IL Magazine: Discover the Greatest Retirement Town +6 More SUBSCRIBE NOW AND SAVE 35% about subscribing to International Living Magazine "I came to Panama 10 years ago on vacation and never left," says Carl Conway. "I was drawn in by the sunshine and blue skies...the warm water and sandy beaches...the palm trees and bright flowers...it was a tropical paradise." Now age 43, Carl enjoys a rich and laidback life in the rural town of Santa Fe in Veraguas Province of central Panama.
With almost perpetually sunny weather, glittering stretches of Mediterranean coastline, and a relaxed, easygoing lifestyle, Spain has long been a favorite playground for Americans on vacation. But plenty of business-savvy Americans are extending that vacation into a way of life, and making a prosperous living here, too. In a country where even the Prime Minister struggles to speak English, locals are only too aware of the need to improve, meaning native speakers can easily find work as English teachers and translators.
If you are thinking about teaching English overseas, Cuenca in Ecuador has got to be one of the easiest places to start your career. Imagine sitting back, relaxing and sipping freshly ground Ecuadorian coffee in your favorite little haunt. The sun is shining—as it does every day. Smartly dressed locals are strolling around...
Wanted: intrepid explorers...adventurers with a thirst for different cultures...must be willing to taste new and exotic foods...have a deep and friendly smile...age unimportant...you choose your working hours but remember to leave enough time to travel, an instant social life filled to the brim with colorful people who will genuinely try to make your life as easy as possible and you'll even get paid!
I don't have a degree in Education or English or even something like International Studies. What I studied was Forestry. Yep, that's right, I learned about trees!
My second cup of coffee is half gone as I fill in the last square of the Sudoku. The LA Times crossword has already been vanquished. Now it's time for Eduardo, my first student of the day, to join me. He's a few minutes late (as usual). But I don't mind. When you teach English online to students via Skype, everything is easier.
When Costa Rica got its start as an expat haven more than three decades ago, it was all about retirees. But over the years, the great weather, stable government, and low cost of living have also attracted those too young to retire (or those who never want to). And they've found plenty of ways to support themselves—and their families—while living in a tropical paradise.
As I'm sure you know by now, you already have a skill that can easily translate into a steady income in a foreign country...English. In fact, thousands of people just like you have already used the fact that they speak English fluently to become English teachers in exotic new countries. Here's why you should join them: In nearly every country on the planet there's a huge number of people who want to learn English.
When people ask me what's so good about Uruguay, I often talk about the various income opportunities, the natural beauty of the land, or the ability to live a simpler and less complicated life. Just a while ago, I was trading notes about life in Uruguay with Karen Michele—a single mother from the U.S. who moved to Punta del Este, Uruguay with her 12-year-old daughter, Etanne.
I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to travel severals time a year to places like Ecuador, Panama, Costa Rica, and Mexico. You might wonder how I became so lucky? Well, seven years ago, I came to Mexico to teach English as a second language. This allowed me to fulfill my dream of living abroad and immerse myself in another culture.