As a US citizen living in Cabo San Lucas, I see that most women are treated well in Mexico. US American women, in my opinion, are raised to be more independent and outspoken than most women in any other country in the world. That being said, I'd say that American women are probably treated a little better simply because they expect and demand it.
Mexico is a very progressive county and the old attitudes of women staying at home to raise families are...
As a US citizen living in Cabo San Lucas, I see that most women are treated well in Mexico. US American women, in my opinion, are raised to be more independent and outspoken than most women in any other country in the world. That being said, I'd say that American women are probably treated a little better simply because they expect and demand it.
Mexico is a very progressive county and the old attitudes of women staying at home to raise families are changing in the more metropolitan cities like Cabo San Lucas. First, dual incomes are becoming a necessity. Second, education opportunities are more readily available to girls here vs. the very rural areas of Mexico. Yet Mexico still has a very conservative history with centuries old traditions.
In Cabo, besides the service industry workforce (house-keeping, child care, food servers retail sales, etc.), we have many local Mexican women selling real estate, going into the medical and legal industries and so much more. For all Mexicans in the Los Cabos area, being bi-lingual is very important.
I see confidence in the younger generation here in Los Cabos. The young women talk of their aspirations and goals of "what they want to be when they grow up." The expat female community is a bit of a curiosity to the Mexican women because our cultural upbringings for the most part, are very different.
As to the expats who are women, they dominate the real estate market as sales agents. Many are retirees. I've never heard of anyone being treated poorly on purpose simply because the person was a woman. I do notice that many of the expats here in Cabo do not strive to speak Spanish, so that does create a communication barrier. But with effort, that is an easy barrier to overcome.
The cultural and economic differences will always be there. Mexico has a reputation for machismo, but as the world changes and Mexico gets more exposure to international living, you will see the Mexican women rise to a different level. It happened in the USA, and it's only a matter of time that is happens in Mexico.
(Couple on ATVs, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, pictured.)
How's the surf and surfing in and around San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua?
Daniel Snider - Snider's Realty Nicaragua
The surf and the surfing in San Juan Del Sur is spectacular. San Juan Del Sur has world-class waves both to the north and to the south of San Juan Del Sur. You get everything from very nice, soft, and easy waves for beginners to big, gnarly waves for the more advanced. With 365 days of offshore winds because of the Lake Nicaragua, it makes for very good surfing conditions.
Because of Lake Nicaragua, we have a constant flow of offshore winds that help to...
The surf and the surfing in San Juan Del Sur is spectacular. San Juan Del Sur has world-class waves both to the north and to the south of San Juan Del Sur. You get everything from very nice, soft, and easy waves for beginners to big, gnarly waves for the more advanced. With 365 days of offshore winds because of the Lake Nicaragua, it makes for very good surfing conditions.
Because of Lake Nicaragua, we have a constant flow of offshore winds that help to make for very good surf conditions in San Juan Del Sur. And because of places like San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua has now become a world class surfing destination, not only throughout Central America but renowned all throughout the world.
The whole west coast of Nicaragua has great surf and there are a lot of undiscovered surf destinations here, too. There are certain times of the year where the waves swell and there are certain times of the year where the Pacific coast is completely flat, probably be around November to early March. From March onwards, that is when you will start to see some swells come in.
If you are not a surfer, you will still most definitely find some hidden coves and horseshoe style beaches that serve as a natural barrier to big waves. Those are great beaches where to take your family and not worry about big surf.
(The cover of Surfnica,a magazine about surfing in Nicaragua, pictured.)
What is Portugal's gun ownership policy and gun laws?
Carol Bartlett Ribeiro - Carol Bartlett Ribeiro, Property Consultant
In order to have a gun in Portugal, you have to have a license. Foreigners can own guns in Portugal.
Most of the people who have guns in Portugal, and how gun ownership started is that the guns were for hunters for the hunting season, but there are very strict rules for that.
The actual details of what would be required to get a license to have a gun and what it would cost, I don’t know. The reason...
In order to have a gun in Portugal, you have to have a license. Foreigners can own guns in Portugal.
Most of the people who have guns in Portugal, and how gun ownership started is that the guns were for hunters for the hunting season, but there are very strict rules for that.
The actual details of what would be required to get a license to have a gun and what it would cost, I don’t know. The reason is we don’t really discuss guns very much apart from if you see on television that they’ve arrested people because of drugs or something similar. Apart from that, fortunately, at this point in time, I think when you see what’s going on in the world, we feel reasonably safe without guns.
