Recently International Living put Mexico in the #2 spot on their Best Retirement Havens list. That raised a lot of questions among future expats -- what about safety? All we're reading about (here in the US anyway) is how dangerous Mexico is and its problems with drug-related violence. Last week, a friend of a friend decided to leave Lake Chapala. If you're not familiar with it, it's an area near Guadalajara which has become an expat magnet with the biggest concentration of US and Canadians …
Living Abroad — Does it Make Financial Sense?
"Why do you feel moving outside the US is the only option you have?" an online acquaintance inquired recently. The answer to that question feels so painfully obvious to me that I had to really stop and think about it. If you've been thinking about living abroad and you're not sure whether it makes sense for you in your individual financial circumstances, here's some food for thought. (I'm talking specifically to my readers in the US here.) Now, let me be clear. If your income covers your …
Continue Reading about Living Abroad — Does it Make Financial Sense?
He Writes about Everything, Everywhere — and So Can You!
Recently I promised to find out more about how travel writers balance their lives between work and travel. To that end, I spoke with Gary Arndt. Gary is a travel blogger, which is a slightly different -- but equally portable -- career. Gary explained the difference between being a travel writer and a travel blogger: "Technically, I don't consider myself a travel writer. Most travel writers either work on staff for a publication or work on a freelance basis for other publications. They get paid …
Continue Reading about He Writes about Everything, Everywhere — and So Can You!
Best Places to Find Expat Life Information, Ideas and Tips
Blogs by and about expats are a great place to find information, ideas, tips, and get a general feel for what it might be like to live elsewhere. Here are a dozen interesting expat blogs I've found recently. Europe Expat in Germany provides information about living in Germany (and a little bit about Canada). The author is a Canadian serial expat who's also lived in Thailand, S. Korea and the US. Not From Around Here, subtitled "Stranger in a Strange Land" is all about the adventures of a US …
Continue Reading about Best Places to Find Expat Life Information, Ideas and Tips
Buy One Mobile Phone for Home and Overseas
Technology for Expats Advances in technology have made it much easier for expats to stay in touch with friends and family back home, and even to work remotely from their new locations. There've been lots of changes since I last wrote about technology for expats. While they may make your expat life easier or more convenient, the choices can become overwhelming. One area that's been changing rapidly is mobile phones. If you're confused about all the information about smart phones, "dumb" …
Continue Reading about Buy One Mobile Phone for Home and Overseas
Netbook vs. Tablet — the Best Portable Computer for Working on the Go
Technology for Anywhereists When I went to Panama last spring, I debated long and hard about what type of computer to carry with me. Did I want my industrial-strength laptop, weighing in at over 10 pounds? Not so much. So I started investigating smaller, lighter alternatives. The two main contenders, based on portability and cost, were either a netbook computer or a tablet. I found the tablet intriguing, but in the end opted for a netbook. My reasoning? I needed to work while on the road, …
Continue Reading about Netbook vs. Tablet — the Best Portable Computer for Working on the Go