merida!

CQ, our first visit to Merida, Oct 2007

Merida had so much of what we were looking for: walkable city, good amounts of housing stock, excellent medical care, and only a couple of hours from the US. A great bonus was the Merida English Library as well as excellent food and cultural activities. It was a place where we could retire and have a good quality of life! And so it goes....