How are Americans in Puerto Vallarta treated? How are expats in Puerto Vallarta treated generally?
Armando Contreras - Galvan Real Estate and Services
Expats in Puerto Vallarta, in general, are treated with the same respect that everybody deserves. Because expats contribute a very big part of the income of this area, Mexicans treat all of them very nicely.
This is not the case in general, but some expats (and thank God I have not met a lot of them) may tend to become a little too pushy and think that because they have more money, they can treat Mexicans a certain way. That is the only reason that I see...
Expats in Puerto Vallarta, in general, are treated with the same respect that everybody deserves. Because expats contribute a very big part of the income of this area, Mexicans treat all of them very nicely.
This is not the case in general, but some expats (and thank God I have not met a lot of them) may tend to become a little too pushy and think that because they have more money, they can treat Mexicans a certain way. That is the only reason that I see why an expat would be treated in a bad manner by locals.
Calling expats “gringo” is not a derogatory term; rather, it is a description. It started back in the days when Mexicans used to support the US in some military issues. The term “gringo” came from “green”, which is the color of the combat uniforms of the American soldiers, and “go” which is a common word used by the soldiers. So the Mexicans just called Americans “gringo,” because of the phrase “green go”. When a name is too difficult to remember, Mexicans name you by what they hear you say often or anything that they can relate you to.
(House and private beach in Nayarit, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, pictured.)
How's the ecotourism in and around Volcan and Cerro Punta, Chiriqui Province, Panama?
Antonio Singh - Leadership in Tourism
Volcan and Cerro Punta are very interesting areas for ecotourism. One example is bird watching. Every December, the Audubon Society celebrates the Annual Bird Count. The Quetzal one of the most beautiful birds you can see in this area.
Also there are good trails for different levels. If you like to hike you can hike the Volcan Baru from this area, but you need to be in good condition and it is recommended that you go with a...
Volcan and Cerro Punta are very interesting areas for ecotourism. One example is bird watching. Every December, the Audubon Society celebrates the Annual Bird Count. The Quetzal one of the most beautiful birds you can see in this area.
Also there are good trails for different levels. If you like to hike you can hike the Volcan Baru from this area, but you need to be in good condition and it is recommended that you go with a professional guide who can guide you and provide you with all you need to be safe on your way up.
Also there are several coffee farms you can visit.
How easy would it be for me to find a job in Portugal?
Duncan MacGregor - Duncan MacGregor Accounting
It is very difficult to get a job in Portugal. The unemployment rate in must be hovering at 15% at the moment.
It might also be difficult for a foreigner to find a job here but that could also depend on his area of expertise. The Portuguese are trying to attract high value added professions, which is in part why the government came up with the Non-Habitual Resident regime, to try and get highly skilled people to come here or to be transferred...
It is very difficult to get a job in Portugal. The unemployment rate in must be hovering at 15% at the moment.
It might also be difficult for a foreigner to find a job here but that could also depend on his area of expertise. The Portuguese are trying to attract high value added professions, which is in part why the government came up with the Non-Habitual Resident regime, to try and get highly skilled people to come here or to be transferred here by multinationals.
The local job market, though, is extremely tight. So if you are a foreigner, depending on your skill, it may or may not be easy for you to find a job in Portugal. If you are an IT expert, for example, you would find a lot of opportunities here but if you are a doctor or a lawyer, you would probably find the market saturated. There are some niche areas where there is a shortage of really top class professionals.
(Logo for Duncan M cGregor Accounting, DMA, whose proprietor Duncan McGregor is an expat doing business in the coastal town of Cascais, Portugal, pictured.)
How are the stores and shops in Ambergris Caye? How's the shopping in Ambergris Caye?
Josh Buettner - Ambergris Seaside Real Estate
Shopping is actually quite good in Ambergris Caye because there is such a large variety of items here.
From a hardware standpoint, we have a half a dozen good large hardware stores, where you can buy anything from a TV to a stove to a fridge, to nuts and bolts, stainless steel, gardening supplies, plumbing and electric supplies, etc. Whether you need an electric panel or a fuse, all that is available here in Ambergris Caye. We have marine supply stores. We have at least half a...
Shopping is actually quite good in Ambergris Caye because there is such a large variety of items here.
From a hardware standpoint, we have a half a dozen good large hardware stores, where you can buy anything from a TV to a stove to a fridge, to nuts and bolts, stainless steel, gardening supplies, plumbing and electric supplies, etc. Whether you need an electric panel or a fuse, all that is available here in Ambergris Caye. We have marine supply stores. We have at least half a dozen large, good quality grocery stores. We have half a dozen stores where you can buy fruits and vegetables on a regular basis and they have a good selection.
One of the things that I tell people all the time is when you come here, one of the things that you need to pay attention to a little bit more frequently than you might back home is expiration dates. When you are buying products that have expiration dates, you have to make sure that you check the dates when you purchase those items.
There are also a couple of wine stores here in Ambergris Caye. I could walk down the street and get a fillet mignon or a bottle of Opus One that you might not be able to do quite as easily in the US. The selection of a lot of different things is very good here in Ambergris Caye. Recently, we had an egg shortage and so we couldn’t find eggs for about a week. There were only a few stores that had eggs but that is gone now.
One of the things that you get used to here in Ambergris Caye is seasonal fruit. You buy your fruit in season. It is not like in the US where they bring it in from wherever it has to come from so there is enough inventory on the shelves. Mangoes ripen at a certain time of the year here in Ambergris Caye. The rest of the year, we don’t get mangoes so it is something that you have to deal with. There are people here who put together recipes for things that you could always find in Ambergris Caye and there are some things that you couldn’t find occasionally. You can’t always get wild mushrooms. You can’t always get some things that as Americans or Canadians, we are used to being able to get all the time.
(Mango coconut smoothie enjoyed in Ambergris Caye, Belize, pictured.)
Where are the best beaches in and around San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua?
Mariela Cerda - Bahia del Sol Villas & Condominiums
San Juan del Sur is a good place to visit for many different types of beaches for all different needs. There are plenty of beaches in San Juan del Sur and close to San Juan del Sur.
To the north are:
Madera (best for surfing)
Marsella (best for kids, where the waves are smaller)
Majagual (more a quiet beach for adults; no partying)
To the south are:
Playa Hermosa (entrance fee $3 /...
San Juan del Sur is a good place to visit for many different types of beaches for all different needs. There are plenty of beaches in San Juan del Sur and close to San Juan del Sur.
To the north are:
Madera (best for surfing)
Marsella (best for kids, where the waves are smaller)
Majagual (more a quiet beach for adults; no partying)
To the south are:
Playa Hermosa (entrance fee $3 / person, hammocks available, can rent a surfboard; where Survivor was filmed)
Remanso (good beach for beginning surfers)
La Flor (where you can see turtles)
El Coco (a little far away; but with restaurants, can see some turtles)
Ostional (45 minutes to one hour away; more quiet).
Personally, I think the most compelling reason to retire overseas is that life here is so much more interesting. Everything is different, so the mundane is actually a source of novelty.
Personally, I think the most compelling reason to retire overseas is that life here is so much more interesting. Everything is different, so the mundane is actually a source of novelty.
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