International Living Profiles

Real life stories from people, just like you, who have made the move overseas.

For more than 30 years, International Living has been reporting on the world’s top overseas retirement and relocation destinations. We have editors all over the world, and in this time they have met many people who are living their dream overseas.

Some have retired…others have relocated and started their own business in their new country.

From Europe to Latin America, International Living profiles tell the inspirational stories of those who have taken the leap and moved overseas. If they can do it, so can you. See below for their stories.

IL Profiles

Living by the Beach in the Dominican Republic
Posted on May 15, 2012 by Lindsay de Feliz

Just a few decades ago there were only two ways to reach the natural paradise of Las Terrenas, on the Dominican Republic’s Samana Peninsula. You could take a horse, or a boat. Then, word spread among Europeans about a place with stunning waterfalls cascading down from lush green mountains, and shady woodlands touching on miles of palm-fringed, white-sand beaches.
Beach Life in Ecuador
Posted on May 14, 2012 by Chuck Stanley

“We’re right on the beach and we love that,” says expat Cynthia Kelley. “We can hear the ocean at night and we love to watch the sunset over the water in the evenings.” It’s easy to get the feeling that you’re a million miles away from the rest of the world in Canoa, on Ecuador’s northern coast.
“Why We Moved to Belize”
Posted on May 12, 2012 by Domini Hedderman

Ever since settling in the Toledo district of the country in 2005, Chris and his wife Sue have been surrounded by a tropical wonderland of flowers, trees and animals. Life is simpler in Belize. Unobtrusive government, healthy food, a friendly, laid-back population, and a cheap standard of living make life easier all-around, says Chris.
Granada, Nicaragua: Live Well on $700 a Month
Posted on May 2, 2012 by Rebecca Teeters

Nicaragua’s best-preserved colonial city, Granada is a popular tourist attraction with a thriving expat community. My husband Shylow and I came here in May 2010 and fell in love with the beautiful architecture, friendly locals, and seriously low cost. After leaving the U.S. and all that we were used to, we found a place where our hard-earned money could stretch past the house mortgage.
Beach Life in Ecuador: “Everybody Creates their Own Dream”
Posted on April 25, 2012 by Chuck Stanley

We’re right on the beach and we love that,” says expat Cynthia Kelley. “We can hear the ocean at night and we love to watch the sunset over the water in the evenings.” It’s easy to get the feeling that you’re a million miles away from the rest of the world in Canoa, on Ecuador’s northern coast.
IL Readers at Home in Oceanfront Havens
Posted on April 25, 2012 by International Living

Just a few decades ago there were only two ways to reach the natural paradise of Las Terrenas, on the Dominican Republic’s Samana Peninsula. You could take a horse, or a boat.
Road Testing Retirement: From Beaches to the Highlands in Mexico
Posted on April 25, 2012 by Jonathan Look, Jr.

The clouds are sliding off the mountaintops and the sun is warming the pine-scented air. I’m in tropical latitudes but the locals here go about their daily routines swaddled in multi-colored, locally-loomed woolens, just as they have for centuries. It can get chilly at night. Though during the day it’s usually mild enough to relax outdoors.
Mid-Life Adventure in Ireland
Posted on April 12, 2012 by Gary Hetzler

A typical day for us starts with the braying of our pet donkeys Molly and Malone. Getting up to feed them and our goats is never a chore. We left Massachusetts for Ireland to live in exactly this kind of quiet, rural oasis.
Our Mid-Life Adventure in Ireland
Posted on March 27, 2012 by Gary Hetzler

A typical day for us starts with the braying of our pet donkeys Molly and Malone. Getting up to feed them and our goats is never a chore. We left Massachusetts for Ireland to live in exactly this kind of quiet, rural oasis.
Low Costs and the Good Life Abroad
Posted on March 27, 2012 by International Living

The lush, green valley of Vilcabamba was where the royalty of the Inca Empire came for their rest and relaxation. You can still ﬁnd reminders of their ancient civilization. And people are still coming here to ﬁnd tranquility and live well. In the past three years, this magical place has experienced a tsunami of new arrivals.
Making a Life and a Living in Basilicata
Posted on March 27, 2012 by Valerie Fortney Schneider

Making the decision to transplant ourselves to Italy was easy. Making the move itself was painless. Making ourselves at home was smooth and immediate. Making a living…well, that’s another beast. I’m not going to lie to you—working in Italy can be difﬁcult. But it’s more than worth it.
“Why I Moved from California for a Better Quality of Life in Paris”
Posted on March 22, 2012 by Barbara Diggs

