CANADA
Prairie Paradise in Canada - Click Here - "To me this town is not only a paradise,  its a very inexpensive one.  The present population is about 300, and there are a number of houses for sale in this town and the surrounding area for $6000 and up.  For those who can’t afford a villa in Costa Rica or a  French farmhouse, it’s an excellent alternative." Darwin C Vickers Moved from the United States to Canada - He tells us how and why ~ more

CAPE VERDE
Cape Properties: Exotic and a Bargain - Click Here - I've come to the conclusion that property in South Africa is now among the best bargains in the world, in both absolute and relative terms. On this trip, I stuck to Jo'berg and the Cape; it's a big country and I simply put myself in the hands of my fairly numerous South African relatives. I can't make any recommendations on Jo'burg property because although it's cheap, I can't see the opportunity, and have no personal interest in it. That's not to say parts of Jo'berg aren't quite nice. - Doug Casey on South Africa.

CENTRAL AMERICA
Belize, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panamá, El Salvador, Guatemala
The advantages of Living Overseas: a new and refreshing way to look at Offshore - Click Here - Edmund J. Pankau writes about the broader meaning of offshore, this time in terms of the real advantages to the ordinary person seeking a lower cost of living, a better quality of life, reasonable and fantastic real estate, lower taxes, and ground floor business opportunities. "In recent years, Central America has become the Florida, California and Arizona of the 1950’s.  Remember when you could buy beachfront property in Florida for a song? When prices in California were dirt cheap?  Well, those days are now in full bloom just a little further south of the border.  The slower paced climate of Central American has awakened to the realization that is can revitalize its economy by becoming the retirement center of the western world. All of the things that made Florida and California boom are now happening in Belize, Honduras and Costa Rica, as is starting to emerge, Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador and Guatemala."

COSTA RICA
Real Estate in Costa Rica - The Greater Fool Phenomena - Click Here - An article bound to make more enemies than friends - Roger Gallo talks about real estate in Costa Rica and how nouveau real estate agents fresh from Beverly Hills are inviting you to discover Costa Rica 25 years after the real estate bargains disappeared.
Unique Expatriate Property For Sale - ‘A Caribbean Hideaway On Costa Rica’s Talamanca Coast’ - Click Here - It was the beginning of the Green Revolution, and my visitors were delighted and amazed that they could live comfortably and safely in the heart of nature. They could watch hummingbirds fly through their rooms, which were built in such a way as to capture the breezes from the sea and the Talamanca Range. They had no need for air conditioning. At first I had no refrigeration or electricity, but everyone was fascinated by the wonderful meals prepared over a wood fire with locally grown products, such as yuca, fish, plantains, fruits of all kinds, and coconuts.  Bread was baked on the wood fire. We picked cacao from our own trees, and roasted the beans to make hot chocolate and fudge with coconut milk.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Find Housing in the Dominican Republic - Click Here - John Schroder has over 15 years experience on Wall Street and currently provides assistance regarding Investment information for the Dominican Republic ( Commercial paper & Certificates of Deposit), Offshore mutual funds, Real Estate and Apartment Referrals, residency assistance, and company representation.
Good Deals in Dominican Republic Real Estate By Robert Fordi - Click Here - Robert Fordi is a highly regarded real estate investment advisor who organizes tour groups to various nations in order to introduce investors to unique real estate bargains. On these tours he shows his groups exactly where the bargains are and introduces his travel companions to his personal real estate contacts in the area. He concentrates on unique locations with interesting real estate potential.
The Caribbean “Country Squire”  - Real Estate Bargains In The Dominican Republic - Click Here - When you think of the Caribbean, you think beaches, beaches, and more beaches.  The reality is, plenty of beautiful beachfront property does exist, but there is an equal opportunity to become a “country squire” as well.  Sound too good to be true?  We took a look around at what was available in the Dominican Republic real estate market recently and found some very reasonably priced building lots and acreage for our clients.  Some of these properties are located in the beautiful mountain region near Santiago.  We also found some new homes and new residential projects in sections of the Santo Domingo area that may be ideal for an inexpensive get-a-way or retirement home.
The Dominican Republic Property Market By Jerald Ritter - Click Here - Want to live the Caribbean life? Would you like to own a tropical hideaway that could return a nice income? Thinking of investing in the islands? Where are the best values now? Jerald Ritter has lived in and invested in the Caribbean and Latin America for much of the past thirty years. He publishes the Caribbean Property List Magazine, the largest online directory of Caribbean and Latin properties for sale.

