It’s
everywhere you go. Even the Caribbean has more than its share nowadays,
though Anguilla is never overburdened and several of the smaller islands
at least beyond the capital cities are usually untrammelled.
We’re talking traffic, lots of it. Kingston Jamaica, Port of Spain Trinidad,
Bridgetown Barbados, Castries St Lucia are increasingly clogged with cars
as journey to work times continue to expand. Last week I experienced a
strange variation on the theme. The narrow one way systems of Dominica’s
main town of Roseau are rarely congested, unless one of the giant cruise
liners just happens to have docked at the waterfront, but this was not
one of those days. I’d pootled into town from Goodwill in the north, clattered
over the river bridge into Queen Mary Street and was quietly minding my
own business when the light traffic in front inexplicably ground to a halt.
~ Dominica
Traffic - Caribbean Norm or Witches Curse?
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Why
Retire With One Passport When You Can Have Two?
- Americans who move
abroad quickly discover that despite the fact they carry an internationally
recognised passport and herald from what is arguably the most powerful
and influential nation on earth, most international banks and financial
institutions will not assist them when they want to open even the simplest
bank account. These reputable institutions simply do not want the
‘hassle’ of having to contend with the all powerful US Internal Revenue
Service, and many of them are extremely open about the fact. As useful
as it is to know that most banks won’t assist you and that your nation
will tax your worldwide income, assets and gains if you’re an American,
it’s not a particularly advantageous position for you to be in, therefore
a second passport could potentially be the perfect answer to your dilemma.
Europeans who relocate overseas such as British and Irish citizens soon
discover that their passport is not such a financial restriction because
their nation differentiates between residents and citizens when it comes
to most forms of taxation – unlike America.
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Why
Being an Expat Is So Fantastic (Hint: Your Expat Taxes!)
- Imagine if you could live in a tropical paradise US tax free – you can!
There are a number of benefits that you can take advantage of on your expat
taxes to save and protect your income. We will discuss the main ones
here, but it is highly recommended that if you want to maximize the savings
on your expat taxes you should seek expert expat tax advice. The Foreign
Income Exclusion – This allow US expats who are earning money abroad to
exclude up to $92,900 of their income from US taxation (this doubles if
you are married). This is the most common and arguably the most profitable
tax savings tool you can us on your expat taxes. If you combine this
with the Foreign Housing Deduction, which allows you to deduct things like
rent, utilities and insurance, they you and your spouse may be able to
avoid paying taxes on over $250,000 of income each year! LEGALLY! The Foreign
Tax Credit is also a great tool, but unfortunately you will need to be
paying taxes to someone to take advantage of it. The foreign tax credit
gives you a Dollar for Dollar tax credit for any taxes you have paid to
a foreign government. Basically, if you have a good income someplace
like Europe where taxes are high, then this will ensure that you are not
taxed by two governments leaving you with the scraps.
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Medical
Vacations and Boutique Hotels – The New Healthcare Network
- The days of going
overseas solely for cosmetic surgery and recovering in the sun with a frilly
umbrella drink are gone. Now patients are opting to go abroad for cheaper
deals on hip replacements, dentistry and infertility treatment. The most
commonly sought out procedures are still cosmetic and elective surgeries,
but we have seen an increase in travelling for addiction therapy, obesity
treatment, fertility treatment and hair transplants. As with most topics,
the controversy associated with this practice has only added to the appeal
of it! Health insurance cutbacks around the globe have meant countries
such as Brazil, Mexico, Costa Rica, Poland, Thailand, Turkey, Malaysia
and Singapore, Belgium, Colombia, Bulgaria, Poland and the Czech Republic
have seen increasing numbers of medical tourists. With spending cuts expected
to hit every insurance policy soon and cutbacks are already everywhere,
Escapeartist has had more people inquire about overseas medical tourism
than ever before. Medical tourism is a rapidly growing industry. Long waiting
lists and expensive private care have meant that 2.65 million consumers
have recently been, or are planning to go, abroad for medical procedures.
So, we are asking our medical professionals, how does a patient ensure
they are getting the best value without risking their health, and what
are you doing to capture this market share?
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Things
to do in Dominica - This
list outlines ten of the best day-trip options to experience Dominica’s
unique attractions, landscapes and culture, according to the Dominica Tourist
Board. Take a scenic boat ride along the Indian River in Portsmouth and
enjoy a refreshing rum punch at the Indian River bush bar, surrounded by
tropical plants and wildlife. The Indian River was one of the locations
used during the filming of Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man’s Chest.
Get a closer look at Dominica’s lush rainforest on The Rain Forest Aerial
Tram in Laudat (just six miles north of the capital, Roseau). Passengers
take a mile-long journey by gondola through the protected tropical montane
rainforest, while knowledgeable guides explain more about the ecosystem.
Discover your inner thrill seeker with Wacky Rollers Adventure Park
at the Layou River, where river tubing, jeep safaris, a 200-foot zip
wire course and kayaking are all on offer. Uncover the island’s heritage
on the Touna Heritage Village Tour where visitors will learn more about
Dominica’s indigenous population of Kalinago (Carib Indians) at a living
community within the Carib Territory. Cookery fans will enjoy one of the
Creole cooking tours available. Learn more about local produce and Dominica’s
agricultural history before a demonstration of Creole cookery and a delicious
meal at the home of your hosts.