When Elizabeth Milovidov stood on the cobbles before the thousand-year-old Notre Dame Cathedral and wandered Paris’s narrow stone streets, soaking up the history and elegant architecture, she knew that her heart was lost. “I thought: I want to be a part of all this,” she says. “I knew I had to live here.”
Panama: Great Health Care at a Fraction of The Cost
Posted on March 7, 2012 by Terry Coles

As a Texan firefighter my husband, Clyde, had premium health insurance—which the city helped pay for. But once he retired we would have had to pay the full amount, about $1,000 a month. Since we were both too young for Medicaid, we wanted to live somewhere with good health care that cost less than the U.S. Panama topped all the lists.
Living on a European Island for $68 a Day
Posted on February 24, 2012 by Renee Pyburn

I’ve traveled in 92 countries, lived in Thailand and the Middle East, climbed the Pyramids, gone dog-sledding in Finland, trekked in Mali, seen the “gorillas in the mist” in Rwanda, and gone hot-air ballooning over the desert in Australia. I’ve had the chance to experience many cultures and see beautiful countries…but there’s only one place I love enough to spend half my year there when I retire in three years.
Happy and Healthy in Caribbean Belize
Posted on January 8, 2012 by Caren Abdela

In 2004—the day after returning from a sailing adventure in Placencia, Belize—Lucky made a routine trip to the doctor’s office. “His blood pressure was normal. The doctor was shocked,” says Erin. Belize was the reason. That helped focus the couple on a permanent move. They sat down and made out a five-year plan, developed a strict budget, and began downsizing.
Live in Malaysia
Posted on January 3, 2012 by Keith Hockton

On the terrace of the grand, British colonial E & O Hotel, evening light flickers through the coconut grove as a warm breeze drifts in from the Straits of Malacca. I’m sipping a gin and tonic, watching the sun go down. This has become one of my regular habits since moving to the island of Penang, off the west coast of mainland Malaysia, over a year ago.
Relaxed, Happy and Healthy in Caribbean Belize
Posted on December 20, 2011 by Caren Abdela

For years, Lucky and Erin Ivy say, they were living proof of the phrase …
Two Big Benefits of Living in Costa Rica
Posted on December 15, 2011 by Suzan Haskins

Healthier and happier. We hear that over and over from IL readers who move to Costa Rica. Ben Hill says “I was a junk food junkie…stopping at every 7-11 and buying a bag of chips and a coke, a candy bar…but now I eat healthy food, I feel better, I’m more flexible and I weigh a lot less than I did back in California.”
Happy Holidays Overseas
Posted on December 8, 2011 by Kent Zimmerman

When my old boss asked us if we wanted to go to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, over Christmas week, we jumped at the chance. It was such an amazing experience we never looked back. A Christmas in Mexico with all its color, warmth and vibrancy became our new family tradition. We didn’t miss the snow. The gorgeous blue waters and the long, warm evenings saw to that.
Retire to Paris—Big-City Life in Sophisticated Europe
Posted on November 24, 2011 by Pamela Griner Leavy

Day-glow sunrises and sunsets over the River Seine, fresh breakfast croissants on your private balcony overlooking Notre Dame Cathedral, public transportation practically at your doorstep. Try retirement in Paris, France; it’s as romantic and magical as you imagine, and it’s easier than you think.
These Readers Did It—So Can You
Posted on November 24, 2011 by International Living

“A Good Base for a Single Woman” Name: Jan Hunsinger Age: 64 From: California …
Unemployed in the U.S., International Designer in Mexico
Posted on November 24, 2011 by Arthur Hoffman

When Cheryl Finnegan lost her job, she considered putting up a fight. She could stay in San Francisco – maybe get back into another firm with another position in corporate marketing. Or she could do something else with her life. At the age of 39, in the middle of a divorce and with a generous severance package from her former employer, Levi Strauss, Cheryl did just that.
Small-town Panamanian Beach Life
Posted on November 2, 2011 by Jessica Ramesch

Marvin and Joanne Riddle don’t just enjoy “the best of both worlds”…they enjoy the best the whole world has to offer them. The couple spend part of every year in Florida, part of the year living on La Barqueta beach, in Panama’s Chiriquí province, and—when the mood takes them—they travel the world, too.
A New Life and Business in Belize
Posted on October 26, 2011 by Eoin Bassett

“I was a California business owner and completely stressed out by all the laws, regulations, and the failing economy. Plus, I had a dream of living in a different country that was culturally stimulating. Overall, I just didn’t feel in control of my destiny in the States, and I felt there must be a better way.” There was a better way, and Sharon found it in Belize.
Life in Granada, Nicaragua: Once a Dream…Now a Reality
Posted on October 20, 2011 by Rebecca Teeters

