Real estate agencies and popular restaurant and Internet café notice boards advertise rentals in Guatemala. The market is overflowing with Antigua rentals, but standards and rental costs vary depending on location, amenities, furnishings and fittings…so shop around to see what’s available.

Many rentals in Antigua come furnished and many have rooftop terraces with spectacular volcano views. Some include Internet and cable TV, but check what utilities are included in the rental price. Also, it’s advisable to inquire on safety in the area, especially at night, although there are many rentals in secure gated communities, usually at a higher cost.

What you need to rent in Guatemala

For rentals in Guatemala, tenants pay the legal fees to draw up a contract. Costs vary depending on rental term and price. A copy of your passport, deposit (equal to one month’s rent) and the first month’s rent will be requested up front.

As expected, renting in or close to the city center in Antigua costs more, so if you’re on a lower budget look a few blocks away or on the outskirts—where you’ll be close to the convenience of the city’s amenities and still get around on foot.

Some sample rentals in Antigua

Furnished rooms rent by the day, week or month. One I saw advertised recently was charging $120 a month for a private bathroom, WiFi, shared kitchen/living room, garden and terrace.

Rentals for one-bedroom furnished apartments in town start around $300 a month.  A cabin-style studio apartment with parking, in a safe, quiet area four blocks from the central park is renting for $350 a month including Internet, cable TV and all utilities.

A beautiful furnished three-bedroom house five minutes from the town center in a quiet gated community with living room, kitchen/dining room, two bathrooms, garden, garage and rooftop patio with gorgeous views, is advertised for $700 a month for a one-year contract.

If living in typical Guatemalan surroundings is more your style or you want more for your dollar, rather than renting in Antigua look at surrounding towns like Ciudad Vieja, Santa Ana, San Felipe or Jocotenango. All are a short bus ride away if you don’t have your own transport.

In Ciudad Vieja, you can rent an unfurnished two-bedroom condo in a gated community for $150 a month excluding utilities. Or, you can rent a furnished one-bedroom apartment in a secure residential complex with kitchen, dining room, cable TV, terrace with volcano view, shared patio and garden for $240 a month.

In the same town, an unfurnished three-bedroom house with living room, dining room, kitchen, two bathrooms, cable TV, garage, terrace and garden is renting for $275 a month.

Some agencies advertise rentals in Guatemala while others deal only in Antigua house rentals, including surrounding towns. Check out these English language websites for an idea of what’s on offer for vacation or long-term rentals:

www.qmecrealestate.com/

www.century21casanova.com/

www.propertiesinantigua.com/

www.teamantigua.com/

antiguarealty.net/

www.antiguars.com/

Also check out the classified ads at www.aroundantigua.com/directory/classifieds.htm (for rentals in Antigua) and for rentals in Guatemala, see: guatemala.craigslist.org/hhh/. You can place wanted ads on both sites.

Other good local sources in Antigua are the classified sections of the local English language magazines Qué Pasa and Revue, where you can also place wanted ads. It’s also worth looking at their real estate section for rentals too.

Revue’s website covers rentals in Guatemala by area, including Antigua, Lake Atitlán and Guatemala City.

Alternatively, ask around and search notice boards when you arrive in town. Good places to start are Conexion, Doña Luisa Xicotencatl, Monoloco and Rainbow Café.

Editor’s Note: Learn more about Guatemala and other countries in our daily postcard e-letter. Simply sign up here for IL’s free daily postcard and we’ll send you a FREE GUATEMALA REPORT: A Taste of Guatemala.

Reader D.C. told me to “go to H***” and accused me of advocating “…wealth protection so the rest of us have to pay so you can keep all of yours…”

J.E.B. said I was wrongfully telling “…people how to run away” from America.

P.K. said Americans “pay for our freedom in the form of taxes” and telling folks “how to hide their assets” is wrong.

Well, as a conservative I oppose confiscatory high taxes and the Big Brother government we are forced to finance. As a U.S. citizen I pay what I consider to be more than what President Obama calls my “fair share” and the propriety of hiding assets depends on from whom you are hiding them.

As a lawyer for many decades now, I know how important it is to read and understand what you read. I also know from experience that Americans have been bombarded for years by class warfare politicians attacking wealthy people as if success in life was a crime.

A large part of this propaganda has centered on offshore financial centers (“tax havens”) wrongfully portrayed as being used mainly for tax evasion. They are not.

Based on my personal knowledge I sighted the Cook Islands as an offshore jurisdiction where experienced professionals provide honest banking, trusts, and asset protection, plus maximum financial privacy no longer available in the U.S. because of the unconstitutional PATRIOT Act.

There are many others such as Panama, Belize, Uruguay, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Singapore and Hong Kong, to name a few. For those who live there, even the U.S. Virgin Islands qualifies as America’s own tax haven.

The Cook Islands government is fully in tune with international tax standards. In 2009, along with almost every offshore financial center in the world, the CI government agreed to apply Article 26 of the model bank code of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) which allows discretionary tax information sharing among governments.

The CI confidentiality laws prohibit the disclosure of existing trust and banking relationships except with the consent of the client. This means that no creditor or foreign government can gain access to bank or trust information except in cases of tax evasion, criminal money laundering or averting the financing of terrorism. These laws do prohibit information “fishing expeditions” by foreign tax authorities.

Unlike most other countries with territorial tax systems that do not tax their citizens when they live elsewhere, the U.S. taxes all U.S. persons no matter where they live or do business. I have always advocated complying with all IRS reporting and taxes and my writings explain how to do so.

I certainly do not advocate hiding assets about which the IRS has a right to know for tax purposes, but I do support paying no more taxes than owed. Unfortunately, in a lawsuit crazy country such as the U.S., locating assets offshore is a sensible protective measure that even persons of modest wealth should consider.

Editor’s note: Bob’s full account of the Cook Islands is a chapter in a new report called Escape Plan 2012: Safe Haven Strategies to Reduce Your Taxes, Preserve Your Privacy, and Reclaim Your Freedom Overseas. If that sounds like something you could use, learn more about it right here.

Recommended Reading:

• Tax, Banking, and Offshore Havens – 7 Tips

• What to Ask Yourself Before You Choose Your Offshore Haven

These interruptions are rarely convenient. Yet, they’re one of the things I appreciate most about “the writer’s life.” I take generous advantage of the fact that I control my schedule. And you should, too.

I also like to travel. I work much of the time from my home in Colorado (where my tax-deductible office is exactly 11 steps from my bedroom and has a million-dollar mountain view).

But, I’ve also worked from Vail, Denver, and Leadville…from places like Santa Fe and Las Cruces in New Mexico. I’ve toted my computer to France, Honduras, Panama, Guatemala, Germany, and the list goes on (and on). In the last 18 months alone, I’ve found myself typing in Toronto, Belize, Cape Cod, Omaha, Nicaragua, Ireland, Santa Monica, Chicago, Raleigh, Boston, Florida, Las Vegas, San Antonio, and Ecuador…

Advice: Go. Take your computer with you and see some of the world. Visit with friends and family—work in the mornings and spend the afternoons doing something fun. You can. You should.

In fact, armed with a few simple secrets, you can actually get paid for those afternoons of fun.

Let me explain…

Because I control my schedule, I can carve out time for lots of different kinds of writing.

But what I really like to do is write travel articles.

That is, articles geared for visitors, about wherever I happen to be. I like to do this because when you travel with an eye to writing about a place:

a) You experience it in a richer way—you notice more, you have an excuse to meet people, you’re automatically more engaged …

b) You can often cash in on great freebies. Because organizations are eager to get “good press,” they’re often willing to invite travel writers to sample what they have to offer, free. Over the years, I’ve cashed in on everything from all-expenses-paid trips to the Caribbean to complimentary zoo tickets. (And then I’ve been paid to write about my experiences.) People are writing me checks to go on vacation.

Plus, you don’t actually have to travel to do this, either. You can just as easily write about what there is to see and do right near where you live. Once an airline magazine paid me $950 for five paragraphs and a handful of photos about a tourist attraction 14 minutes from my house. Not a bad haul for an afternoon spent out with my kids…

These days, so much of what publications (like our own, International Living) are looking for is short-and-sweet, so you don’t have to invest hours on end in front of your computer. Often just a few paragraphs will land you a by-line. And once you have a few little pieces under your belt, you can easily start cashing in on those perks I mentioned.

Advice: Branch out. Take advantage of the doors travel writing opens—and the time it leaves you to walk through them. So many people are lashed to their desks. You don’t have to be. Set yourself free…you may just be surprised at where you end up (and that somebody is actually paying you to be there).

Editor’s Note: If the type of lifestyle Jennifer just told you about has struck a chord, make it your goal this month to make a concrete start on your new life of free flights, discounted hotel stays and complementary meals. Speaking of free travel perks, this very special video about the “Red Carpet Passport” disappears midnight Thursday. Don’t miss out; watch it right now for free, here.

Recommended Reading:

• The Seven Secrets of Becoming a Travel Writer

• Tales of a Travel Writer in China

• The Best Places to Make Money as a Travel Writer in Panama

But as all vacationers need to eat, food stories are a travel writer’s staple. From London’s gastro-pubs to Bangkok street food, it’s a world of rich pickings. Admittedly, pickings are sometimes strange, but ‘strange’ is part of the job.

More on sea urchins shortly, but first to Murcia—a jewel of an art-and-culture university city. Once a Moorish stronghold, its old town is a warren of narrow lanes and little plazas shaded by orange trees, palms, jacarandas and magnolias. It’s also a byword for gastro-tapas. Small dishes of hot and cold food—tapas—are served throughout Spain, but Murcia takes the experience to new levels.

Most locals hit the tapas trail before dinner, but after a hearty lunch, an evening tapas feast is often enough for many visitors. There are bars all over the city, but there’s a wondrous cluster in Plaza Santa Catalina and adjoining Plaza de las Flores, a haven for flower-sellers.

Murcian tapa classics include michirones—plump broad beans stewed with cured ham, chorizo sausage, garlic, and sweet red peppers. Pastel de carne are flaky pastry mini-pies of minced beef, hard-boiled eggs and chorizo. A marinera is an anchovy-topped helping of Russian salad.

Most tapas cost $2.50 to $6.35. At the sophisticated end, my favorites included a pasta cylinder stuffed with scallop and boletus mushrooms in a bechamel sauce. Heaven on a plate for $3.80. But the $3.20 pastry parcel of blood pudding topped with a smear of foie gras in a sauce of dried fruits was just as good. The most I paid for anything was $6.35—for lamb braised in black beer, served in a creatively-latticed basket of crispy potato.

If you do intend writing about food, don’t forget vegetarian publications. The Murcia region is Spain’s market garden, so interesting vegetable combinations abound. One veggie delight is morcilla de verano. Although the name suggests “blood sausage” and “summer,” this meat-free tapa is served year-round. Sprinkled with oregano and toasted pine nuts, it’s eggplant braised in olive oil with minced onion and garlic.