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The
Island Of Dominica Is Encouraging Investment . . . But Not at Any Price
- Dominica’s towering central mountain range, expanses of forest, waterfalls
and offshore reefs have together earned it the name “Nature Island of the
Caribbean.” Dominica markets its natural beauty to full advantage,
attracting eco-tourists to this unspoiled destination. Like many
Caribbean countries, the Nature Island is looking at ways to diversify
its economy. It is developing a niche in eco-tourism and, like many
of its neighbours, Dominica has seen the advantages of establishing an
offshore financial centre. Dominica is watching and learning from the example
of other financial services industries in the region. The re-engineered
Economic Citizenship Program, established relatively recently in 1996,
is an interesting example of how Dominica is welcoming quality investors
to its paradise while attempting to keep out the snake of international
crime.
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Real
Estate Investment In The Caribbean ~ Dominica, The "Nature" Island
-
For a long term investment
in the "greenest" jewel of the Caribbean, take a look at the little known
island called the Commonwealth of Dominica. Half way along the curved necklace
of islands comprising the Windward Islands of the Eastern Caribbean basks
a mountainous rock of 290 sq miles (750 sq km). At longitude 61º
20W, and latitude 15º 25N, Dominica is a land of steep mountains and
cliffs plummeting straight into the blue Caribbean sea on the western side
and the grey Atlantic on the eastern. Rising at the highest point
to Mt. Diablotin at 4,747 ft. (1,447m), this is a country of raw beauty,
rugged headlands and moody mountains, their peaks often buried in cloud.
Originally from the UK, but having lived, cruised and built businesses
in the Caribbean over the last two decades, my husband and I always hoped
to be able to make a home in Dominica when the time was right. The main
attractions?... its untamed, unspoiled tropical countryside, the Dominican
people's natural pride and understanding of environmental stewardship and
the chance to be a part of that heritage.
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Buying
a Property in the Caribbean Online
- Sitting in my dining room with the first cup of coffee of the day I look
at the pictures mounted on the wall by the table. Six shots of our vacation
back in November 2006 to Loreto, Baja California, looking out over the
Sea of Cortez. The fishing boat we took to our own little island with lunch
caught fresh from the crystal clear waters, the tree lined streets, the
palapa roofed beach hut, the golden red sunset. Now just distant memories
but also a reminder during the dark, cold days of winter just what awaits
my wife and me when we retire. A year round warm climate and spectacular
scenery. It’s just that it will not be to Loreto, Baja California that
we will be moving to. Yes, we had a fantastic vacation, great hospitality
at the bed and breakfast we stayed at, lovely weather, awesome scenery
and views. The thing that put us off was that we realized having viewed
a number of plots of land in and around Loreto we felt that eventually
it would become just another American ‘sub-division’, albeit with a little
more sunshine. Now let me explain something here. I am English, my wife
is American, a native of Sherwood, North Little Rock, Arkansas. It was
she who made the comment about the town of Loreto becoming a ‘sub division’.
This is what put us off buying in Loreto:
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The
Caribbean’s Best Kept Secret For Expatriates ~ Dominica ~
- The Caribbean is synonymous with hedonism - from the mass tourist Mecca
of the Bahamas to the off-the-beaten-path divers' paradise of Bonaire.
What you might not know about the Caribbean, however, is that it's also
home to one of the most appealing - and inexpensive - expatriate and retirement
havens in the world. This little-known gem, though off the well-trodden
path taken by most travelers, has a lot to offer. So if you're longing
for the good life in a tropical haven, duck the crowds and head to Dominica.
With no direct flights from North America or Europe, Dominica is welcome
retreat of peace and quiet in the Caribbean's sea of mass tourism. Roughly
halfway between Martinique and Guadeloupe, the island is splendidly underdeveloped.
A land of waterfalls, rivers (365 of them), hot springs, and lush rain
forests, Dominica is the Caribbean’s most rugged isle.
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Privacy
Is A Psychological Necessity -
We live in a world where privacy and individuality are under attack. The
right to privacy is more than an abstract necessity, it is also a psychological
necessity. If we do not have the right to privacy, we do not own the rights
to our own lives. Individuality entails making value judgments independent
of political, religious or social dogmas. In making value judgments
we make choices. In today's world, if the choices we make differ
from the status quo then we come under pressure to 'toe the line'. There
is no line to toe. We live in an intellectual vacuum, where short of the
logical choices we make in our own behalf, there are no other values. Our
Magazine & Websites stress privacy and living our life by our own standards,
protecting what is ours from those who have not earned it. Defeating the
New Internet Privacy Threat - thoughts not approved by the
Prowlers That Be and that something is to be done about it. It’s no wonder
they are concerned: Thoughts can quickly turn into beliefs, and when you
put enough sound ones together, consider them for a while and let it all
sink in – you end up with something dangerous that is inevitably going
to spread.
