Are you multilingual? If you are, and more importantly if you are not, consider the language when selecting the best Snowbird destination for you. The language(s) you speak, and the languages spoken by the folks indigenous to the country you are planning to Snowbird in, have to work.
We know that if you are visiting a vacation spot for a week or two, then stumbling and bumbling when trying to communicate with the local folks in their language can be sort of fun. Even a bit exciting at times.
But now, stretch that inability to speak to the locals out over months, and we expect you can see that it can become very worrisome, not to mention really wearying, in trying to make yourself understood. You will have more need to speak to the locals when staying in their country for months at a time, than you will have if you are only visiting for a week or so.
Further, when you vacation for a week or so, often you will be staying in a resort type vacation spot, and the workers at that vacation spot will converse, even if only a bit, in your language. That may not be the case if you are renting a home or apartment in a foreign country in which perhaps none, or few, of the locals speak the same language as you do.
When deciding on your snowbird destination, do give due regard to the local language and if you will be comfortable trying to make yourself understood when living there for an extended time.
Or, consider the opportunity.
Consider the Language as an opportunity
When staying a country where the first language is not your own, it can be an ideal time to learn a new language. Turn what could be considered by some as a liability to visiting that country to an opportunity.
Before you go, use the internet to search for language-learning resources in the village or city where you will be staying for some months. Upon arrival, get to work learning the language in what many feel is the best way to become proficient, and that is by immersing yourself in the language.
At the end of your snowbird away time, not only will you have spent winter in a warmer and more salubrious climate, you may end up proficient in speaking another language.
If you want to do a little in terms of pre-trip language learning, visit this site for some no charge language learning: http://www.openculture.com.