Chefs also have the bounty of the Mediterranean and the Mar Menor, Europe’s largest saltwater lagoon. Now, although I could happily live on seafood paella, swordfish, shellfish and squid rings, I’m not enamored by the prospect of sea urchins. (Or rather, what sea urchins contain.) To me, the idea of scooping out and swallowing any creature’s reproductive parts is more repellent than mouth-watering.

Small, spiny and globular, sea urchins are a prized Spanish winter delicacy. What makes them prized is their contents—a five-pointed star of soft, orange roe. Some U.S. chefs euphemistically call these egg sacks ‘tongues.’ I’d call them appetite suppressants. Yes, they taste of the sea. But so does a mouthful of seawater.

I’m not going to lie and say “mmm—it was delicious.” It wasn’t. But for a travel writer, a sea urchin makes a great way to kick off a story about Murcia’s tapas bars.

Editor’s Note: If you’d like to learn more about ways you can pay for your life or travels overseas, including travel writing, sign up for Fund Your Life Overseas, a free e-letter from International Living. Sign up here and we’ll send you a free report: Fund Your New Life Overseas With These 5 Portable Careers.

Recommended Reading:

• The One and Only Time it’s OK to Duck a Tab

• Travel: Getting Paid for Your Passion

• Start a Blog to Fund Your Travels

The water is flat, clear and turquoise. The sand a rich tan. Surf breaks on the reef offshore, but it’s silent.

Mojitos is the name of the Cuban beach restaurant and bar, from where I took the photo above.

The Cuban American owners are dishing out plates of exquisite Cuban tapas. I’m told they serve the best mojitos in town…and this is the place to come for a happy hour sunset cocktail. That’s for later. Now, the food is excellent. French, Italians and the town’s chefs eat here while beautiful people pose on the beach in front.

If you have preconceptions about the Dominican Republic, put them to one side. Particularly about the Samana peninsula and Las Terrenas.

This isn’t manufactured beach or resort. Behind and between the palm trees are chic cafes and restaurants run by French and Italian expats.

Here, 19 miles of beach is interrupted only by a couple of rocky points. It’s all walkable and public. The beaches don’t run in a straight line; they weave their way. It’s difficult not to walk for hours. Always wondering what’s around the next corner. Each twist and turn opens up a more stunning vista.

This time of year the weather is perfect. Mornings start fresh with temperatures in the mid 70s. Perfect for long walks on the beach. Afternoon warms up to the 80s.

A new excellent road means that Las Terrenas is now only an hour and forty five minutes from the capital Santa Domingo. The views over the water are stunning as you approach town on the new road. Flights come from North America to the El Catay airport 25 minutes from town.

Las Terrenas on the Samana peninsula is a little piece of paradise. And a great place to have a beach home.

Condos in town start from the $80,000s. Just on the edge of town and minutes from the beach you could buy a new luxury townhouse of more than 1,700 square feet for $165,000.

Here’s the kicker: A beach home here could double as a nice income earner. The rental market is strong year-round. One home I visited nets the owner $25,000 a year when he isn’t using it. It lists for $285,000.

Members of Real Estate Trend Alert have received my preliminary scouting notes from this trip. You will know how excited I am about the opportunities I am seeing.

Stay tuned. In the coming days, in RETA, I’ll hone in on three specific areas that got my attention. Three areas where I expect yields will be strongest and where our dollars will stretch furthest.

But there’s an easy escape from gringo culture. Just down the road you’ll find the small, sleepy town of Dominical. Right on the beach, it’s inhabited by a mix of bohemian expats, laid-back surfers (some on permanent vacation), and friendly locals.

A few years ago, the trip from Quepos to Dominical took over two hours on a bone-jarring, potholed dirt road. But thanks to a recently paved two-lane highway, it’s now just 45 minutes. On the way you’ll pass through small hamlets. There are plenty of places to stop for a bite or to pick up some fresh mangos and melons.

Yet despite the easy journey, most don’t make the trip south. And easy-going Dominical has remained a haven for those looking to lounge on crowd-free beaches, enjoy a $1.50 Imperial beer at a beachfront bar (Tortilla Flats is my favorite; I recommend the blackened mahi fish tacos), or check out the world-famous Costa Rican wildlife without a tour group on your heels.

It’s a simple, relaxed place, worlds away from the trendy tourist traps with overpriced restaurants, sprawling resorts, and obnoxious crowds. There are only a few hostels and small hotels, and day trippers are rare, so it’s never crowded. Friendships form fast among the select few who have stumbled upon this little oasis.

On the palm tree-lined, sandy track fronting the beach, you’ll find several cozy little open-air bars and restaurants. I recommend lazing away most of the afternoon—that’s what Dominical is all about, after all. Have a beer, cool off in the ocean, and come back for a second round.

You’ll also find local craftsmen selling handmade jewelry from stalls in the shade of the palms. My wife bought a necklace and earring set−intricately-carved spirals made from polished coconut shell with turquoise beads—for just $15. The same set in the States would be triple or even quadruple that.

Several hiking trails are available in the surrounding rain forest. Capuchin monkeys, two-toed and three-toed sloths, poison dart frogs, hummingbirds, kinkajous, and toucans can be seen just steps from your door. It’s a bird-watchers paradise. Hire one of the expert guides to tour the reserve with you. They will spot animals you’d never notice. There were three sloths within 30 feet of us on one hike—but I never would have seen them.

You’ll find plenty of restaurants in Dominical, with the traditional Costa Rican casado (a plate of rice, beans, and plantains, with chicken, pork, or seafood) plentiful and inexpensive.

I give more details of where to go and what to do in Dominical in the current issue of International Living magazine. If you’re not already a subscriber, you can sign up here and get instant access to this issue.

Editor’s Note: Learn more about Costa Rica and other countries in our daily postcard e-letter. Sign up for IL’s free daily postcard here and we’ll send you a FREE REPORT – Why Are Americans Still Flocking to Costa Rica.

The couple had planned to settle down and buy a home in New York, but during their honeymoon, exploring cozy cafés, cobblestone avenues, and seasonal fruit markets, they fell in love with Italy.

As soon as they got back to Manhattan, they booked their flight back to Rome. They had a vision of a farmhouse with a cooking school and a B&B. They conjured up scenes of free-range chickens and tabby cats, with a garden sprouting parsley, cucumbers, and strawberries…

Within 18 months, that dream had become their La Tavola Marche Cooking School and Organic Farm, in the Le Marche region of Italy.

How did they do it? The pair developed a concrete business plan, detailing their objectives and how they would specifically achieve each goal. They broke down their plan into tangible steps, and they took intensive language classes, immersing themselves in Italian for a year. Four times they returned to Italy, searching for property, networking, and experiencing the country in each season. With an interest in slow travel and farm-to-fork eating, they attended conventions on these topics, meeting people and asking for advice that would help them prepare for a move to Italy.

“You have to focus your energy on this one plan,” says Jason. “And that energy will filter out and change everything that you thought was important.” Their dream seeped into every nook of their lives.

Shopping, saving, and cooking all revolved around their impending business venture. Money that they had saved for a new house became a down payment on property outside of Piobicco in the Le Marche region.

They bought their 300-year-old farmhouse, perched atop a rolling hill, in 2006. With a solid foundation and sturdy roof, the property was livable from day one. But the Bartners wanted their new home and business to be perfect.

So they renovated the large kitchen with professional-grade appliances for cooking classes and built an outdoor wood-burning oven for homemade pizzas. With his own hands, Jason turned a small plot of land at the foot of his steps into a traditional organic garden and Ashley tended to the free-range lifestyle of their chickens.

Work on the farm begins in the early morning hours, but the long days have paid off. Now, five years on, La Tavola Marche is one of the most successful agriturismos in the region. The garden sprouts aromatic herbs, hearty potatoes, and tomatoes twined traditionally around bamboo staves. A spring feeds water into the house for cooking and into a hillside pool for cool afternoon swims.

Ashley and Jason have no intention of moving back to the U.S. And, during the off season, they can travel around Europe, vacation in Belize, and plan getaways to Thailand, always relishing the moment during their honeymoon when they said to each other: “Wait a second. We can do this!”

Editor’s note: The full version of this article appears in the current issue of International Living magazine. You can subscribe here and get instant access to this issue.

Recommended Reading:

• Revealed: The Most Expensive Food on the Planet

• Take a Yacht and Sail into Retirement on the Mediterranean

• How to Fund a Trip to Italy by Creating a “Travel Tour”

If you like the idea of relaxing in a spring-like climate, exploring a colonial University city, making new and interesting friends from all over the world, trying new things and maybe even reporting about your adventures…this could be for you.

You don’t need any writing experience but you should be willing to let us know how you’re getting on in your new home overseas.

Apart from the tasks I mentioned above, you must also be willing to go to concerts, attend festivals, eat out at great restaurants and any other fun activity you can think of.

We want to send this explorer (or a couple) to Cuenca, Ecuador to experience first-hand the great lifestyle you can have in this top retirement haven.

We’ll pay the round-trip airfare, your apartment rental, and a generous expenses allowance.

Apply here (applications close in six weeks).

Good luck.

Behind the horses is a sweet-peach A-frame with a tiny wooden balcony. Two village boys in stylish Bermuda shorts come into view on a small bike that’s been painted a retro sierra blue…like the ’68 Mustang.

Pines and flowering shrubs surround pretty little Hostal Tierra Libre, where I’m staying. As the cook brings out Dutch crepes and local honey, I can hear life buzzing all around me—the kind of lazy hum that makes me want to spend the morning swinging in the hammock off to my left.

But “lazy” isn’t quite the right word to describe the village of Santa Fe de Veraguas, located in Panama’s Veraguas province. Other words come to mind: “bohemian,” “quirky,” and “effortless.”

A town of about 3,000 people, Santa Fe has no traffic. Even on the main road cars pass infrequently. And everyone—every single person—says hello or buenas as they pass.

The roads are beautifully paved and the homes neatly painted. Despite the good infrastructure, Santa Fe has an undeveloped feel—as though it’s been hidden from the modern world all these years.

One general store seems to hold it all…from t-shirts to steel beams to staples like sugar and rice.

There is just a handful of shops—several new. One local makes tiny guitars known as mejoranas, hand crafting them using centuries-old techniques. A woman has started making and selling her own fresh mozzarella, a welcome addition to the vibrant organic produce.

At 1,300 to 1,400 feet, the climate is wonderful, with temperatures rarely climbing above 88 F at midday.

Evenings linger in the 70s F. The rainy season stretches officially from May through November, but afternoon rains are often fleeting. Most mornings are sunny, the baby-blue skies dotted with lambswool clouds.

The Santa Fe National Park is one of the best places in Panama to hike or bird watch and the nearby Forest Reserve La Yeguada is arguably the best place in the country to camp.

An hour-and-15-minutes away, the provincial capital of Santiago is growing slowly but surely. There are hospitals and clinics, shopping plazas and department stores, movie theaters, restaurants, and even a few hip-looking discos.