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Dominica
Extreme, Dominica Diving ~ On The Island Of Dominica
- I have come to Coconut Beach in Dominica, the Nature Island, volcanically
spit and shaped in the Lesser Antilles, to spend Christmas holidays with
my spouse Captain Tom. He arrived here on November 20th, delayed by scores
of mudslides that blocked passage on cliffside roads. The island suffered
the only major earthquake in its history - 6.5 on the Richter scale, the
epicenter of the quake was 10 kilometers from the east coast of the island;
the quake occurred at 6 a.m. on Sunday, November 21st. It rocked the place
awake, a cacophony of people running into the street, as it blew the steeple
off the Catholic Church hours before the first service, crushing the blessedly
empty Methodist bus, leaving only a pile of rubble. The cement houses,
skywhite or lime bright, withstood the force of the quake. “This is the
second-most mountainous country in the world” a native son, returning to
visit after garnering an MBA and a Baptist bible in Missouri, tells me.
The airplane arcs, angles, and circles the 29 x 16 range of rainforest,
swamp, and black sand before touching down at Melville Hall.
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Travels
In The Caribbean ~ Dominica And Antigua -
Dominica - There is an undeniable magic about Dominica, it hovers in the
universal sound of falling water, in the misty green mountains and vowel-heavy
Creole spoken on every village street. Take care, this region of magic
is inhabited by jumbies, entities who are not known for their kindness
to people. We all know that Dominica has one of the highest rainfall
counts on planet earth. That is why its known as the Nature island, it
does not get that green without some serious rain! And what other
country not even forty miles long and a quarter of that wide has a waterfall
for every day of the year? Summing it up, there are only two continuously
boiling lakes in the Americas, and they stay boiling because heavy rainfall
never lets them boil dry! Dominicas lake is the largest of its kind. So
it was a bit of risk when a Hollywood film production for the new blockbuster
movie Pirates of the Caribbean II decided to do most of the outdoor on
location shooting here in Dominica. What a coup this was for Dominica,
against such places as St. Vincent and St. Lucia. But this is also the
wettest island. Think about it, there was a real chance that it would rain
every day and instead of being here for two months, they would be looking
at four months eating heavily into the production budget. They started
filming around the island in late March and it went on though to the end
of May in Vielle Case and other northern areas of coastline and in the
south around Scotts Head.
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The
Articles On This Page Come From Escape From America Magazine Our Expat
Magazine - Our
Magazine is filled with information about living oveseas, part of it written
by expats who have moved overseas, part of it written by professional.
Our magazine provides real information on what it takes to live abroad,
including articles on international real estate, asset protection, and
a wide range of issues related to the international lifestyle - In
addition we have 1,000's of archived articles from past issues free for
the reading... |
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More
Articles On Living & Investing In Dominica
- and
thousands of articles on living and investing overseas in countries around
the world; including numerous articles on international real estate - Most
of our articles start in our international relocation magazines; but we
keep them in an archive so that visitors can access them - - access
is free, and free is a very good prices - Click
here to visit our relocation reference library - This library is filled
with facts, contacts, suggestions, inside information & offshore information,
artist havens & tax havens .... We sincerely hope you make your
escape and that you find your Shangri La, or your Shangri Lil ... and that
special place in the world that sets your heart on fire... We're
willing to show you the routes
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EscapeArtist
Asset Protection Newsletter -
Live & Invest Offshore - Get the real facts from the best; including
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Retire
to Dominica - Special Report - Dominica, the
Nature Island of the Caribbean, is an alluring land of majestic, mist-covered
mountains spilling with waterfalls. It is a place where rainforests with
parrots like flying rainbows and orchids growing wild are part of the natural
surroundings. There is an earthy, beckoning presence to this island where
untamed Nature invites the newcomer to walk in her primal rainforests then
enter the caress of her warm mineral baths.
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Safe
Medical Tourism World Wide Yes, Safe Overseas
Medical Tourism Offshore. Find Safe Clinics, Read Reviews, Active Discussion
posts. Members & providers can communicate directly and exchange information
freely.
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Exclusive Rights to a Country
- Secure the Rights to Your Country and Partner with the Largest Website
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an overseas job? - We are working hard to
make sure that you have a much better chance to really get one! - Our overseas
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- Thales Securities has been on our website for almost a decade and in
that decade we have heard nothing but positive reports about their service.
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Travel
can become a place lived; and a place lived can be a form of travel -
This Chronicle by Michele Kohan should therefore be a Godsent to those
moms who find themselves with children but with no prospect of living any
sort of life that presents the challenge of personal and geographic exploration...
The question becomes, 'are my children safer and better off in the suburbs
where one meaningless day blurs into the next, or in a tropical rain forest
where each day presents a new challenge and a new learning experience?'
It isn't an easy task for a mom to decide on the tropical rain forest;
such decisions fly in the face of conventional wisdom... But conventional
wisdom has worn thin, today's so-called civilized suburbs with their shopping
malls and weapon-filled schools are no safer than a tropical rain forest.
Add to that the stifling intellectual atmosphere of the USA that wilts
and crushes the qualities of independent judgment that every child should
develop....
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