The Foreign Service Journal, May 2022

The Allen family at the local farmers market. Life on the Farm Lopez Island, Washington Mark Allen was born in Seattle but moved frequently throughout his life. His wife, Dingdong, is from the Philip- pines, and the couple lived overseas until their daughter was 14, so finding a home in the United States was “complicated.” They began looking in rural Washington state and settled on Lopez Island when they noticed people waving hello as they drove by. “My parents are from rural Oklahoma,” says Mark. “I always loved how strangers would wave from their cars on the country roads between towns.” They knew nothing about farming, but they began gardening and soon turned the property into a working farm. Dingdong’s Garden now sells fruits and vegetables at the local farmers mar- ket, along with cuttings and scionwood that they sell online. “We live a more frugal life than when we had steady paychecks,” says Mark, but “in many ways our lives are much richer.” And, he notes, the ferry-served islands of Puget Sound have many part-time job opportunities, including for high schoolers like his daughter, Sophie. COURTESYOFMARKALLEN The biggest shock wasn’t the transition from urban to rural, or from overseas to the United States. Rather, it was the fact that they had never been homeowners or worked with their hands. “We were paralyzed when we retired straight fromNew Delhi to our older home and overgrown property,” says Mark, but they attended the “University of YouTube” and learned how to roof the barn, put down flooring and plant an orchard. THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MAY 2022 27 Visit During Multiple Seasons Kurt Rice, a retired Diplomatic Security special agent and former deputy assistant secretary, and his wife, KC, a retired member of the Civil Service, started narrowing down their possibilities 10 years before retirement eligibility. They both love skiing, hiking and nature photography, so they were drawn to the mountain West; but with no extended family in the region, they had no specific place in mind. The couple began using their vacation time to visit various places that seemed to meet their requirements. Eventually they purchased a condo near a ski resort they enjoyed visiting in Montana, and six years later, they used that as a base to find their permanent retirement home in the area. Last year they started new jobs as ski hosts for the resort, which gets them ski passes and discounts on gear. If at all possible, Kurt advises, travel extensively to the place you are thinking of moving, and do so in all seasons. “The bro- chure can be great,” he says, “but the reality, not so much.” Chris Cortese concurs. “Visit during multiple seasons before you buy. Renting for a time in your new location can also be a good idea, depending on your situation (and if you can stomach another packout).” While her job is to sell houses, Carolyn Connell recommends spending time in a place to see how it feels, perhaps even renting at first. It’s logistically possible to buy a place remotely, she says, but “I’ve had people retire to a place, hate it and come back.” Don’t be afraid to change your mind, or to test out a few places long-term until you decide what’s best for you. Make a Plan The most important thing is to start planning early. “You can- not and, except in rare, exceptional cases, should not try to work for the Mother Ship forever,” says Kurt Rice. It is incumbent upon each of us, he says, to plan for life after government service. “Having no plan can leave you trapped in a joyless situation,” he warns. And, he suggests, start developing hobbies and honing skills now, to prevent boredom later. So get out your notepad and start mapping out your plan. It’s never too early to turn your dream into a roadmap. The only question is: Where do you want your map to take you? n