In this week’s podcast, host, Jim Santos speaks to Janice Deerwester, an adventurous and unstoppable single woman in her 70s, who recently moved to Fontainbleu, near Paris, France. 

Navigating everything from restaurant etiquette (service in France is a lot more relaxed than in the U.S., it seems) to exploring on the excellent public transport, Janice recounts her adventures in her popular vlog, Janice in France. When you take life with such a positive attitude, every day is an adventure.

Recalling her first steps on starting her new life overseas, from finding a place to live to making sure her beloved pets were settled in, Janice takes us through the early days, and what she fell in love with immediately about living in France. From old-fashioned manners to bureaucratic red tape, the French way of life is not what she was used to back in the U.S., but it suits her just fine.

Settle in, press play, and find out as we welcome you to the latest episode of International Living’s Bigger Better World podcast.

If you haven’t become a member yet—you can do it today with a special discount offer for podcast listeners. You’ll receive our monthly magazine plus a bundle of special extras, including our 2023 Global Retirement Index. Subscribe here: https://intliving.com/podcast.

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Music: Royalty Free Music From timtaj.com.

In this week’s podcast, International Living Mexico Correspondent Wendy Justice meets host, Jim Santos, as she explains just why she moved to the highland town of Querétaro in Mexico. 

A long-time expat, until recently Wendy made her home on the other side of the globe, in Vietnam. Now, in Mexico, what similarities, and indeed, what differences does she find in her new home? Some things are universal, others are quite the opposite. When an experienced traveler and expat brings fresh eyes to a new location, you can be sure they’ll have a lot to report.

From climate to cuisine, the mid-sized city (1.3 million residents) provides Wendy with everything she could hope for in a retirement destination. A compact, historical centro is the postcard-pretty focus of the city, but in the surrounding zonas, practical details like large supermarkets, malls, modern housing, and prosperous industry take over. Add an international airport with excellent connections to the U.S., and it soon becomes clear why this is an up-and-coming destination for clued-in expats.

You can read Wendy's article in the May 2022 issue of International Living Magazine: Mexico’s Pink City: Tidy, Upscale Living on $1,600 a Month.

Settle in, press play, and find out as we welcome you to the latest episode of International Living’s Bigger Better World podcast.

If you haven’t become a member yet—you can do it today with a special discount offer for podcast listeners. You’ll receive our monthly magazine plus a bundle of special extras, including our 2023 Global Retirement Index. Subscribe here: https://intliving.com/podcast.

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This week, the podcast features International Living Malaysia Correspondent Keith Hockton.

Malaysia, even by Keith’s estimation, is a surprising destination for most North American expats and potential expats. It’s just not on the radar as obviously as somewhere like Costa Rica, Mexico, or Panama.
 
For Keith, that’s a tragic oversight, and he’s determined to make potential expats aware of just how perfect a destination Malaysia can be. A frequent speaker at International Living conferences, Keith lives on the tropical island of Penang, in the city of George Town. There, he pays exceptionally low rates for exceptionally luxurious beachfront accommodation, enjoys year-round warm weather, and lives in a community where English is an official language, where there are thousands of expats to socialize with, and where the local cuisine is considered some of the best in all of Asia.

Keith goes into detail about the beach, mountain, jungle, and city living options on Penang, the history and culture of the island, and the eclectic social life you can expect if you visit.

Settle in, press play, and find out as we welcome you to the latest episode of International Living’s Bigger Better World podcast.

If you haven’t become a member yet—you can do it today with a special discount offer for podcast listeners. You’ll receive our monthly magazine plus a bundle of special extras, including our 2023 Global Retirement Index. Subscribe here: https://intliving.com/podcast.

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This week, the podcast features Global Intelligence Letter Editor Jeff D. Opdyke.

An early adopter of the digital nomad lifestyle, Jeff began working remotely long before the COVID pandemic boosted working-from-home into the mainstream. And having that head-start gave him opportunities for travel and expat living—combined with a steady job—that the rest of the world is slowly beginning to become aware of.
 
In a nutshell—why continue with commuting to the city, getting stuck in traffic, or working from an office-building cubicle when you could be doing your day job from a tropical beach town, a mountain retreat, a cute European village…or anywhere you please?
 
Being a digital nomad lets you choose your location, rather than letting your work choose it for you. And with that comes additional benefits. For example, you could halve your living expenses by moving to a location with a lower cost of living, while still earning a First-World wage. And that’s an instant upgrade on your lifestyle.

There is a catch, though. Not every country in the world is happy to allow expats to simply waltz in, set up their laptop, and stay as long as they like. In fact, some countries don’t like that idea at all.
 
On the other hand, there are other, more enlightened countries, where roaming Westerners with portable incomes are seen as a valuable resource. In this episode of Bigger Better World, Jeff D. Opdyke talks us through the ins and outs of taking your work with you…around the globe.
 
Settle in, press play, and find out as we welcome you to the latest episode of International Living’s Bigger Better World podcast.