HONDURAS
Roatan
Secrets of a Real-Estate Developer ~ “How I built a profitable Roatan resort on a shoestring budget” - Click Here - One of the most important lessons I learned in this project was this: Build your amenities first. For us, this meant the pool…the dock…and the landscaping. You do this because when people come to look at your place they buy into the whole package. If they can see the pool and other amenities in place they know 1) that they will definitely be there and 2) what the place will look like when finished. What I’ve realized is that people are as interested in what their surroundings will look like as they are with what their actual house will look like. [From The Best of International Living]

INDONESIA
Bangkok, Bali & Philippines
Looking At Real Estate In Bangkok, Bali & The Philippines - Click Here - I then went to Bangkok, a hot and crowded place, but my favorite city in this part of the world, probably even ahead of Hong Kong. Poor planning got me there in the middle of the Thai New Year, which meant everything was shut down for a week, and I didn't get a chance to see a lot of property. On the other hand, the whole city goes wild with a water festival; you walk down any street and after five minutes you're completely soaked from squirt guns and buckets of water thrown at you, day or night. It's great fun. Bangkok reminds me of L.A. without the social problems. If you're thinking of living in the Orient for a while, this is the place. - Doug Casey looks for real estate in the Orient.

ITALY
Living In Italy - Click Here - For those Americans wanting to live in the land of Dante, home of Michelangelo, the birthplace of Columbus, there is good news:  unless you want to buy property in the center of a major town, Italy can be a bargain.  All it takes is patience and flexibility in choosing a residence.

MEXICO
The Costa Maya and the Western Caribbean - Click Here - If you continue on another 90 miles you will arrive in Mérida, the "Paris of the West". The city dates from the 1500's and offers, plazas, promenades, parks, intl and regional restaurants, tree-lined boulevards, big old mansions, Spanish colonial ambiance and Mayan tranquility. Mérida is very clean and safe. Just 30 miles from the Gulf coast, it has the lowest crime rate per capita in all of Mexico. If you want to retire to México, but don't want to live in a resort town lacking soul and history, come to Mérida.

PANAMA
Casco Viejo - Click Here - The oldest city on the Pacific Coast of the Americas comes under the pen and camera of Escape From America editor Roger Gallo - A 300 year old city filled with architectural treasures and picture-postcard views. Care to remodel a 300 year old building filled with history? The prices are affordable. ~ more
Simple Steps to Buying Property in Panama - Panama Property Easy as ABC - Our EscapeArtist friend from Volcan, Panama, writes to us on how simple, safe, and secure it is to purchase property in Panama. The five steps William Hemingway outlines are the basis of purchasing property in Panama and much of the rest of the region. Volcan, Bocas del Toro, and Boquete are featured. "The Chiriqui Provence and Bocas del Toro Provence offer buyers the best choices in the world for beautiful, ideal highland properties and tropical island properties," writes Hemingway. "Anyone can buy and fully own property without being a resident of Panama. All you have to do is show your passport upon purchase." And, your purchase and ownership is protected.

PHILIPPINES
Bangkok, Bali & Philippines
Looking At Real Estate In Bangkok, Bali & The Philippines - Click Here - I then went to Bangkok, a hot and crowded place, but my favorite city in this part of the world, probably even ahead of Hong Kong. Poor planning got me there in the middle of the Thai New Year, which meant everything was shut down for a week, and I didn't get a chance to see a lot of property. On the other hand, the whole city goes wild with a water festival; you walk down any street and after five minutes you're completely soaked from squirt guns and buckets of water thrown at you, day or night. It's great fun. Bangkok reminds me of L.A. without the social problems. If you're thinking of living in the Orient for a while, this is the place. - Doug Casey looks for real estate in the Orient.

ROMANIA
Romania - Doug Casey Evaluates The Gypsies, Real Estate, Stock Market & Culture Of Romania - Click Here - Romania, with brief intervals of respite, has been a hard luck story for most of its history. Unlike a lot of other countries of which that's true, I have a good feeling about the place. But most investors give the country a discount, mainly because they're unfamiliar with it. And, insofar as they are familiar with it, they've heard mostly dated and unfavorable things. That's fine. It's why the opportunity exists. - If anything, property is a better buy than stocks. Bucharest is very cheap by most standards; I'll guess about 25% of Western European levels for equivalent buildings. But that's not what got my attention. The fact is that the country probably has the best farmland in Europe-- flat, deep, rich topsoil in the Danube basin, combined with a fairly mild climate.