Locals and expats who live in Santa Fe travel to Santiago once or twice a week. On a visit to “the city” you may visit a home improvement store, see a heart specialist, go to one of the banks on Avenida Central, or grab lunch at the popular Hotel Galeria restaurant. Nearly everything you could possibly need is available, often at less than half the price you’d pay back home.

But the beauty is the drive back to Santa Fe. As you coast over rolling hills, the views begin to open up before you. The best time of day is between 5.00 p.m. And 6.00 p.m. That’s when the sun sets over the staggered blue-green hilltops, ringing them in tones of papaya and passion fruit.

The few local and international tourists who make it to Santa Fe also enjoy horseback riding, inner tubing, and visits to the many freshwater swimming holes.

A serene small town it may be, but Santa Fe isn’t lacking in modern conveniences. Everyone I met had Internet for which they pay $20 to $30 a month. There’s reliable power and water, satellite and television.

Originally from Texas, Edwin Ray Walston, arguably the most successful restaurateur here, says the cost of living is extremely low overall. “A couple could live here on $800 a month, easy,” he says. “Rent included.”

Land is easier to find here than resale homes, which sell almost as soon as they are listed. A three-bedroom, two-bath home located in the center of town sold recently for $100,000. On a 7,000-square-foot lot, it came furnished and featured a rancho (a thatch-roofed space that can be used for barbecues and outdoor dining).

Editor’s note: Join us April 12-14 for IL’s Fast-Track Panama Conference and you can learn about Sante Fe first-hand from Jessica. Plus, discover everything you need to know about this country to help you decide if it’s your ideal retirement or relocation destination. Full details and discounts available here.

Recommended Reading:

• Panama Video: The Mountain Village of Santa Fe

• A New Life and a New Business in Panama

Argentine, Cuban, Swiss, German, Thai, and Indian are only a few of the offerings you’ll enjoy today in Panama City, Panama.

Back home you may find yourself banished to the burbs for affordable food. But here you can eat at the finest gourmet restaurants in the financial district where the beautiful people play—and spend less than $15 on a meal for two.

Panama City is Central America’s fastest-growing culinary destination. As the city’s expanded, the food has become increasingly international. At Greek-Panamanian eatery Parillada Jimmy’s try Pulpoala plancha, gorgeous coral hunks of octopus served on a griddle. With a squeeze of lemon, this dish is a taste of summer in San Blas—the idyllic islands off Panama’s Caribbean coast.

For doting waiters and oozing ambiance, head to Luna, where Rubén Ortega-Vieto is a star chef with a locavore bent. His is local street food elevated to new heights. He’s been known to use cobia (“black salmon”) from Isla Grande, goat cheese from new valley farms, and Panama’s famed pork belly for chicharrones.

Luna is not a place to skimp—go all out: a pre-dinner cocktail, appetizer and main, and a good Catena Malbec to wash it all down. And don’t forget to spring for a side of the heavenly truffle-parm fries. All told, you’ll spend $45 to $65 per person.

Other must-have dishes of the Panamanian capital include the unofficial national dish, corvina. A flaky fish like sea bass, its delicate flavor needs little enhancing. Get it al ajillo—gently cooked in butter and garlic—for perfection on a plate.

For this and other traditional dishes done with flair, head to El Trapiche, an inexpensive eatery where you can have lunch for $5. Don’t expect refined service or a fancy décor—do expect flavorful food. Sit outdoors for some of the city’s best people-watching.

Editor’s note: International Living’s Fast-Track Panama: Lifestyle and Opportunity Conference is on April 12-14 in Panama City. There’s no better way to discover what Panama could be for you.

Recommended Reading:

• The Best Restaurants in Panama City: Exotic, Exciting and Elegant

• Five Day Trips from Panama City: Islands, Islets and White-Sand Beaches

• Video Postcard: A Day-Trip in Panama

This new human-dominated era has a name: The “Age of Man.” And the growth of humankind itself has become the world’s most important investing trend.

This kind of “mega trend” may not be winning a lot of attention in the mainstream media. But it is a critical insight for global investors. The “Age of Man” is literally changing the face of the earth. As such, it will have profound implications on every investment decision you make.

Once you understand the implications of this, an important question arises: How do you invest in the “Age of Man”? The answer is remarkably simple: You invest in what people need and what people want.

One of the contours of the population bulge is that most of the growth is happening in the emerging world, in places where people are for the first time leaving poverty and entering consumer society.

What these people need is basic materials to build better homes, more animal protein for their diets and more energy to power their new lifestyles.

One company that is set to profit in a major way from demand for basic materials is one of the largest mining companies in the world.

As new consumers in the emerging world drive up demand for steel to build homes with, demand for iron ore (a major product for this company) will rise. This company is also a major producer of nickel and manganese, important alloys in making high-tensile steel.

This is good news. Because at writing, shares of this company look cheap. Not only that, but it’s both a value and a growth stock…and a great addition to your “Age of Man” portfolio.

Of course, the world’s new consumers will have wants, too. After they have built better houses…and better factories and offices…they will go shopping.

And just like consumers in the West, one of things they will desire most will be new gadgets. In particular, smart phones. Smart phone sales will hit the 450-million mark this year. And this market is growing like crazy—at a pace of roughly 50% a year.

To play this growth, you could buy shares in a smart phone maker such as Apple, BlackBerry or Nokia. But this is a highly competitive market. And today’s winners can easily become tomorrow’s losers.

So I prefer to make a much safer bet and buy the mobile technology behind these devices. One company in particular is a great place to start. For one, the company’s technology is probably already in the phone you’re using. Even though this is a competitive market, these guys have a huge R&D budget—$9 billion spent on research-and-development last year. That highlights the kinds of advantages this company’s size and scale bring.

And even better, at current levels, this is also a value and a growth stock.

These are two of the best ways to profit as the “Age of Man” continues. Snap these two bargains up before it’s too late.

Editor’s note: You can read the full investment report from Chris—including ticker symbols for U.S. stock exchanges—on page 22 of the current issue of International Living magazine. You can subscribe here now and access the issue online instantly.

We had recently fallen in love with—and bought—a crumbling, pigeon-infested, 150-year old maison bourgeoise in northern Burgundy, France, only two hours away from our apartment in Paris.

Although we adored the house, the place was practically a ruin. Hardly a beam, pipe, or window worked as it should. Jagged cracks raced up the walls and zigzagged across the ceilings. Doors were propped next to the frames in which they belonged or lay rotting on the floor.

The scope and estimated cost of the project were staggering, often causing us to lie in bed at night, staring vacantly at the ceiling.

But it couldn’t be helped. We knew that this was our house. For us, the only question was how to restore its former magnificence without tumbling into a deep financial hole. I didn’t know it then, but when my friend handed me that slim book on restoration, the answer had arrived.

Buried in a short paragraph in the back pages were four magic words that led us to a foundation that helps private citizens finance the restoration of qualified French houses and buildings.

My husband and I looked at each other. Could our house be eligible? It was.

Two months after applying, our project was accepted by the foundation—we would be reimbursed for 8% of the renovations visible from the public domain and could deduct 50% of the costs from our next tax return. Hallelujah!

Our workers immediately swung into action. The renovations had to be completed within two years to receive the benefits. Given the advanced state of dilapidation—and that we were only available to oversee progress on weekends—the time limit loomed large.

But somehow the major work was finished, and with just weeks to spare. It was a happy day when we a hefty reimbursement check came in the mail. All told, we received a whopping $70,000 in tax breaks and cash for doing something that we would have done anyway…restore the house of our dreams.

Editor’s note: You can access the complete version of this story right now—including contact details. It’s in the current issue of International Living magazine. Don’t worry if you’re not a subscriber. You can subscribe here to read the issue online.

You can volunteer at an organic farm next to the Podacarpus National Park in Vilcabamba, Ecuador, or on an apple orchard and organic bakery in Mendoza, Argentina. Help make goat cheese on an Irish farm near Ballyvaughan, County Clare in Ireland, learn about wine making on a vineyard in Italy’s Piemonte district while staying in a village house with a view of the Alps…

How about joining a team running a surfing school at Curio Bay in Southland, New Zealand? Or renovating a 100-year-old timber house with a view of the Pacific on the Fiji island of Ovalau?

You don’t need any serious experience, just a willingness to take on agreed-upon tasks.

You won’t be paid, but as a volunteer you’ll get free meals and accommodation.

Besides planting, tending, or harvesting organic gardens, you may be asked to milk goats, build chicken coops, or, in the case of small hotels, help with cooking or cleaning.

Bordering Belize’s lush Spanish Creek Rainforest Reserve, for instance, a family farm grows a variety of fruit tree crops and has a large organic garden and subsistence food plantation. They also raise chickens and horses and need help building additional guest palapas from jungle materials and thatch. You could stay in an onsite guest house with free WiFi Internet and all meals included.

According to Emily Navar, owner of boutique Hotel Macan ché in Izamal, Mexico, this arrangement is a “win-win situation.”

“Our locale is a bit unique in that we’re a hotel with a small organic garden rather than a farm,” she says.

“We’ve had couples and singles—mostly women on their own, although a single guy arrives this week. They have mostly been from the U.S. and Europe but also from as far away as New Zealand. The last couple traveled by bus all the way from Denver. They’ve all been hard workers, respectful, and low maintenance. Most are looking for a way to be in Mexico and not spend much money.

“They agree to work five hours a day, and we provide free room with private bathroom and hot shower and two meals a day…breakfast and dinner. They eat really well here.”

Emily’s husband, Alfred Rordame, is a world-class chef. And Hotel Macan ché—an hour from Mérida, the capital of Mexico’s Yucatán state—is an oasis in the jungle. With lush, green foliage and brilliant tropical flowers everywhere and a cenote-style swimming pool in which to take refreshing dips, it’s not tough duty at all.

(Izamal itself is a charming village, with mystical Mayan ruins adjacent to historic colonial buildings.)

But the biggest benefit of this “work for room and board” deal…for both hosts and volunteers…is about creating lifelong friendships. Not a traditional travel experience, this is a true immersion in local customs and daily life—victories and challenges alike. A priceless experience at any cost, but even better when it’s free.

Editor’s note: For full details on the opportunities mentioned here, see Suzan’s full “travel for free” article in the current issue of International Living magazine. If you subscribe here, now, you’ll get instant access.

Recommended Reading:

• How You Could Pay For Your Next Trip to South America

• Turn your Passions into Free Trips

• Create Your Own Niche Tours to France (or Anywhere in the World)

There are wine merchants, estate agents, delicatessens, bakeries and beer gardens for summer. Concrete monstrosities? Not from what I can see.

With its numerous cafe-bars, boutiques and Saturday gourmet organic food market, Prenzlauer Berg is among the most sought-after neighborhoods of the former East Berlin, Germany. On warm summer evenings, Kollwitzplatz stays lively until well into the early hours.

Often built around an inner courtyard, many Prenzlauer Berg houses were constructed between 1880 and 1920. Although apartments were State-issued for 50 years, the houses remained in the original Altbau style. The name means “old build,” but most have been stylishly refurbished over the past 20 years.

