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The first time I moved overseas, I was lucky. As a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar, I didn't have to plan much. The Rotary Foundation helped me find housing, enroll in language school, and booked my flights to Costa Rica. Without their support, I would've been lost. The following is a list of eight things to think about before you head overseas.
On that exploratory trip, we fell in love…with the people, the food, and the wine in every town we visited. We had purposefully visited small towns to see if these were places that could become our overseas retirement home. The answer? Yes…we were retiring to Italy.
I was sick of the rat race in the U.S. I was sick of corporate America. So I jumped on a plane with my dog and cat, and I moved to Costa Rica. Mind you, it wasn't quite as spontaneous as that. I had been splitting time between Florida and California, working in property management and as a legal transcriber with a law firm.
Green Spain offers almost exactly the same expat experience as Portugal, along with a landscape that’s more dramatic, a cost of living that is arguably lower, and property prices that need to be seen to be believed.
If I had to describe Dubrovnik in just one word, I think ‘majestic’ would fit—the sheer physical beauty and historical grandeur of this seaside city have to be seen in person to be appreciated— postcard photos don’t do it justice. I visited in late October and still enjoyed warm, sunny days but without the big crowds of midsummer.
Priscilla found a spacious, one-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment with a large terrace overlooking Vilamoura Marina. The complex features a large swimming pool, garden, underground parking space, and storage facility and is within walking distance of everything. “My rent is €1200 per month ($1,300) which I think is a real bargain,” she added.
When moving to a new country, there are plenty of do's to follow and don'ts to avoid. Prepare for your relocation like a pro by avoiding these eight common mistakes that most people make.
I opted to spend some time housesitting in the Languedoc region of the South of France. It was a choice that allowed me to live my romantic French dreams, while feeling both safe and free as a solo female traveler. Housesitting also provided me with a way to double the time for adventure without doubling the cost, and allowed me to explore...
With costs such as healthcare constantly on the rise in the U.S. and our retirement approaching, in 2016 my husband Dan and I started casting about for a new country to call home. Being avid readers of International Living, many lands sprang to mind but one stood out—Panama. So, we registered for International Living's February 2017 Fast Track...
That successful American dream was killing me. So, my partner Michael and I decided to look elsewhere for our dream. A dream that would let us slow down and enjoy life. When our friends learned of our intent to retire early, outside the U.S., they looked at us askance and wanted to know why we would ever want to leave a life of success in the "good ol' US of A."