SPAIN
Buying a Home in Spain - Click Here - Spain offers infinite variety with something for everyone, including magnificent beaches for sun worshippers and spectacular unspoiled countryside for magnificent vistas and  peaceful strolling.  There are also an abundance of mountains and seas for sports fans and a vibrant night-life for the jet set. For those who are comfortable living in cities, there are bustling sophisticated metropolises. The Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol have the highest percentage of retired persons in the world, when both Spaniards and foreigners are included. If you’re seeking a second home, will it be mainly used for long weekends or for lengthier stays?
Switzerland - Spain [CARIBBEAN PROPERTY]
1,000 Mile Bike Ride to Spain - Click Here - In October 1999, I set out alone on a bike from Zurich, Switzerland to Cadiz, Spain to get back in shape. The plan was to get in condition as I biked along. Switzerland was probably the wrong place to start - like training to fight Tyson while fighting him. An article by Jerry Ritter - When Jerald Ritter isn't riding his bike he is publishing a magazine on living in the Caribbean. He has lived in and invested in the Caribbean and Latin America for much of the past thirty years. He publishes the Caribbean Property List Magazine, the largest online directory of Caribbean and Latin Americans properties on the Internet.

SWITZERLAND
Switzerland - Spain [CARIBBEAN PROPERTY]
1,000 Mile Bike Ride to Spain - Click Here - In October 1999, I set out alone on a bike from Zurich, Switzerland to Cadiz, Spain to get back in shape. The plan was to get in condition as I biked along. Switzerland was probably the wrong place to start - like training to fight Tyson while fighting him. An article by Jerry Ritter - When Jerald Ritter isn't riding his bike he is publishing a magazine on living in the Caribbean. He has lived in and invested in the Caribbean and Latin America for much of the past thirty years. He publishes the Caribbean Property List Magazine, the largest online directory of Caribbean and Latin Americans properties on the Internet.

THAILAND
Bangkok, Bali & Philippines
Looking At Real Estate In Bangkok, Bali & The Philippines - Click Here - I then went to Bangkok, a hot and crowded place, but my favorite city in this part of the world, probably even ahead of Hong Kong. Poor planning got me there in the middle of the Thai New Year, which meant everything was shut down for a week, and I didn't get a chance to see a lot of property. On the other hand, the whole city goes wild with a water festival; you walk down any street and after five minutes you're completely soaked from squirt guns and buckets of water thrown at you, day or night. It's great fun. Bangkok reminds me of L.A. without the social problems. If you're thinking of living in the Orient for a while, this is the place. - Doug Casey looks for real estate in the Orient.
The Best Of International Living - Click Here -  Buying Real Estate in Bangkok: Bargains in Asia’s most livable city - A new series to the Escape From America Magazine.  Each month we'll feature the best of International Living Magazine. If you don't know what International Living Magazine is all about, you're in for a treat!

BULGARIA
Volunteer Vacations - Click Here - It's 6 a.m. in Bansko, a farm village at the foot of Bulgaria's Rila mountains. Joulia, the 20-year-old Bulgarian leading this workcamp, wakes her twelve volunteers for a breakfast comprised of banitza, homemade cheese pastries, and milk so fresh it's still warm. The dirty dozen is bleary from a late night of plum brandy and dancing in Bansko's disco. Every summer, 33,000 people leave their countries for parts unknown. Their destinations are any one or several of over 2,200  workcamps scattered over 90 countries, from Argentina to Zimbabwe.  Some will work with farmers in the fields, others with children in the inner cities. By volunteering their time and money to help distant neighbors, all share the common goal of global peace and responsibility.

ETHIOPIA
Warm Milk and Closed Windows - Ethiopia!!! ~ Take Me Home Toto! - As a Peace Corps volunteer recently returned from Ethiopia, Gina Perfetto’s stories are varied. She has had authentic human interaction in foreign cultures as the following story well illustrates. The story records an encounter with an irate passenger on a bus in Ethiopia. Gina writes from the hip and tells it like it is: of dusty friends on a back road to nowhere, of dominating males in an archaic society, of a longing for logic and sense ... a return to sensibility.

Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australasia, Central and Eastern Europe, Eastern and Central Europe, France, Austria, Italy,
Germany, Switzerland, Ghana, Greece, Kenya, Latin America, Mediterranean, Middle East, Netherlands, Belgium,
Luxembourg, Scandinavia, Spain, Portugal, United Kingdom and Ireland, Worldwide, Worldwide Jobs, Worldwide Teaching Jobs, Worldwide Voluntary Service
Short Term Work Resources ~ Resources for  Locating Jobs Abroad - Click Here - Transitions Abroad
has collaborated with Escape from America Magazine to bring escape artists a broad and exhaustive compilation of job opportunities in over 30 countries all over the world, including a regional guide to the Mediterranean, Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.  In addition to that treasure, this page and the next offer sound leads to serving in a voluntary capacity, as well as teaching overseas at some of the world's most prestigious schools.  In following issues of Escape from America Magazine, we will be adding to this valuable resource on a regular basis.  We know how important our Jobs Overseas section of your  magazine is, and we're doing something about it.  Check it out.

PANAMA
I Don’t Wanna Leave! A PhotoEssay of Bocas Del Toro, Panama - Click Here - Mark McMahon is an award winning photographer and writer. He is currently on an expedition driving from Arizona to the tip of South America in a toyota 4x4! He created Filmtrips.com  to share his adventures. And he does indeed find adventure along the way!   He is in now Panama  and soon will cross over into South America to visit the Amazon , Machu Pichu, and the Galapagos Islands! Note: Images - Slow page.

URUGUAY
Colonia del Sacramento, Café Tortoni & Punta del Este - Three Places Connected In Time & Space - Click Here - A four part article.  We have a description & analysis of Uruguay as an expat destination, an interview with an expat friend of ours who is currently living in the resort city of Punta del Este, Uruguay, and two photo essays; one by Gustavo Gatto on Colonia, a unique art colony in a small historic city in southern Uruguay, and a photo-essay by Mónica Molina on the Café Tortoni, a famous bohemian cafe in Buenos Aires. Are you ready to Tango?

U.S.A.
Images of Sorrow ~ The World Weeps ~ Photos from Around the Globe - Photo Essay - The images included in this photo essay were gathered from the magazine's subscribers all over the world and from Internet resources.  They depict with understated clarity the sorrow felt the world over in the week following the terrorist attack on US citizens and citizens from over 80 other countries who were in New York and Washington D.C. on the morning of September 11, 2001. The photographs also demonstrate the ability of a world of people to stand together united in concern for the welfare of others.  Let peace throughout the world finally reign. We invite all readers to contribute to the contents of these pages by sending their photos as JPEG attachments to the Editor of Escape from America Magazine so they can be shared with others.

BALI, BANGKOK & PHILIPPINES
Looking At Real Estate In Bangkok, Bali & The Philippines - Click Here - I then went to Bangkok, a hot and crowded place, but my favorite city in this part of the world, probably even ahead of Hong Kong. Poor planning got me there in the middle of the Thai New Year, which meant everything was shut down for a week, and I didn't get a chance to see a lot of property. On the other hand, the whole city goes wild with a water festival; you walk down any street and after five minutes you're completely soaked from squirt guns and buckets of water thrown at you, day or night. It's great fun. Bangkok reminds me of L.A. without the social problems. If you're thinking of living in the Orient for a while, this is the place. - Doug Casey looks for real estate in the Orient.

CAPE VERDE
Cape Properties: Exotic and a Bargain - Click Here - I've come to the conclusion that property in South Africa is now among the best bargains in the world, in both absolute and relative terms. On this trip, I stuck to Jo'berg and the Cape; it's a big country and I simply put myself in the hands of my fairly numerous South African relatives. I can't make any recommendations on Jo'burg property because although it's cheap, I can't see the opportunity, and have no personal interest in it. That's not to say parts of Jo'berg aren't quite nice. - Doug Casey on South Africa.

CHILE
Looking At Chile As A Place To Live & Invest - Click Here - From the Best of Doug Casey series, an article on Chile. ~ "Buy real estate. When I visited Chile in 1980, 1 spent some time with a wealthy local at his house in one of Santiago's most fashionable suburbs. The house was typical of those owned by the upper classes in a Third World country; large, lots of handcarved fittings and furniture, swimming pool, tennis court, extensive landscaping, etc. At the time, it was worth about $25,000; today it's worth well over $1,000,000."

