What's the crime rate against Americans and other expats in San Miguel de Allende?
Jim Castro - Agave Rentals
The crime rate against Americans and other expats here in San Miguel de Allende is a lot less than a lot of cities in the US. When there is crime, everybody hears about it because there is such a small percentage of expats living here. It comes up in the news and gets blown to a bigger proportion. But in general, San Miguel is a pretty safe place to live without a doubt.
When I am in New York on vacation, I watch what I have in my wallet, I watch what...
The crime rate against Americans and other expats here in San Miguel de Allende is a lot less than a lot of cities in the US. When there is crime, everybody hears about it because there is such a small percentage of expats living here. It comes up in the news and gets blown to a bigger proportion. But in general, San Miguel is a pretty safe place to live without a doubt.
When I am in New York on vacation, I watch what I have in my wallet, I watch what I’m carrying, I don’t have my purse just hanging loosely, and I’m cautious. That’s how you should travel in certain towns in the middle of Mexico but as a whole, as far as living here personally full time, I know my neighbors and since we’ve been here long enough, I feel safe. I don’t look around my back and worry about things. I feel safe.
In Centro (the central part of San Miguel de Allende), all the homes are adjacent to each other so anyone can jump over and through if they ever wanted to. It has happened in the past but it’s not a big issue because it does not happen often. There are some places in the countryside and in the outer parts of San Miguel where the houses have very high walls with barbed wires and wrought iron on the windows but that is just a safety precaution.
You will see houses in Centro where you only see walls, windows, and doors when you’re outside of the house. The wrought iron grills on the windows have also become a part of the architectural style of the houses in San Miguel de Allende that if you have a house that didn’t have wrought iron grills, it would look unusual.
(Wrought iron grills on windows, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, pictured.)
To drive in Belize, do I need a Belize driver’s license?
Christian Burn
You do not need a Belizean driver’s license to drive in Belize. An international driver's license suffices. You can get an international driver’s license from your home country before you come here to Belize. So as long as you have legal, up to date license, in whichever US state you are from or whichever country, you can get an International driver's license and you can use that in Belize when driving or renting a car.
As a resident in Belize, I now have a...
You do not need a Belizean driver’s license to drive in Belize. An international driver's license suffices. You can get an international driver’s license from your home country before you come here to Belize. So as long as you have legal, up to date license, in whichever US state you are from or whichever country, you can get an International driver's license and you can use that in Belize when driving or renting a car.
As a resident in Belize, I now have a Belizean driver's license. My Canadian driver's license expired because I was not able to renew it. So with my Canadian driver's license, I applied for a Belizean driver's license, and as a resident in Belize, I was able to get a Belizean driver's license.
How's the surf and surfing in and around the Pedasi, Azuero, Panama area?
Jade Wills - Maya Moon Marketing
There’s definitely surfing in Pedasi, as well as lots of body boarding or boogie boarding.
The serious surfers go toVenao, about 20 minutes further down the Azuero Peninsula. Playa Venao has world-class surfing, and many times, areas not only for the serious surfers, but areas with smaller waves as well. There’s a great cove there where you can find pretty much what you’re looking for.
There’s definitely surfing in Pedasi, as well as lots of body boarding or boogie boarding.
The serious surfers go toVenao, about 20 minutes further down the Azuero Peninsula. Playa Venao has world-class surfing, and many times, areas not only for the serious surfers, but areas with smaller waves as well. There’s a great cove there where you can find pretty much what you’re looking for.
Can I use my Medicare outside the US, and if not, what are my alternatives?
Tabitha Paddock - Greenback Expat Tax Services
Unfortunately, in most cases Medicare benefits do not apply to medical care provided outside the US. I would suggest you assess your healthcare needs, and the medical costs in the country you will be retiring in. Depending on which country you plan on retiring in, you may have a public health care system available to you. You should also look into the availability and cost of a private health insurance plan for medical expenses incurred in other countries.
Usually, once you...
Unfortunately, in most cases Medicare benefits do not apply to medical care provided outside the US. I would suggest you assess your healthcare needs, and the medical costs in the country you will be retiring in. Depending on which country you plan on retiring in, you may have a public health care system available to you. You should also look into the availability and cost of a private health insurance plan for medical expenses incurred in other countries.
Usually, once you have moved to a foreign country, you're no longer eligible for Medicare benefits (although Medicare does cover residents of Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands).
However, if you come back to the US, you will still receive Medicare Part A benefits. (Anyone who qualifies for Social Security, and is 65 or older qualifies under Part A.)
Is it safe to drink the water in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua?
