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Recently Answered Questions

How much does clothing cost in Mexico?

Bruce Fraser

Although I've only been out to the coast between Manzanillo and Mazatlán, and here in Chapala and Ajijic, I would say the cost of clothes in Mexico is about the same as it is in Canada. Clothing in the US is much better priced than in Mexico and has way more variety.

I buy my clothes all over the place. If I'm going somewhere and I need a dress shirt, I'll get it here in Mexico. If I'm already in Canada or the US and I see some nice...

What's the effect of illegal drug traffic in Nicaragua?

Darrell Bushnell

Nicaragua has the least issue of illegal drug trafficking of any Central American country and probably even any South American country. The Nicaraguan government is extremely pro-family and anti-drugs, so we do not have any of the gangs that are known in Honduras, Mexico, El Salvador, or Guatemala. As expats, we haven’t seen much illegal drug trafficking here in Nicaragua. Since Nicaragua is a poor country, a lot of people just cannot afford to do drugs.

How are the rules of etiquette or customs different in Portugal?

Carol Bartlett Ribeiro - Carol Bartlett Ribeiro, Property Consultant

1836 sketches of women of Portugal – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Living

The Portuguese language is a very formal language, but like everything else in the world today it’s becoming more and more relaxed.

There is a generation of Portuguese who are “old school” who would stand up when elder people come in to a room, and that, in Portuguese would never refer to their mother or father using the informal of “you”, “tu.” Today, in general, young children today will be less formal but in certain levels in Portugal there are still very strict rules of who you are, where you are, where you’ve been, and how you live.

On average now it’s a lot easier going than it used to be. I was talking to a friend of mine today about the time when girls would go out there would always have to be chaperone because the parents wouldn’t let it be any other way. These days if you told a 12 year old they needed to have a chaperone, they would say, “Are you crazy?”

In America, even if you’re the president of the company, people would say to you, “Hi, Bob,” whereas here in Portugal it would always be “senior doctor” or “senior professor” or “mister engineer.” You would never use the more informal way of speaking; until you became friendly with them, there’s always that formality. So you would never say, for example, “Senior Bob” you would say “Senior Johnson,” you wouldn’t say the first name. So there are small things like that that would be a faux pas.

The Portuguese are really, really impatient when they get behind the wheel of a car. They drive like lunatics on the motorways and you wouldn’t think it was the same race of people that gets behind the wheels of their cars and they sit on your bumper or don’t let you in. For them, it’s “me first, me first,” which is odd, because they’re not like that we’re they’re chatting to you, but behind the wheels of their cars, you do have to be careful, or, alternatively, you just do what they do.

(1836 sketches of women of Portugal, pictured.)

What are the things I'll be most happily surprised by when moving or retiring abroad?

JB Seligman - BUENA VISTA REALTY located in BOCAS DEL TORO, PANAMA

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE 10 HOUR WORK DAY? TIME TO SLOW DOWN A BIT.

YOU WILL GET TO THE POINT THAT IF YOU MANAGE TO DO 2 THINGS THAT ARE ON YOUR DAILY LIST OF 6....YOU HAVE HAD A FULL DAY, AFTER THAT THEN IT'S TIME TO CELEBRATE WITH A COLD ONE!.. YOU WILL FIND OUT NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRY, IF IT INVOLVES DEALING WITH GOVERNMENT OR JUST PEOPLE IN GENERAL IT'S GOING TO TAKE MORE TIME THAN YOU THINK. DON'T FEEL BAD,FEEL GLAD! YOUR STRESS LEVEL WILL GO DOWN IN TIME AS...

Can I see beautiful flowers, plants and trees in or around Boquete, Panama?

Nelson Vega

Boquete is surrounded by beautiful mountains Flowers Fair in Boquete Panama 2013 – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Living

with dense forest and exotic trees and plants. It's year long spring-like weather allows the growth of all kinds of flowers as well. If you want to enjoy flowers and nature at its peak in Boquete, then you should definitely visit The Flowers and Coffee Fair which will take place in just a few weeks, from January 10th to 19th. In April from 11th to 20th then they will have the Orchids Expo.

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What are the home mortgages like in Belize? How long are home mortgage terms and how much down payment is required?

Boris Mannsfeld - Boris Mannsfeld & Associates

Belize house with view of valley – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Living

Normally, the banks in Belize will require 50% to 60% down. The term may be up to 25 years, although most are shorter. Interest rates are between 11% to 15%.

There is some owner financing. Most owners, if they do offer financing, will offer a short-term note, perhaps of 3 years, at 7% interest.

Most of the people pay cash for their homes in Belize.

Recently Posted Expat Stories

Life in a fishbowl. How to be the good extranjero, and not the pendejo.

This morning my wife and I made our first official visit to a medical provider here in Medellin Colombia. I had a minor issue that I was sure would dissipate with the ‘tincture of time,’ as health professionals refer to treatment for temporary, innocuous conditions. But we decided to take our health care insurance for a test drive anyway, just to learn how the system works. Not only was it an enlightening visit, introducing us to the health care system in Colombia, but...

Cruisin' the Caribbean: Tips for the Ship

For retirees/expats considering a cruise, here are a few tips I garnered from a recent Caribbean island-hopping adventure my wife and I enjoyed.

It was appropriate that I’d celebrate my 70th birthday at sea, since the older I get the more I find myself ‘at sea’, and the less I understand this wacky world. Be that as it may, the cruise was grand, and I learned a few things about such endeavors that I’m happy to pass on,...

Then Comes the Dawn

It is the same sun after all. Places seem familiar when you arrive in Panama City. You recognize the clean modern airport at Panama City as being so much like the airports in the United States. As you leave by car, taxi or bus you still feel quite impressed by the ease of it all. Once away from the airport, passing shopping venues, multi story apartments and condos, there are billboard signs with well known brand names the same as in the places you left behind. After a...