IL Postcard

Satisfy Your Hunger With the Whole Enchilada

Date: 09/18/2006

I love telling people about Mexico, and the wonderful life they can have here. That's part of my job…maybe the easiest part of my job. Because I truly believe there is no better place in the world to live than Mexico.

So when I am asked to participate in International Living events and tell people about my life here…and how they, too, can find the life of their dreams in Mexico, I jump at the chance. But when I have to travel outside of Mexico to do it, I do so with a conflicted heart. You see, I love my life in Mexico, and I don't like to leave.

There is one upcoming International Living event that I am particularly looking forward to, however. That's because, even though it will be held in Panama, the setting reminds me of Mexico. And the event itself will be unlike any other that International Living has ever hosted.

The whole enchilada: the conference to top all conferences

I am talking about the International Living Ultimate Event. It will take place October 18-21 at the Intercontinental Playa Bonita Resort and Spa, just outside Panama City. This is a brand-new luxurious property on an extraordinarily pretty stretch of beach. It will remind you of beaches on the lush Pacific Coast of Mexico - near Puerto Vallarta, for example - where the jungle comes right up to the water's edge. But here…in the sheltered Playa Bonita cove…the water laps gently at the beach. No rough surf. I love that.

But before I get too wrapped up describing the fabulous scenery, let me tell you about the conference. Let's just say this…if you're looking for the whole enchilada…the total information package you need to kickstart your new life overseas…this is where you'll get it.

Even if you have already decided that Mexico is the place for you, I'd suggest you attend this event. (Besides, I'll be there to help validate that decision and make sure you don't veer off track.) You see, all my fellow International Living Country Consultants will be at the Ultimate Event. You'll have the chance to talk one-on-one with the experts from Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Ecuador, Argentina, and more. Our IL colleagues from Europe will be there, too…you'll learn about opportunities in France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Croatia…even Asia and Australia.

I think you'll come away from this conference fully prepared to change your life for the better…by moving to or buying a vacation home in an exotic location, or investing in something almost certain to appreciate. I'll tell you all about opportunities in Mexico, of course - and you'll also hear about some places you have probably not yet considered.

That's what the Ultimate Event is all about, really. It's about learning what you don't know. Things you need to know. Things you didn't know you needed to know. Places you should investigate. And some you shouldn't. In just a few days, you'll hear about every topic of consideration and interest:

? Foreign Property Ownership: which countries offer the same rights to foreign property owners that they do to local owners? How can…and why should you…get a U.S. title insurance policy on foreign property?
? Taxes: which countries have little or no capital gains or inheritance taxes? And what is your obligation to the IRS if you live in a foreign country?
? Financing your overseas property purchase: where can you find a mortgage and how can you use your IRA to purchase foreign properties?
? How to protect your hard-earned nest egg: what about an offshore bank account? Where are the best offshore banks? (You'll be surprised that Swiss and the Cayman banks don't rank as high as those in some other countries.)

You'll come away from this conference with a wealth of knowledge, a tote bag full of supporting materials, and a rolodex of valuable contacts - given to you by the experts themselves.

The big cheese will be there.

But what's an enchilada without cheese? The Ultimate Event is your opportunity to rub shoulders with our own big cheese, International Living Publisher Kathleen Peddicord. She will be there to offer her unique perspective on finding your overseas paradise. Kathleen's husband and IL Real Estate Editor, Lief Simon, will be there, too. This is your opportunity to ask them all those pointed questions. (Come on, I know you have them.)

Won't you please join me in Panama in October? Find out more about the Ultimate Event here. I'd love to have a contingency of hungry Mexicophiles there with me.

Best Regards,

Marzena Romanowicz
International Living, Mexico

For answers to your questions about Mexico, please e-mail our office at Mexico@InternationalLiving.com.

P.S. The keynote speaker for the International Living Ultimate Event is P.J. O'Rourke. (Let's call him the spicy salsa on the enchilada.) He's one of the world's funniest and quirkiest essayists, in my opinion. He has worked for the National Lampoon and as foreign editor for Rolling Stone magazine. He loves Mexico, too…I think. Read his essay, "What to See and Do in Sunny Mexico."