A typical Altbau apartment has high ceilings, original wooden floors and a balcony. Grander buildings have facades with Jugendstilfeatures—Germany’s version of Art Nouveau. Although anti-socialist propaganda painted everywhere east of the Berlin Wall as architecturally dreary, Plattenbau (pre-fabricated concrete) apartments only account for around 15% of the city’s housing stock.

Compared to other major European capitals, Berlin property is remarkably inexpensive. For example, 89,900 euro ($117,000) buys a well-maintained, 45-square-meter apartment with stucco details in a Prenzlauer Berg Altbau dating from 1902. Prices like that don’t exist anywhere in London or Paris, let alone in their fashionable districts.

I had lunch at Endlos, a cozy brasserie-style restaurant on a street flanking Kollwitzplatz. (43-45 Knaakstrasse). Eavesdropping on conversations, it seemed quite a few diners were involved in IT. Berlin is at the cutting edge of European tech start-ups.

Like me, most chose the daily special: a three-course feast of goose liver on lambs’ lettuce, roast goose with red cabbage and dumplings, then chocolate mousse. At 12.90 euro ($17), incredibly good value. I could have eaten cheaper—many neighborhood places had three-course lunchtime menus from $10 – $13—but roast goose is irresistible.

In GDR times, Prenzlauer Berg was a workers’ quarter but with elements of the subversive, the avant-garde, and the bohemian. Ten minutes walk away, on Schönhauser Allee, the Gothic-looking KulturBrauerei is at the heart of the local cultural scene.

An old brewery with red brick towers and chimneys, its cobbled courtyards once echoed to the sound of rolling beer barrels. Now people come to eat, drink, shop, catch movies, experimental theater and poetry readings.

During the Christmas run-up, the Kulturbrauerei hosts the Scandinavian-themed Lucia market. It’s not remarkably different to Berlin’s other magical Christmas markets, but the hot spiced wine is called Glögg instead of Gluhwein—and lots of Scandinavian woolen gifts are for sale.

But Prenzlauer Berg still offers one taste of Ostalgie—nostalgia for the East German past.

Continue up Schönhauser Allee to Eberswalder U-Bahn station. Under the arches, Konnopke’s Imbiss is a traditional sausage stand that survived both World War Two and the subsequent decades of Communism. Konnopke’s has been in business since 1930. Wrapped inside a bread roll, a $2.50 Currywurst slathered in spicy sauce is gastronomic heaven on a Berlin winter’s night.

Look for more on Berlin and its property market in an issue of International Living magazine coming soon.

Here’s why.

For starters, freelance copywriters – even in places like Southeast Asia – have real responsibilities…just like any other career position you may find back in the U.S. or Canada.

For example, you’ve got projects to manage. You’ve got deadlines to meet. And you must produce results if you want your career to grow and earn as much as six figures per year.

Sounds the “same” as any career back home, right? Well… not quite.

Here’s where it’s “different.” And in a big, big way.

To become a freelance copywriter, you don’t need any special education or experience to get started. (I actually failed English in both high school and university.)

What I’m saying is…it’s far from rocket science. With a bare minimum of effort, desire and the right training, anyone can learn how to get started as a freelance copywriter.

And once you’re established, you’ll find that the demand for trained freelance copywriters will never, ever go away.

Here’s the best part…if you’re a diehard world traveler like me.

Once you’ve made a name for yourself in this business, you can live and work from almost anywhere in the world you want.

Seriously. Even from the world’s most famous and most “off-the-grid” overseas destinations.

I’m talking about places like Bali. Prague. Koh Phangan. London. Vang Vieng. Hanoi. Melbourne. Anywhere you want. As long as you’ve got a laptop and a reliable Internet connection, you’re in business.

For example, right now, I’m writing this article from the balcony of a restaurant called the Seahorse in the beach town of Sihanoukville, Cambodia. It’s early evening. It’s about 78 degrees outside (in January). And I can see the Gulf of Thailand to my right. Not a bad “office,” if I must say so.

And here at this restaurant, where I just ordered the “Mixed Grill” (a combination of grilled beef, chicken, “Coca-Cola” spare ribs, fries, garlic bread, and a salad with Thousand Island dressing) for just $4, I can pick up 12 Wi-Fi signals.

Right now, I’m using the free Wi-Fi signal that Seahorse offers…and I just clocked in at 3.47Mbps for a download on Speedtest.net. Not blazing fast, mind you, but it’s still definitely fast enough to get work done.

So it’s easy to “set up shop” and get work done…even in an off-the-grid beach town like Sihanoukville.

So—what’s a “typical” day like for a freelance copywriter in a place like Southeast Asia? Here’s an idea of a good, productive day of “work” here in Sihanoukville.

I’ll usually roll out of bed around 7:50 a.m. I’ll then make my bed, brush my teeth, grab my netbook or iPad…walk a few steps to the restaurant in the resort where I live (I’m currently staying at a resort called “Beach Road” for just $13 a night with air-con, hot water, cable TV, and a pool) and order some oatmeal with banana slices and scrambled eggs for about $2.

Then, from about 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., I work remotely on my copywriting. Once I’ve got my writing done, I’ve got the rest of the day to enjoy all the spoils of living in a cheap, fun beach town like Sihanoukville.

On some days, I’ll head to the beach with my netbook, grab a BBQ seafood lunch for $3, and do some research on a project I’m working on. (Many of the beach restaurants offer free Wi-Fi…so Internet access is almost never a problem…even right on the beach.)

Or perhaps I’ll read a book on my Kindle.

When I’m feeling a bit more adventurous, or when I want to give my brain a little break and get some exercise, I may grab my iPod, rent a bicycle for $2, put on some uplifting tunes, and ride a few miles to Otres Beach; recently ranked the 22nd most beautiful beach in Southeast Asia by Forbes Magazine.

I did this the other day and I swear…there were more cows in the grassy fields beside that amazing beach than there were bungalows!

In the evenings, I like to grab a meal at any of the ridiculously cheap restaurants in town, then meet up with the local expat crew for a few cold Angkor beers (usually $1 each) at popular watering holes like Monkey Republic, The Big Easy, The Dolphin Shack, Sessions Bar, and JJ’s.

Then it’s back to bed around midnight…so I can wake up fresh and ready to do it all again the next day.

I absolutely love it.

If you told me a decade ago that I’d be living like this now, I probably would’ve laughed and said, “No way. No way in the world.”

But thanks to the good folks at AWAI who got me started on my copywriting journey, I now enjoy a day-to-day lifestyle that is definitely “different” from anything I’ve ever experienced professionally or personally before.

Editor’s Note: Copywriting is one of those jobs anyone can do—but not many know about. This explains how it works.

Recommended Reading:

• Ditch Your Cubicle and Work Overseas (All Expenses Paid)

• “My Life Is My Own in Mexico”

• How I Fund My Life in Argentina

“Ooooh, look—the Eiffel Tower!” This is what I hear from my kids, ages two and four, almost every day.

I can’t help but smile. They sound so much like the tens of millions of tourists to Paris that exclaim and gasp over the Eiffel Tower. But unlike the tourists, they’re not excited because they’re at last laying eyes on the most famous landmark in the world, the one they’ve only seen in movies and photographs.

No, they’re excited because their favorite playground lies at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. And the aquarium is just across the street. And sometimes we ride the carousel there. And because, if they’ve been very good, that’s where they get to nibble on a steaming hot chocolate-filled crêpe.

I look at them staring hopefully at the Eiffel Tower (can we go, Mama?) and can’t help but marvel at their privilege. Countless people dream all their lives of seeing the iconic, exotic structures my children see in Paris on a regular basis—Notre Dame, Jardin du Luxembourg, the Champs-Elysées—but for them, for now, these renowned sites are only special because of their proximity to some pretty cool playgrounds. The legendary City of Light is nothing more than home.

Me, I can’t take Paris that casually. Even though I’ve been living here for 10 years now, I still view myself as something like a long-term tourist. Sure, sometimes I take it for granted. There are days when I rush through the centuries-old stone arcades of the Places des Vosges, too intent on picking up my son from daycare to feel a pang of appreciation for their age and beauty. But often, when I’m passing through the paved courtyard of the Louvre to take my kids to yet another playground, or I glance out of my living room windows and see a bateau-mouche cruising down the Seine, I can’t help but shiver and think: “Wow…I live here.”

Right now, as a copywriter, I earn more than enough to keep my kids stuffed with chocolate-filled crêpes and spinning on carousel rides every day of the year (wouldn’t they love that!). And once my little ones are both in school and I have more free time, I expect my income to increase exponentially.

But what’s really special about living in Paris is the lifestyle I’m able to give my kids. Even at their tender ages, they speak and understand English, French and German (that last one is thanks to my spouse). They’ve visited no less than seven countries, and as part of the international expat community here, they have friends from places as far-flung as Singapore, South Africa, Russia, Italy and Denmark.

What’s more, they already understand that there is no single way of living; that people speak, eat and behave differently in different places. It is my greatest hope that as adults, they’ll be able to move fluidly between cultures with little of the divisive “us” and “them” mentality that plagues so much of the world.

If you have dreams of living in Paris, but you worry about how you’d support yourself overseas, consider copywriting. Because of this flexible and well-paying career, you can spend your mornings working on a computer in a café, and spending your afternoons exploring the City of Light like a local.

Editor’s Note: If you’d like to learn more about ways you can pay for your life or travels overseas, including copywriting, sign up for Fund Your Life Overseas, a free e-letter from International Living. Sign up here and we’ll send you a free report: Fund Your New Life Overseas With These 5 Portable Careers.

Recommended Reading:

• Ditch Your Cubicle and Work Overseas (All Expenses Paid)

• “My Life Is My Own in Mexico”

• The Freedom of a Work-from-Anywhere Career

So I did something about it. I broke my lease. I sold my belongings. And I gallivanted around South America for 14 months. I surfed the Peruvian coast. Lived for a few days in a Hare Krishna community. Ate trout on Lake Titicaca. Explored the moon-like salt flats nestled between Bolivia and Chile. And finally found an apartment in Buenos Aires, Argentina and a job with an American-based publishing company.

That’s where I learned for the first time how copywriting could completely transform my life. I got a bit lucky, I must say. Though I had no prior writing experience, the company gave me a chance to pursue copywriting full time (if you’re not sure what copywriting is, this link explains it all).

So why did I do it? I saw a future that would allow me to work-from-anywhere, travel anytime, and break free from the shackles of the cubicle—forever.

Last November, thanks to an opportunity paid for by my primary copywriting client, International Living, I flew down to Quito for the Live and Invest in Ecuador event. In between copywriting work, I luxuriated in a Turkish bath and swam laps in the heated pool at the five-star Swissotel I was put up in. I dined on white tuna sashimi, Uruguayan rib eye and flaky artichoke tarts.

