Playing The Field Overseas
I’m just back in Panama City after almost a month in Europe.
Following a week on the shores of the Algarve for our Live and Invest in Portugal Conference, I spent a few weeks in Paris, working out of our cozy office in Montmartre.
Coming back has been hard.
In the hot spots of Paris, the streets buzz into late evening… the outdoor tables at restaurants are fully occupied… and you run into guided walking tours and groups of runners as late as 10 p.m.
Back in Panama City, where sun sets at 6:30 p.m., I miss this outdoor evening culture.
I also miss the 25-minute walk from my sister’s apartment to the Paris office every morning. Here in Panama City, walk for five minutes… and you need a change of clothes.
But Panama City is home for now… by choice and for good reasons.
Three years ago, my boyfriend Arnaud and I were drawn to Panama by the opportunities we saw here—the kinds of opportunities we could never have had in France where we moved from.
In Panama City, Arnaud and I have good jobs… and we love that we get to spend more time out in nature. You don’t have to travel far outside Panama City to be at the beach for a day of surfing… or in the hills for some hiking or a round of golf.
Maybe my ideal situation would be to live half of the year in Panama… and the other half in Paris (from where I could easily explore the rest of Europe).
Yes… that sounds pretty good to me!
This is an option for you, too.
No place in the world is perfect. No place in the world is going to give you everything you’d like. And maybe you’re OK with that.
But, if not, you could divide your time among your favorite places. That way, you don’t have to sacrifice beaches for a sophisticated nightlife… or the conveniences of city life for a tranquil escape.
You could enjoy all your favorite things… just at different times.
Not sure where to start?
That’s the point of our annual Retire Overseas Conference (ROC)—to help you explore your best options for where to spend your time (all 21 of them). This year’s event will take place Sept. 8–11 in Las Vegas.
As we finalize the program for this year’s event, we have been reaching out to past Retire Overseas Conference attendees. We’re always eager to hear from past conference participants about how their plans for reinventing their lives overseas are coming along.
Reaching out to ROC alumni recently, we’ve been delighted to hear about so many success stories.
Ray S., for example, an enthusiastic attendee at our 2016 event, told us:
“My wife and I really enjoyed the conference. While there, Colombia got on our radar, which we had never considered before. While at the conference, we met Felipe Gutiérrez from Medellín, Colombia. He and his brother have an investment firm there. We invested with them and have to say we have been extremely pleased with the results so far.
“After returning home, we started making some plans and actually went to Medellín. We were planning on staying for one month but enjoyed it so much we stayed two. Met several expats there, and Felipe showed us around a bit.
“While there, we also invested further through Felipe and his brother, Juan Darío. We are looking into moving to Medellín full-time. It is a very beautiful city and a wonderful climate.
“Due to the conference, we also invested in agriculture in Panama. We also made a trip to Panama, but decided that Medellín is more to our liking…”
This time next year, it could be you sharing your story with us.
It all starts with the important first step.
Valentine Fouché
