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Retirement & modeling
Garrand
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Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: October 27, 2009
KitMaker: 195 posts
Armorama: 194 posts
Posted: Tuesday, August 20, 2019 - 03:00 AM UTC
I still have a ways to go to get to retirement, but I've been thinking about this lately...

There's a chance that I may emigrate to Ecuador when I retire (my other half is Ecuadorian), which will probably have some tremendous economic benefits & allow me to stretch my retirement money further...

If we decide to do this, it'll probably be to Quito (climate is nicer than her original city of Guayaquil, plus family is there). I know Guayaquil has a model scene, though less sure about Quito (one would assume there is, considering its the largest city in Ecuador, but I'm not 100% sure).

That being said, has anyone on here retired to a different country? How has that impacted your hobby life? Were you able to bring it with you, start over, give it up? Has anyone retired to Ecuador & continued their hobby experience? Anyone have an idea what the hobby scene in Ecuador & specifically Quito is?

Damon.
southpier
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Alberta, Canada
Joined: December 11, 2009
KitMaker: 546 posts
Armorama: 316 posts
Posted: Tuesday, August 20, 2019 - 04:26 AM UTC
if you have the internet & mail service, you should be covered!
RobinNilsson
Staff MemberTOS Moderator
KITMAKER NETWORK
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Stockholm, Sweden
Joined: November 29, 2006
KitMaker: 6,693 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, August 20, 2019 - 04:32 AM UTC
If you are planning on moving with a large stash you may want to check that you don't get into trouble with the customs for moving a large amount of kits into the country.
/ Robin
redcap
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England - East Midlands, United Kingdom
Joined: November 06, 2005
KitMaker: 753 posts
Armorama: 378 posts
Posted: Tuesday, August 20, 2019 - 04:32 AM UTC
I think Damon given the whole world is now linked by the internet, then if you have the interest to keep your hobby going, then it will merely be one of geography. Where you may notice a difference (and I am sure our S.A. members will know more) is that access to stuff like shows and local enthusiasts clubs may be more restricted if the hobby isn't as popular in Ecuador or if modelling is seen as an affordable luxury etc.

Whatever happens, good luck!

Gary
Namabiiru
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS
#399
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Rhode Island, United States
Joined: March 05, 2014
KitMaker: 2,888 posts
Armorama: 1,920 posts
Posted: Tuesday, August 20, 2019 - 04:52 AM UTC
I spent many years in Japan before moving back Stateside, and while I agree that the rise of internet commerce has made it much easier to stay supplied and informed, the thing I had challenges with was ordering items that can't be shipped by air. The other thing that reared its head from time to time was trying to order things from companies that only ship via UPS or FEDEX. Since I had a PO Box for an address there were some companies that simply refused to do business.

Good luck! Sounds too tropical to me, but I've heard that there are people out there that like warm weather...

Garrand
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Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: October 27, 2009
KitMaker: 195 posts
Armorama: 194 posts
Posted: Tuesday, August 20, 2019 - 05:14 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Good luck! Sounds too tropical to me, but I've heard that there are people out there that like warm weather...



Quito is in the Andes & is the 2nd highest capital in the world IIRC. Average daily temperatures are in the 70s F year round. The only downside is adapting to the thin air!

Damon.
Namabiiru
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS
#399
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Rhode Island, United States
Joined: March 05, 2014
KitMaker: 2,888 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, August 20, 2019 - 05:23 AM UTC
Now THAT does sound like my kind of place!

165thspc
#521
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Kentucky, United States
Joined: April 13, 2011
KitMaker: 9,465 posts
Armorama: 8,695 posts
Posted: Tuesday, August 20, 2019 - 07:35 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I spent many years in Japan before moving back Stateside, and while I agree that the rise of internet commerce has made it much easier to stay supplied and informed, the thing I had challenges with was ordering items that can't be shipped by air. The other thing that reared its head from time to time was trying to order things from companies that only ship via UPS or FEDEX. Since I had a PO Box for an address there were some companies that simply refused to do business.

Good luck! Sounds too tropical to me, but I've heard that there are people out there that like warm weather...




I admit I still live state side but while I get my normal mail at a P.O. Box I have had absolutely no trouble using my street address to receive larger packages and I do a fair amount of online ordering.
southpier
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Alberta, Canada
Joined: December 11, 2009
KitMaker: 546 posts
Armorama: 316 posts
Posted: Tuesday, August 20, 2019 - 10:03 AM UTC

Quoted Text

... ordering items that can't be shipped by air....




I was just having a conversation wondering how amazon can ship canned butane, lighters, and batteries.
Removed by original poster on 08/20/19 - 22:48:27 (GMT).
Kenaicop
#384
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Nevada, United States
Joined: August 23, 2005
KitMaker: 1,426 posts
Armorama: 1,316 posts
Posted: Tuesday, August 20, 2019 - 10:38 AM UTC
I retired and moved from Alaska to Nevada just over two years ago. Gave away quite a few half built and unbuilt kits, all my paints and solvents, as well as a ton of reference material. With that said, I still had quite a bit of built models, over 150, and unbuilt kits to move down here. Built kits were packed into my truck that I shipped, unbuilt kits were all mailed to myself. What reference that was left, decals, building materials also went into my truck. I’m just now getting around to building up my paint supply to start painting again, set up my airbrush and a painting station in the garage. Not a change of country, but it may as well been!

Built kits were packed into boxes, each in its own plastic bag, antennas and anything else protruding removed, layered with bubble wrap. They shipped quite well.