Yes, there was work to be done. But when I think back on the trip, I don’t remember the time I spent writing promotional letters. Instead, I think about dancing salsa till the wee hours of the morning in Plaza Foch, the city’s prime nightlife district. About flirting with waitresses in Spanish. And about dining on tangy octopus, mussel and fish ceviche.

On the same trip, I traveled west to the beautiful horseshoe bay in Salinas on Ecuador’s arid, southern coast. I looked at some shockingly inexpensive condos just a stone’s throw from the beach. I wrote copy from my laptop. But more than anything else, I just enjoyed sunny days and cool nights, watching fisherman cast large nets—by hand—into the swelling tide and pull in a bounty of sardines.

At some point during my stay, I realized how much life had changed. Just four years ago, I depended entirely on someone else’s schedule. What time to wake up…what to wear…how to act. Now, I set my own schedule. I can wear whatever I want. And I travel whenever and wherever I want to with my laptop in tow.

Those really are the biggest benefits of becoming a copywriter. And I truly believe that anyone with even a basic understanding of how to write can produce winning sales copy and start living this travel-anywhere lifestyle. You won’t learn overnight. But if you have a dream of exploring the world, working for yourself and setting your own schedule, then copywriting is for you.

Editor’s Note: Copywriting is one of those jobs anyone can do—but not many know about. This explains how it works.

In fact, I recently bought a small, manageable, lock-and-leave property in Guanajuato, in the Colonial Highlands. It’s a far cry from what I thought I wanted when I first moved to Mexico…

Then, I’d wanted a good-sized house, instead of an apartment as I’d had in the U.S. With a back yard, so I could have a barbecue grill—and so I wouldn’t have to walk the dog anymore.

I also wanted a pool, partly because everyone says that you need one in the hot Yucatán Peninsula—but mostly just because I could. All goodies to enhance my quality of life… goodies that weren’t possible in New York, but which lower-cost Mexico permitted me to have. So I bought a house that had all these things.

Dreams like mine are common among would-be expats. All of us seem to arrive with a wish list—of both tangibles and intangibles—to fulfill. The freedom to wipe the slate clean and start new—and possibly radically different—lives is part of the appeal of moving abroad.

But in hindsight I’ve realized that we don’t exactly arrive abroad baggage-free.

We may believe that we’ve mentally “made the move” and are starting out afresh. (I know that’s what I thought.) We may have the visa papers, the language tapes, and the moving list.

But often we come with our old thinking patterns, based on a lifetime of stay-in-one-place, hold-down-a-9-to-5-job routines. We are influenced by our old life—by its rhythms, customs, and priorities—in ways we can’t imagine and that we’re often not even conscious of.

It can take a year or more to break free of that old way of thinking. And once you have—and have adjusted to your new life abroad—you may find that what you actually want is very different from what you originally thought.

That’s one reason why I suggest that you rent before you buy a property—so that you’re free to embrace the adventures and opportunities that come your way.

Because for most expats, life abroad does live up to their expectations of freedom, opportunity, and adventure. Often it surpasses them. I have met expats who uncovered business opportunities or launched fulfilling new careers in their new lives… opportunities that weren’t even on their radar when they first arrived abroad. I know others who have found love, meeting their perfect match when they least expected it.

And it’s always easier to pursue those opportunities when you’re not tied down by large investments.

The accepted wisdom is that renting before you buy a home gives you time to get to know a place, so you can decide if it suits you. The deeper truth, though, is that it gives you time to know yourself….

That’s not to say that making a lifestyle decision—like buying a house—based on the “old” you is a mistake. You may find that it fits your new life perfectly. Even if it doesn’t, there’s almost nothing that can’t be fixed, sold, or otherwise disposed of eventually. But it is worth noting that you, and what you think you want, will likely change once you move abroad.

That this happens shouldn’t be surprising. In moving abroad, after all, you’ve set your life on a new, vastly different trajectory from what it would have been if you’d stayed at home. From that point on, life is all wonderfully unexplored territory….

I’ve enjoyed my big house—though for totally different reasons than why I originally bought it. I love its convenient location and friendly neighborhood, for instance, and all the green parks nearby.

I love to sit by my pool, especially in the evening or for entertaining. But I seldom actually swim in it since I discovered the usually-empty, Olympic-sized community pool that’s a 10-minute walk away. It costs me $2 a swim, which based on monthly usage is less than the maintenance on my own pool, with none of the hassle.

I never bought that barbecue grill. Instead, I’m happy to make do with the griddle on my stove. And while my dog, Pippin, enjoys the back yard, she still insists on her daily walks.

In short, I’ve discovered that I prefer unencumbered convenience to material goodies. That for me, a high quality of life is having less and doing more. And that my dog, who prefers the fleeting but real-time pleasure of a peripatetic sniff-fest through our neighborhood to a sterile stroll in her private back yard, had the right idea—at least for us.

Moving abroad—which stripped away the distracting background noise and clutter of my workaday life “back home”—allowed me to realize these truths about myself more quickly than I might have done otherwise.

The life lessons you glean from your move abroad may be different from mine. But I’ll bet dollars to donuts that, a year or so after the move, you’ll be scratching out the wish list you came with and writing out a new one.

Editor’s note: You can now use International Living’s revolutionary program to fast-track your new life overseas. The where, how, when—it’s all taken care of. It’s all here.

Recommended Reading:

• The Tips, Tricks and Secrets to Retiring Overseas

• Solid Advice About Moving Overseas

• The World’s Top Retirement Havens in 2012

I still remember trying to figure out the nuts and bolts of Spanish hardware…literally. I needed nuts and bolts for a grill I was fixing in our new home in Quito, Ecuador, but I had no idea where to find them. I didn’t even know the Spanish words for “nuts” or “bolts”. And I never would have imagined that you’d have to visit TWO stores to get them… one specializing in nuts, and another specializing in bolts!

Now, of course, it all makes perfect sense… I know the difference between tuercas and tornillos and where to find them. I know that I need to settle a price with the taxi driver before I get in the cab, and that I don’t need to tip him, but I should tip the waiter…but not like a gringo.

I know what paperwork I should bring with me when I go to the bank to avoid wasting an hour in line for nothing. And I know that, if my phone or water or electricity bill doesn’t actually make it to my house, that doesn’t mean I don’t have to know exactly when my bill is due and pay it on time. (It took a few trips to the electricity office to ransom back my meter to figure out that one!)

It’s amazing what can happen in 11 years. All those mysterious tips, tricks, and secrets that Suzan and I had to figure out just to get ourselves fed, keep the lights on, and make it from one end of town to the other are now standard operating procedures. We take them for granted as we go about our everyday lives…if you can have an “everyday” life in places like San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua or Cotacachi, Ecuador or Merida, Mexico.

We take that hard-won knowledge for granted…that is, until we see a couple who looks a lot like us 11 years ago wandering the zocalo of some Spanish Colonial town with a hint of panic in their eyes. Then we remember what it was like not knowing how to find the immigration office or how to make an international phone call or how to get some much-needed cash in a hurry.

We remember what it felt like to be just starting out when we get an e-mail from someone asking if they should bring their stove and refrigerator down with them when they move to Mexico. It sounds incredible to us now that people would haul things like appliances and dining room sets around the world with them.

But then we remember how we ourselves shipped down an entire container full of furniture when we first moved to Mexico…only to find that most of it had been made in Mexico in the first place and cost a third what we paid in the States!

As Suzan and I are constantly reminded, when you live overseas, the learning process never really stops. It’s one of the best things about moving abroad…that, and the opportunity to share that knowledge with like-minded folks who are just starting out on their own incredible journeys.

Editor’s note: It took Dan and Suzan a full decade to uncover the best secrets to the good life abroad…but now you can do it easily. With their step-by-step blueprint, you save money…avoid the pitfalls…and find your perfect “sweet spot” overseas fast. So you can start living better (and for less), right away. Here’s how.

Recommended Reading:

• The World’s Top Retirement Havens in 2012

• Solid Advice About Moving Overseas

Where costs of living, healthcare, and property are still affordable – like they once were in the US. And you can still live luxuriously… even hire a maid… on nothing more than your social security check.

Discover our top retirement destinations for 2012 at:

International Living’s
Seventh Annual Ultimate Event
February 21-25, 2012
Cancun, Mexico

For more information, please click here.

We’ve pinpointed three locations with strong rental potential. Two of them would make fantastic second home destinations. The third would suit investors looking for a mix of good potential rental yield and appreciation.

Location #1. It’s a tropical paradise where powder beaches fringe clear turquoise seas. You can get here from many destinations in North America in just half a day (including flight time). You’ll find culture, history, entertainment and shopping on your doorstep.

It’s a tourist hot spot; occupancy rates for this summer season should average 90%. And the government plans to bring in even more tourists to this location—increasing the number of visitors three-fold or more.

Yet a lack of suitable land and strict planning laws limit future development. You can buy luxury condos in this location from $182,000. Your home here should rent easily. But you might just want to keep it all to yourself…

Location #2. This Caribbean island offers sun-drenched beaches, chic eateries and a laid-back lifestyle. It’s very close to North America—only a two-hour flight from Miami. Better yet, it’s very affordable…if you know where to look.

You won’t find big chain-hotels in this location. It’s popular with foreign tourists and locals as a vacation spot. And it’s about to become even more popular, thanks to a new road that opened two months ago.

Condo pricing in this hot spot starts at $71,000. And homes here can earn double-digit rental yields. One three-bedroom house on the market for $285,000 earned $25,580 net rental income in 2010 (that’s the total rental income minus all the running costs). That works out to a very healthy 9% net based on the current asking price.

Location #3. This is more of an investment play. It’s a city with three million residents—and it’s on a roll. It’s the country’s top domestic tourist destination, with its finest beaches and a buzzing nightlife. It’s a top spot for foreign investment. And it packs a punch when it comes to business and industry. A new free-trade zone, an expanding port and new power plants are all bringing businesses and even more jobs to the area.

It’s very difficult to find a quality rental here. The rental market, both short- and long-term, is strong. This opportunity (with condos from $120,000) targets local middle-class professionals who want to rent a furnished condo long-term. It could generate 10% a year. The area is undervalued right now, so you should also get good appreciation. Best of all, although the condos are completed, you can still take advantage of developer financing.

Editor’s Note: Margaret Summerfield works with Pathfinder—IL’s preferred real estate advertiser—and writes about specific properties like the ones above in her e-letter, the Pathfinder Alert. You can sign-up for a free subscription here and get the real skinny on these three rental locations.

After a few years spent teaching in Ecuador, Brazil, Australia and Thailand I returned to England to catch up with family and friends, but I missed the adventure, learning a language and the creative energy of life overseas. And that’s how I ended up in Spain.

Blue skies more than 300 days a year, restaurants and tapas bars lining the streets, and culture pouring from every corner…

I now live in Seville, a city of 700,000 people, home to flamenco music and delicious food.

It’s one of the architectural jewels of Spain. I’ve been living here six years now and I love how you can choose your lifestyle. If you prefer to live the simple life, groceries are cheap. Or you can eat out without breaking the bank. For breakfast, a tostada con jamon (cured ham on toast) and a coffee will set you back $3.50, while dinner for two and a couple of glasses of wine is around $20.