CHINA
Investing In China: The 21 Century Powerhouse - Click Here - By Doug Casey - "Most Americans are provincial. If they travel anywhere, it's likely to be to Western Europe; the Orient (forget about Africa and South America) is pretty much Terra Incognita. The distinctions between the different countries and cultures in the Orient -which are as least as great as those in Europe - escape most of them." One of the leading investment consultants in the world, Doug Casey is well known as an authority on international investments. Casey has lived in seven countries, and visited over 150 ~ most several times. In this article on China Doug talks about the current investment climate in China and discusses, Shanghai, which he calls The Blade Runner City, Beijing,  Democracy & Freedom, State & Party, Falun Gong, Societal differences, and why the future in China is better than just good.  This article is a must for anyone concerned with the future, with investments, with the way the world is changine and what those changes mean to us.

CUBA
Doug Casey in Cuba - Doug Casey in Cuba - The guru of offshore and international living provides some reminiscence & analysis of the changes in Cuba over the past five years - he knows his stuff ~

GHANA
The Gold Coast - Making Millions In Ghana - Click Here - Doug Casey always seems to write stuff that's fun to read.  In this article he has us believing that we can make zillions in Ghana.  As he puts it, "Making a zillion dollars in a country like Ghana is potentially much easier than making it in the U.S. That's because you (the reader) have unique experiences, connections, knowledge, and capital that - while they're commonplace in more advanced countries - go a long way in an less developed countries (like Ghana), where you're automatically a big fish in a little pond."  ~

HAITI
Turning Haiti Into A Tropical Paradise - Click Here - ...in essence, it's possible to transform a hellhole like Haiti into the kind of place you'd want to move to, no matter where you now live, regardless of other considerations. If there were ever a true free market country, the place would be so overrun with rich people that workers now making $1 a day would be in demand at $15 an hour... Doug Casey has a plan to turn Haiti from a basket case into a tropical paradise - Is this just a pipe dream or is it a possible reality?  Doug Casey's reputation is world renown, his expertise is amazing.

MOZAMBIQUE
Opportunity in Mozambique - Click Here - I stayed mostly with an Afrikaner who had staked out 20 hectares (50 acres) of beautiful beach about an hour out of town; his cost basis is basically zero. The government gave it to him because he committed to develop it for tourism; someday it's going to be worth what prime beach front just outside a city is worth anywhere else in the world. He'll fill his property with Germans and Swedes flying down to beat the European winter while taking advantage of fresh lobster and fish that cost almost nothing. And there aren't just hundreds, but thousands of miles of pristine deserted beach on this country's coast.

ROMANIA
Romania - Doug Casey Evaluates The Gypsies, Real Estate, Stock Market & Culture Of Romania - Click Here - Romania, with brief intervals of respite, has been a hard luck story for most of its history. Unlike a lot of other countries of which that's true, I have a good feeling about the place. But most investors give the country a discount, mainly because they're unfamiliar with it. And, insofar as they are familiar with it, they've heard mostly dated and unfavorable things. That's fine. It's why the opportunity exists. - If anything, property is a better buy than stocks. Bucharest is very cheap by most standards; I'll guess about 25% of Western European levels for equivalent buildings. But that's not what got my attention. The fact is that the country probably has the best farmland in Europe-- flat, deep, rich topsoil in the Danube basin, combined with a fairly mild climate.

RUSSIA
A Short Course In Clearing Customs - Click Here - by Doug Casey "I probably enter and leave the U.S. about two dozen times a year. By far the most unpleasant part of traveling  --- more than the delays, the endless hours in a flying cigar tube, the irregular schedules it entails  --- is going through customs and immigration. The people working for these agencies are about the bottom of the barrel."
Looking at Russia - Investing in Russia - Click Here - By Douglas Casey. Doug Casey needs no introduction, he is one of the most astute expatriate investors in the world. In this article he turns his attention to Russia and gives seasoned advice.
The Less Friendly and More Inquisitive Skies - Click Here - By Doug Casey - There are many unsavory features about flying today. Crowded airports, packed planes, squalling kids, people dressed like they're coming from the gym (except they're usually too fat for that ever to be the case). The lower class atmosphere surrounding the whole experience is reminiscent of Riding the Dog (taking a Greyhound bus) in years past. It's even worse, since bus travel never subjected passengers to impertinent questions, mandatory x-ray of luggage or a possible strip-search by minimum wage dingbats.  If Hieronymus Bosch was alive today, he'd paint airport scenes.

