Retire like royalty in a low-cost paradise

"I met a Frenchman who said, 'You Americans, you welcome me with open arms, but in my country, it wouldn't be the same,'" Halcomb said. "'You would never be French.'"

In most countries, language barriers can pose a problem even to the most intrepid. Hildreth Serrano, an American registered nurse who lived for more than a decade in Germany, thought she'd do fine living and working in the Czech Republic -- until she got there. Although she loves living in Europe, learning a new language has been daunting.

"I would have to say the worst thing (about living abroad) is being reduced to having absolutely no language ability -- going from being a fairly articulate professional to total mute non-comprehension," Serrano said. "It is bewildering, disconcerting and adds to a sometimes overpowering feeling of isolation."

You're not a Type A personality

If you're the kind of person who gets impatient waiting in line at the post office, for example, then dealing with bureaucracies in other countries could drive you up a wall.

A simple banking transaction in Mexico can be an afternoon-long affair, while getting a phone installed in many countries can take months. Utilities and other bills often must be paid in person in countries with iffy postal systems -- and that means long periods standing in lines. Stores might be open only a few hours a day, and closed for innumerable holidays, making you long for a 24-hour mini-mart.

"There was a huge culture shock when we first went to Ecuador," said Suzan Haskins, an Omaha native who has worked for International Living, a newsletter and Web site, in Ecuador and Mexico. "We'd have five or 10 things we wanted to accomplish in a day and we'd be lucky if we got one of those done."

You're willing to do some research

Some of the Web sites, magazines and newsletters about international living are also in the business of promoting real estate or tours, which means they have a vested interest in painting the best possible portrait of living abroad. They can also help you to find out about special programs that some countries have to attract retirees and any restriction that may exist on buying real estate.

You can use those resources for preliminary research, of course, and to get in touch with Americans who have moved to the country of your choice. Contact these expats to get a clearer idea of what life is really like there.

Many experts on living abroad also recommend renting a home in your chosen country for six months or so before deciding whether to move there permanently. Make sure your stay includes the time of year with the worst weather. By then, you'll be more certain whether you're making the right choice.

You have an exit strategy

Regimes can change. Your health can decline. Prices can rise -- particularly if the tropical paradise you found gets discovered by lots of other ex-pats. (Of course, if you bought real estate there, it might be a good thing.)

Then there are the horror stories:

• In Mexico, about 350 American retirees were evicted from their homes in Baja California's Punta Banda two years ago after the country's Supreme Court ruled that they leased the property from the wrong owners. Some of the retirees had poured their life savings into homes they had built on land that was supposed to have been theirs for 90 years, leaving them with few resources to restart their lives.

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• Foreign retirees in Spain face losing property and houses to eminent domain decisions -- the government plans to seize the land to promote more development. Not only will the owners not be compensated, but they are often asked to pay huge assessments to help build the roads for new development.

So no matter how much you think you're going to adore your new country, remember that a day may yet come when your love affair goes awry. Consider setting aside enough resources so that, if you need to, you can come home again.

Liz Pulliam Weston's column appears every Monday and Thursday, exclusively on MSN Money. She also answers reader questions in the Your Money message board.

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