(1934 photo of a hunter in Peralcovo, Portugal, pictured.)
Public transportation in Placencia is consistent with it being located in a developing country.
It’s safe to ride the bus in Placencia but you cannot expect it to run on time. If, for example, you need to get to a dinner event at a specific time, it’s best to give yourself a lot of extra time so you won’t be late. In Placencia, there is only one road in and out, which is paved and pretty good.
(Map of the Placencia Peninsula showing...
Public transportation in Placencia is consistent with it being located in a developing country.
It’s safe to ride the bus in Placencia but you cannot expect it to run on time. If, for example, you need to get to a dinner event at a specific time, it’s best to give yourself a lot of extra time so you won’t be late. In Placencia, there is only one road in and out, which is paved and pretty good.
(Map of the Placencia Peninsula showing the one road in and out by Jet Metier for upcoming book on Belize for Best Places in the World to Retire, pictured.)
What are the construction standards in Boquete, Panama?
Rommel H. Troetsch - Arquitectura Axioma
Greetings expats community.
The best advice that I can give you when you get a quote on a house are:
Don't look at the lowest price because there is a reason why are low.
Get references from other contractors and clients so you can make your final choice with more information.
I am in the construction business and I can tell you many stories about:
Contractors that deliver but change twice as much as...
Greetings expats community.
The best advice that I can give you when you get a quote on a house are:
Don't look at the lowest price because there is a reason why are low.
Get references from other contractors and clients so you can make your final choice with more information.
I am in the construction business and I can tell you many stories about:
Contractors that deliver but change twice as much as other contractors and give you an average quality.
Contractors that are good and reliable and do deliver in the expected time.
Contractors that make the lowest bid so you go with them and half way through they say that they need more money to finish.
Contractors that are good and have never had problems with anyone but because of one job did not fulfill the client needs nd got bad reputation.
The weather or a situation out of a contractor's control that delayed the project.
And the list goes on.
Another way to make sure that everything is alright during construction is to hire a resident architect that works for you as the project manager. A resident architect is above the contractor's foreman and his role would be of your middleman between the contractor and you. He would be your eyes on site so you know everything is in place and he would save time and money for you in the decision making process and give you a professional opinion and what looks best in terms of esthetics. The prices of a resident architect that works as a project manager depends on the size and type of project you are going to build and the payment would be a salary type method.
I wish that you make good use of these tips and wish you all the best in your dream house project.
Do I lower my US income tax liabilities if I retire or work abroad?
Jackie Lange - Panama Relocation Tours
If you receive Social Security or other pension income, it does not qualify for the Foreign Earned Income Exemption (FEIE). They are considered passive income.
If you have ACTIVE income from a job or business, then you can take advantage of the FEIE. There are rules of course. It is best to consult with an international tax attorney or CAP who specializes in international taxes for more details.
Even if you can't reduce your...
If you receive Social Security or other pension income, it does not qualify for the Foreign Earned Income Exemption (FEIE). They are considered passive income.
If you have ACTIVE income from a job or business, then you can take advantage of the FEIE. There are rules of course. It is best to consult with an international tax attorney or CAP who specializes in international taxes for more details.
Even if you can't reduce your income taxes, you will be probably be able to reduce your cost of living my moving offshore.
I have been living in Belize for all of my 30 years, a descendant of many cultures. My great-grandfather was a Scotsman who moved to Belize and married an African who became my great-grandmother. Thus was created the blend of what I am.
I've had opportunities to work with and for many foreigners who came to Belize, like my great-grandfather, to fulfill their dreams. With this exposure, I became interested about life in other countries and how the experiences of the...
Only a little over and hour drive from Boquete there is a beautiful beach with something for everyone. Los Olas is also known as Playa La Barqueta. Here you will find dark volcanic sands, public access to the beach and a quaint bar that offers cold beers and beverages in cool shade with good views of the ocean. You can dine on fresh fish and seafood in the small cafe next door to the open air bar. This open air bar is a cool place to get a...
Located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal is the Amador Causeway, a road and pedestrian walkway that connects the mainland of Panama City with three islands. This causeway was built with material extracted from the Culebra Cut when the Panama Canal was built from 1904-1914. It provided a breakwater for ships waiting to enter the Canal, and to prevent the buildup of sediment. Later the United States militarized the promontory and fortified it with ordnance during the two...