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In this week’s podcast, host, Jim Santos speaks to expat Donna Stiteler. For many years, Donna served as International Living’s Ecuador Correspondent from the city of Cuenca, Ecuador. Cuenca, a highland city built in a steep-sided valley deep in the Andes mountains, is an established expat location. In fact, many would claim that it’s the world’s premier expat city.
One of the most common questions I get asked is how to obtain a second passport if you have limited resources. Plenty of people would like to have one, but the costs can appear daunting. There are several routes to a second citizenship—and thus a passport. Each involves specific variables, over which you may have different degrees of control.
Take its small size and low population density, add English as the official language, with an easy-to-use exchange rate, and easy access in and out of the country, and you’ll start to see why Belize has become an expat hotspot.
Whether you’re moving overseas for three months, six months or longer, you’re going to need a place to stay. You could buy—the dollar is strong today and good-value escapes exist all over the world. Nevertheless, plenty of part-time expats choose simply to rent rather than buy.
After working on cruise ships for many years, Jessica decided to create the life she craved. She wanted to live in a place with good weather, where she could be close to the sea, the mountains, cosmopolitan city… and finally, do what she always wanted to do and write for a living.
Mexico is not only the closest destination abroad for U.S. and Canadian expats; it’s also the most popular. More than 1.6 million expats are estimated to live in Mexico full, or part-time— the largest concentration of North American expats anywhere in the world.
San Miguel de Allende (SMA), in Mexico's central highlands, is often called the prettiest city in the world… for good reason. It's got beautiful colonial architecture, constant spring-like weather, and a friendly, welcoming population.
Caribbean or Pacific? Old-World Colonial or Modern International? Dry and dramatic or green and lush? In the end, it came down to a battle between Puerto Vallarta on Mexico’s Pacific coast, and Playa del Carmen on the Caribbean Riviera Maya.
The Irish government has said that qualifying investment funds can still accept potential residents until they are fully subscribed. That means you still have time to exploit this route to residence in one of the most attractive countries in the European Union.
We live in a small house on a quiet hill within walking distance to the center of the village. It’s roughly 1,110 square feet with the same amount of space below in a walk-out basement which we use as our business. We pay $690 a month for rent, with another $63 a month for water, trash, and electricity.