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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.
I was sitting at my boarding gate, about to depart from Mexico to Panama, when a young man approached me. I had no idea who he was, but he asked if my name was Donald. He then asked if I had my ID card on me. I knew then that I was in trouble.
“If I had stayed in the U.S., I’d be dead now,” says Warren Sklar, reflecting on his new life in Ecuador. “I was 140 pounds heavier, I was having a very difficult time controlling my blood pressure with three medications, and my diabetes was pretty much out of control.”
“We made a trip basically around the whole country, and as we passed through this area for the very first time, I made the cab driver stop. I got out and said, ‘This is fantastic!’” says Doug Klaver of the small town in Ecuador he now calls home.
For nature lovers like Gary and Karen Schiltz, it doesn’t get much better than the cloud-forest town of Mindo, Ecuador. “There are tons of birds, including a crested quetzal that nests just outside the house,” says Gary.
“Our days are filled with sundown catamaran sailing…going to visit the monkeys in the trees…and taking long beach walks each day.” This is the kind of healthy, outdoor life George and Celia Antoniazzi can enjoy in their winter home: San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua.
When Rob Evans’s retirement severance package ran out, decent healthcare for him and his wife Jeni was going to cost $18,000 a year in the U.S. “We simply couldn’t afford it. If we chose to stay there, I would have to get another job just to pay for healthcare,” says Rob.
“Our lifestyle here is so much more tranquilo than it would be if we were back home,” says expat Lorelei Kusin, 57. After waking to the sound of chattering birds, Lorelei and husband James enjoy a smoothie using local fresh produce, such as fresh coconut water, mango, pineapple, guanábana, and bananas.
A legendary Latin lover once gave some advice to a younger man. “You cannot make love to every beautiful woman you meet,” he said, “but oh, my son, at least you might try.” I was thinking about this…about love affairs…as I gazed across the rooftops of Casco Viejo, Panama’s historic quarter.
Ron Piltzer’s house has a perfectly manicured front yard and patio. The 1,200-square-foot house has two large bedrooms, a large, Western-style kitchen, a gorgeous tiled bathroom, and a large living room and dining room. The attractive, high-quality furnishings are rich with tropical hardwoods. The backyard comes with a swimming pool and lounge area, and it’s surrounded by trees and a privacy wall.
From the rooftop terrace of her luxury condo, Lori Gold, 29, gazes toward the Caribbean Sea before sliding into the warm water of her rooftop pool. “Honestly, it’s like I live in a postcard,” she says. “A place like this would cost way more than I could afford in Toronto. Plus, you can’t get a place on the Caribbean in Canada!