I’ve found a rich culture here that’s been great fun to experience and explore. Two festivals light up the city during the year: Semana Santa (Holy Week) is a religious festival before Easter. Each church takes its statute of Jesus and Virgin Mary on a parade around the city, through the cathedral and back to their church. I love this festival and hopefully next year I will participate in a procession.

La Feria (The Fair) is the other festival. Normally held in April or May, this event is more about partying, drinking Manzanilla (a strong Spanish sherry), and dancing Sevillianas (a traditional dance). It’s a week-long party and a fun way to appreciate Spanish life.

Compared to my stressful, money focused situation back home, as an English teacher I have plenty of time to live my life, and hardly ever think that I’m teaching for the money. The satisfaction of watching my students learn and progress provides me with a more meaningful way of life.

I only work four days a week, with the occasional Friday meeting, which gives me plenty of time to travel around Spain and to write. I never had this much free time in my own country and it means I can do things I’ve always wanted—like learning flamenco guitar.

Seville is also a great hub for traveling. There are snow-clad mountains for skiing, sandy beaches and Portugal is only two hours away. And if you fancy somewhere more exotic, then Morocco is easy to get to by ferry as well.

Editor’s note: Barry learned a new teaching skill that led him to his new life in Spain. But you can enjoy your new life overseas, while getting paid to use the skills you already have. Find out more here.

Recommended Reading:

• Five New Ways to Earn an Income Overseas

• Teaching English in Costa Rica

• Thailand: Teach English Overseas

But if you need to keep earning an income, it may seem like there is no way to make it happen.

Don’t worry—more and more North Americans have figured this out. You can, too.

Just don’t let these “working abroad” myths discourage you. Here are the ones I hear most often:

Myth #1 – It is difficult for North Americans to work abroad because of visa restrictions.

Most countries around the world are justifiably protective of the jobs their citizens hold. They don’t want a flood of newcomers putting the local population out of work.

Hence immigration and visa rules and regulations.

But there is a loophole…

In most countries, if you do work over the Internet and the money you earn never goes into the local currency and you are (for example) paid in your home country—you can steer clear of the problems you might have if you try to go to work in your new home town abroad.

This is a breakthrough! In most countries, a wide variety of work over the Internet is a “go.”

(You’ll want to check with an immigration attorney to fully counsel you on this…rules vary widely from country to country…but the news on this is pretty good for Internet workers.)

If you work or have worked with your brain, you are a good candidate for being able to sell your thinking ability, talking ability, human interaction skills, writing skills or knowledge (yes, even medical professionals, engineers) to someone somewhere in the global economy.

Myth #2 – You have to be a technology god to work online.

These days, getting online in most places around the world is fast and easy.

But the real question is: “What kind of work do I do online if I’m not a tech wizard?”

Freelancing is the best choice for the beginner, no question. You can start small, build it up and work as little or as much as you’d like.

There are literally hundreds of thousands of assignments. Proofreading, editing, writing, creating instructional videos, covering a customer service shift, giving advice and just about any other skill you ever heard of (and many you haven’t) are in demand on some “job network” somewhere, right now.

There is a perfect job online for almost everyone right now.

When you start working online you become a citizen of a new world…the online world…and things are a little different.

Working over the Internet was nearly impossible five or six short years ago. The job networks were much smaller, the technology was feeble and there were very few tools to help you get up-to-speed and productive quickly.

Today, job networks are doubling (or more) in size every 12 months, technology is more solid everyday (and now mobile) and there are a host of tools that make worldwide collaboration easier than ever before.

What are you waiting for?

Editor’s note: You can make money from anywhere in the world. Find out more here.

One morning during the trip, I found myself scratching my head outside my hotel. I was staring at a large pile of sleeping bags, tents, mountaineering boots, ice axes, and food stacked on the sidewalk.

Somehow, we had to get this huge pile of gear, five climbers, and our hired driver into a 1980’s era Toyota Corolla taxi, and then on to a remote region of the Andes six hours to the southwest. To my surprise, a bit of ingenuity, rope, and creative seating arrangements did the trick and before we knew it we were bumping down a dirt road toward the entrance of Sajama National Park near the Chilean border.

Our principle goal was to climb Nevado Sajama, Bolivia’s highest peak, but we also wanted to explore the surrounding region and soak up the stark, but stunning scenery. Despite the cold temperatures and high altitude, my companions and I thoroughly enjoyed exploring this seldom-visited region of South America.

Throughout our trip, I took pictures I planned to submit to online stock photo agencies. This trip was no different; a few good shots I captured in my week in Sajama covered all my expenses for that portion of the trip, as well as many other costs incurred during my six-weeks in South America.

Stock photography can be lucrative, but it’s also not a secret anymore. One way to still find success is to photograph situations that capture the essence of a place, but don’t use the same tired viewpoints of cliché scenes that every other tourist also photographs. Think beyond the Eiffel Tower in France and past Machu Picchu in Peru. The goal is to make the region recognizable (a key in travel stock photography), but set your picture apart amongst the masses of others like it (just like the image above).

I captured this shot on my trip to Bolivia. The scene is instantly recognizable as being from the Andes and generic enough to be used in many different ways by a designer. The image has since appeared in a Footprint Guidebook, travel magazines and websites, and many more places.

Following this strategy is a great way for new photographers to combine their love of travel with an entrance into stock photography. The demand for online stock photos has increased significantly during the past five years and I’ve seen a growing need for unique travel photos from across the globe.

I’d recommend starting with places you are familiar with, as you’ve already got a leg up on the competition there. Very talented photographers have already photographed the iconic scenes across the world from many different angles, but the back roads are still wide open to the rest of us!

Editor’s Note: If you’d like to learn more about ways you can pay for your life or travels overseas, including travel photography, sign up for Fund Your Life Overseas, a free e-letter from International Living. Sign up here and we’ll send you a free report: Fund Your New Life Overseas With These 5 Portable Careers.

Recommended Reading:

• What a Way to Earn a Living—Whisky, Castles and Scottish Islands

• Get Paid to Play With Dolphins

• The Photo That Keeps on Selling

In one of the musical’s songs, an investigative committee demands to know how Mr. X, a minor city official, can afford a private yacht…

An offended Mr. X bursts into song:

I am positive your Honor must be joking!
Any working man can do what I have done.
For a month or two I simply gave up smoking,
And I put my extra pennies one by one
Into a little tin box…
That a little tin key unlocks.

Like Mr. X, it might be worth getting your own “little tin box.” It gives you greater personal and financial privacy, and it’s also a good protection against theft or destruction of cash, valuables, important papers, or stock certificates.

A safe deposit box is just a lockable metal box or drawer, inside a bank or private vault, which is used for safely storing your valuables. And the annual rent for a safe deposit box can be as little as $500.

On a traditional safe deposit box there are two different keys, both of which must be used to open the box. One key (usually two copies of it) is given to you as the box renter. It is up to you to safeguard the key. Typically, the key will not have a box number or bank name on it.

The second key is known as the “guard key.” It is not a master key like those used in hotels and office buildings to open all rooms. Instead, it is the second half of the security on the safe deposit box. The box cannot be opened solely with the guard key. Both your renter’s key and the guard key must be used.

If you lose your keys the box lock must be drilled and a new lock supplied. Not surprisingly, under the contract, you have to pay for drilling and re-keying the box.

This key system provides some protection against a dishonest employee pilfering boxes. But nowadays, safe crackers like those Sherlock Holmes encountered in the “The Red-Headed League” or crooked bank employees may not be the greatest threat.

Before the 2001 PATRIOT Act became law, as a general rule, in the U.S. only a court could issue a search warrant authorizing access to a safe deposit box. That warrant had to be based on a finding of “probable cause” that the box might contain illegal substances, stolen property, illicit cash, or documents or other evidence required by the court.

But Now the IRS Can Gain Access…

But now the U.S. Internal Revenue Service can gain access to a domestic safe deposit box when they freeze all a person’s assets, including bank accounts and the box contents as part of the collection process. For this method of IRS collection, they do not need a separate search warrant to access the box. (In the United Kingdom, police have staged massive raids on safe deposit boxes in the London area, which have been hotly contested in court.)

One easily-available defense against unwarranted police or legal actions is to rent a safe deposit box located in a foreign country.

Many offshore banks offer safe deposit boxes for private custody of cash, securities, diamonds, gem stones, gold bullion, and other precious metals. This is usually an associated service that goes along with an actual bank account; if that is the case, it is reportable to the U.S. Treasury on the Foreign Bank Account Reporting Form (FBAR), also known as TD Form 90-22.1, which is due by June 30 each year.

Most banks require you to open an account first before you can rent a box. But provided you keep the account value under the $10,000 limit during the calendar year, you don’t have to declare it on the FBAR.

To avoid having to make a personal visit to your offshore safe deposit box each time you wish to add or remove valuables, you can give a local offshore attorney or other trusted intermediary a limited “Power of Attorney” to perform this function for you.

But banks are not the only places that offer safe deposit boxes. Non-bank safekeeping is available through private vaults. Since private vaults are not financial institutions, they are subject to fewer record keeping and disclosure requirements. Vaults permit anonymous safekeeping arrangements and they honor Power of Attorney arrangements. For added security and confidentiality a box can be rented in the name of your LLC or corporation.

Since private-vault safe deposit boxes are not associated with a bank account and do not constitute a “financial account,” they are not FBAR reportable.

It’s a good idea to insure your valuables against theft or damage. Bear in mind that a domestic insurer will have to know what’s in the box. Some private vaults do offer their clients insurance.

One foreign private vault I recommend is in Austria.

Editor’s note: Bob Bauman is a regular writer in International Living’s monthly magazine. In the last few months alone he has written about safe deposit boxes, why Uruguay is an easy, low-tax haven and about a tropical paradise where you can protect your wealth. When you subscribe to International Living magazine, you’ll have instant access to all these articles…and a lot more — from offshore matters to retirement lifestyles to property overseas. Find out more here.

This photograph was taken on the very last day of a recent trip I took to the region, during a two-hour photo shoot of the castle and the surrounding landscape.

As my last visit there was some years back, I had hoped to take some more photos this time around. The light was quite interesting that day so we decided to explore the shore around the castle and the nearby hills for good view points. The view chosen for this photograph is one of the classic views of this famous castle. This perspective shows best how the castle sits on its island in the Loch and places the building in a good context with the surrounding hills the dramatic clouds above.

Images of famous sights and views like this one are easy to sell if they are of a good quality. What I like to photograph most are landscapes or images of wildlife and nature. A lot of my published work appears in brochures, magazines or on websites, with the occasional use in books.

I was visiting the highlands and islands of Scotland with two photographer friends of mine. We had stayed in the famous Glencoe for a few days where we meant to go hiking in the hills, but the weather turned very wet, as it often does in that part of Scotland. So, after a short visit to Glen Nevis we went to Fort William for some shopping and then onward to the Isle of Skye.

