Benvenuti and Welcome to all my Lovely Followers, Now, if you are a regular follower of my column, you will know that I like to reflect on the previous month’s happenings, both nationally and locally from my little bit of Tuscany. So this time we are looking back to January.I always do my best to … Read more
Bringing up two Spanish kids to be bilingual is immensely harder than I expected. Since arriving in Seville, back in 2005, I’ve spoken to many British expats about getting their kids to be completely bilingual and have come across a vast range of experiences.One guy I know has two teenage daughters and he’s happy with … Read more
As we’ve been reporting lately… and as I can confirm from experience based on my own scouting adventures… in the Dominican Republic beachfront town of Las Terrenas, the sparkling Caribbean and the sands that fringe it are ever-present. As you’re coming and going around town throughout the day, you never have to look far to … Read more
For some of us, expat living wasn’t necessarily a conscious plan. For others it might have arisen out of a need for dramatic change in our lives. Even retirement is a life changing event, where the urge or necessity to reinvent yourself finally becomes stronger than the desire to remain safe and secure in your … Read more
Panama is a natural marvel. Few places on earth offer the wildlife-watching, close-to-nature experiences you find here. This country’s ecological riches are thanks to volcanic activity that took place more than 3 million years ago, when the Isthmus of Panama and Central America arose. This formed a land bridge between South and Central America that, … Read more
January brought snow. Our birds and squirrels cost us a fortune in grain and fat balls. Squirrels? Yes: far from hibernating, Tufty and Tess visit our kitchen windowsill daily. John took this photograph through the window.We have had photovoltaic panels installed on the roof. A government initiative is promoting them in a bid to reduce … Read more
One of the biggest downsides to retiring overseas can be the distance it can put between you and your grandkids. If this is a concern, consider choosing your retire overseas destination accordingly. That is, pick a place to relocate in retirement that’d appeal to your grandkids, as well. Here are nine places to retire overseas … Read more
If you’re considering the idea of retiring to a new country, one of the most important questions you must address is whether you will live among the locals in a neighborhood or whether you would prefer to be in a gated community. Many people considering a move overseas have strong feelings about this.Much of the … Read more
Are you considering moving abroad? I’m guessing that’s why you might be here, browsing the pages of “Expat Focus”. But how do you know you’re doing the right thing when buying a home in another country? How do you figure out if you’ll even like living there?There are so many questions and so many doubts. … Read more
Time to take stock, regroup, project, and predict… As we turn the corner from 2016 to 2017, we’ve been reviewing the world map to identify markets and destinations of particular interest, advantage, and appeal. Which locations will be dead center on our radar in 2017?Where best should you be thinking about investing your time and … Read more