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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 stars here are incredible,” says expat Linda Ott of the views she and her partner Mike Short enjoy from their self-built home in Santa Fe, Panama. “There’s no light pollution. Orion’s Belt goes right over our house. And during the day, we can see hummingbirds, hawks, and toucans right from our terrace.”
I think it’s the slow pace of life and the small-town feel that impressed me most. Battambang, in northwest Cambodia, is a social and welcoming place. No one’s in a hurry. Sitting down, having a cool drink, and meeting new people is a popular pastime. And when I walked around town, people would come out to talk to me and freely share what they enjoyed about living here, or which restaurants they liked the best, or when the latest opening of an art gallery was to take place.
"There’s something in the air that provides the deepest sense of peace. People laugh about the Pura Vida but it’s true, it’s really here. All you have to do is accept it.” That’s expat Chuck Mollenkopf talking about the elusive ingredient to the “pure life” he has found in Costa Rica. “Pure life” is the literal translation. But that doesn’t do it justice… “I actually enjoy everything more and appreciate the small things, such as trying a new fruit or vegetable each week from the farmers’ market in town,” says Denice Key from Colorado. “It’s the Pura Vida everyone talks about.”
All Costa Rica is a land of Pura Vida. But the Caribbean coast takes this relaxed attitude to the greatest extreme. It’s a place where beach bars play reggae as patrons knock back cold beers. Locals slowly ride bicycles rusted from the salt air down the winding coast road. And beach-goers doze lazily in hammocks strung between trees on the beach, pondering a dip in the clear blue water.
If you feel “stuck,” stressed out, or trapped in your current situation, I can’t say that simply moving abroad will help you. But when you make that commitment… when you make that leap…something does fundamentally change inside you. You’re forced, in a way, to change your way of life. Your day-to-day routine changes. You’re forced outside your comfort zone. You feel a deeper connection with loved ones and new friends, and with your community. And soon a “switch” goes off inside you.
Don’t you just hate it when your kids are right? In January 2011 we were in the middle of “talking” about moving overseas during one of our daughter’s visits home from college. She sat quietly during dinner, listening to our conversation. During dessert she just couldn’t stay quiet anymore. She blurted out, “You guys are never going to do this, you know.”
“We were tired of punching the clock, making other people rich, losing time,” says expat Benjamin North Spencer of his and his wife Nadine’s decision to relocate to Sicilian wine country. Here they enjoy a rural Mediterranean lifestyle for half the cost of living in California. “In Sicily, we really can measure and appreciate so many things that escaped our awareness when we were trapped in the cycles of American culture.”
In the Loire Valley, the so-called “Valley of the Kings,” every day ends with a glass of affordable, delicious local wine. The mornings and afternoons are rich—full of leisurely cycle rides along the beautiful and famous Loire River, past verdant vineyards, visiting sprawling chateaux with their ancient towers and lush gardens, and strolling through historic, well-kept towns. The weather is mild and pleasant. And the cost of living is decidedly affordable.
I’d like to let you in on one of Spain’s best-kept secrets: Logroño. This small but bustling city in the heart of Spanish wine country is the perfect place to while away mornings sipping coffee and people-watching, and your afternoons with delicious wine from a nearby bodega.
I moved to Roatán for the warm Caribbean waters, white-sand beaches, lush jungles, and laidback island lifestyle. But despite all the island’s attractions and its low cost of living, many would-be expats are concerned about healthcare. What’s it like on an island off the coast of Honduras? Well, through my eight happy years here I’ve become well acquainted with all aspects of healthcare on Roatán. And I can tell you that your healthcare options are affordable…and about to get a whole lot better.