International Living Community

PS: my name is Doug.

Thank you Glenda for your thoughts and great insights. We are taking trips around Portugal and so far we agree with a lot of what you are saying.

Great question! I'm not familiar with any sites or organizations in Spain that highlight accessible housing or communities. I would say that major cities would be the most accessible - Madrid and Barcelona. Smaller towns may be accessible in some areas but overall I find much of Spain was not built with accessibility in mind (except for the visually impaired). Most new buildings will have elevators but the units themselves may not be wheelchair accessible. Buses are wheelchair friendly but not all sidewalks are. I hope this helps!

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

RAY 0 said: Hello from the Land of Smiles (LOS). I'm Ray, residing in one of the quiet suburbs of Pattaya - no, it's not all wild parties, alcohol, and neon. I've come over on a bare-bones budget, so I'm learning how to navigate Visa, housing, healthcare and finance issues quickly, efficiently, and cheaply. So, if you're waiting for everything to be just right, don't. And by the way, if you're a Veteran, you'll also find V.F.W. and American Legion posts in town, with plenty of people willing to offer advice (even if you didn't ask for any- LOL). Enjoy your stay in Thailand. Thank you Ray! This will be a bare-bones budget for me as well! Best of Luck!

Welcome Deb, it’s great to have you! Remember you can access and search the International Living Magazine Archive and reach out to IL Customer Service about your membership benefits. You’ll find information on books and other products and upcoming events. In this forum you’ll find helpful posts on different countries (and we invite you to post questions you don’t find the answers for). Again, welcome to the Community… you’re an ILer now. Here’s to thinking… and living… internationally

If you haven't already booked, check out La Posada Nueva.

I suggest you download Idealista and you easily draw a map of where you want to live and they notify you of all rental properties in that area. You will easily find an apartment in Caminha for between 600 and 800 Euros per month. Good Luck it's a great place to live

Hi @MARKASHIRAZI Thanks for getting in touch. My recommendation would be to check out Warren and Julie's YouTube page. They're colleagues of ours and have spoken at our online events. They have expertise in the area and should be able to offer the information you need. Here's a link to their YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsMbJWT2e-3CRhy8LJOa7_g

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

Hi Sherryl, I'm Bel, the Mexico Correspondent and yes, there are expats living in Mazatlan. Here are a coupld of Facebook groups: Mazatlan Expats and Mazatlan Buy and Sell so you have contacts for those living there right now to answer your questions. https://www.facebook.com/groups/421874412236301 https://www.facebook.com/groups/498042901476569

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.

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

It's hard to go wrong RLBarker, there are so many great options that you're better off deciding which country you'd love to spend time in and then zeroing in on towns within that country with good language programs. That said I think Panama, where I live, is a great option. There's a Spanish school in the capital's colonial sector, Casco Viejo, that gets great reviews and the owner has spoken at IL Event in Panama so we know the school is real (IL's annual Fast Track Panama conference), see https://cascospanish.com/. Many say the easiest Latin American Spanish accent to learn in is Mexican or Colombian. I find the accent in Panama City to be very straightforward, it's not sing-songy but rather more like newscaster accents. Outside of Panama City if you get into rural parts you will find that people speak a bit differently (clipping words/omitting the end syllable, for example) but this is true in much of Latin America (easier for learners to understand "posher" accents in cities versus rural parts) If you love countries like Argentina and Uruguay then that's a quite different type of Spanish so you'd maybe want to go to a school that can teach you Rioplatense Spanish. And if you fancy spending a lot of time in Spain, same thing - it's a quite different version Spanish, probably best to study it in Spain itself. ~IL Panama Editor Jessica Ramesch

Hi Rob, Mention the word Caribbean and most people think of Barbados, Puerto Rico, Antigua… crystal clear waters and white sand beaches. Great for a vacation, but moving there… just too expensive, right? Not necessarily. The Caribbean isn’t restricted to just those few islands. By broadening your horizons, and your perceived idea of “the Caribbean”, you can still find a home at an affordable price. These are places with Caribbean coastlines where you can purchase a house for a lot less money than you’d spend in Barbados, or even the US. Places where the cost of living won’t leave you penniless, and where you have every amenity that you have back home. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of our top five recommendations for Caribbean island living that won’t break the bank… as well as two that just might. You can find it on our newly revamped website, right here: 5 Best Affordable Caribbean Islands to Live On…and 2 to Avoid.

Hi Franklin, Congratulations on your choice of Porto as a potential overseas destination. I hope you’re having fun on your exploratory trip. With so much to do in the city, it’s a safe bet. Porto has something for everyone—from touring the local football stadium to handmade azulejo tile workshops; from visiting the soaring Cathedral to finding the perfect brunch spot on Rua de Cedofeita, Portugal’s “second city” is a delight. Due to its history and ongoing international business presence, Porto has a welcoming attitude toward expats. So you shouldn’t have much trouble finding some expats in the city. There are several international organizations in the city, for example, InterNations Porto, that hold expat events specifically designed to connect people from all over the world who have relocated to the city. Another fantastic resource you shouldn’t overlook is Facebook. There are plenty of expat Facebook groups in the city, and many of the people you’ll find there are happy to offer advice, answer questions, and even get together with new or potential members of the Porto expat community. Many of these groups are private, but simply requesting to join and explaining why (usually through a series of questions in the request process) is enough to get you in. Closed groups merely prevent the expats involved being spammed by businesses, and shouldn’t be interpreted as a desire to keep people out. You should look into Porto Expats, Porto Internationals, and Porto Internationals: Expats & Locals. Best of luck with your visit!

Hi Sasha, Considered the oldest city in Portugal, Braga is located in the north, about 20 miles east of the wind-surfing destination of Esposende. Like so many cities in Portugal, Braga’s history was influenced by Roman occupation, and the city’s architecture and landscape vividly recall those ancient days. The magnificent Bom Jesus do Monte Sanctuary, a sacred pilgrimage site, sits perched on a hill and is accessed by a spectacular staircase or the world’s oldest water-powered funicular. The population of almost 200,000 is primarily Portuguese, but there’s a sprinkling of residents from Brazil, Africa, China, and Eastern European countries. The University of Minho adds diversity to the populace as well, with Erasmus students coming from all over Europe and the Far East. That youthful influence gives a lift to an otherwise very traditional city, and many of the younger locals speak passable English. This, and the fact that many shopkeepers and restaurant owners cater to tourists, makes Braga an easy spot for expats to adopt as their own. Braga’s climate is moderate. In summer, temperatures average around 69 F, while in winter that falls to around 47 F. December is the wettest month, with rainfall of about seven inches—similar to nearby Porto’s. For all its richness, life in Braga is reasonably affordable. A couple can rent a two-bedroom apartment, enjoy the city’s youthful vibe, and live nicely for $2,200 per month or $26,000 a year. Read more about Braga in the in-depth exploration of Portugal in your monthly International Living, here.