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Old beliefs die hard—but we’re doing our best here at IL to speed them on their way. From Penang, Malaysia to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico…Dublin, Ireland to the Pacific coast of Nicaragua…from Bilbao, Spain to Mérida, Venezuela…this month’s issue of International Living magazine is packed with boots-on-the-ground revelations about destinations you may think you know…

It can take generations for misperceptions about a place to fade. So we miss much of what the world has to offer. In the interest of you not missing a thing, we’ve pulled back the curtains to show you the surprising real-world truths about destinations worth attention today. Places you may never have given a second thought…

We take you to a remarkably affordable Paris, for instance (on page 8). Our writer saved $53,550 on her health care—just by living in France.

An expat comfortably ensconced in Penang, Malaysia says it was easy to adjust—everyone speaks English, the food is fabulous, there’s lots to do, and for $1,700 a month, he can afford to live with a water view and keep a small sailboat (page 12).

IL editor Glynna Prentice strolls through green Bilbao, Spain to discover it’s been transformed from a gritty metropolis into the poster child for urban renewal, with nine miles of good-value waterfront living (page 17).

Laid off from her marketing job in San Francisco, Cheryl Finnegan decided to try on San Miguel de Allende for size—and started a business there. She lives comfortably for just $1,500 a month (page 26).

The evening news may shout otherwise, but the truth is: All over the world you’ll find pleasant surprises. We like to think we’re doing our part to show you where they are…

Everything you need is in the current issue of International Living magazine. You can try IL magazine for just $1 with this special link. But you only have 48 hours to sign up.