Best Places In The World To Retire

Expats are very well accepted in Chapala and Ajijic because we give jobs to the Mexican people. I do not feel that there is any resentment towards expats at all.

 

The Mexican people are just so warm and kind, which is one of the reasons that I stayed here. I love the family unit centered way of living. However, 29 years ago when I bought my property here, for a woman big in business, it wasn’t quite the same. Being a gringo woman in business was...

Expats are very well accepted in Chapala and Ajijic because we give jobs to the Mexican people. I do not feel that there is any resentment towards expats at all.

 

The Mexican people are just so warm and kind, which is one of the reasons that I stayed here. I love the family unit centered way of living. However, 29 years ago when I bought my property here, for a woman big in business, it wasn’t quite the same. Being a gringo woman in business was unusual, but after a time, it was OK.  As a foreigner, we like to give back to community, which I did. I’m involved in a lot of programs for the children and their families and they saw that I was a part of their community. I was accepted. Anybody who would come down here could expect the same thing.  

 

(Anne Dyer owner of Casita Montana, Ajijic, Mexico, pictured.)

Placencia is very busy during the daytime because of having different activities. The nighttime in Placencia definitely needs to be improved in terms of culture.

There is an annual film festival put on by Francis Ford Coppola, who has a project about 10 minutes away from ours.  From our perspective, were working on a couple of things like an annual musical festival. Were also building an amphitheater and having multiple entertainers come to Placencia. Several...

Placencia is very busy during the daytime because of having different activities. The nighttime in Placencia definitely needs to be improved in terms of culture.

There is an annual film festival put on by Francis Ford Coppola, who has a project about 10 minutes away from ours.  From our perspective, were working on a couple of things like an annual musical festival. Were also building an amphitheater and having multiple entertainers come to Placencia. Several months ago, we had Clint Black come into our project for vacation. He came into our restaurant and sang for two hours straight. He’s just one of the nicest guys.

 

From a cultural perspective, Belize definitely needs some work, but every year, the Belize Tourism Board is doing a good job working with the different projects down there, especially by improving the culture and adding more to what Belize already has. You do not go to Belize to see a Broadway play. You come to Belize for its beauty of the people, the bird life, the fishing. The emphasis is more on nature, but the culture will improve because different resorts are taking the responsibility to work on that from their perspective. 

 

(Participants in Francis Ford Coppola writer's workshop in Belize, pictured.)

Portugal has come a very, very long way in the past 40 years (this seems a long time, but in fact from then to now it is so different).

 

Women are well respected here and as there are several entrepreneurs who are exceedingly successful in the private sector and in the public sector.  Women have shown their expertise in so many ways here and are indeed considered excellent achievers.

 

Needless to say years ago it was a macho...

Portugal has come a very, very long way in the past 40 years (this seems a long time, but in fact from then to now it is so different).

 

Women are well respected here and as there are several entrepreneurs who are exceedingly successful in the private sector and in the public sector.  Women have shown their expertise in so many ways here and are indeed considered excellent achievers.

 

Needless to say years ago it was a macho society (like many countries in the world), but now there is less and less of that in the new generation. I find that women in the work place are looked up to and their opinions and in-put accepted on the same level as men.

 

I, as a woman, living in Portugal, feel perfectly at ease when having to go out alone at night.  As in most countries one has to be aware, but I certainly cannot say that it is at an anxiety level for women to feel nervous by going out at night or during the day.

 

Portuguese mothers will always be extremely protective of their children, from the day they are born until they are 99.  It is part of their role and they are very inclined to spoil their children.  However, children are more independent nowadays and do not always take on the mother/child instructions.

 

Women here can be the dominant figures even with their partners.  I don't know what that tells you - confidence, bossiness!!  But women certainly play a very important role in the Portuguese society.  Perhaps not so much the older female generation who were certainly not allowed to voice their thoughts and particularly if contrary to male thinking.

 

There is certainly no need for concern with regard to being a female in Portugal.  Respect and consideration are in the forefront and of course if visa versa.

 

(Pictured: young woman in Porto,Portugal.)

There are a lot of restaurants in Casco Viejo. There are restaurants which are in buildings and there are restaurants in houses which have tables outside where they serve guests. If it is not raining, you can go to one of these outdoor restaurants and enjoy a meal while enjoying the view.

 

Casco Viejo is comparable to Cartagena in Colombia. They have the same concept. Cartagena is also the oldest city, but the government keeps it that way. It is beautiful...

There are a lot of restaurants in Casco Viejo. There are restaurants which are in buildings and there are restaurants in houses which have tables outside where they serve guests. If it is not raining, you can go to one of these outdoor restaurants and enjoy a meal while enjoying the view.

 

Casco Viejo is comparable to Cartagena in Colombia. They have the same concept. Cartagena is also the oldest city, but the government keeps it that way. It is beautiful with all the antique houses, the old details on the houses, and the different colors. Just like in Casco Viejo, people walk around Cartagena a lot, because there are not a lot of cars there either.

 

There are also nightclubs and a lot of hotels in Casco Viejo. So expats like staying there because it is beautiful and there is a nice view of Panama City from Casco Viejo. Usually, all the hotels have their own nightclubs.