Skye has some of the most beautiful landscapes of the highlands, and even with the frequent rain it is a photographer’s dream. We stayed there for a week: hiking, taking photos, playing traditional music and tasting the local whisky. We even saw some Golden Eagles and White Tailed Sea Eagles on our last day.

The food and drink of Skye has developed an international reputation and you’ll find famous restaurants here, such as the Three Chimneys, housed in a 100-year-old cottage overlooking the sea on the shores of Loch Dunvegan in northwestern Skye. If you’re thirsty, there’s the Isle of Skye Brewery, which you can also tour. If you prefer a more traditional taste of Scotland, you can check out the Talisker Distillery.

When we were leaving, the return drive for the ferry brought us past Eilean Donan Castle—and that’s when I got my chance to take what turned out to be the best photograph I took that whole trip.

Although the little island it sits on has been inhabited since the 6th century, when an Irish saint lived here, the first fortified castle wasn’t built until 1220 when the Scottish king, Alexander II, had it constructed as a defense against the Vikings.

By the late 13th century, Eilean Donan had become a stronghold of the Mackenzies of Kintail. (Nowadays it is the home turf of the MacRae clan.) In April 1719 the castle was occupied by Spanish troops as part of a Jacobite uprising. The castle was captured and bombarded by three Royal Navy frigates to ensure it would never pose a threat again. For the following two centuries, it lay in ruins until it was restored between 1919 and 1932 by Lt. Col. John MacRae-Gilstrap.

Editor’s Note: If you’d like to learn more about ways you can pay for your life or travels overseas, including travel photography, sign up for Fund Your Life Overseas, a free e-letter from International Living. Sign up here and we’ll send you a free report: Fund Your New Life Overseas With These 5 Portable Careers.

Recommended Reading:

• How to Make Money on Every Trip Abroad

• The Photo That Keeps on Selling

There’s a lot to consider when buying a home anywhere, but especially one overseas. First thing you want to know is how much it’s going to cost. With bang-for-your-buck in mind, Ecuador comes out on top in the Index, offering some of the best-value real estate in the world. For $50,000 you can buy a penthouse suite in a colonial town or a beachfront condo.

In fact, it’s so affordable that some expats choose both. Ron and Terresa Moore, for example, bought a two-bedroom condo in the Andean town of Cotacachi and a new two-bedroom condo on the beach in Crucita—grand total: $111,000. Now they split their time between the two.

In Panama you’ll find bargains, too. Karl and Liz Parker bought their home among the pines of Alto Boquete for $100,000. Marvin and Joanne Riddell bought their 1,650-square-foot beachfront condo in La Barqueta for $180,000…fully furnished. And in Panama City you’ll find beautiful apartments from $90,000. And don’t overlook Mexico.

In places like Tulum, on the country’s Caribbean coast, you’ll find properties right near some of the finest beach in the world from $167,000. We didn’t just look at real estate prices. We always recommend you rent before you buy, so we also considered costs. Again Ecuador is the front runner.

You can rent a two-bedroom apartment on the beach for $500 a month or a condo in colonial Cuenca for $500. In Thailand, about $500 a month will get you a really nice, liveable place just about anywhere in the country. IL contributor, Jason Gaspero pays just $222 a month for his beachside bungalow with air conditioning, hot water, WiFi, and a refrigerator.

See below for more on how our top retirement havens scored in the Real Estate category. You can read the full Retirement Index 2012 article here.

Ecuador, Scored 97/100

Ecuador topped the real estate category in this year’s Retirement Index—and value was a huge factor. In places like Cuenca and Vilcabamba, you can buy a three-bedroom home for $79,000 or a pretty three-bedroom home on an acre of land…with a pool…for $99,000. Land is particularly cheap. We found a five-acre plot in a rural area with river views on the market for $60,000. Build costs are low too—you can easily build a home in Ecuador for $30 to $50 per square foot.

Real estate prices are even low on Ecuador’s sought-after coast. We recently discovered a 2,000-square-foot, four-bedroom beach house north of Salinas…with a pool…for just $107,000.

Panama, Scored 95/100

Whether you want to find a luxury apartment in Panama City, a beautiful property in the mountains, or a sprawling lot on the beach, Panama offers it all.

Panama is regularly hailed for providing First-world luxuries at Third-world costs. Panama City is a modern metropolis, where you will easily find all of the amenities and comforts you need. Nevertheless, the country’s economy is still developing, and prices are relatively inexpensive across the board.

You can find condos listed at luxury prices—$250,000 and up. But you can also find condos for much less. A unit here recently sold for $82,000…it was located in Panama City’s popular and central El Cangrejo neighborhood. It came furnished with one-bedroom, 650-square-foot of floor space and air conditioning. The building had all the amenities you’d want like social area and pool, sauna, party room, and doorman.

Head down to David, the capital of Chiriqui province (about a five-hour drive west of Panama City), and the deals get even better. It offers most every city comfort, but on a smaller scale than big, bustling Panama City. High speed Internet, malls and movies, government offices, hospitals and banks—David has it all.

In David, you’ll find there are more houses than apartments. The closer you get to the town center, the higher the price. The closer to the airport (or to any neighborhood 10 minutes or more from the town center), the lower the price.

Humble abodes go for as little as $50,000 in these parts, but even fancier digs don’t cost much more. We found an 800-square-foot, two-bedroom house five minutes from the David town center, on a 5,000-square-foot lot. It was on the market for just $80,000.

Mexico, Scored 94/100

Whether your dream retreat is a graceful colonial home with lavish gardens, a simple beachfront bungalow where you can prop up your feet and watch the tide roll in, an expansive hacienda with enough acreage for horses to roam, or a cliff-side villa with sunset views and cool, steady breezes, you’ll find it in Mexico.

Sure, you can spend several million dollars for an exclusive retreat on the Pacific Coast or the Riviera Maya, but for $150,000 you can buy a beautiful house in the heart of the Yucatán or in Mexico’s colonial heartlands, around Lake Chapala, Guadalajara, and also the El Bajío area—San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato or Querétaro. Thousands of Americans, Canadians and other foreigners have already found the property they want at a price they can easily afford.

U.S. and Canadian expats have been attracted to the Lake Chapala area by homes with gentle arches, hand-painted tiles, and adjoining gardens that bloom all year round. Typical of low real estate prices is a 775-square-foot house we spotted for sale recently in San Antonio. Furnished, it’s a one-level home with one bedroom and one bathroom. An easy-to-maintain property, it has an open floor plan, an efficient kitchen and dining area, and a private courtyard. It’s within walking distance of shops, services, and restaurants. Price: $79,000.

Malaysia, Scored 94/100

Conjuring up all the mysteries of Asia, Malaysia is a former British colony that remains as colorful as ever. Beyond the lofty skyscrapers of the capital, Kuala Lumpur, its dramatic canvas is embroidered with tropical beaches, mountains, dense rainforest, and vividly green tea plantations.

Malaysia has great infrastructure and foreigners are allowed to own properties freehold, has no inheritance tax, and places no tax on income repatriated from overseas. There’s no property capital gain tax either.

There is only one restriction for foreigners when buying property in Malaysia: You have to spend the minimum amount of $147,000. Though property purchases elsewhere in Asia are often very restricted, here you can buy property outright and you don’t have to be a resident of Malaysia to do so.

Colombia, Scored 93/100

Colombia is rapidly raising its profile as a prospective retirement destination, and it has plenty of top locations to choose from.

The local property market in Santa Marta, Colombia’s Caribbean city, has come alive as new development races down the coast, and buildings in the historic center undergo renovation. People from Medellín and Bogotá are buying second homes here in record numbers. Many Colombians living in the U.S. are investing in Santa Marta, too.

We visited three, recently-completed waterfront condo towers overlooking the new marina, and found that there were only two condos left for sale. The asking prices were under $2,100 per square meter in both cases, which is quite reasonable for a new beachfront condo, but at the high end for Santa Marta. (At that price, a large condo of 1,100 square feet would cost around $210,000.)

But just two blocks in from the beach, with a marina view, we found one project with prices starting at just $1,550 per square meter. So their entry-level 61-square-meter unit was going for $94,500. This project is also just two blocks from the historic center, and units here would make a great rental.

Medellín is another hot-spot. It’s modern and cosmopolitan…clean and safe. And it’s also a great buy right now, like high-end condos in good neighborhoods starting at just $80,000, and large luxury penthouses going for under $150,000.

Dominican Republic, Scored 93/100

Long familiar to Europeans, the Dominican Republic is becoming increasingly popular with North Americans…and property is affordable.

One expat favorite is Punta Cana, which enjoys excellent infrastructure. It feels a bit “Miami”…fun, sand and sun. The hotels pushed the price of beachfront land sky-high, but off-beach property remains affordable. Only 547 yards from the beach, two-bedroom, two-bath condos in three-story blocks start at $147,000. The 1,237-square-foot units come with marble floors and granite countertops.

If you prefer a resort lifestyle, you might like another development we spotted. It offers condos in a golf and beach community. One-bedroom, one-bath units, 1,022 square feet in size, cost $190,000. They come with access to the resort’s amenities and full property management. The resort itself is ultra-luxurious, with ornate furnishings, stylish restaurants and an incredible spa.

Cabarete, in the north of the island, was the resort destination until Punta Cana stole the show in the mid-1990s.

Another strong choice in the Dominican Republic, albeit one that is very different from Punta Cana, is the beach town of Las Terrenas. It comes with a sizeable group of Italian and French expats who have a taste for interior design and gourmet food.

Properties that have hit the market in Las Terrenas of late include a three-bedroom, three-bath home, with a separate one-bedroom, one-bath guesthouse, in a small development. It was offered with a deck and pool, and it is a short walk to the beach, restaurants and cafés. It’s on the market for $255,000.

Editor’s Note: Learn more about real estate opportunities as well as travel, lifestyle and retirement information in the top havens around the world. Sign up for International Living’s free daily postcard e-letters here and receive a special report “International Living’s Insider Guide to Buying Real Estate Overseas.”

With a home perched high on a ridge above Lake Phewa Tal, she can gaze out at the snow-capped Annapurna mountains, look down at the town of Pokhara along the lakeshore, and plan her day in the lush foothills of the Nepalese Himalayas.

Sixty-one-year-old Juliette was a successful author in England before packing up her belongings and opening a guesthouse and restaurant in Nepal. “I had been visiting on an annual basis for about 20 years before moving here in 2009. As I got off the plane in Kathmandu, I found myself saying out loud, ‘You’re home.’ Somehow I felt destined to move here, and meeting my Nepali partner, Dibya, in 2005, meant everything fell into place.”

The couple settled in Pokhara, the country’s tourism hub and a tranquil city with a population of roughly 250,000. Juliette’s property sits in one of Pokhara’s prime locations—on top of a hill high above the beautiful Lake Phewa Tal.

