Belinda F. Says: I’d like to retire to Ecuador and am planning to learn Spanish before I do. Is the Spanish spoken there different to “regular” Spanish or the same? IL Executive Editor Jennifer Stevens Says: Hi Belinda, Congratulations on your decision to retire to Ecuador, and on your commitment to learning Spanish. I’m a Read more...: Is Spanish Spoken in Ecuador Different?
Caitlin M. Says: This might be a bit basic, but I am just starting to think about moving overseas and want to know where on earth do I start? IL Executive Editor Jennifer Stevens Says: Hi Caitlin, Congratulations on making the first step in deciding to find a better life for less overseas! I know Read more...: How Do I Start Planning My Move Overseas?
Giovanni F. Says: How can I get a residence visa in Portugal? IL Executive Editor Jennifer Stevens Says: Hi Giovanni, If you want to reside in Portugal long term, you’ll need to apply for a residence visa, a process that begins in your home country. If you are already an expat living abroad and have Read more...: How Can I Get a Residence Visa in Portugal?
Jason P. Says: I have been looking into the possibility of getting a second passport. Is it true that getting one from Uruguay doesn’t make me a citizen? IL Executive Editor Jennifer Stevens Says: Hi Jason, Great idea to look into a second passport. The freedom and flexibility it offers you makes living internationally so Read more...: Does a Uruguayan Passport Make Me a Citizen?
While I don’t think you should try to talk anybody into doing anything they don’t want to, there are some things you can do to get your partner on board with the idea if they are a little hesitant.
Spending six months or a year slow traveling Europe is a lovely idea. Dining at French restaurants, sipping wine on Italian piazzas…all while keeping an eye out for your ideal retirement haven. The good news is that it’s entirely possible. If just a little bit complicated.
By almost any standard, Costa Rica has some of the best healthcare in Latin America. Not only that, but the country’s public and private health systems are constantly being upgraded—new hospitals, new equipment, and improvements in staff training. Despite the advancements, costs are low in comparison to those in the U.S. and even some European countries.
It might be tempting to simply pick a location you’ve researched or once traveled to…and pick up and move there. But before you sell your home or unload most of your possessions, it pays to test the waters. There have been many people who always dreamed of living at the beach…because that’s where they’ve always vacationed. But once they stayed more than a few weeks, they discovered they didn’t like the heat and humidity…or the sand that always seemed to be getting in the house…or all the tourists. You want to find this out before you move.
Germany has a very strong passport—it ranks joint third in the Henley Passport Index, along with Spain. (This index is considered the standard reference tool for global citizens and sovereign states when assessing where a passport ranks on the global mobility spectrum.) A German passport allows you visa-free travel to 190 destinations around the world. That’s four more than the U.S., which comes in 7th in the Index at 186.
There is a lot of debate about the cost of living in Belize, which is probably what you are picking up on, because there is such a vast range of ways you can live there. If you want to live a North American lifestyle—enjoying the same wines, brand-name foods, and North American-style accommodation you’d expect at home, you will find that Belize is just as expensive Belize, possibly more so. But there are also many ways to save money in Belize.