International Living Community

PS: my name is Doug.

Hello, I spent 5 years living in Spain. I'm there casually now. I don't recommend people to do things the way I do, unless they are single. I was traveling a lot at the time, and after spending three days in Barcelona, I decided to make it home base for me. It was not my first (no last) international move. It was a great city and I quickly made many friends by going to events and co-working spaces. Like every country, there are pros and cons. My recommendation is to really think about exactly what you want. Then go to both Portugal and Spain and visit several areas to find which one will be best for you. Regards, Sally Pederson IL Spain Correspondent

Tronadora

We lived at the foot of Mt. Ste. Victoire (a year) years ago and loved it. My favorite city/town is mentioned above: Villefranche Sur Mer half way between Nice and Monacco and just a train trip over the border to Italy. The climb to Eze and the walks to St Jean Cap Ferrat are lovely and the hilly town, great. We are spending a month, however, this time in Beziers on the west towards Spain and loving it. Places seem to be larger for less but a new up and coming town that has loads of beautifully restored, and being restored, Haussmann buildings. It was the 4th largest city in France in 1900, in the Languedoc wine region, but went downhill for decades now being renewed. The Allee Paul Riquet is beautiful, the markets great, the vibe good, people helpful and it has loads of events. The Canal du Midi runs through it with small pleasure boats and lovely walk and bike paths. It almost sounds like a sales pitch lol but we are loving it and I think it has more to go. Sharon

Hello South of France folk, Does anyone have knowledge of English speaking notaries, bankers, property management people they would recommend in the Langue d'Oc area, specifically, Beziers? Thank you, Sharon B.

Hi Keith, I adore my island Cozumel and have been here for seven years now. I love everything about it. the culture, food, people, but especially the ocean. The water is gorgeous. Bel Woodhouse - Mexico Correspondent.

I would rather advise you on the safest “communities” than countries. Every country on the IL beat is safe for single women, though ideally you will want to read about towns in the country you like best and choose one that has a good size expat community. It is also important to note that safety is relative. Latin American countries don’t tend to rank among the top 20 safest in the world, according to indexes compiled by organizations like Mercer or The Economist. Neither does the U.S. Generally, Canada and European countries take the top spots—but there is no country on earth that’s completely free of crime. Long-term expats typically choose a town rather than a country. This makes sense. If you read about border towns, you could get the impression that the vast country of Mexico is unlivable. In fact, there are towns like San Miguel de Allende where that couldn’t be further from the truth. Even in smaller countries like Panama and Costa Rica, there are safe areas and not-so-safe areas. Occasionally, we meet idealistic singles who inquire about living in remote destinations where they can “really connect” and integrate into the local community. “I don’t want to live in an expat enclave,” they say. We get where they’re coming from. But we also encourage you to learn from IL’s cadre of seasoned expats, many of whom have learned their lessons the hard way and who share their experiences so you don’t have to. And one of the first lessons you’ll learn as a single abroad is that the happiest transplants tend to have at least a small expat community they can turn to. With that in mind, I think you’ll find the resources below, created by our globe-spanning network of correspondents and contributors, very useful: Our general travel safety guide for single women Safety in France Safety in Portugal Safety in Italy Safety in Spain Safety in Mexico Safety in Panama Safety in Belize Safety in Costa Rica Safety in Cuenca, Ecuador Safety in Uruguay Safety in Colombia

There are so many great destinations for singles these days. I lived in Panama’s capital, Panama City, for 17 years. It’s a truly cosmopolitan, international city—perfect for new arrivals eager to network and make friends. There are dozens and dozens of organizations that host fun events here. Check out websites and social media for the Alliance Française, the American Society, and Internations.org for starters. Whether you go to the theater, a gallery, or a sporting event, you’ll have opportunities to meet other singles. I walked, drove, took the metro, and used the Uber rideshare app to get around. I felt safe going out during the day or at night. When you see just how rich the nightlife and cultural landscape are, you’ll understand why. In August of 2021 I found a beach apartment with stunning views at a great price, so I moved. The beach town of Coronado—just an hour’s drive away—is one of the most welcoming places on earth. I’m 46 years old and already have friends of all ages and backgrounds. Some have weekend homes in and around Coronado, while others live here full-time, like me. Some are Panamanian, and some are expats. It’s a dynamic town, and it’s packed with restaurants and services that make life super convenient. I’m really glad I chose Panama, but I’ve spent time in Mexico, Spain, France, and several other countries with singles-friendly destinations. I’m certain I could’ve been just as happy in Playa del Carmen or Madrid. I tell you all about these places (and many more) in my Single and Ready to Move Overseas report. From one (very happy) single to another: yes you absolutely can live your best life overseas. I am!

Hi Joe, Colombia legalized same-s*x marriage in April 2016. Same-s*x couples married abroad are now entitled to the same visa, healthcare benefits, and inheritance and pension rights as heterosexual spouses, once they take a stamped marriage certificate and identification papers to the nearest designated office in Colombia. In 2015, same-s*x adoption laws allowed gay couples the same rights as heterosexual couples when adopting children. That same year, Colombia legalized the right to change legal gender without requiring surgery. Discrimination in employment and housing based on sexual orientation is illegal and is explicitly covered in the law. However, gender identity is implied but is not explicitly mentioned. The major tourist cities of Medellín, Bogotá, and Cartagena have a growing number of gay and gay-friendly bars, clubs, and hotels. Bogotá elected Claudia López as the country’s first openly lesbian mayor in 2019. One resource I recommend is Out in Colombia Travel, started by a U.S. expat. It’s an LGBTQ+ travel and tourism agency whose goal is to create life-changing and memorable experiences for gay travelers and to help create cross-cultural exchanges that unite the global LGBTQ+ community.

