What's the language most often spoken in San Miguel de Allende? Can I get by if I just speak English?
SONIA DIAZ - Sonia Diaz
The most common language you hear here in San Miguel de Allende, next to Spanish, is English, and you can get by with only English, just like my husband.
Not being able to speak Spanish is not a problem here because many locals can understand although, they do not speak English. So, the majority of expats get by with speaking English only.
For people who do not have a Spanish-speaking spouse or child, it’s still not a problem. My clients try hard to learn to...
The most common language you hear here in San Miguel de Allende, next to Spanish, is English, and you can get by with only English, just like my husband.
Not being able to speak Spanish is not a problem here because many locals can understand although, they do not speak English. So, the majority of expats get by with speaking English only.
For people who do not have a Spanish-speaking spouse or child, it’s still not a problem. My clients try hard to learn to speak Spanish. Some have a difficult time learning, so they are kindly taught some words through their maids and gardeners. But not being able to speak Spanish shouldn’t be a problem in banks, markets, most everywhere. The local people understand even if they do not speak, and there are a surprising number some who speak English well.
(Pictured: Street in San Miguel de Allende at sunset.)
In Nicaragua, do I have to worry about malaria, yellow fever and other diseases we don't generally have in North America?
Terri Marlett - NICA
I got malaria while in Nicaragua. It was my own fault, really. I was not informed about how malaria was contracted, and I knew malaria was active in the area where I was. I have known several Americans who live in Nicaragua and none of them have ever had malaria. I really think it was just a fluke that I got it.
I have never heard of any locals or anyone at all having Yellow Fever.
Some tips on how not to get malaria. Do not...
I got malaria while in Nicaragua. It was my own fault, really. I was not informed about how malaria was contracted, and I knew malaria was active in the area where I was. I have known several Americans who live in Nicaragua and none of them have ever had malaria. I really think it was just a fluke that I got it.
I have never heard of any locals or anyone at all having Yellow Fever.
Some tips on how not to get malaria. Do not go into rural areas during the rainy season at sunrise or sunset. If you must be in rural areas, then use bug spray with DEET. To be extra safe, go to a travel medicine doctor a few weeks before your trip and get a prescription for preventative treatment. You will have to start this medication a week before you leave. There are no vaccines for malaria.
If you get malaria, it is not the end of the world. The type of malaria in Nicaragua is the least dangerous kind. It is called Vivax malaria. I actually got malaria while pregnant with my oldest daughter in 2008. We are both alive and well. Odds are you won't have symptoms for up to a month after you leave Nicaragua. Important symptoms to watch for are flu like symptoms that come and go every 24-48 hours. Severe chills that come and go on the same schedule. Finally, headaches associated with malaria are like migraines. If you have any of these symptoms, any ER can test you for malaria and get you treatment right away. Treatment is simple and easy.
The picture is of a rural health clinic in El Transito. They have finger prick tests there for malaria. They also have medication on the shelf, ready to distribute. If you find yourself in Nicaragua with these symptoms, any local healthcenter or hospital can help you quickly and painlessly.
What's the cost to rent an apartment in Boquete, Panama?
Evander Smart
I have an apartment not far from Boquete for $210 a month, including WiFi and electricity, but this is only because I'm so epic!
If you aren't me, expect closer to $400-500 a month for a pretty nice place. Avoid looking at CL and other gringo pubs. I'm a man of the people, so I can find the best deals.
Evander
I have an apartment not far from Boquete for $210 a month, including WiFi and electricity, but this is only because I'm so epic!
If you aren't me, expect closer to $400-500 a month for a pretty nice place. Avoid looking at CL and other gringo pubs. I'm a man of the people, so I can find the best deals.
What's the best strategy for asset protection and wealth preservation offshore?
Jay Butler - Asset Protection Services of America
I generally recommend that Americans try and stay on-shore whenever reasonably possible because if you have a business with an international presence, offshore properties producing income, or wish to move more than $10,000 in cash per year offshore, such activities will invariably need to be reported on your annual income tax return and can raise suspicion with the IRS.
The benefit however to moving your business, investments, or larger quantities of money offshore is that it can place...
I generally recommend that Americans try and stay on-shore whenever reasonably possible because if you have a business with an international presence, offshore properties producing income, or wish to move more than $10,000 in cash per year offshore, such activities will invariably need to be reported on your annual income tax return and can raise suspicion with the IRS.
The benefit however to moving your business, investments, or larger quantities of money offshore is that it can place assets outside the reach of judgment creditors. And if such assets have not been moved offshore in an illegal manner (by not violating the badges of fraud for example), assets in a foreign jurisdiction are extremely difficult for the U.S. government to gain authorization to seize.
