International Living Community

The hydroelectric project at Lake Arenal produces between 10 to 12% of the total electricity of the country. You can read more about what I wrote here: https://internationalliving.com/is-costa-rica-the-most-eco-friendly-country-on-our-beat/ Google "hydro power and lake arenal" to find more info.

Hi there! I don't believe that IL has ever published such a list, but there are multiple resources online that may be helpful. Yale's Environmental Performance Index (EPI) ranks countries based on the quality of their drinking water. Their website can be found here: https://epi.yale.edu/epi-results/2020/component/h2o

Hi there! Sorry this went unanswered for so long—I realize you’re already in Portugal by now, but I hope this thread can help other people who are in the same boat. Regarding the transportation of household goods to Portugal: Once you have a residence visa, you can bring used household goods into Portugal duty-free. “Used” means items that have been in your possession for at least six months; mixing new items in may slow down processing in customs on arrival and incur charges. The shipment must arrive within 12 months of your visa being issued and within four months of the issuance of your shipping documents to avoid fees. If you're looking for some more detailed information on moving to Portugal, our "Escape to Portugal Guide" should have all the answers you need. IL members can find it here: https://members.internationalliving.com/escape-to-portugal-everything-you-need-to-know-to-retire-better-invest-well-and-enjoy-the-good-life-for-less/

I love the views in Grecia and the cooler temps, yet I was not a fan of the steep, winding roads. Yet the higher you go, the cooler it gests. This is pretty much the case all over the Central Valley. Highs can be in the 80s and nights can drop to the 60s-70s, depending on where you are. I stayed here in Grecia (https://www.tierranuevacostarica.com/) and absolutey LOVED the esperience. The food at the restaurant was so delicious and the owner personable and able to share a lot of info. There is also a weekly expat meet up on Wednesdays at 12 pm at Los Jardines Vivero y Café (https://www.facebook.com/losjardinesgreciacr/?locale=es_LA) -- I would just call to confirm with the restaruant in case the day/time changes. I stayed here in Atenas (https://hotelcolinasdelsol.com/). It was fine yet a plus was its central location. There is a woman's group in Atenas who has a weekly meet up (https://www.facebook.com/groups/663758784658197?locale=es_LA) and I think the husbands also have a men's meet up. I consider Atenas and Grecia more expat hubs. I never stayed in Heredia, yet I seem to always drive through it. I find Facebook groups very helpful when I need to learn more about an area. You also might want to ask questions in these groups: https://www.facebook.com/groups/128010388878472 https://www.facebook.com/groups/425764764900687 https://www.facebook.com/groups/620448778305789 https://www.facebook.com/groups/517401048358283 I suggest joining us at the CR conference in May this year. It is held in Escazu and contains a wealth of information. And then you could explore the other areas a few days before or after. I find that visiting and meeting people is the best option. Almost everyone I meet who has relocated tells me that they just knew when they visited a certain area that is would be home. Good luck and how exciting! Costa Rica is paradise for many. Come see what you think about it for yourself!

and this is his email gort.klaatu@icloud.com

Dear Roxanne, to date I do not know of "one single agent", who can help you with the whole area. But I can stear you towards two ideas that may help. First: In central Italy there is an agent who speaks English. Not on the coast but in the central part of italy, he may know someone. You should also know that the agents of one agency work against the others and do not "share" information. they also do not represesnt you as they do in the US. Essentially they represent themselves. In Rieti is a group called "Keys Partners. " One of their agents is Ricardo Diamilla and he speaks English... his email is diamilllariccardo86@gmail.com. Please use my name: Alfred Stites The other idea is to go to gate-away.com and look in the provinces you want to live in along the coast. Specify an English speaking agent. Also please know that there are many reports of prices being elevated because you are American. Therefore I would recommend an intermediary who will look out for your interests and your interests only! I can recommend M. Grazia Colombo a RE Attorney who has successfully helped many Americans buy a home. Her email is mgrazia.colombo@leexe.it. Again please use my name. Good luck and great success. I hope you get to live your dream as we are here in Reiti. Alfred "Chip" Stites, IL Correspondent.

We live in Malta that has a 'no double tax agreement' with the US. We pay no taxes on our Social Security. If you paid taxes on your money in the US, you won't be taxed in the countries with the agreement. You can do a Google search to get a list of countries that have this agreement with the US. ~Mary & Kevin

Hi lovelies, I'm Bel, the Mexico Correspondent and I can tell you I've spoken to quite a few black people living in Mexico and they all say the same thing. They feel welcome and safe. As for LGBTQ, well all I can say is welcome friends. My beautiful girls (downstairs neighbours) are getting married next year in Mexico City and we've had many conversations about being gay in Mexico. They say it's widely accepted for foreigners and most people don't care. I hope this helps you feel safer. I sincerely hope it does and if you'd like any other questions answered I'd love to have a chat. My email is - bwoodhouse@internationalliving.com Ciao for now, Bel.

Thank you for sharing your perspective on Belize. As someone who has lived here full-time for over 5 years now I thought I might share my perspective as well on the things you brought up. I'll be the first to agree that if you have a serious health issue that requires access to specialty doctors and specific, expensive medications then Belize is probably not a great option for you. However, if you're generally healthy, Belize may be a great choice for you regardless of your age. Where I live in Plancencia, there is a growing, thriving community of older, retired expats that call Belize their full-time home. Belize is not the cheapest place to live in Central America, but it is amongst the cheapest Caribbean nations to live in. Learning how to get the biggest bang for your buck makes living here cheaper for me than where I came from (Atlanta, GA). Add to that the fixed exchange rate and English being the primary language and you can see why so many are choosing to settle here in Belize. Drugs are a problem pretty much everywhere in the world. Belize is no different. From my perspective, I really only noticed that marijuana usage seemed higher here, and was more openly used. Where your personal bias falls in the marijuana debate will probably influence how you feel about its usage here in Belize. Finally, the bugs. Yes, Belize has its fair share of bugs. Being a hot, humid, tropical destination makes this no surprise. We've learned strategies for co-existing with the bugs, and what products work and don't work here. Yes, they still drive us crazy at times (especially during rainy season) but it is a small price to pay for other benefits that living in Belize provides. Shane Kenny IL Belize Correspondent

JSWIGART2 said: I don't quite understand Mr Baumann's comment about "you will, however, pay the difference between u.s. and Portuguese tax rates." Does he mean if I pay 25% rate in U.S. and Portuguese retirement taxes are 40% I pay an additional 15% on my retirement income? JSWIGART2 - Yes, your understanding is correct.

Wow Jess - thank you so much!! This is fantastic information. I will definitely do more research as I am in the early planning stages and the above helps immensely. Appreciate the tip about asking one question per post - wasn't sure since we are looking at doing multiple countries in one trip.

Hi Mark and Sue, if you're a member of Real Estate Trend Alert and have bought in one of the RETA member-only deals do also reach out to the RETA Concierge team. They're on hand to help RETA members with any issue and address any concern. You can arrange to speak in person with the RETA concierge team at any time here https://url.us.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/BSEpCR6r94Fw31JQf9f4C1Oj_N?domain=events-c.mp.realestatetrendalert.com. Or email them at mdoherty@pangearesearchgroup.com

Hi clark, here is Cindy Sheahan's email address. cindy.sheahan61@gmail.com