We’re lying together in a hammock. The sun is shining brightly overhead, there’s a cool breeze, and I can hear the distant sounds of a carnival. Our garden is lush and full of blooming hibiscus and ginger plants. Our fountain gurgles and above us the banana leaves sway. Once a dream, life here in Granada, Nicaragua, is now a reality.
How a Couple Can Live the Caribbean Island Dream for $66 a Day
Posted on September 16, 2011 by Yana Beranek

With some of the best beaches in the Caribbean, friendly locals, and a buzzing international expat community, the lifestyle we have in the Dominican Republic is incredible at the price. And you could live here for even less.
First Impressions—New Expats Find their Feet
Posted on September 16, 2011 by International Living

These new expatse have made the big move—now they call Belize, Mexico and Nicaragua home.
Get Moving on Your New Life Overseas
Posted on September 8, 2011 by Len Galvin

Every week, many IL readers make the crucial decision to “just do it,” and get moving on a new life overseas. Often we’re lucky enough that they send in their stories. Here, briefly, are four of my recent favorites…
Enjoying the Slower, “Old World” Pace in Belize, Ecuador and Panama
Posted on August 22, 2011 by International Living

Times were good until the economy began its downturn, crashing the real estate market. We were concerned that our retirement savings wouldn’t see us through, so we began looking overseas for a place where our ever-shrinking nest egg might last longer.
“How I Escape the Canadian Winter”
Posted on August 22, 2011 by Gerry Blackwell

Living in Valencia, Spain, for three months last winter was not just a welcome retreat from the cold Canadian winter… but great fun, too. Fallas, a city-wide, week-long party in March, served as the fitting and noisy climax.
From British Rocker to Argentine Farmer
Posted on August 22, 2011 by David Cummings

It’s been seven years since I hung up my trusty Telecaster guitar and left my life in Europe for the blue skies of the Argentine Pampas.
Part-Time Living in Belize
Posted on August 18, 2011 by International Living

Yvette Dalton was already looking for a new direction in life when a visit to her aunt in Belize set her on a new course. She liked Belize so much that she took a second vacation there later that year. “I met many new friends, experienced much of the country and decided this was where I should spend some of my lifetime.” Now she lives part-time in the Cayo district of Belize.
Why I Quit a Dream Job and Moved to Buenos Aires
Posted on August 17, 2011 by Greg Patrick

About five years ago I walked out on a dream job. I had been working for Dell and traveling to far-away places like the Philippines and Argentina. I’d often travel for months at a time… staying in luxurious hotels, dining at fine restaurants, and pretty much living like a rock star.
“The Extravagant Lifestyle I Never Thought I Could Afford”
Posted on August 17, 2011 by Lee Patrick

I had been researching the prospect of retiring overseas for two or three years.I had targeted seven countries: France, Italy, Belize, Costa Rica, Panama, Uruguay, and Ecuador. I attended International Living’s Live and Invest Overseas Conference in Las Vegas last September, and all these countries were represented.
“The Lifestyle is Excellent in Medellin, Colombia”
Posted on August 11, 2011 by Eoin Bassett

At first, it was every two months. Then once a month. But that wasn’t often enough for Larry Snyder. So in 2008 he packed his bags, and he and his German shepherd took a one-way flight to Medellin, Colombia.
Running a Successful B&B in Belize
Posted on July 28, 2011 by Lynn Armstrong

My husband Bob and I were looking for a change. We wanted a slower pace of life, a cheaper cost of living. And we wanted to meet new people who shared our same sense of adventure. We found it all in Belize.
Colombia’s Remedy for the Big City Blues
Posted on July 20, 2011 by Eva Bartlett

Every day, I walk to work past houses framed with bright bursts of ﬂowers, whose owners unfailingly smile and call out a greeting. I have moved to Chia, Colombia, 45 minutes north of Bogota.
With Our Child in Colonial Mexico
Posted on July 20, 2011 by Glynna Prentice

I think I’ve found our place.” That’s what Tim Leffel told his wife Donna after his ﬁ rst visit to Guanajuato, Mexico.
Finding Adventure in Retirement
Posted on July 20, 2011 by International Living

Three ex-pats in three different countries tell the story of how and why they made a new life for themselves abroad.
Tapping into Ecuador’s Rising Middle Class
Posted on July 20, 2011 by Herb Terry

Today, married to a pretty Ecuadorian, Henry is one of Quito’s most successful businessmen. For two years he traveled to Ecuador arranging mahogany shipments for a furniture company.