International Living’s expat network is your key to a new life in a new country. Get real, honest advice from people just like you. Discover the tips, tricks, shortcuts, and strategies you can use to cut through red tape and improve your life overseas right away.
Read about and learn from real-life experiences our expats have had in their new home countries, from health care to taxes, earning an income overseas to buying real estate…and much more.
The capital city, Lima, sits midway along the 1,500-mile parched desert coastline of Peru. Head 300 miles north and you reach the seaside town of Huanchaco and its nearby neighbor, the bustling city of Trujillo (population 800,000). With negligible rainfall and year-round average temperatures of lows in the 60s F to highs in the 70s F, Trujillo is one of several cities known as the “City of Eternal Spring.”
Moving to Mexico brought home to me how easy it is, really, to move from place to place, especially if you’re retired or have a portable career. In the U.S., tied down with a job, a kind of inertia sets in…horizons contract. Move abroad, and they do the opposite.
Panama is famous for its kind and welcoming culture. But like any new city, it helps to know how things work. Whether you want to see the sights, or soak up the culture, some insider knowledge always helps. Using your smartphone, in a smart way...
My expat life in Madrid is almost perfect. The weather, wine, food, cost of living, and public transportation suit me just fine. This sophisticated city has given me a wealth of friends. Artists, actors, professors, architects, and scientists populate my social...
Venice is a sight everyone should see at least once in their life. Gondolas weave through a maze of canals, while the dappled reflection of sunlight highlights ornate Renaissance footbridges. Polished teak water taxis tie up in front of 15th-century...
What I like most about my new life as an expat is that it has enabled me to reconnect with what is truly important. It should come as no surprise to anyone that what turns out to be important isn’t the big houses, the new cars, or all the possessions...
When my wife Vivien and I first thought of moving to Thailand, one of the first questions we asked ourselves was, “How do you legally live there long term?” We knew there were different types of visas, but which...
Last year I spent a week in the Spanish countryside. I strolled narrow cobblestone streets in a quaint medieval village. I learned to drink red wine from a bota (a goat-skin wine bag) and sampled renowned jamón bellota in a rustic bodega. As I savored the succulent, cured meat, I forged lasting friendships with fun, friendly Spanish people…and living that good life didn’t cost me a dime...
One morning at 7:45, when I was waiting for a bus in my adopted hometown of Cuenca, Ecuador, a shaggy street dog jumped up onto the bench beside me. It made me comfortable, because...
Whisked through the Scottish Highlands from the airport at Inverness, we glimpsed the futuristic spires of the Kessock Bridge. Crossing Beauly Firth there...