How much is it to build a house in Chapala and Ajijic, Mexico?
Thomas Hellyer - Chapala Home Sales
In Chapala and Ajijic, Mexico, I just had some clients who got some quotes from some well-known builders and architects. They want a well-built modern home with modern wiring and plumbing. They want a nice, high quality solid wood cabinets and carpentry throughout the house and the kitchen. They also want solid wood doors and granite countertops, tile floors, pvc windows and doors. This particular home was around 2,500 square feet, including the carport and the outer terraces....
In Chapala and Ajijic, Mexico, I just had some clients who got some quotes from some well-known builders and architects. They want a well-built modern home with modern wiring and plumbing. They want a nice, high quality solid wood cabinets and carpentry throughout the house and the kitchen. They also want solid wood doors and granite countertops, tile floors, pvc windows and doors. This particular home was around 2,500 square feet, including the carport and the outer terraces. The price for the construction was quoted at 10,000 pesos per square meter ($56 per square foot), not including the land.
(Home with a view in Lake Chapala, Mexico, pictured.)
What do I need to know about international pet shipping, international pet travel, and international pet transport?
Angela Passman - World Pet Travel
Pet travel into or out of another country can be tricky. To be properly prepared you should seek out as much information as possible from those that have done this before. In addition, you should seek the assistance of a professional pet travel agent.
With all international pet travel it is required that your pet have vaccinations that meet the country's requirements you are traveling to. At the very least a pet traveling should have a rabies of more than 30 days or less...
Pet travel into or out of another country can be tricky. To be properly prepared you should seek out as much information as possible from those that have done this before. In addition, you should seek the assistance of a professional pet travel agent.
With all international pet travel it is required that your pet have vaccinations that meet the country's requirements you are traveling to. At the very least a pet traveling should have a rabies of more than 30 days or less than one year. A three year rabies is not acceptable for international pet transportation at any time.
Also needed for most countries are the DHLPP for dogs and the FVRCP for cats. Again, both of these must be under one year at the time of your pet's travel.
Some countries require that you have an import permit before your pet arrives in said country. You must check with the Ministry of Agriculture to see if this is applicable to the rules of your new location.
What’s the dress code in Belize? What clothes do they wear in Belize?
Dora Guerra - Atlantic International Bank
Belize is a hot place all year round and even though you’re dreaming of sunny winters, you might be underestimating what a warm winter and sun all year round are like. We recommend that you bring cool clothing; light colors, cotton, short pants, sleeveless shirts, flip flops, etc. We’d also recommend you bring a wind-breaker, especially if you’re visiting the islands, since it can get a little windy.
The only time you might need a light sweater would...
Belize is a hot place all year round and even though you’re dreaming of sunny winters, you might be underestimating what a warm winter and sun all year round are like. We recommend that you bring cool clothing; light colors, cotton, short pants, sleeveless shirts, flip flops, etc. We’d also recommend you bring a wind-breaker, especially if you’re visiting the islands, since it can get a little windy.
The only time you might need a light sweater would be if you’re spending time in the mountains during cool months. When we say "cool months" we think 65 F is cold! You'll see most Belizeans pull out their sweaters then, while visitors walk around in shorts.
PS: Don’t forget your hat and sun block and the fact that "No shoes, no shirt, no problem," is a common saying here.
(To pack for Belize: windbreaker, swim suit and sun hat, pictured.)
Brett DeGreen - Century Twenty One Gold Coast Realty Nicaragua
There are only two generalizations I can make about the expats in Nicaragua:
They are people from all over the world, but they all have the same adventurous spirit.
They ALL fall in love with Nicaragua!
All of my expat friends share the same passion and enthusiasm for their new home as I do. I have met expats from all over the world who have been inexplicably drawn to visit Nicaragua, ultimately being seduced to start a new life here.
...
There are only two generalizations I can make about the expats in Nicaragua:
They are people from all over the world, but they all have the same adventurous spirit.
They ALL fall in love with Nicaragua!
All of my expat friends share the same passion and enthusiasm for their new home as I do. I have met expats from all over the world who have been inexplicably drawn to visit Nicaragua, ultimately being seduced to start a new life here.
Nicaragua has a variety of locations to suit many different personalities, so you will find expats of all different personalities to match. Some areas cater to those who like the city life, late night parties, international dining and beaches where you can see as well as be seen.
