We lived overseas (UK and the Middle East) for 5 1/2 years. When it was time to return home to Canada, we were entering a new phase of life – we were retirees! It was a leap of faith. We could only guess whether our new economic situation was going to be adequate in a country we hadn’t lived in for a while!
We had made quite a few friends as expats, so before we moved home I came up with a cunning plan. If in fact there was going to be more month than money, we could sponge off visit our friends, on a rotating schedule. If I could find 52 friends who would each host us for one week, we didn’t really even have to have a home. I called it my 52 Friends Plan.
The roll out of my plan took place at our Overseas Going Away Party. We invited lots of people. Many of them were going to be retiring to places we thought we might like to visit. When they arrived at the party, I handed them a flyer I had printed up. It read as follows:
The Canadian Visitors Plan
You can avoid Surprise visits from retired Canadians by applying for Membership to The Canadian Visitors Plan. Once your application has been processed, you will have the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your Canadian Guests will only stay with you for one predetermined week each year.
Are Canadians Hard to Look After?
Canadians are a hardy and adaptable bunch, with relatively few special needs. We’ll send you a short list of ideas about how to make them feel comfortable in your home, along with suggested menu plans and wine pairings. We then encourage you to correspond with your Foster Canadian prior to their first visit. This will guide you in selecting a good list of sights to send them off to, so they won’t be in your home and bothering you during the day.Is This Like an Exchange Program?
No, you are under no obligation to visit your Canadian in their home environment. But after your Canadian’s first visit at your home, your Canadian will undoubtedly encourage you to come and visit them (assuming they are not really homeless…) You will want to ascertain just what part of Canada your Canadian lives in, and what kind of accommodation they can offer you before you accept such an invitation. And while it is totally untrue that you have seen all of Canada just because you went to Toronto on business, there are many parts of Canada that you might not want to visit if your Canadian invites you to come in February.The Selection Process
We will select a suitable Canadian, based on the preferences you indicate when you fill out your application form. Once we have assigned you your Canadian, we will send you an 4X6 glossy to hang on your fridge. But, if you are eager to start your friendship with a Canadian today, we can assign you this lovely couple… (Then I inserted our name, address, phone number and e-mail address.)
52 Weeks in a year – 52 Friends. It just made so much sense to me. Unfortunately no one took my 52 Friends Plan seriously. Not a single person signed up.
Within a month of arriving home, we received a request for accommodation from one of those expat friends. They stayed with us for two weeks – and we were but one of several people they were staying with as they hopscotched around the country. They were living my cunning plan. Excellent! My good idea worked – just not the way I thought it would.
What great ideas have you had that didn’t work out the way you planned?
Amusives 
Not one applicant?! That astounds me.
I love the cheeky ingenuity of it all.
At least you now know it worked😀
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I suppose if my reputation had been something other than it is, people might have taken it more seriously!
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Sounds like a great plan; I’m surprised no one took you up on it! 🙂 I worked with a gentleman who occasionally (during College breaks) “freelanced” on cruise ships as a dance partner (yes, that’s a job; accommodation and food are provided, you live in shared staff quarters, you dance the evenings away with passengers who need partners, you get to see exotic places and meet interesting people). His plan was to do it full time after he retired (unfortunately, he became ill and couldn’t fulfill his dream). He claimed that even if you paid for your time on board a cruise ship (the “cheaper” ones) it was less expensive than a room in an “old folks home”. He was probably right – around here a “standard” 1 bedroom retirement apartment is >$3000 a month!
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Interesting story, Margo. I had read of a few full time ‘cruisers’ who said the same thing. The added benefits for them were onboard medical advice, staff who would assist them in getting around, room service when they couldn’t get down for a meal and a cheap burial at sea when the time came.
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I think your plan is marvelous Margy! I am going to pass it on to my sister in law and brother in law as their retirement plan is camping their way around the United States. I think this plan is so much better.
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I follow a few bloggers who are full time RVers and in some ways I envy them! Seems like a great way to see the country and you can move north and south to get the seasons you want!
On the other hand, I’ve lived in four countries and moved 15 or so times in my adult life. I really just want to enjoy where I am rooted now and watch the world from the convenience of my armchair!
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