As well as viewing the following free reports we recommend you download and save them to your computer. To do so, open the report, click “File” then select “Save As…” for each document.
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Six Easy Ways to Reinvent Yourself Overseas What if you had the chance to set the world on fire in a new exotic locale or to reinvent yourself in paradise? Imagine for a moment that you have a chance to start over. Think about it. Where would you go? What would you do? You could spend half the year in your own cottage on the beach…work in the mornings and snorkel and relax in the afternoons. Maybe spend the other half of the year up in the mountains where it’s cool… With this kind of flexibility, it doesn’t matter where you’re based. That means you can travel whenever you feel like it. You could rent a place in Paris or Buenos Aires for a month or two of vacation, work from home a few days a week and spend the rest of your time enjoying the city… |
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Single and Ready to Move Overseas Two years ago, at age 70, Kit Fitley moved to a beach town in Panama. “Most of my friends considered it extremely daring,” she says of her move to Coronado. “I can’t afford a condo in San Diego or Hilton Head or Miami. I like things that are classy—and a classy lifestyle—and I can have that in Panama.” Kit lives on her Social Security and a small pension, spending about $2,500 a |
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International Living’s Healthcare Cheat Sheet For many people moving overseas, healthcare is a major consideration. No one wants to get sick overseas and not have access to good quality healthcare…and that’s why we’ve created this Healthcare Cheat Sheet. In this special report, we list the healthcare options available to expats in each of our top retirement destinations. We’ll tell you about the public and private healthcare systems, health insurance options, and the contacts you’ll need to ensure that your health is looked after while you’re overseas |
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It’s a big world out there…many places where you could happily spend your retirement days, soaking up the sun, golfing, relaxing in a hammock with a cold drink in your hand watching the world go by. But what are the best places? Where will your money go further? In the world’s best havens, you can enjoy the “good life”…and for a lot less than you can possibly imagine |
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How to Prepare For a Move Overseas—A Checklist If there’s one thing we’ve learned in 40 years of experience at International Living, it’s that we’re never really finished learning…that is, never finished learning the ins and outs of planning and executing a move overseas. This report will reveal the knowledge we’ve acquired over the years. It contains not only some good staff research, but perhaps more importantly, it takes into account the experiences of our readers, correspondents, and writers. Our version of the 12-Step Program (for selecting your overseas destination and getting underway) has been around for a while, and we continue to fine-tune it each time out. |
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Want to live in the alluring Caribbean…but think that it’s way out of your price range? Don’t give up on your dream of a new life overseas just yet. We may have found just the place…where you can soak up the Caribbean sun and live the relaxing life you’ve always dreamed of—for a lot less than you might imagine. As a Caribbean destination, Belize is not only quite affordable, the country also offers some big advantages— economic stability, a strong retiree program, and a wonderful climate. Belize has a beautiful coastline, where people from all over the world come to enjoy the sunbathing, swimming, snorkeling diving, fishing, and sailing. |
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The World’s Top Havens Colombia Mention that you’re going to Colombia, and people think you’re crazy. But they haven’t been there, and chances are their impression of Colombia is decades out of date. Located at the northern tip of South America, Colombia is where the Pacific and the Caribbean collide with the Andes and the Amazon. It’s a country that is more beautiful, dramatic, and diverse than nearly any other. It offers sparkling colonial cities and world-famous resorts along the Caribbean. Cartagena, a walled colonial city on those turquoise shores, is one of Spanish America’s most beautiful enclaves. |
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The World’s Top Havens Costa Rica It’s not surprising that expats, especially Americans and Canadians, are attracted to Costa Rica. With one of the highest standards of living in Latin America and a variety of climates to suit all tastes, Costa Rica is the perfect retirement destination. Costa Rica, about the size of New Hampshire and Vermont put together, is located between Nicaragua and Panama and has a population of just 4.8 million. There are more than 50,000 expats living in Costa Rica and many well-established expat communities. Spanish is the official language, but many Ticos (a term that Costa Ricans use for themselves) speak English. |