TopSmith
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Washington, United States
Joined: August 09, 2002
KitMaker: 1,742 posts
Armorama: 1,658 posts
Posted: Tuesday, August 20, 2019 - 11:02 AM UTC
I have watched the 90 day marriage shows and Moving out of the country may have its challenges.
tangodown
#494
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New Brunswick, Canada
Joined: August 08, 2018
KitMaker: 213 posts
Armorama: 198 posts
Posted: Tuesday, August 20, 2019 - 11:25 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I have watched the 90 day marriage shows and Moving out of the country may have its challenges.


I just shot beer out my nose hahahaha.
taylorrl
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Washington, United States
Joined: January 31, 2019
KitMaker: 50 posts
Armorama: 49 posts
Posted: Wednesday, August 21, 2019 - 05:49 AM UTC

Quoted Text

if you have the internet & mail service, you should be covered!



That can be a pretty big "if". In many parts of the world, things that we take completely for granted bite you. Many places lack street addresses - that makes delivery tough to impossible. In other countries theft is so prevalent that shipping anything of value is impractical. Packages are pilfered at customs and throughout the delivery chain. If someone thinks that they can sell it on the street, it likely will be. In many places power is not a given - sometimes you've got it, sometimes you don't. And its usually off just when you need it the most.

I've not been to Quinto yet; but, it is on my bucket list. So, I don't have first hand knowledge of the infrastructure there. But, it is something to check.

Rick
d6mst0
#453
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Texas, United States
Joined: August 28, 2016
KitMaker: 1,925 posts
Armorama: 601 posts
Posted: Wednesday, August 21, 2019 - 05:58 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

if you have the internet & mail service, you should be covered!



That can be a pretty big "if". In many parts of the world, things that we take completely for granted bite you. Many places lack street addresses - that makes delivery tough to impossible. In other countries theft is so prevalent that shipping anything of value is impractical. Packages are pilfered at customs and throughout the delivery chain. If someone thinks that they can sell it on the street, it likely will be. In many places power is not a given - sometimes you've got it, sometimes you don't. And its usually off just when you need it the most.

I've not been to Quinto yet; but, it is on my bucket list. So, I don't have first hand knowledge of the infrastructure there. But, it is something to check.

Rick



Poland must have the same issue with theft because everything I have ordered from there no matter how big or small, expensive or inexpensive comes register mail requiring me to sign for the package.

Mark
panzerbob01
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Louisiana, United States
Joined: March 06, 2010
KitMaker: 3,128 posts
Armorama: 2,959 posts
Posted: Wednesday, August 21, 2019 - 11:10 AM UTC
I suspect that Polish shippers have seen just enough of the delivery problems that apparently plague stuff they have shipped to other countries, and they are just being prudent. They likely treat ALL receiving countries equally, as a few have perhaps been problematic "sinks" for shipped goods.

Most things get delivered correctly here in the USA, and probably in many other countries, but there are some where postal and package delivery is rather less certain...

While I'm sure that many here can and perhaps will jump up with some horror story about packages not getting delivered right, and others about how stuff has been stolen from their stoop - and these things DO happen in the USA and probably in every country - delivery problems are pretty rare here. Over 50+ years of receiving oodles of small and large things via the post and various parcel services in a variety of city, small-town, and remote rural situations, my personal experiences suggest losses very seldom occur. But other's experiences certainly differ. Personally, I LOVE it when shippers require me to sign for it! Keeps everybody honest.

Bob
Kevlar06
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Washington, United States
Joined: March 15, 2009
KitMaker: 3,670 posts
Armorama: 2,052 posts
Posted: Wednesday, August 21, 2019 - 01:12 PM UTC
I’ve got to agree with those who question overseas postal delivery. Having lived nearly half of my 30 year military career in overseas locations, it’s often difficult to get certain hobby items shipped to an address in many countries. Heck, It’s even more difficult to get those items like paints, glues and putty to places like Hawaii by using the USPS. Amazon, UPS and FedEx can do it because they have their own aircraft fleets. But many foreign carriers can be restrictive too. It might be best to have a relative or friend ship hard to find items to you from the States, through one of the private shippers (Fedex, UPS, DHL, etc.) rather than coming directly from a hobby distributor via USPS or Foreign mail systems. Don’t forget about the possibility of customs and duty taxes either. I wouldn’t assume there won’t be shipping issues. The closer you are to a large metropolitan area, the better off you’ll probably be too. It may behoove you to do some detailed research. If there is an IPMS chapter near where you want to end up, I suggest you contact them.
VR, Russ
southpier
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Alberta, Canada
Joined: December 11, 2009
KitMaker: 546 posts
Armorama: 316 posts
Posted: Wednesday, August 21, 2019 - 01:29 PM UTC
other than being completely OCD about tracking & expenses, are there legal tenets preventing someone from becoming a "forwarding mailer"?

maybe not a bad part time occupation for a retiree?

guys send you a list of what they want, you source, repackage, reship, and get a % of the order for your time & effort.
TopSmith
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Washington, United States
Joined: August 09, 2002
KitMaker: 1,742 posts
Armorama: 1,658 posts
Posted: Wednesday, August 21, 2019 - 03:07 PM UTC
There is a guy who buys last years items from Best Buy by the pallet. He doesn't know what is on the pallet until it arrives. He catalogs it, posts the items to his discount web site and sells it as a retirement gig. He has had to hire people to help with packaging and shipping. Not bad.
ericadeane
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Michigan, United States
Joined: October 28, 2002
KitMaker: 4,021 posts
Armorama: 3,947 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 22, 2019 - 04:16 AM UTC
Damon: do you know Joe Bevans? He and his wife moved to Brazil -- I think that's her home country, perhaps?

He still travels extensively. I saw him at the Dayton AMPS Nationals. I know he went with friends on a European military tour this spring.

Due to Brazil's size, I'm sure he has access to more modeling stuff. But maybe contact him?
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