Two years ago we took a month to visit Madrid and major cities in northern Spain: Santiago de Compostela, Gijón, Oviedo, Bilbao, and also Zaragoza because it was somewhat on the way back to Madrid. We had already decided on which climate we'd want to live in, which meant we didn't waste time in areas we weren't interested in inhabiting. It was a great trip and have us a good idea of where we'd be comfortable. We loved Oviedo so much we looked up a couple expats there and had a lovely lunch with them. It really helps to talk face to face with people who live there.

Hola Lloyd, I'm Bel, the Mexican Correspondent. Please let me know if you have any questions about this beautiful welcoming country. There are over 40 safe locations throughout Mexico with vibrant large expat communities that have been living here happily for years. After all, over a million American expats can't be wrong! To see them, scroll to the bottom of the Mexico page, under the countries tab on the home screen and you'll find them all listed there. Cheers, and welcome to IL, Bel.

Oh honey have I got the place for you! Come to the Riviera Maya, there are lot of towns along the 160km of so of pristine white sand beach. It's an area of astounding natural beauty and it's safe. I've lived here as a single lady for 8 years and adore it. If you'd like to know more scroll to the bottom of the Mexico page - https://internationalliving.com/countries/mexico/ - for a full list of reporst, or email me: Bel at bwoodhouse@internationalliving.com and I'll be happy to share my gorgeous part of the world with you. Cheers, Bel Woodhouse - Mexico Correspondent.

thank you so much.. yes both my grandparents were born there & came to the states when 20/18 respectively

Hi there! That's great that you're looking to spend the winter in Spain. Have you been to Valencia and Cartegena yet? If not, both are lovely options and quite different. Valencia is Spain's 3rd large city (population about 800,000) with a lot of culture, restuarants, arts, and entertainment, as well as mild winters, although lows can get into the 40s and highs are in the 60s. Cartagena is very lovely, however, a much different lifestyle than Valencia. It's a smaller city (around 200,000) and will be more laid back, and has much less going on. However, there is lots to see in and around the city. Spain has a wonderful public and private healthare system. Your wife being Italian, she may be able to get on a EHIC: https://employment-social-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies-and-activities/moving-working-europe/eu-social-security-coordination/european-health-insurance-card/how-use-card/spain-european-health-insurance-card_en Let us know if you have any questions! Cepee, IL Correspondent - Spain

no worries! thank you so much formthe information & good luck finding out your answers as well...

Hi Katherine, Good questions. There are not a lot of organized expat groups to choose from in Uruguay. A good strategy might be to just get to know some English-speaking expats and locals, and then gradually find individuals who share your values and interests. The only organized English-speaking expat group in Uruguay that I know of is Punta del Este Expats. They meet once a month. It’s common for expats from other areas to attend their monthly meeting. https://puntadelesteexpats.com/ Also, small group Spanish classes is another way to meet English-speaking locals (the teachers and staff) other English-speaking newcomers to Uruguay (your fellow students), as well a learning some Spanish. Through the school, you may also learn of locals who are learning English and may enjoy practicing with you. Piriapolis is a smaller town outside of Punta del Este that you may find interesting. The Internet is generally very good in Uruguay, with fiber-optic lines in many areas. With my basic home Internet plan, my plugged-in computer has a 408 Mbps download speed and a 31 Mbps upload speed. Good luck to you, David (P.S., We have a new "Uruguay" category on the International Living Community page, whuich is the first place I look for new messages each day.)

What stands out about the two countries to you? I live in Costa Rica and am IL's Correspndent. I know a good amount of artists. I just met a man who is a fine artist in Ojochal on an editorial trip. And this is a new gallery that is pretty popular in Guanacaste by Tamarindo (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61568438617057)-- one of my friend's Johnny has his art there- https://www.solgallery.cr/artist/johnny-coopwood?fbclid=IwY2xjawJ-cHdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFuRkJYREY2NkpNRWtJZjFzAR75ya20koowP77MK4TWRi5p3i61RYnQcPd-4ARwvkr5GPKYgmKmGikXFPBvjw_aem_RxJfZubODKh_X5k7zu0u3g There are a lot of new pottery places in the area, like this one- https://www.instagram.com/almanos.ceramica/ There are people who do Sip and Paint nights which are pretty popular. And Lindsey just started opened her own gallery https://www.facebook.com/LindsayArte and a kids club art- https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564976650338. Junior Rodrigues also has a place in Tamarindo - https://www.instagram.com/artgallerycafejr/?hl=en Enjoy your trip! THat is the best thing to do... go check out areas and see what they feel like to you! -Bekah Bottone, IL's Costa Rica Correspondent

Hi AD1452, A scouting trip to Portugal sounds like a good plan. A tip: You might try leaving your question under the Portugal category of this Internatillnal Living Community section. A lot of people go straight to the country section they are interested in or know about.

