Oh Retirement!

It was a Tuesday morning and we were catching a bus in the evening.  We started the day reading the news after breakfast.  Then we decided to run a few errands looking for a new filter for Mike's camera, his hobby of choice.  After walking around the now familiar streets of Mendoza we decided to stop for lunch.  At 12:00PM we were well ahead of the lunch rush.  We were on our own schedule quite different from the local routine.  The only other couple in the restaurant was an elderly couple.  All at once it hit me.  Our trip was like a brief experiment in retirement.  Some might say this is obvious since we both are not working.  However, what I felt was more than just the absence of a work schedule.  At that moment I felt like I knew a lot about the lives of the people next to us even though I knew nothing about them besides the fact that they were retired.

Our trip has provided us with a freedom that I have never experienced before for this length of time.    Everyday we can decide what we want to do that day.  All travel deadlines and schedules are self imposed.  The one constant of each day is that we will face the day's journey together.  Three months into the trip, Mike and I have spent more consecutive time together on this trip than we have ever before in our lives (probably with anyone since we each started kindergarten).  We eat each meal together and sometimes there is nothing to say.  The silence is not uncomfortable.  It allows for inner reflection and a comfort in knowing that nothing needs to be said.  We are both content enjoying the time that we have together and the sights we are able to see.  At the same time there is an understanding of the other person.  I feel as though we completed our two year newlywed time and leaped to knowing each other at a much deeper level that would normally take years.  The couple next to us also sat in intermittent silence.  There we were, two couples enjoying the early bird special of retirement.

The trip was a goal that we had saved for the past couple of years.  Each month we made a contribution to a bank account.  We named it the trip saving's fund and made no real plans for the trip other than the contributions.  It was fun to see the amount go up each month and reflect on the grand adventure that we hoped would one day be realized.  Now we are living our dream and enjoying each day fully with newfound freedom.  It is a strange feeling to see the withdrawals from the trip savings fund.  There is a sense in satisfaction of reaching the goal but also a little fear as you wonder if  you saved enough for the plans you've made.  There is a want to save a little more even though you know in your head you've budgeted it out and everything will be fine. We are willing to spend extra time searching for the best deal weighing the importance of luxuries that we don't really need.  Mike has created a spreadsheet where we document and categorize the spending of the day (so we can answer questions like 'how much have you spent on food so far').  In some ways the documentation helps to assuage the voice in the back of your head wandering where you stand.   Perhaps that is why some people who are able to retire choose not to and continue to work.  It is hard to  see the numbers go down and the freedom to do as you please can be unsettling.  It seems far easier to have a routine, earn money, and feel needed.  Each day at work there are tasks at hand and deadlines that make the day fly by and less time to think about the big picture.  Although I don't wish that I was working right now I am glad that I'm not retired.  The trip has given us the opportunity to analyze the type of life that we want to live.  The importance of family and friends continues to surface as a top priority in life.  Without these relationships working hard to really 'live' in retirement seems comical.  I hope the future holds a big family in store for us to keep us focused on what is really important.  

~Suzanne