New nests for old birds
by Julie Hawrishok
It takes no more than 10 minutes to walk from one end of Cuastecomate to the other. The small Mexican village lies on the shores of a secluded Pacific bay, where the sound of the incoming tide lapping at the sand beach can be heard all over town. But recently, the steady noise of construction has filled the air.
About 50 people live in the community year-round. But each November Cuastecomate's modest population jumps dramatically as dozens of Canadian retirees leave snowy winters behind and make the trip south to this small but growing village.
The snowbirds' desire to experience the sunnier side of retirement is not new - Canadians have long eschewed cold winters in favour of warmer climates. In the past, the United States - Florida, Texas, California and Arizona in particular - was the hot spot for Canadians.
But today, snowbirds are going global. They are flocking to more colourful locales such as Mexico, the Caribbean, South America, Europe, Australia, even Africa - in search of sunshine, palm trees and cultural variety.
The Canadian Snowbird Association represents more than 80,000 Canadian seniors who temporarily reside out of the country. The association says that in recent years the popular destinations have shifted away from the United States and towards more "exotic" locations.
A survey conducted this past spring by the CSA showed that while the United States is still the top destination for Canadian snowbirds, other countries are gaining in popularity.
According to the survey, about 21 per cent of respondents spend time in the Caribbean and Mexico, while about 23 per cent traveled to European countries such as Spain, Italy, Portugal and Greece.
Survey respondents also indicated that within the next two years, many of them will be traveling the globe more extensively, with 3.1 per cent intending to visit Africa for at least one month. About 8.8 per cent of those surveyed are set on spending time in Cuba and 7.9 per cent want to head even farther south, to Australia and New Zealand.
This is quite a switch from travel trends of a few years ago: In a similar 2000 survey, CSA members who traveled south overwhelmingly chose the United States as their final winter destination, with only 3.4 per cent opting for vacation spots outside of that country.
Ruth and Carl Behnka spend their summers at home in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. For the past 15 years, the couple has left Canada "as soon as the snow flies," spending up to six months each year outside of the country. Like many Canadians, their travels first took them to the Sunshine State. "We were always thinking when we retired we'd do that - just go down and stay in Florida," Carl says. "That was our plan, but it was too dangerous."
However, after repeated trips, the Behnkas realized it might not be the retirement haven they had imagined. "We weren't really made to feel welcome," Carl says.
His wife agrees, adding that safety was another reason they left. "It got to be downright dangerous," Ruth says. "They had a real spate of people who were anti-tourist and they were sniping and throwing rocks through your windows. Guns were very obvious there, and we're not comfortable with guns. You really felt ill at ease most of the time."
Looking for alternatives, the Behnkas discovered Cuastecomate, about a 40-minute drive from Manzanillo, in 1994 after Carl, a former computer electrician, received an offer for early retirement.
"We decided to stay because there is so much to see," he says. "Mexico is a phenomenal country. There are so many things that attract us to this place, more so than anywhere in the States or Canada. The only places that could be comparable would be some places in Europe, but it's so much more expensive there."
They cite the lower cost of living as an added bonus of retiring in Mexico. "Our money is worth a lot more here. We couldn't afford to live in the States the same way we live here," Ruth says.
Medipac International, a Toronto-based company that caters to the medical and insurance needs of seniors, has long followed travel trends among Canadian snowbirds - the company publishes the CSA's quarterly magazine, organizes social get-togethers for snowbirds around the world and offers advice on insurance and other financial issues pertinent to Canadian retirees. Medipac estimates that about 750,000 Canadians head to the southern U.S. each winter for an average of 4.7 months.
But according to CEO John Ross Quigley, many snowbirds are now forgoing an American retirement and instead seeking out more far-flung locations because of the expenses involved with living in the United States. Even with the loonie's recent surge, "there's the double whammy of the dollar and the U.S. health care costs," he says. "People are being lambasted from both sides."
He adds that as more baby-boomers are reaching retirement age, the cost of housing is escalating accordingly. "As the population ages, the price for waterfront properties is increasing." In the past two years, he continues, "prices for a two-bedroom condo on a beach [in Florida] have doubled. Even renting costs have risen." As a result, he says, Mexico's lower cost of living has attracted many.
Dale and Maureen Roberts of Courtenay, B.C. are still a few years away from retiring, but they are already planning how they will spend those golden years. The couple is hoping to expand their horizons and put their passports to good use at the same time. "At this point I'm just full of wishes and dreams," says Mrs. Roberts. "But we're looking at going to Brazil, Argentina and even South Africa to check it out."
The Roberts' tested the waters of living abroad when they visited Australia for three weeks on a house exchange. "It was great," Maureen says. "Now we travel places to decide if we would want to live there. The U.S. isn't the end all and be all for us. I want to be someplace where I can do something new."
The couple is leaning towards heading to Brazil upon retirement. "We have friends there," she says. "And they have been telling us for years now to come and buy our retirement property."
Of course, economics play a big factor in their retirement plans. "The standard of living [in Brazil] is something we're not used to here. I wouldn't dream of having someone cook and clean for me here, but there, it's almost expected. But I could learn to live with that," she says with a laugh.
While the cost of living in places like Mexico and Brazil is less than the United States, many Canadians do worry about safety issues.
For example, drug trafficking and kidnapping are not uncommon in some parts of Mexico, especially in larger, more urban areas. The language barriers, especially with police agencies and medical personnel, can be difficult to negotiate. The standard of living in the United States is a lot closer to that in Canada, while the so-called "exotic" locations often suffer from economic and political instability.
But Jude and Stephen Marshall of Parksville, B.C., who have been spending their winters in Cuastecomate since 1992, say they have never felt threatened in the village.
"People back home thought if you came to Mexico, you were going to get robbed, beaten up, maybe killed on the road," Jude says.
"And people still have that attitude. They think Mexico is a place where you're taking your life into your hands. But as far as violence, that's something I've never seen."
However, she is quick to point out that she is not on permanent vacation.
"When you own property, you've got to work. All of your everyday functioning has to be taken care of. You spend a lot more time than you do at home in Canada tidying up, doing your shopping."
Mrs. Marshall says she is a different person in Cuastecomate than she is in Canada. "It's a pleasure and a privilege to be here," she says. "I sure would encourage people to plan their lives so that they can have their retirement earlier. When we came here, things just fell into place for us."
Now, as the temperature dips colder each night, thousands of Canadians are gearing up to go to their winter homes around the world. The Behnkas and the Marshalls will once again make their way to Cuastecomate, wondering if any other Canadian snowbirds have discovered the village during the off-season - or someplace just like it somewhere new.