If you haven’t become a member yet—you can do it today with a special discount offer for podcast listeners. You’ll receive our monthly magazine plus a bundle of special extras, including our 2023 Global Retirement Index. Subscribe here: https://intliving.com/podcast.

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In this week’s podcast, Executive Editor Jennifer Stevens delves deep into International Living’s Annual Global Retirement Index for 2023. Which destinations made the list? Which places lead the world in long-term visas, healthcare options, or cost of living? How affordable is a rental in Greece, or Mexico, or Portugal? Or even, why does International Living rank Italy’s climate higher than Panama’s?
 
Join Jen as she talks through the finer points of the Index, and explains the best ways to use it in your search for the overseas retirement that fits you best.

If you haven’t become a member yet—you can do it today with a special discount offer for podcast listeners. You’ll receive our monthly magazine plus a bundle of special extras, including our 2023 Global Retirement Index. Subscribe here: https://intliving.com/podcast.
 
Joining Jen and Jim in this week’s episode is International Living Editor Seán Keenan; the technician behind the numbers. Every year, sometime around August, Seán begins gathering the data that eventually becomes the Retirement Index. Once that’s done, the IL editorial team hones and adapts the Index on an annual basis, ensuring that it keeps up to date with the questions, concerns, and benefits that mean most to potential expats. 
 
Make no mistake, International Living's Annual Global Retirement Index is not a slipshod collection of government statistics or Googled data points—it’s compiled from information we solicit from our trusted in-country sources. Seán talks us through some of the methods we use to put it together, and some of the surprises and talking points from the results. 

Settle in, press play, and find out as we welcome you to the latest episode of International Living’s Bigger Better World podcast.

Music: Royalty Free Music From timtaj.com.

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International Living’s Bigger Better World podcast delves into the stories behind the story. This week, the podcast features International Living Panama Editor Jessica Ramesch, who has been living in Panama for over 17 years, but who is seeing the country with new eyes having recently moved from the capital, Panama City, to a sea-view condo in the beach zone of Coronado.

Known as the arco seco, or “Dry Arc”, this region of Pacific Ocean coast sees more sunshine and less rainfall than other areas of Panama, and that’s the reason why it’s home to a thriving expat community. What’s more, Coronado has been steadily growing as a regional hub for amenities and shopping, making it more attractive now than it’s ever been.

Eight months into her move, Jessica has moved past the honeymoon period, and is truly settling in. Does she still love it as much as when she first set eyes on her pristine sea view? And for others who might consider moving to this heavenly stretch of tropical coastline, is it easy to move there? Can you get a visa? Can you work remotely there? Is it easy to get there and travel around? Jessica answers all of these questions, and explains a little why her friends now tell her that she seems happier than they’ve ever seen her.

Settle in, press play, and find out as we welcome you to the latest episode of International Living’s Bigger Better World podcast.

If you haven’t become a member yet—you can do it today with a special discount offer for podcast listeners. You’ll receive our monthly magazine plus a bundle of special extras. Subscribe here: https://intliving.com/podcast.

Music: Royalty Free Music From timtaj.com.

International Living’s Bigger Better World podcast delves into the stories behind the story. This week, the podcast features International Living contributor Kathleen Evans, an experienced world traveler who fled the corporate rat race of her native Texas and now spends most of her year Tamarindo, Costa Rica.

The rest of her time, Kathleen travels. Right now, she’s in the Mediterranean island nation of Malta, soaking up sun, history, and southern European cuisine. Other times, she’s on a cruise ship, exploring the world from the comfort of an “unpack once” luxury cabin.

In fact, Kathleen loves the pace and variety of cruising so much that she’s recently become obsessed by the idea of living full-time at sea. It’s a growing phenomenon, so much so that it’s now possible to purchase a fully equipped condo on an ocean-going cruise ship, integrate with the onboard community, and…if you’re willing to rent out your onboard home for a couple of months while you catch up with life on land…it’s an investment that can pay for itself.

Reporting for International Living magazine, Kathleen talked to the developers of one such permanent-home cruise ship. You’ll find her in-depth report on page 26 of your April 2022 issue.

Talking to Jim Santos on this week’s episode of the Bigger Better World podcast, Kathleen explains the forever-cruising world, as well as insights, stories, and details about her life as an expat in Costa Rica and—right now—in Malta.

Settle in, press play, and find out as we welcome you to the latest episode of International Living’s Bigger Better World podcast.

If you haven’t become a member yet—you can do it today with a special discount offer for podcast listeners. You’ll receive our monthly magazine plus a bundle of special extras. Subscribe here: https://intliving.com/podcast.

Music: Royalty Free Music From timtaj.com.

International Living’s Bigger Better World podcast delves into the stories behind the story. This week, the podcast features International Living contributor Bel Woodhouse, an infectiously enthusiastic world traveler and expat who currently calls Cozumel, Mexico, home.
 
The largest of Mexico’s Caribbean islands, Cozumel is some 12 miles off the coast of the Riviera Maya city of Playa del Carmen. Regular ferries connect the island with the mainland, while cruise liners bring a steady footfall of visitors. 
 
