Are there American-trained doctors in Yucatan: Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen, Cancun, Merida, etc?
Alberto Alvelais - Alvelais & Asociados
Absolutely, yes, there are American-trained doctors in the Yucatan Peninsula, to the point where we are successfully building and growing the area into a medical tourism destination, even in partnership with local hotels.
We have not only American trained doctors, but also other internationally trained doctors, including those from Spain, France, England and Italy.
I’ve never been to the US on a medical situation. I know it’s very expensive and it’s...
Absolutely, yes, there are American-trained doctors in the Yucatan Peninsula, to the point where we are successfully building and growing the area into a medical tourism destination, even in partnership with local hotels.
We have not only American trained doctors, but also other internationally trained doctors, including those from Spain, France, England and Italy.
I’ve never been to the US on a medical situation. I know it’s very expensive and it’s good quality but as well as I know there are clinics that are not so good. Similar to other countries, some Mexican hospitals are cheap and some are very good and, from a Mexican perspective, very expensive. There is extremely good medical care in Mexico City and the other very big cities in Mexico. The Australian system is very good. In the Yucatan Peninsula, there are certain hospitals that are as good as the ones in Australia.
(Statue of Dr. Augustin Jorge O'Horán Escudero for which Hospital General Augustin O'Horan, the oldest hospital in Merida, Mexico was named, pictured.)
Dental care is cheaper in Portugal than anywhere else comparable. I have heard that there is a move by the government towards trying to get the Algarve to be a health holiday place but this is still in its early stages. Compared to India and other places like that, dental tourism in Portugal is still highly negligible.
(An early Celt settlement, Obidos, Portugal, pictured.)
Dental care is cheaper in Portugal than anywhere else comparable. I have heard that there is a move by the government towards trying to get the Algarve to be a health holiday place but this is still in its early stages. Compared to India and other places like that, dental tourism in Portugal is still highly negligible.
(An early Celt settlement, Obidos, Portugal, pictured.)
What's the crime rate against Americans and other expats in Ambergris Caye?
Kate Corrigan - Caye International Bank
We do not see a lot of crimes here in Ambergris Caye. If you are on Facebook and you post a status that you are on vacation and when you come back you post that your kids have new iPads and that your husband has his new Sony PlayStation, just like anywhere in the world, you open your doors to people who might take advantage of you. Alternatively, if you keep your doors locked and live a simple life, there is not much crime. Ambergris Caye is a small island, so if one crime happens, it...
We do not see a lot of crimes here in Ambergris Caye. If you are on Facebook and you post a status that you are on vacation and when you come back you post that your kids have new iPads and that your husband has his new Sony PlayStation, just like anywhere in the world, you open your doors to people who might take advantage of you. Alternatively, if you keep your doors locked and live a simple life, there is not much crime. Ambergris Caye is a small island, so if one crime happens, it seems "ginormous," but it is not worse like someone being shot every hour in some other cities of the world. It is very safe here in Ambergris Caye. I am a mother of a 14-year old daughter who hangs out with her friends at the park. She goes to discos; I allow her to walk home, and I feel very safe.
Crimes sometimes happen to careless expats; they get pick pocketed when they are at the wrong place at the wrong time, but again, that is the same as anywhere in the world. You should not be on a back street at 2 AM. It is not that you are asking for trouble, but there is no need for you to be there, if you do not live there. Of course, there are hustlers and pickpockets wherever there are tourists anywhere, but it is not much worse here in Ambergris Caye than in other places in the world.
Carlos Roman Gutierrez Solis - Casa Granada Properties
Christmas and Holy Week are considered national holidays in Nicaragua.
Semana Santa or Holy Week is one of the biggest holidays in Nicaragua. People take two weeks off from work and celebrate by drinking a lot of alcohol. Every city in Nicaragua like Managua, Masaya, and Granada would have their own form of weeklong celebration for Semana Santa.
Christmas, celebrated on December 25 is another big holiday for Nicaraguans. ...
Christmas and Holy Week are considered national holidays in Nicaragua.
Semana Santa or Holy Week is one of the biggest holidays in Nicaragua. People take two weeks off from work and celebrate by drinking a lot of alcohol. Every city in Nicaragua like Managua, Masaya, and Granada would have their own form of weeklong celebration for Semana Santa.
