I left my job at 50 and retired to Mexico. After 3 years, there are 5 things I'd tell any American hoping to do the same.

Retiring abroad early was challenging but worth it for me.

Ivy Ge At 50, I left my full-time job as a pharmacist in the US and retired abroad in Mexico.

I wish I'd tested living in my new city for a long period and learned more Spanish before I left.

Those trying to retire abroad early should get their finances in order as soon as they can.

In 2023, at 50 years old, I left my career as a pharmacist in California and moved to Ajijic, Mexico.

Three years later, I'm waking up to bird calls and watching avocados grow in my backyard.

It hasn't been an easy journey, but it's been a worthwhile one.

Here are a few things I'd tell any American who's also hoping to retire abroad in their 50s .

Start stress-testing countries (and neighborhoods) as soon as you can Vacationing in a place isn't the same as living there.

Ivy Ge Before I moved, I treated Mexico like a vacation destination rather than a place I'd actually live in.

And if a place looked nice in pictures or on a quick tour, I believed I'd found "the one." This thinking turned out to be a big mistake.

For example, in late 2022, I was vacationing in Puerto Vallarta , a trip I'd planned long before I decided to retire in Mexico.

But by the time I flew out, I'd bought my one-way ticket to Ajijic and was actively hunting for a place to live.

Since I was already in Mexico, I figured I could just squeeze in a quick visit to Ajijic and line up rentals.