With two airports, a hub city, and great communications, Cozumel is not at all an isolated destination. Besides the white-sand beaches and lush jungle, there are hospitals, supermarkets, restaurants, bars, and much more. It’s a perfectly viable spot for a full-time retirement, part-time snowbirding, or even as a temporary stop on a world tour. 

That’s how Bel first thought of it—as a stopover on her extensive world travels. But something about Cozumel has kept her there much longer than she originally planned. Perhaps it’s the place where she’ll finally settle down?
 
Join Jim Santos as he learns about the low-cost Caribbean island of Cozumel, and how one single-woman traveler has learned to adapt and thrive in this heavenly slice of Mexico.

Just how far can sign language and a smile get you on Cozumel? Settle in, press play, and find out as we welcome you to the latest episode of International Living’s Bigger Better World podcast.

Read Bel's article here: https://intliving.com/podcastbel.

If you haven’t become a member yet—you can do it today with a special discount offer for podcast listeners. You’ll receive our monthly magazine plus a bundle of special extras. Subscribe here: https://intliving.com/podcast.

Music: Royalty Free Music From timtaj.com.

International Living’s Bigger Better World delves into the stories behind the story. This week, we take you to the Pacific coast of northern Costa Rica with Senior Editors Suzan Haskins and Dan Prescher.

Suzan’s two-page round-up of their recent scouting trip to the lesser-visited shores of northern Guanacaste province appears in the November 2022 issue of International Living magazine: “Miles and miles and miles of the bluest-blue ocean, a smattering of small verdant islands off in the distance, beyond them the Santa Elena Peninsula and even farther, a hazy Nicaragua.”
 
Retracing the steps of their honeymoon some 17 years earlier, Dan and Suzan revisited Costa Rica with a wealth of international experience under their belts. Having lived overseas in Ecuador, Mexico, and Panama already, Costa Rica is the missing jigsaw piece in their expat life. Though they spent their time exploring, relaxing, and enjoying the jumping-fresh seafood…there’s no doubt that the couple were also scouting potential destinations for their own overseas retirement.
 
Costa Rica has been on the expat relocation radar for decades. It’s one of the most welcoming places on the planet, with a laidback atmosphere, low cost of living, stable government with excellent services…and unspoiled landscapes ranging from highland lakeside valleys to untracked rainforest to wild ocean coastlines. It’s also a hotspot for exotic wildlife—including a troop of friendly howler monkeys who made an appearance one warm evening “They joined us for happy hour,” as Suzan puts it.
 
Join Suzan and Dan as they talk through the details of what makes this hidden corner of Costa Rica so special, and why, as Dan puts it, ‘Within 20 minutes we were already breathing slower.'

If you haven’t become a member yet—you can do it today with a special discount offer for podcast listeners. You’ll receive our monthly magazine plus a bundle of special extras. Subscribe here: https://intliving.com/podcast. 

Music: Royalty Free Music From timtaj.com.

International Living’s Bigger Better World podcast delves into the stories behind the story. This week, we take you to Portugal, and follow the adventures of a U.S. couple who were the lucky winners of International Living’s ‘Test Drive Your Dream Retirement Overseas’ competition. 
 
Host Jim Santos talks to Chris and Jan Schroder, who traveled to Portugal for a month-long immersion into expat life there, and got to experience the country’s unexpected perks and quirks—from just-caught seafood lunches at incredibly low prices, to Uber rides for just $3. 

Chris and Jan traveled to the city of Lisbon, enjoying sophisticated urban living among the historical avenues and streets of the capital, then split for the sunshine coast of the Algarve, on Portugal’s southern edge.
 
 There, they fell in love with the port town of Lagos—cobblestone streets, brightly tiled townhouses, an ancient fishing port surrounded by soft-sand beaches and cliff-backed coves. Over the weeks they spent there, they talked with long-term expats, explored the locality, and immersed themselves in the safe, laidback life of western Europe’s most affordable destination.
 
 After a month test-driving their dream retirement overseas, could Jan and Chris see themselves moving to Portugal? Settle in, press play, and find out as we welcome you to the latest episode of International Living’s Bigger Better World podcast.

If you haven’t become a member yet—you can do it today with a special discount offer for podcast listeners. You’ll receive our monthly magazine plus a bundle of special extras. Subscribe here: https://intliving.com/podcast. 

Music: Royalty Free Music From timtaj.com.

Bigger, Better World from the overseas experts at International Living explores safe, welcoming, beautiful—and often little-known—spots on the planet. Places where you could live richer, travel more, invest for profit, and enjoy a jet-set life...for less than it costs to stay home.

Each week, host Jim Santos talks with IL’s magazine writers and with a cast of thoughtful characters living interesting lives abroad—from Penang to Porto, Cuenca to Madrid. Smart ideas for richer living in a bigger, better world.

If you have an idea for an episode or a question you’d like us to answer, email us at mailbag@internationalliving.com.

For more information visit internationalliving.com.  

Music: Royalty Free Music From timtaj.com.