What do Brazil, India, Costa Rica, Thailand, Panama, Singapore and Hungary have in common? They're all medical hotspots for Americans seeking procedures they can't afford in the US, according to travel website Boots 'n All. International Living adds Mexico, South Korea and Turkey to the list. If you're considering living in a country known for medical tourism, you can be pretty confident that the quality of care is top notch. But what about health care as a resident? That's a question more …
Don’t Wait 31 Days
Early in my blogging career, I joined ProBlogger Darren Rowse and thousands of other bloggers and wannabes. "Give me 31 Days and I'll Give You a Better Blog," Darren promised. Actually, he didn't just promise a better blog, but a dramatically better one! For 31 days I read his information and instructions, did the assigned tasks, and lo and behold my blog improved. I started coming up with interesting topics to write about, and more of them. My headlines got more interesting. I learned how …
At What Time Washes the Door?
In my recent scouting trip to Panama, my Spanish language skills were tested to the max. Now, I'll be the first to admit it's not a high hurdle. I figure my Spanish is at about the level of a bright two-year old's. All my verbs are present tense and my vocabulary is severely limited. Think, "See Spot run" and you'll have a good idea what my skill level is. Armed with a pocket Spanish-English dictionary and lots of brazen self confidence, I figured I could manage. On the whole, I did pretty …
“I’ll Take ‘Panama’ for $1,000, Alex. . .”
Earlier today, a reader asked me "So, how was your scouting trip to Panama? Could you see yourself living there?" Our recent trip to Panama was supposed to answer two questions for us: Can we see ourselves living in Panama? If yes, do we prefer the David or Las Tablas areas? I think we've been able to answer both questions in this game show called Life: Category, "Panama." #1. Can We See Ourselves Living in ______? This is the first and most important question to ask yourself when …
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Let Someone Else Pay for Your Explorations
I've just returned home from my first scouting trip to Panama. My husband and I spent a week traveling the country, from Panama City to David to Las Tablas, to answer these two questions: Can we see ourselves living in Panama? If yes, do we prefer the David or Las Tablas areas? This was a no-frills trip. But even a trip with no frills costs quite a bit these days. Airfare, lodging, meals and travel within the country all add up. Fortunately, I've found a way to get paid for it, and so can …
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“That’s Unpatriotic — Moving to Panama”
My MIL (mother-in-law) has struck again. Last month I told you about my attempts to get my in-laws -- my well educated, well traveled in-laws -- to discuss our plan to move abroad. It's become the elephant in the room. I told you that I'd decided to write a letter describing the dreaded elephant from our point of view and inviting them to begin a dialog, and that I'd let you know how it turned out. The letter was written (by me) and sent as an email (by my husband) about 10 days before …
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