Retiring in Tunisia

Hi Priscilla,
I am not retired in tunisia. I only visit occasionally so I wouldn't be able to give you a good picture

Judy

will be watching this topic with interest as hoping to retire in Tunisia next year

I could have gone anywhere..But Tunisia has that it
Exciting,lovely,beautiful country
I am having a ball.
Although i miss my beautiful America,i enjoy tunisia its people and its culture.

I don't mind paying $15 for a doctor visit.

Thank you Tunisia for welcoming me.

where abouts in Tunisia are you living? Any advice about where to settle?

Ozitoun wrote:

I could have gone anywhere..But Tunisia has that it
Exciting,lovely,beautiful country
I am having a ball.
Although i miss my beautiful America,i enjoy tunisia its people and its culture.

I don't mind paying $15 for a doctor visit.

Thank you Tunisia for welcoming me.

$15 for a doctor visit - you are paying too high.  The charge is normally around TND15.

Well that's relatively subjective my darling
It well depends where u live...
Another $15 wont make or brake me
Lol

I have been an expat an explorer and traveller all my adult life. I have spent much time in Arabic countries and know many of them well.  I chose to retire here in Tunisia.  One of the main reasons is my Tunisian family who have provided me with the knowledge of culture, society and language that I would be lacking without them.  Insights are very important here as this culture is quite complicated. 

I live like a Tunisian, and whilst I do have a foreign income (small) I rely on the local currency.  I shop at the local souq and have my favourite stalls selling good quality and because I have been a client for long time they tend to favour me with the 'correct' price and the best produce.  I love the interaction that we have, the formalities that tend to go on for some time and their curiosity about why this crazy foreigner would actually leave her beautiful country to come and live here! 

I have lived in both the north and the south but now my base is in Bizerte one of the most beautiful cities in Tunisia.  I am close to the capital, to the airport and to all the facilities I need.  We have beautiful beaches and the people here are more than friendly.  It is a nice mix of Europe and Arab which I thrive on.  I can do as I please and perhaps I am forgiven for doing crazy 'foreign' things because I am just that a foreigner. 

However, I have a great respect for the religion and the culture here and I do dress conservatively, I am respectful of where I live and with whom I live.  This I think is the secret.

I love my life, my feet are in this earth and while I have the capability to travel and see new cultures etc when I return I feel a belonging.

I encourage those of you who are thinking of living here to try it for a few months before you decide.  Sometimes it can grind you down and I do have my 'hate Tunisia days' but they are short lived.  However, you do need to go with the flow here.  You cannot change the system but the system may well change you.

And herein lies the problem.  As a foreigner it is expected to be ripped off but I actually enjoy explaining that I am a 'Tunsia' and that they should charge me the correct price.  As long as foreigners don't care because it is cheaper than home, then the longer this will happen.  I care about the reputation of this country and the behaviour of its citizens to those who come to visit or to stay.

Well said
Bravo!

Dear Priscilla

I served in the Middle East for many years. I would meet my girlfriend in Tunis when on R&R. We continued to visit Tunisia two to three times a year for some 30 years and set up a second life there.
We have been married for 45 years and have had enough of England and have decided to move out before the Government takes all our assets and how thing are going if you go into care you are not charged a fee you are robbed until all your money and assets are depeleted then your quality of life and care it reduced basicly to a life of living in the gutter albeit with a roof over your head. What you worked hard for has beem legaly stolen

16 months ago I had a stroke and was forced into retirement. As a frequent visitor prior to this, I planned to retire here, just not so soon.
As I am disabled, I receive my disability monthly.
With the exchange rate I am able to live very comfortably. I have many friends that I met over the years and am enjoying my time with them as well as the beautiful country.

@ justmacy
I'm very interested in the visa process and costs for your situation. I also have a similar financial situation.

Send your questions to my private messages and I will do the best that I can.

Hi, I'm Italian. I've just arrived to Hammamet. I had great expectations. At the moment, I still feel curious and respectful about this culture, but there's still something I miss. I've used to live frequently in USA and there I did feel home.

Ozitoun wrote:

I could have gone anywhere..But Tunisia has that it.
Exciting,lovely,beautiful country
I am having a ball.
Although i miss my beautiful America,i enjoy tunisia its people and its culture.

I don't mind paying $15 for a doctor visit.

Thank you Tunisia for welcoming me.

welcome to Hammamet. Imoved here in Feb and love it here. Any queries just ask!!

Hi, so happy to know. My husband will stay here until mid January. Afterward, I will have lot of time and a talk. We will meet for a coffe

kay booth wrote:

welcome to Hammamet. Imoved here in Feb and love it here. Any queries just ask!!

Hi there, I would like to take a moment and respond to this.  I am not "officially" retiring in Tunisia, as I am rather opening an international brand of centers, but I am choosing to move to Tunisia and use it as my regional headquarters after leaving my US government career.

The main things I looked at when considering Tunisia, included:

1. Younger and motivated population
2. Cost of living is significantly lower i.e. house, food, transportation, allowing me to spend more money on expanding our company
3. Proximity to Europe and other countries in Africa/Middle East
4. More open society than other countries in Northern Africa
5. Relative stability (at least politically) compared to other places