Use This Travel Down-Time Wisely— It Could Change Your Life

I’ve never been convinced that travel broadens the mind. On one level, it’s a reasonable assumption; the more you see and do in different places, the better-equipped you are to cope with experiences and attitudes that are different than the ones you grew up with.

But on another level, sometimes it simply cements long-held beliefs. If you’re convinced that France is full of haughty snobs with a superiority complex…well, that’s probably what you’ll find there. Another traveler might find it a wonderland of intriguing people— cultured, refined, sophisticated. When you believe the world is full of wonder and opportunity, that’s what you find.

At IL conferences, among the first things we ask people to do is profile themselves. Sit down and figure out what it is, exactly, that you want from a new life overseas. What are your priorities? What are you willing to compromise on? Why do we ask this? Because it’s a waste of time and effort to try to turn a place into what you want it to be. That doesn’t work.

What does work, is listing the things you want from life, and then finding the place where those things already exist. It was clear to me on my trip to Thailand this spring that, although I loved the island of Koh Phangan, it was far too tranquil for my tastes. Whereas Koh Samui…oh wow! I could certainly live there. The difference between two islands, within sight of each other, was immense.

That diversity, and using it to find the spot that suits you best, is key. Anne Rose and her husband, Keith were simply looking for a place to relax, to decompress after their long, stressful careers. For them, a fishing village in Puglia was the perfect fit: “Gone is the defeated weariness that plagued us in California, and here in Italy, we have reclaimed our passion for life.”

Margaret Summerfield, on the other hand, was looking for a hub where she could easily access the best real estate investment locations across the globe. She found it in Panama City an energetic metropolis with an international population, first-rate infrastructure, and where the weather is warm year-round.

Different people, different demands, but it’s a big enough, diverse enough world to cater to them all. And until we can all get back out there, you can use this downtime to figure out exactly what it is you want. Once you’ve done that, we’ll help you find it on a map.

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