I, as well as my friends, have chosen the northern Pacific coast. The surf starts early, the beaches are often for your eyes only, and the party often consists of just a few close friends enjoying great food, drinks and each other's company as we gaze at yet another amazing sunset.
What would my neighbors be like in Boquete, Panama?
Alberto Socarraz - Panama Vida
Boquete is a melting pot. There are several expat communities within Boquete as well as several local communities, too.
What your neighbors would be like depends on your cup of tea. If you are in a gated community, the majority of your neighbors are going to be expats: Americans, Canadians, Europeans, etc. If you are in a local community, obviously, you are going to be involved with the local Panamanian culture of the area. You can definitely choose...
Boquete is a melting pot. There are several expat communities within Boquete as well as several local communities, too.
What your neighbors would be like depends on your cup of tea. If you are in a gated community, the majority of your neighbors are going to be expats: Americans, Canadians, Europeans, etc. If you are in a local community, obviously, you are going to be involved with the local Panamanian culture of the area. You can definitely choose depending on your lifestyle.
If you live in a gated community, there are normally more amenities than in other places but of course the price is much more. In the local Panamanian community, you may not have the amenities but you can still get something very comfortable for a lot less money. Within a gated community, you would have more of that expat experience, more social events involving expats, more amenities that would cater to expats such as golf, tennis, and horseback riding. In a local community, you are going to be more with the Panamanian local culture, which would be more families, more children, probably more barking dogs, a couple of roosters and chickens crowing. That would be part of the local experience.
A lot of expats actually have a hard time adjusting to the more local experience, only because they are not used to the animals in the yard. A lot of local Planarians here have larger families so there are a lot more kids playing in the streets.
Carol Bartlett Ribeiro - Carol Bartlett Ribeiro, Property Consultant
Portugal has cut down quite a lot of holidays. Portugal is a Catholic country that had a tremendous amount of holidays for saints that they’ve had to cut down on.
Portugal has Easter, but you don’t have like you do in England, as Easter Monday. You just have Good Friday and Easter Sunday and then at Christmas you don’t have like you do in England with Boxing Day, which is a day after that. It doesn’t exist here in Portugal....
Portugal has cut down quite a lot of holidays. Portugal is a Catholic country that had a tremendous amount of holidays for saints that they’ve had to cut down on.
Portugal has Easter, but you don’t have like you do in England, as Easter Monday. You just have Good Friday and Easter Sunday and then at Christmas you don’t have like you do in England with Boxing Day, which is a day after that. It doesn’t exist here in Portugal. You just have December 24th, which is more celebrated than December 25th here.
In June you have quite a few holidays. The municipality of Lisbon will have a day in June and then the municipality of Cascais will have a day then another municipality will have a day, and so on. June is the month where they have the fairs, which are a bit like carnivals, where they eat all the sardines and they grill the sardines in the streets in Lisbon. June is sort of the holiday season.
Then you have days of saints, many of which are in the month of August. In England, the holidays occur on a Mondays, whereas here in Portugal, the holiday could be on a Thursday, so everybody, of course, will take the Friday off. There are quite a few holidays here.
(The Feast of Trays, or Feast of the Holy Spirit, Tomar, Portugal, pictured.)
The official national dress in Panamá is the pollera. This dress is unique and takes between two to three years to make by hand. Polleras are passed from generation to generation, making them more valuable as the years pass by.
What it makes the pollera unique are several things:
Artisans make them individually.
The material is of extraordinary beauty with different styles and colors.
The pollera is many times embellished with real gold and pearls...
I don´t remember exactly how it happened, who contacted who that contacted me. It was for sure one of Panama`s classic two degrees of separation, which in Casco makes for a cozy half degree. All I know is that I said “sure, sounds like fun”, emails were sent, and all of a sudden we were on camera! And I`m glad we did.
The experience was truly fun, and it also shifted a lot of my ideas about TV and the people behind it. The crew couldn´t be more down to...
I first came to Panama City in the fall of 1997. Even then the city was vibrant, bustling and full of life. The towering skyscrapers that now dominate Avenida Balboa were a distant vision and the high end residential districts of Punta Pacifica and Costa del Este had yet to be built. Just getting into the city from Tocumen International Airport could be a nightmare. The toll road leading from the airport wasn’t complete and the notorious city traffic jams were...