Best Places In The World To Retire

There are several ways to pay gardeners in the Lake Chapala / Ajijic area, depending on the size of the property and other factors.

 

For example, I have some clients who pay their gardeners 200 pesos (about US $12) a week for coming for one day a week for a couple of hours. Other people will pay them 600 pesos (around US $35) for the same work.

 

Many times, the term “gardener” is a catchall phrase for a guy that comes and helps you...

There are several ways to pay gardeners in the Lake Chapala / Ajijic area, depending on the size of the property and other factors.

 

For example, I have some clients who pay their gardeners 200 pesos (about US $12) a week for coming for one day a week for a couple of hours. Other people will pay them 600 pesos (around US $35) for the same work.

 

Many times, the term “gardener” is a catchall phrase for a guy that comes and helps you out with everything that’s in your yard, which might be repairing cement work, cleaning your swimming pool, cutting the grass, pulling the weeds, doing painting, etc., so a lot of the gardeners are multi-taskers.

 

Based on what they do, they can make 1,000 pesos (about US $59) a week. Other times, if you have a smaller yard, no pool, and it’s a condo, you may pay them anywhere from 30 to 70 pesos (about US $2 to $4) an hour with the average more towards 30 to 50 pesos (about US $2 to $3) an hour and they might just get paid for the time they work. 

 

I have double experience as far as maids, gardeners, hours and duties because I do a lot of labor liquidations when people sell houses so I have to ask how many hours the person worked, when did they start, what the person did, etc.  

 

(Garden in Chapala, Mexico, pictured.)

Sad to say, but for us the biggest surprise was how friendly, open and caring people are in both the countries that we've been expats in. Panama has some of the friendliest and most helpful people in the world, and Colombians are, if anything, even more so. If you're considering becoming an expat, give up the existential fear of other people, other cultures, and you'll feel a lot better, and fit in much faster. There are a lot of unfounded, stereotypical horror stories about hostile...

Sad to say, but for us the biggest surprise was how friendly, open and caring people are in both the countries that we've been expats in. Panama has some of the friendliest and most helpful people in the world, and Colombians are, if anything, even more so. If you're considering becoming an expat, give up the existential fear of other people, other cultures, and you'll feel a lot better, and fit in much faster. There are a lot of unfounded, stereotypical horror stories about hostile native people, and gringo bashing episodes, but the vast majority of them are fabrications, Sure, there are criminals and malcontents everywhere, but in our experience, the rest of the population, in Panama and again in Colombia more than make up for the bad actors.

 

One more thing: If you show a real effort to learn the local language, people tend to be even more friendly and helpful. Go for it.

 

BE Medellin

​

(Cartagena, Colombia, pictured.)

Getting a mortgage in Nicaragua as an expat is hard, maybe impossible from a Nicaraguan bank. Caye Bank in Belize works with expats all over the region and will finance up to 50% of a home, lot or condo in Nicaragua.

Getting a mortgage in Nicaragua as an expat is hard, maybe impossible from a Nicaraguan bank. Caye Bank in Belize works with expats all over the region and will finance up to 50% of a home, lot or condo in Nicaragua.

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 closest active volcano is in Guatemala, but Belize is not affected by it.

 

(Playing by the river at Black Orchid Resort, Burrell Boom Village, Belize, pictured.)

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 closest active volcano is in Guatemala, but Belize is not affected by it.

 

(Playing by the river at Black Orchid Resort, Burrell Boom Village, Belize, pictured.)

I have been living in the Lisbon area countryside since 1983, the first ten years as a single woman living alone, and up to now have never felt unsafe. What exists in this area is mostly petty crimes of opportunity, eg. bags or cameras left in a parked car, or houses obviously unoccupied.

 

(House outside of Lisbon, Portugal, pictured.)

I have been living in the Lisbon area countryside since 1983, the first ten years as a single woman living alone, and up to now have never felt unsafe. What exists in this area is mostly petty crimes of opportunity, eg. bags or cameras left in a parked car, or houses obviously unoccupied.

 

(House outside of Lisbon, Portugal, pictured.)

Bocas Del Toro has more carnivals and festivals than any place I have ever seen. I think the other Latin American countries and areas have festivals, too, but here in Bocas, there is some kind of celebration almost every month.

In September, we have Seria Del Mar (sea fair) and they all have cowboys riding horses. They have food booths, boat races and all that kind of stuff.

In November and December, there are no less than ten different holidays and festivals....

Bocas Del Toro has more carnivals and festivals than any place I have ever seen. I think the other Latin American countries and areas have festivals, too, but here in Bocas, there is some kind of celebration almost every month.

In September, we have Seria Del Mar (sea fair) and they all have cowboys riding horses. They have food booths, boat races and all that kind of stuff.

In November and December, there are no less than ten different holidays and festivals. During festivals, there are dancing celebrations and fireworks. They also have a La Reyna contest. "Reyna" means "queen." They have a contest and they choose the queen for the year. During these festivals or celebrations, the expats mix with the locals. The festivals, I think are Latin, for the most part.