Electricity in Chapala and Ajijic is 80% reliable. The time you have to worry about the most is during the rainy season, which is the summer. During July and August, it rains heavily for about an hour or two during each day. On average, a power outage happens for an hour or two every two weeks during the rainy season but in general, electricity is pretty stable if it’s not during the rainy season. Electricity in Chapala and Ajijic is 80% reliable. The time you have to worry about the most is during the rainy season, which is the summer. During July and August, it rains heavily for about an hour or two during each day. On average, a power outage happens for an hour or two every two weeks during the rainy season but in general, electricity is pretty stable if it’s not during the rainy season. 
The hospitals and medical care in Placencia are okay, but the care in Placencia certainly could use some improvement. The doctors that I personally have gone to in Placencia are very good. Belize City has a nice hospital that is three hours away by car but only 25 minutes away by puddle jumper. Belize is becoming more attractive right now because, with the changes in the US healthcare system, many of the doctors in the US are looking at Central American and especially Belize because...The hospitals and medical care in Placencia are okay, but the care in Placencia certainly could use some improvement. The doctors that I personally have gone to in Placencia are very good. Belize City has a nice hospital that is three hours away by car but only 25 minutes away by puddle jumper. Belize is becoming more attractive right now because, with the changes in the US healthcare system, many of the doctors in the US are looking at Central American and especially Belize because English is spoken here. Of the few practicing doctors in Placencia, I don’t know if they are American-trained, but they are good doctors.
I actually had a bad experience with a dentist in Granada, Nicaragua. I went to visit him back in 2011. I was more than happy with his work so I decided to come back to get my wife's teeth done. She was very exited about it. We set up an appointment like last time, we agreed on a price for the job he was going to do and as always very pleasant and professional.
However when we got there, first of all the receptionist, who doesn't speak English by...
I actually had a bad experience with a dentist in Granada, Nicaragua. I went to visit him back in 2011. I was more than happy with his work so I decided to come back to get my wife's teeth done. She was very exited about it. We set up an appointment like last time, we agreed on a price for the job he was going to do and as always very pleasant and professional.
However when we got there, first of all the receptionist, who doesn't speak English by the way, was very rude, and they made us wait literally an entire hour because they couldn't respect the appointment we previously set up. I decided to wait, thinking that it was going to worth it. Unfortunately, it wasn't. It was the worst dental experience ever for my wife, he didn't do anything as expected, and she actually got a pretty serious infection in her mouth a day after we visited him. We went back to his office for him to help us fix it, but he alleged he didn't remember her. Two days after her visit, he didn't recognize us!!! OMG. I was shocked!! I don't know what happened to him since my last visit but I wouldn't recommend him at all. He ripped us off!!!
The Portuguese government introduced the Non-Habitual Resident Scheme in 2009, which has only really taken off since 2011. It is designed to attract retirees from other countries to come and retire in Portugal. Under this scheme, for 10 years retirees from other countries will not have to pay any Portuguese income tax on their pension. If one’s pension is tax-free in the country from where it is sourced if the retiree lives abroad, then a retiree can move to Portugal and...The Portuguese government introduced the Non-Habitual Resident Scheme in 2009, which has only really taken off since 2011. It is designed to attract retirees from other countries to come and retire in Portugal. Under this scheme, for 10 years retirees from other countries will not have to pay any Portuguese income tax on their pension. If one’s pension is tax-free in the country from where it is sourced if the retiree lives abroad, then a retiree can move to Portugal and pay no tax on his pension, either here in Portugal or in their home country, for a period of 10 years. 
One of the best things about moving to Panama is that I have met and I am now friends with people who I would have been likely to even meet at a coffee shop back in Toronto. My group of amigos range from 30 years to 65+ years in age and come from all walks of life and corners of the earth. In the last few months a group of these "unlikely's" as I would call them got together with a common interest and goal of completing a series of Triathlons in Panama. It really happened at a...