Pokhara has a small-town vibe and the locals are friendly. Most people get up daily at around 6 a.m., drink their morning chai (tea), do a little meditation, and chat with neighbors while their children play. Some vendors sell baked goods from large baskets, while others supply the shops with vegetables and milk. Mopeds whiz past and the occasional cow and her calf will wander up to make your acquaintance.

The old town, which can be found on the northern side of the city, features narrow streets, old bazaars, Newari housing of traditional decorative brickwork and intricate carved wooden windows.

Then there’s the lakeside district on the shore of Phewa Tal—where Nepal’s adventure hub meets stunning scenery. Tour operators and hiking outfitters have taken over this section of town, and this is where most westerners and expats make their home.

You can enjoy paragliding, boat trips, trekking, white-water rafting, kayaking, and moped trips around the lake and foothills. There are nearby swim holes and waterfalls that make for excellent day trips. A visit would not be complete without a walk up to the World Peace Pagoda next to Juliette’s guesthouse. Here, you can sit in on a ceremony and listen to the chants and drums of the Buddhist monks.

Juliette’s guesthouse, the Peace Dragon Lodge & Restaurant, is built in traditional Nepalese style, with ornate furnishings and bright local fabrics. It costs between $25 and $45 per night to stay—good value given the location. And since the grand opening one-and-a-half years ago, business has picked up steadily.

“We get a wide range of clients from across the globe, many of them professional people taking a well-earned break. We are finding that the more mature traveler is discovering the joys of the region. Oftentimes, people have traveled to Nepal as part of a small group; the more energetic ones go off to climb to Everest Base Camp, whilst others come to spend a more restful time here at the lodge, doing short day and half-day treks from here,” explains Juliette.

The expat community in Pokhara is relatively small compared with other retirement destinations. Some foreigners come part-time, for three to five months, and there are a few married to Nepalis, running businesses like Juliette.

Nepal is for the adventurous, says Juliette. “It’s magnificent, though it really is like stepping back 50 years—and sometimes centuries.”

Editor’s Note: If you’d like to learn more about ways you can pay for your life or travels overseas, sign up for Fund Your Life Overseas, a free e-letter from International Living. Sign up here and we’ll send you a free report: Fund Your New Life Overseas With These 5 Portable Careers.

Recommended Reading:

• A New Life and a New Business in Panama

• An American Success Story in France

• Business in Medellin, Colombia: The “City of Opportunity”

His new book tells the stories of 10 successful entrepreneurs making their dreams come true in Mendoza’s beautiful wine country right now, and the lessons he takes from their stories will inspire anyone thinking of starting a business abroad. David shares his story with us on this episode of Finding Your Overseas Paradise.

Editor’s Note: If you’d like to learn more about ways you can pay for your life or travels overseas, sign up for Fund Your Life Overseas, a free e-letter from International Living. Sign up here and we’ll send you a free report: Fund Your New Life Overseas With These 5 Portable Careers.

You can listen to more Podcasts here.

If yes, join us in Ecuador this August for our Fast-Track Ecuador: Lifestyle & Opportunity Conference. Discover a place where you can live life like it’s meant to be lived.

Please contact us here for more information.

Fifteen in all, their beaches are of white-powdered sands, the waters aquamarine and turquoise, and the climate ideal.

From the shores of palm-fringed lagoons rise soaring volcanic peaks clad in lush green jungle. The locals speak English, and though this paradise is hard to get to, 100,000 people make the trip every year.

But the weather, the laidback lifestyle, and the picture-perfect land and seascapes are not the biggest attraction…

Because these islands have a legacy, and I’m not talking about pirates and buried treasure. (Although what I’m about to reveal is an excellent way of protecting your wealth.)

These islands are an independent country joined in “free association” with New Zealand. It has its own government and court system, the New Zealand dollar is the local currency, and it definitely qualifies as what used to be called a “tax haven,” now replaced by the politically correct term “offshore financial center.”

In the 1980s, certain American asset-protection attorneys played a very active role in advising the government on asset-protection issues, actually drafting statutes for the island’s parliament. This legacy may be one of the reasons the trust law embodies all the best legal concepts concerning modern trusts. As such, it has served as the example for many other offshore financial centers.

Their government officially guarantees no taxes will be imposed on offshore legal entities based there and none ever have. Usually offshore transactions are in U.S. dollars, although other currencies are available.

When explaining why “offshore” is the best place for maximum asset protection, I often hear complaints about long distances and time differences.

But it’s that very distance, and the stronger privacy and asset protection afforded by offshore laws, which gives important extra dimensions of safety for your cash and assets.

And the place you choose to conduct your business is probably the most important basic decision you must make when going offshore.

The trust legislation of these islands is considered cutting edge and has been copied by many offshore financial centers. The asset-protection trust law has now been implemented in one form or another in 13 countries and eight U.S. states. Other laws provide for modern international business corporations (IBCs), limited liability companies (LLCs), and partnerships.

There is strict official supervision of operation of offshore banks, insurance companies, maritime shipping and trusts. And there is a trained international professional community to support these services. With a British common law tradition and English as the primary language, these islands also have an active offshore-banking sector attractive to both Asians and North Americans. Several major Pacific-area banks have offices there.

All that, plus a very strict financial-privacy law that protects you, your assets and your business—a law that even the U.S. government and the IRS have been unable to crack.

Strong financial and banking secrecy provisions apply here, requiring government officials, as well as trustee company and bank employees, to observe strict secrecy backed by criminal sanctions.

In a major American legal challenge to the trust law in these islands, the U.S. government tried to force the repatriation of funds under one of these trusts and lost, even though the Americans who created the trust for a time were jailed for contempt of court. Not even a U.S. federal court could crack the island’s trust laws.

This might be just the place for your asset-protection trust. Some cautious people don’t like to put too much distance between themselves and their assets—and these islands definitely are far away. But as I said, distance between your assets and those trying to grab them are exactly what you need.

Editor’s note: Bob Bauman’s full and detailed article—including the name of the islands and important contacts—appears in the current issue of International Living magazine. When you subscribe to IL, you get instant access to the January issue, including Bob’s wealth protection article.

Whatever you fantasize about… come with that idea in mind. We’ll show you the places in the world today where you can live your dream, for a small fraction of what you’d pay for a comparable life at home.

Please contact us for more information.

All your eggs aren’t in one basket. If the value of your dollar goes down, for example, you might be very happy to have an income stream in Brazilian reais…or Colombian pesos.

Diversification…particularly in turbulent times…is just plain common sense.

If you only want to use your home abroad for part of the year…you could use your rental income from the rest of the year to fund your lifestyle when you visit.

The city of Medellin, Colombia is a place where you could do this.

Medellin is an extremely pleasant place to spend time, especially the leafy high-end area of El Poblado. This is a great place to sip coffee or enjoy a nice meal in the shade next to one of the many streams that babble down the hillside.

Bright sunshine and temperatures in the low 70s are typical of the weather you can expect year-round. This area is convenient. Compact. I got around mostly by foot. At 5,000 feet, the altitude is comfortable and the sunshine fresh on your face.

This area of El Poblado is upper middle class. Even in this prime area, 190 million Colombian pesos ($102,000) could buy you a 1,000-square-foot condo with views to the valley and outside space.

Because the price is low…even with modest rents, yields could be strong.

Real estate here is priced in the Colombian peso. While some foreign owners quote rents in euros or dollars, the main rental market is priced in pesos. As with buying in any non- dollar denominated market, you are exposed to exchange rate fluctuations.

(In Brazil members of Real Estate Trend Alert have done well on the currency side of the equation on top of the asset appreciation we have enjoyed. But let me be clear on one thing: I’ll leave foreign exchange predictions to others. That’s not my beat.)

Yields in Medellin from short-term rentals are strong. If you buy a unit here and make it available for short-term rental, you could net 8%.

This means that your 190 million peso condo could generate more than 1.3 million pesos ($700) a month in income after you have paid your bills (excluding any income tax liability). Short-term rental demand is strong from visiting expats. Or, you could rent long-term to a visiting executive from the resources industry.

Foreign investment in Colombia doubled the first half of last year versus the previous year. The major resource players are flooding back in as Colombia becomes more stable. Wealthy Colombians are keeping more of their money in the country. I saw this first-hand last year at the beach resorts near Santa Marta, where Colombians from Medellin, Bogota…and Colombians living in the U.S….were snapping up pre-construction condos.

Eight years ago they were buying in Panama and Miami. Now they are keeping their pesos in places like Medellin.

When you subscribe to my Real Estate Trend Alert service, you can immediately access reports on opportunities to generate income in currencies including the Colombian peso, Brazilian real…and even the battered euro (fire sales).

Editor’s Note: Ronan McMahon is a director of Pathfinder—IL’s preferred real estate advertiser.

International Living has been writing about Panama as a must-see destination for many years, and the country has just been named as the second best place in the world to retire in IL’s just released Global Retirement Index.

This week, local news sources were buzzing about Michael and Catherine’s visit. The A-list couple apparently flew with their children, Dylan and Carys, for a tres chic event on a private island called Simca in the Chiriqui region.

Other celebrities have been visiting Panama to enjoy some incognito time for years, too.

On January 9, one publication sported a photograph of decorating mogul Martha Stewart with Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli, who were also at the party, which was apparently thrown by Jean “Johnny” Pigozzi, the wealthy investor, photographer, philanthropist, art collector, turned fashion impresario who just turned 60. Pigozzi founded The Liquid Jungle Lab, a tropical marine research station located on the vast Simca Island, also known as Isla de Canales de Tierra.

Angelina Jolie and husband Brad Pitt visited recently to view the Frank Gehry designed Bridge of Life Museum, currently under construction in the Amador neighborhood of Panama City. Jolie reportedly returned to attend the exclusive party that brought Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas here.

Football player Jeremy Shockey is often spotted in Panama and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has confessed to our staffers that Contadora Island is one of his favorite getaways (the same island that hosted the Shah of Iran when he was in exile). And how much did John Wayne love Panama? An entire island has been themed-out in his honor. Located just across from the town of Punta Chame, Taborcillo Island belonged to the actor before he passed away, and was purchased and developed into a western-themed resort when sold by his estate.

But it’s not just the rich and famous who enjoy a vacation to Panama. Because of the low cost of living, travel in Panama can be very affordable. Panama is a tourist wonderland just waiting to be discovered. The country’s expansive rainforests are among the richest and most complex on the planet. Panama boasts two full coasts of pristine palm-lined beaches, vast national parks and reserves, eco-systems ringed by mangroves, and primary rainforests.

And thriving Panama City has great shopping, theater, jazz clubs, casinos, bars, and night clubs, so there’s a lot to keep you entertained. There are also plenty of hotels to suit all budgets.

Editor’s Note: Learn more about Panama and other countries in our daily postcard e-letter. Sign up for our free daily e-letter here and we’ll send you a FREE REPORT — Panama: First World Convenience at Third World Prices.

Recommended Reading:

• Five Day Trips from Panama City: Islands, Islets and White-Sand Beaches

• Video Postcard: A Day-Trip in Panama

• The Best Places to Vacation in Panama