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The World’s Top Havens Ecuador Most long-time International Living readers know that Ecuador has been one of our favorite locations as an overseas investment and retirement haven for quite a while now. From snow-capped volcanoes to dense Amazon jungle…sun-drenched Pacific beaches to the famous Galapagos Islands, Ecuador offers something for everyone and at prices unheard of for years in North America and Europe. Whether you want to live, invest, vacation, retire, or simply relax in Ecuador, you’ll find the perfect combination of climate, culture, and affordability to make your dreams come true. |
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Who hasn’t dreamed of enjoying the sunset from the Pont Neuf on the Seine, picking fresh mushrooms from a country market, wandering an ancient walled city or people-watching over an espresso by the Med as you look forward to a fresh seafood lunch? Its tiresome bureaucracy and high taxes are outweighed by an unsurpassable quality of life, including the world’s best healthcare. France’s bon vivant lifestyle is special. Step off a plane and you’ll experience it firsthand…the joy of lingering for hours over dinner and a bottle of red wine in a Parisian brasserie. Or strolling beside the Seine on a spring morning, poking through the book vendors’ wares. Or buying buttery croissants in the bohemian Montmartre… hearing Notre’s Dame’s bells…walking antique streets paved with pottery. |
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They’ve given us Michelangelo, Raphael, and Botticelli…pizza, gondolas, and scarlet Ferraris…opera, ice cream, and Prada handbags. They’ve even given us confetti, those bits of colored paper that shower brides and grooms on wedding days. Who wouldn’t want to live in Italy, Europe’s most intriguing and seductive country? Just think of its warmth, style, and wonderful food…its excitable people and their zest for life…its art treasures and the architectural glories of its magnificent past… |
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Th ere is only one place in the world where you can enjoy an affordable overseas retirement, live right on the beach for pennies on the dollar, yet remain within driving distance of the U.S… Mexico’s colorful, vibrant culture ranks high with expats who live here…but it is just the cherry—and the icing—on a very rich cake. For expats, Mexico is an easy, convenient choice…a largely First-World country, at bargain prices, right on their doorstep. And with its moon-lit fiestas, languid white-sand beaches, ancient colonial towns set in the rugged Sierras, and Maya pyramids rising from the misty Yucatan jungle, it’s no wonder a million or more expats make Mexico their home. |
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No matter your taste in lifestyle, Panama has something to suit you. You could choose to live in a quiet mountain town or by a tropical beach graced with swaying palms. You could take in a play, see an opera, or sample the finest cuisines in a First-World, culture-rich capital city…or tend your own organic farm in the countryside. The best part is—no matter where you choose to live in Panama—a change of scenery is always on your doorstep. About the size of South Carolina, Panama packs a surprisingly large variety of landscapes into one tiny country. Live in the bustling capital and weekend at the beach…or buy a country home just an hour or two from city nightlife and amenities |
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The World’s Top Havens Portugal Rocky, rugged Atlantic coasts where salt spray mists the air…green hills and winding country roads…medieval towns perched above deep river gorges…graceful cities of broad boulevards and bustling cafés… Portugal, continental Europe’s westernmost country, lies quietly in the shadow of the larger, more boisterous Spain. With a sliver of coastline and an interior that can take you back centuries in time, Portugal in many ways still belongs to an earlier era. People are friendly and courteous, with an almost courtly manner. Family and friends are important, and people know their neighbors and the local shopkeepers. Ancient buildings look worn and lived-in, and quiet, cobbled lanes wind through seaside villages. |
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The World’s Top Havens Southeast Asia Known for its perfect beaches, low prices, and excellent scuba diving, Southeast Asia usually conjures up images of young globetrotting backpackers and sultry nights spent at a beach bar. But this region is also a vast cultural melting pot…with something to appeal to everyone, these fabled lands of Southeast Asia still beckon with the promise and rewards of an exciting life overseas. Southeast Asia has a lot to offer…the clean and ordered island state of Singapore…the endless island-hopping opportunities offered up by Indonesia (over 18,000 islands to choose from)…the mystical and awe-inspiring temples of Angkor Wat in Cambodia…the adventure of discovering the often-forgotten and wonderfully laidback Laos…and Vietnam, which is back on its feet. |
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Picture a sun-drenched, white house with a shady courtyard, perched on a cliff-top site in Spain. With the deep blue sea beyond and an olive grove nearby, it’s the stuff of which fantasies are made. Beaches…mountains…fabulous cities…cracking festivals, and, of course, guaranteed sunshine in many parts of the country. It’s not surprising that Spain is the most popular country for Europeans seeking a home overseas— and increasingly popular with North Americans, as well. |