Hi David, Costa Rica, being a Catholic country, is socially conservative for the most part. However, the tide is changing. Same-s*x marriage was legalized in May 2020 under President Carlos Alvarado Quesada’s administration. It is one of the first countries in Latin America to not only recognize same-s*x marriage, but to legalize it. The Costa Rican people (especially in the cities and in the international expat communities) continue to be welcoming towards expats and tourists, regardless of sexual preferences or gender identification. However, in the more rural areas, it is still best to avoid obvious public displays of affection. There is a large LGBTQ scene around San José, where you can find a variety of bars and events supporting the community. An online search can point you in the right direction. Each year, the city hosts a big pride parade and event. Manuel Antonio, on the Central Coast, continues to be the number one alternate lifestyle tourist destination. There you will find hotels, bars, and tours catering to this growing tourism demand. Tamarindo, on the Gold Coast, hosted the country’s first ever Glitter Festival to promote diversity in Guanacaste tourism. It also recently opened a popular gay bar further cementing this Guanacaste beach area as an LGBTQ-friendly option in the country. It’s reopened for the season as of last weekend, and its drag shows are reportedly super fun.

Hi Karl, For individuals in the LBGTQ+ culture who are looking for social acceptance and legal protections, Ecuador is a viable option. Study Ecuador’s political history, and you’ll find this forward-thinking county protects more rights than expected. In 1998, Ecuador became one of the first countries in the world to constitutionally ban discrimination based on sexual orientation. Since 2008, same-s*x couples can engage in civil unions with all of the rights of marriage (except for adoption), including participating in things like the national health care system or other legal contracts with all the rights of a married couple. Under the 2016 Gender Identity Law, transgender people can now change their legal gender solely based on self-determination, without undergoing surgery. Ecuador is also one of the few countries in the world to have banned conversion therapy. In 2018, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled that same-s*x marriage is a human right protected by the American Convention on Human Rights, legalizing it in Ecuador. Because LBGTQ rights are part of the constitution, there’s no worry about the supreme court taking away your rights. There are also much-needed treatments in Ecuador for HIV medicines and doctors in Ecuador who specialized in HIV/AIDS treatments. It’s easy to find friends at local expat events, gay friendly bars, and through social media like Nomadicboys.com and the LGBTQ Expats Living in Ecuador Facebook page. But mostly, members of the gay community just make friends with expats and Ecuadorians, regardless of sexual preference. Cuenca is a gay-friendly community and there are many couples here. Because it’s a cultural center, there’s more of an understanding of different lifestyles as writers, artists, and musicians bring a more open ideology. As for other locations in Ecuador, Quito and Guayaquil are the two major cities in the country with the largest gay scenes due in part to the younger millennials living there. The city of Montañita, a village by the coast is famous for its bohemian vibe and very liberal attitude. It is a tourist town where if you are gay, you can feel extremely comfortable walking down the streets holding hands. In other Ecuadorian cities, it’s suggested that you do not show overt PDA, especially in smaller villages where there is less of an understanding of changing ideals on sexuality. You can read an overview of how the countries on our beat rate for LGBTQ rights on the dedicated page on our website.

Hi Eny, In the more popular expat areas of Belize general acceptance of the LBGTQ+ community is growing… thanks to the influence of expats from the US and Canada. The country’s first Pride parade was held in 2017, with Pride week also being celebrated in subsequent years. You’ll find many networks on Facebook to connect to the gay community, and especially on Ambergris Caye, you will find a well-established and visible gay community. That being said, I would not expect acceptance to equal what you have come to expect in the US or Canada at this point. Megan Rodden, an American expat living in Placencia, summed things up very well in one of her blog posts: “The experience in progressive and touristy hot-spots such as San Pedro is going to be light years apart from the experience in say, a rural, conservative Mennonite community in Toledo. Belizeans in general are a very live-and-let-live people but it was only in 2016 that they finally abolished their anti-sodomy law, recognizing discrimination based on sexual orientation unconstitutional. I think, in general, there’s mostly apathy regarding LGBTQ issues with a small population on either side of the spectrum either condemning or crusading for equality.” So, there has been movement in the right direction, and in most expat areas you should be fine. But there is still work to be done.

Hi Wade, Learning the language of the country you choose to live in is always a good idea and will help greatly with everyday living. Even just knowing enough to understand when the shopkeeper is asking if you would like a bag makes life smoother. That’s not to say you need perfect Portuguese in order to live here. Many Portuguese do speak English, especially in the Algarve, Lisbon and Porto. And for those that don’t, broken Portuguese combined with their broken English will often be enough to get by. It’s a good idea to pick up some basics of the language before you move, and you can always study more in depth once you arrive. A word of warning if using apps like Duolingo: often the Portuguese these apps teach is Brazilian rather than European. That version of the language will be understood, but it’s not the correct version for Portugal. It is almost universally agreed that the “purest” Portuguese is spoken in Coimbra, a riverfront city in the center of the country. Coimbra is Portugal’s former medieval capital and home to the University of Coimbra, the largest university in Portugal and one of the oldest universities in continuous operation in the world. Its Faculdade de Letras offers summer, annual, and intensive courses (in September and February) in the Portuguese language. The Portuguese government also offers free language classes for immigrants. These are held at local high schools that run in conjunction with the school year. There is a detailed section on learning Portuguese in our Escape to Portugal country guide (recently updated by me).