You have visions of rolling hills dotted with stone farmhouses, sunny piazzas and la dolce vita. A new life in Italy is alluring. That’s why I moved here eight years ago. But before you can start enjoying those sidewalk cafés and open-air markets, there are a few bureaucratic hurdles you’ll need to jump to live legally in Italy.

There’s no question…Barcelona is fabulous. A mild Mediterranean climate; attractive urban beaches; a vibrant cultural scene; lively street ambience; great shopping; and some of the best food in Spain…Barcelona has it all. But—while Barcelona is a great place to visit—not everyone wants to live in a major metropolis. If you like what Barcelona offers but prefer day-to-day life on a smaller, more intimate scale, you have options here.

What if you were sitting in the shade of a palm tree looking out at coral white sands on a tropical island? Yesterday, you were learning to paddleboard from a hidden cove, and tomorrow you’ll explore surfing spots farther up the mainland coast. Tonight you’ll choose from French cuisine, Italian pasta, or feast on fresh-caught tuna while watching the game at Smileys bar.

In many ways, Costa Rica is the “veteran” among Central-American retirement destinations. North Americans and Europeans have been flocking to this little country for more than 30 years, attracted by the tropical climate; low cost of living; top-notch, affordable medical care; bargain real estate; and natural beauty.

Malta is a safe place to put your real estate dollars. During the last six years of economic crisis this stable and peaceful haven was left untouched. That comes as no surprise to the international business community that knows this Mediterranean island nation well. For the past five centuries, Malta has managed to negotiate its way out of troubles that have crushed empires.

In the United States, Suze Orman is a popular financial guru on public television. Typical of her advice: “A big part of financial freedom is having your heart and mind free from worry about the what-ifs of life.” One of the best ways to minimize the “what-ifs” and the worry that goes with them is with a trust.

Originally a winding country path called Green Lane, it was given the name “Porto Bello” after the capture of a colony in Panama during the Anglo-Spanish war. This sea battle which took place in 1739 was also called “The War of Jenkins’ Ear.” The hapless Captain had his ear cut off by the Spanish Coast Guard. When appearing in Parliament to recount the tale, he displayed the shorn appendage during his testimony.

Growing up in Charleston, South Carolina, Steve Mueller didn’t have much exposure to Asian culture. Only after he moved to the Hawaiian island of Oahu to work in telecommunications was Steve exposed to the culture that came to fascinate him. “Moving to Hawaii was a shock, but in an intriguing way. I lived smack in the middle of Chinatown and loved trying all the food on offer.

Most days here are beautiful: warm and sunny, with a pleasant ocean breeze sweeping in from the Gulf of Thailand. In the evenings, vibrant splashes of magenta, fiery orange, and bright pink dance across the sky as the sun sets over the water. Everywhere I look, I see coconut palms and sandy beaches. Some call it paradise. I call it home.

At the end of Wuthering Heights, that novel of untamed passions that reach beyond the grave, the narrator lingers by the tombs of the lovers, Cathy and Heathcliffe, as he watches moths flutter around the heath. He wonders “how anyone could ever imagine unquiet slumbers in that quiet earth.”