Christmas, celebrated on December 25 is another big holiday for Nicaraguans.
Local holidays are church-influenced because every church tradition and holiday is celebrated, such as days for specific saints like the patron saints of Managua and Matagalpa. Each city would have their own church-related holidays.
There is also the hipicos (horse parades), which is also a big celebration for Nicaragua and every city would have its own horse parade week. Rich people would show off their horses and carriages. People also celebrate this holiday by drinking a lot of alcohol. This holiday has Spanish origins from the 1800s.
During the hipicos, locals dress up like a cowboy. Some people would ride their horses and parade them in the middle of the street and other people would walk on the sidewalks to see the animals. There will also be stalls on sidewalks selling food and alcohol while very loud music plays in the background. Streets are blocked, there is no traffic, and everyone is just walking. It is very fun. This is like the celebration in Texas where they also have horse parades.
(A rider in a horse parade, a hipico, Nicaragua, pictured.)
Are there tax advantages or disadvantages if I retire, work or live abroad?
Elizabeth Vance - The Gringo Guide To Panama: What To Know Before You Go
Tabitha is correct in what she said. As a US citizen, you must file your US taxes every year, no matter what.
The foreign income tax exclusion of up to $95,000 does come in handy as well as a credit too. This was a nice surprise for us, when we moved here.
I don't consider it a disadvantage, but it does get a bit tiresome to file my taxes in Panama (which requires an accountant, especially if you don't speak Spanish). Those are due...
Tabitha is correct in what she said. As a US citizen, you must file your US taxes every year, no matter what.
The foreign income tax exclusion of up to $95,000 does come in handy as well as a credit too. This was a nice surprise for us, when we moved here.
I don't consider it a disadvantage, but it does get a bit tiresome to file my taxes in Panama (which requires an accountant, especially if you don't speak Spanish). Those are due prior to March 15th each year for individuals. Then, that tax return must be used as part of your US tax return.
What are the best and worst things about living and retiring in El Valle de Anton?
Adam Brunner - abc realty panama
The best thing about living and retiring in El Valle is the atmosphere and the temperature. It’s very, very comfortable here. It’s always about 80 to 85 degrees during the day. During the night, it’s anywhere between 60 to 70 degrees. It is also quiet. People are friendly. It’s a small town.
Some people come to El Valle and they fall in love with the place. It’s definitely picturesque. It’s beautiful. If you’re a bird person, you’ve got...
The best thing about living and retiring in El Valle is the atmosphere and the temperature. It’s very, very comfortable here. It’s always about 80 to 85 degrees during the day. During the night, it’s anywhere between 60 to 70 degrees. It is also quiet. People are friendly. It’s a small town.
Some people come to El Valle and they fall in love with the place. It’s definitely picturesque. It’s beautiful. If you’re a bird person, you’ve got all kinds of birds here to look at. The birders love this place and they flock here this time of the year, pardon my pun. The sounds from the waterfalls, streams and rivers that run through the valley make some people feel comfortable and at home here.
The only really bad thing about El Valle is, when it’s the holidays, and it gets really crowded, which is usually three or four times a year, it gets really noisy. A lot of people light fireworks, blare stereos, and party all night long. But the weekend ends and they go back to the city.
We were looking forward to visiting Puebla again, so as one of our few extravagances while returning to Lake Chapala as quickly as possible, we booked two nights at the hotel in Puebla we had enjoyed so much. Staying there an extra night would also make it possible for us to see a bit of the city.
Starting in Cordoba, Puebla is less than three hours by car, but what a breathtakingly scenic three hours it is! Even before leaving Cordoba, we could see towering snowcapped...
The Flower and Coffee International Fair in Boquete is one of the most important in the region. The town of about 25,000, plays host to an expected 130,000 visitors during the 10 day run, which estimates about $2 million dollars to the economy. The floral offerings come from Canada, the US, Central and South America. The crowds come quite literally from around the world.
After three years in Africa, first with Habitat for Humanity and then with the Peace Corps, Willy and Karan Schreiber again joined the Peace Corps and were embedded with the Embera Indigenous Tribe in the Darien Province of Panama, next to the Colombian border.
They empowered their new neighbors, friends, and the Tribal Leaders to start a sustainable business selling the extraordinary handicrafts that the Embera create. The result was a Tribal Cooperative for the manufacture and sale...