This as-told-to essay is based on conversations with Ron Podmore, 58, a retired teacher who decided to live out his retirement in Guatemala. He still owns property in Washington and spends about half the year there as he begins the Guatemala residency process. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity. I retired two years ago, in June 2023. I was a high school teacher, and I decided to take early retirement after 32 years of teaching. But because of the fact that I was not