Gordon MacKay - InNicaNow.com
It’s safe to drink the water in San Juan del Sur. The tap water in San Juan del Sur is excellent to wash your vegetables in because there’s so much chlorine in it that it will definitely clean everything out. It’s safe to drink in that there’s not going to be any bacteria left in it, but there’s a lot of chlorine.
We use a clay pot filter in San Juan del Sur to clean the tap water and make it drinkable. Clay pot filters are...
It’s safe to drink the water in San Juan del Sur. The tap water in San Juan del Sur is excellent to wash your vegetables in because there’s so much chlorine in it that it will definitely clean everything out. It’s safe to drink in that there’s not going to be any bacteria left in it, but there’s a lot of chlorine.
We use a clay pot filter in San Juan del Sur to clean the tap water and make it drinkable. Clay pot filters are very simple and look like a big garbage can. We fit a clay pot with colloidal silver, which is used to clean water from any source and can cost up to $40, onto the top of it and pour tap water into there. A few hours later, it slowly drips down and you get super clean water.
We do brush our teeth with tap water here in San Juan del Sur. The water is safe in San Juan del Sur - I have drunk the tap water lots of times. It’s just chlorinated, but it’s city water so it’s fine. When we wash vegetables, we use the water from the tap because the chlorine in it will help clean off anything that’s on the fruits and vegetables. Chlorine in the water in San Juan del Sur is almost an added bonus.
(Sailing and drinking off the coast of Nicaragua, pictured.)
The Portuguese banks are not in a great state of health. The Spanish banks are in much better shape. However, Portuguese banks have a guarantee of up to 100,000 euros, which is provided by the Portuguese government. So generally, I would feel secure putting my money into a Portuguese bank account.
Currently, we have virtually negative interest rates, which is why the property market is doing well. People are investing in “buy to rent”...
The Portuguese banks are not in a great state of health. The Spanish banks are in much better shape. However, Portuguese banks have a guarantee of up to 100,000 euros, which is provided by the Portuguese government. So generally, I would feel secure putting my money into a Portuguese bank account.
Currently, we have virtually negative interest rates, which is why the property market is doing well. People are investing in “buy to rent” because you get close to nothing on your deposits at the bank.
But as far as making deposits into a Portuguese bank, it is very secure because of the insurance that you will not lose your deposit. These banks are now subject to stress tests, which are conducted by the European Banking Authority, so if they do not have enough capital then they have to find it and raise it.
An emerging personal finance trend has seen retirees and people in pre-retirement making investments in foreign real estate, especially in emerging markets. The potential benefits are very enticing; these regions are seeing growth and appreciation rates that exceed those in domestic markets, and there’s built-in potential for generating income by renting the property to vacationers. Best of all, you can live there yourself during the cold-weather months and say goodbye to winter for the...
On a sunny Sunday morning, my husband and I walked into Boquete. We live about 2 miles away, uphill from the little town of Boquete. The walk is all downhill. We pass the three-story, bright yellow Tourist Information Center as we go towards the curve that takes us down to the streets below. We pass trees that are very old, very big and many are covered in plants, flowers and vines that grow on the trunks and branches that wind upward towards the deep blue sky and warm sunshine.
Patritzia Pinzon lives in the fabled city of Casco Viejo, the oldest quarter of Panama, where formerly neglected buildings are restored to their historic grandeur, and where Patrizia's active participation has helped to infuse the community with vibrancy and modernity, qualities reflected in Patrizia’s personal outlook. Jet finally gets to meet her favorite House Hunter’s International star, whose blog she regularly reads and enjoys. And we...
The crime rate against Americans and other expats here in San Miguel de Allende is a lot less than a lot of cities in the US. When there is crime, everybody hears about it because there is such a small percentage of expats living here. It comes up in the news and gets blown to a bigger proportion. But in general, San Miguel is a pretty safe place to live without a doubt. 
lots of body boarding or boogie boarding. 
It’s safe to drink the water in San Juan del Sur. The tap water in San Juan del Sur is excellent to wash your vegetables in because there’s so much chlorine in it that it will definitely clean everything out. It’s safe to drink in that there’s not going to be any bacteria left in it, but there’s a lot of chlorine. 
The Portuguese banks are not in a great state of health. The Spanish banks are in much better shape. However, Portuguese banks have a guarantee of up to 100,000 euros, which is provided by the Portuguese government. So generally, I would feel secure putting my money into a Portuguese bank account. 
An emerging personal finance trend has seen retirees and people in pre-retirement making investments in foreign real estate, especially in emerging markets. The potential benefits are very enticing; these regions are seeing growth and appreciation rates that exceed those in domestic markets, and there’s built-in potential for generating income by renting the property to vacationers. Best of all, you can live there yourself during the cold-weather months and say goodbye to winter for the...