With the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) having been enacted on January 1st of this year, you may want to have a competent international tax advisor assist you with some of these strategies from a tax perspective. Outbound wire transfers which exceed an aggregate of $50,000 during the calendar year are now subject to a 30% withholdings tax. You may be surprised when you send a $100,000 offshore to purchase a piece of real property and only $70,000 arrives.
If you are considering moving a (relatively) larger portion of your estate offshore, then you may want to consider making use of an irrevocable offshore trust or foundation. The $5 Million lifetime gift-tax allowance previously available during calendar years 2011 and 2012 has been extended through 2013. By taking advantage of IRS form 709, you may be able to gift upwards of 80-90% of your estate into a safe, zero-tax jurisdiction for the benefit of your children and future generations.
Overall, the best strategies for asset protection and wealth preservation offshore should be simple to understand and execute. If you cannot readily wrap your head around your structure, you may want to consider revising your current strategy.
What's the closest airport to Algarve and what are the flights to and from Algarve?
Luis Teixeira da Silva - Algarve Senior Living
The only airport in Algarve is the one in Faro. Faro is probably the busiest airport in Portugal after Lisbon. It serves flights from many destinations. They have all year round flights into Portugal from many European destinations, including the UK, Sweden, Netherlands, Germany, and the list goes on. There are also seasonal flights from as far away as Canada. There are times when there are direct flights into Faro from Toronto, Canada. It’s quite interesting to see that there...
The only airport in Algarve is the one in Faro. Faro is probably the busiest airport in Portugal after Lisbon. It serves flights from many destinations. They have all year round flights into Portugal from many European destinations, including the UK, Sweden, Netherlands, Germany, and the list goes on. There are also seasonal flights from as far away as Canada. There are times when there are direct flights into Faro from Toronto, Canada. It’s quite interesting to see that there are already some companies in North America that have identified the opportunity of the Algarve for the North American market and they are putting up flights to address those opportunities.
The population of the Algarve is about 300,000 and there are between 5 and 6 million arrivals at Faro Airport per year. It is a fairly substantial airport, which has undergone a number of renovations and expansions.
There are a couple of small airstrips in the Algarve as well, which are used for private planes, parachuting activities, and helicopters. The next closest airport is in Beja, which is the province above the Algarve and in Baixo Alentejo.
Many people drive in order to catch a flight to Lisbon and then rent a car and drive down to the Algarve or catch a bus going to the Algarve. Lisbon is 300 kilometers, or 180 miles more or less from the Algarve. There are many flights from the US into Lisbon and to Faro. The East Coast of the US is fairly well connected to Lisbon. We have flights from New York, JFK, Miami, etc. On the other hand, we don’t have flights coming from the West Coast. If you are going to Lisbon from the West Coast, you have to go to the East Coast first then take a flight from there into Lisbon.
Many people who come to Mexico for the first time arrive with preconceived notions. Unconscious cultural filters dictate newcomers´ perceptions of how things are going to work in their new country. This is especially true when they have no prior intercultural experience. In many instances, ethnocentrism sets in - The belief in the centrality of one’s own culture. This can lead to judging the host culture by the standards of one’s own.
Reprinted with permission from Bob Adams of Retirement Wave.
Additional Note to readers: you may wonder why, whenever I mention the word "billion" as a statistic, that I immediately follow that with the same number, expressed differently. For example, I may write "$2 billion ($2,000 million)". The simple fact is that there are two different definitions of "billion", each used by many nations. By presenting "billions" in this manner, I am simply clarifying exactly what I...
The first time I visited Panama I was on a mission to see as much of the country as I possibly could on that trip. I was a Real Estate Broker in Las Vegas, Nevada (so I knew properties and values fairly well).
I found that Panama was similar in many respects to what I knew about Las Vegas. Different areas had different values depending on various factors. On my first trip I wanted to see the Southern Caribbean Coast as well as the rest of Panama.
The most common language you hear here in San Miguel de Allende, next to Spanish, is English, and you can get by with only English, just like my husband.
There are no active volcanoes in Belize, which is one of the many reasons why Belize is a great place to visit and a great place to live.
The only airport in Algarve is the one in Faro. Faro is probably the busiest airport in Portugal after Lisbon. It serves flights from many destinations. They have all year round flights into Portugal from many European destinations, including the UK, Sweden, Netherlands, Germany, and the list goes on. There are also seasonal flights from as far away as Canada. There are times when there are direct flights into Faro from Toronto, Canada. It’s quite interesting to see that there...
Many people who come to Mexico for the first time arrive with preconceived notions. Unconscious cultural filters dictate newcomers´ perceptions of how things are going to work in their new country. This is especially true when they have no prior intercultural experience. In many instances, ethnocentrism sets in - The belief in the centrality of one’s own culture. This can lead to judging the host culture by the standards of one’s own.