In general, I suggest spending a month and staying in each of the places to really get a feel for them and check out the vibe for yourself. But heading to different areas to get a feel for them is a great first step. I don't have anyone in particular that i can recommend for tours.. but I met this man on an editorial trip and he is starting a group to help people- https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574689898866&rdid=q4twgfg5Z2gaIxih&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F1B6pbpgsTY%2F# The best healthcare is in the Central Valley, so keep that in mind. The best equipped hostpitals and most specialists are there. Often times, a specialist will visit a clinic in Guanacaste once a month. So it isn't as conveninet. An important factor to consider is the weather. What temperatures do you prefer? It rains everywhere, yet some places have more rain than others. The beaches Hot and humid, and I love them! Guanacaste is the driest part of Costa Rica. The Central Pacific receives more rain. Lake Arenal Cooler (temperature) than the beach. Nuevo Arenal gets about 50% more rain than Tronadora, located just across the lake. Tronadora is much windier. La Fortuna and the surrounding towns like Chachagua are drier and warmer. The Central Valley Cooler temperatures - especially from the variety of elevations available. I always recommmend reaching out to FB groups and asking questions. I use those groups to learn about differnt areas and connect with new people all of the time. FB groups are very active here and worth using as a resource. These FB pages might be a good start: Arenal https://www.facebook.com/groups/712758082803982 https://www.facebook.com/groups/270122543035935 Guanacaste https://www.facebook.com/groups/297720547030161 https://www.facebook.com/groups/3442610169117243 Jaco https://www.facebook.com/groups/290260966853843 https://www.facebook.com/groups/711552235579574 There are lots of expat groups too: search 'Expats in... ' This group posts about a women's would be a great place to get insider info for Guanacaste. https://www.facebook.com/groups/663758784658197 Many people find staying in an Airbnb a good way to check out a community, more so than a hotel. I talked with Nick when in Nuevo Arenal and he rent out an Airbnb. https://internationalliving.com/from-deaths-door-to-thriving-in-lake-arenal-costa-rica/ (https://www.airbnb.ie/rooms/40036748?source_impression_id=p3_1719933875_P3ic3CyJiPWB-oYF) Good luck on your travels. Let me know if you have any more questions. I have 2 contacts for Real Estate in the Central Valley Carol Prado - KW | Costa Rica. You can send him a message on WhatsApp message (‪+506 6345 7251‬) or email (Carol.prado@kwcostarica.com) to connect with him. And Brooke Bishop +506 8311 5336. And Mariana with KW in Tamarindo +506 6155 5265.

I am following your exact road actually just 6mo to a year behind. Due to the government instability particularly for science work she might be laid off soon and is a year from early retirement. I am already effectively retired waiting for her. Spain and Portugal were on the top of our lists

I offer one to one consultations for people looking to secure ancestral citizenship in Europe so if you'd like to reach out, you can find the sign up link on our IL website. Look for Global Citizen. Regarding Poland, there is technically no limit on how far back you can go to find an ancestor who qualifies you for residency. The problem is that Poland only came into existence as a modern nation in 1920. That means that your ancestor must either have been alive and Living in Poland when the Polish Republic was declared, or they must have lived on territory that subsequently became the Polish Republic before 1920. For example, many ethnic polls left what was then the Russian Empire or the Austro Hungarian Empire prior to 1920, but qualify as Polish ancestors. Not all countries do that. If and when you have your Polish citizenship recognized come up your wife would be eligible for a family reunification visa. This is required by European Union law. However, the only way to qualify for it would be to move to a European country as an EU citizen and then apply for her visa once you are settled. She won't be able to get the visa if she's still living abroad.

Although Costa Rica is getting more and more expensive, I have met plenty of people living on a fixed income over the past few years. The postcards section at IL shares the experiences of others who have made the move and is a great way to check out success stories. https://internationalliving.com/category/daily-postcard/ I suggest spending a month and staying in each of the places to really get a feel for them and check out the vibe for yourself. I recently visited Atenas and Grecia in the Central Valley and you might want to check them out if being close to health is necessary. I will be talking about them at the San Jose Conference in July 2024. Are you planning on joining us online or in person? The best healthcare is in the Central Valley, so keep that in mind. The best equipped hostpitals and most specialists are there. Often times, a specialist will visit a clinic in Guanacaste once a month. So it isn't as conveninet. An important factor to consider is the weather. What temperatures do you prefer? It rains everywhere, yet some places have more rain than others. The beaches Hot and humid, and I love them! Guanacaste is the driest part of Costa Rica. The Central Pacific receives more rain. Lake Arenal Cooler (temperature) than the beach. Nuevo Arenal gets about 50% more rain than Tronadora, located just across the lake. Tronadora is much windier. La Fortuna and the surrounding towns like Chachagua are drier and warmer. Many people find staying in an Airbnb a good way to check out a community, more so than a hotel. I talked with Nick when in Nuevo Arenal and he rent out an Airbnb. https://internationalliving.com/from-deaths-door-to-thriving-in-lake-arenal-costa-rica/ (https://www.airbnb.ie/rooms/40036748?source_impression_id=p3_1719933875_P3ic3CyJiPWB-oYF) The Central Valley Cooler temperatures - especially from the variety of elevations available. I met three people living in the Atenas/Grecia area on my last editorial trip in April 2024. Karen lives on $2000 a month, Mike on under $1400 a month (he spends six months here as he is Canadian), and Lynda spends about $1500 a month. This shows that living in Costa Rica can be affordable, hopefully giving you peace of mind about your financial situation. I suggest posting in Facebook groups to ask questions and get more on-the-ground information. I post in the groups in the areas I will visit to connect with people for my editorial trips and find specific places to visit. Most of the time, people are very helpful. I am not sure which areas you are most interested in, but you can start by checking out these groups: https://www.facebook.com/groups/209258083597577 https://www.facebook.com/groups/128010388878472 https://www.facebook.com/groups/579515763190243 https://www.facebook.com/groups/178568066214136 https://www.facebook.com/groups/450171628439598 I suggest searching Facebook for the town/city you want to visit to see what results appear. Facebook is widely used down here for community sharing and support. Let me know if you have any additional questions about Costa Rica. Bekah Bottone, IL's Costa Rica Correspondent

My name is David Hammond, I have been living in Uruguay for several years. You can find medical and psych services here, but they will all be in Spanish.