VANUATU
Plantations In The South Pacific - Vanish To Vanuatu - Click Here - There are perhaps three ways to look at property: As a productive asset, as a speculative holding, or as a lifestyle proposition. I've spent a fair amount of time and money flying around Vanuatu to get a grip on property, and I think it's worth considering, possibly on all three bases.Vanuatu is certainly one of the world’s more beautiful locations. James Michener used it as the model for Bali Hai when he wrote Tales of the South Pacific while he was stationed here during WW II. The French developed numerous copra plantations on the islands over the 100 years up to independence in 1980, and they're still the dominant factor in today's economy.

COSTA RICA
Real Estate in Costa Rica - The Greater Fool Phenomena - Click Here - An article bound to make more enemies than friends - Roger Gallo talks about real estate in Costa Rica and how nouveau real estate agents fresh from Beverly Hills are inviting you to discover Costa Rica 25 years after the real estate bargains disappeared.

CUBA
Living In Cuba - Click Here - Our first report on what may be an extended series about living in Cuba. This article by Escape From America editor Roger Gallo is an introduction to living on the Grand Island.

BELGIUM
Trying to Pick a New Country to Live In - Part Two - Click Here - Last month we looked at the subtleties in making judgments about an expatriate destination.  We saw that while a country like Belgium has excellent schools, high culture, fine art, good food, great beer and all of the amenities we might desire, it doesn't have the open spaces, excellent real estate prices and low population density of a country like Belize.  Which is better? -  Escape From America Editor Roger Gallo provides more wit and wisdom in part two of this inquiry.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Moving to the Dominican Republic - Click Here - Our opening article on the Dominican Republic. A European secret in the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic has a tourist ratio of 84% Europeans and 15% North Americans. An easy country to move to and live in,  the Dominican Republic contains miles of unspoiled beaches and excellent investment opportunities.
The Passport Question ~ How To Legally Obtain A Second Passport - Click Here - The most frequently asked question on this website always refers to the issue of obtaining a second passport -  It is very apparent that the desire to have a second passport has entered the mainstream of our culture - The cat is out of the bag. -- EscapeArtist editor Roger Gallo tackles the 2nd Passport question.

NEW ZEALAND
Migrating to New Zealand - Immigration Tips for New Zealand - Click Here - Want to move to a New Zealand? In this long awaited article, Roger Gallo talks with Kim Saull of Malcolm Pacific International, a well known immigration consultancy in Aukland, New Zealand. The advice given doesn't pull any punches, only the qualified need apply.

PANAMA
Casco Viejo - Click Here - The oldest city on the Pacific Coast of the Americas comes under the pen and camera of Escape From America editor Roger Gallo - A 300 year old city filled with architectural treasures and picture-postcard views. Care to remodel a 300 year old building filled with history? The prices are affordable. ~ more
The Road To Charlie's House - Living On An Island ~ Isla Taboga - Click Here - Sea breezes circulate through the open shutters facing the sea.  The opposite end of the house has veranda-like balconies that hang over the street. The verandas provide a restful place to sit and view the village with its narrow winding footpaths and colonial architecture. The village is nestled against a lush green tropical hillside and the footpaths meanander like a labyrinth up through the village and into the surrounding jungle. The house also has a basement floor which leads out into a garden at the rear of the house.  In the garden there are lemon and orange trees as well as the ancient foundations of a long forgotten structure, the stone remains of which stick up through the riot of bougainvillea, jasmine and wild hibiscus and give an effect like that of an abandoned sculpture garden gone crazy with flowers.

URUGUAY
Colonia del Sacramento, Café Tortoni & Punta del Este - Three Places Connected In Time & Space - Click Here - A four part article.  We have a description & analysis of Uruguay as an expat destination, an interview with an expat friend of ours who is currently living in the resort city of Punta del Este, Uruguay, and two photo essays; one by Gustavo Gatto on Colonia, a unique art colony in a small historic city in southern Uruguay, and a photo-essay by Mónica Molina on the Café Tortoni, a famous bohemian cafe in Buenos Aires. Are you ready to Tango?

VIRGIN ISLANDS
Making Choices - Trying to Pick a New Country to Live In - Click Here - There are opportunities everywhere. I’ve heard from reliable sources that no one, I repeat, no one is supplying fresh produce or vegetables on any of the American Virgin Islands.  Produce has to shipped into the Virgins from afar at great shipping cost. (causing the available produce in V.I. markets to be high in price and dated in flavor.) The reason for the lack of locally grown produce, or so we’ve been told, is a scarcity of water.  There are several ways to grow fresh vegetables hydroponically that utilize low water-consumption methods. As a matter of fact, upon hearing about that lack of fresh produce in the Virgins I spent several days reading about hydroponic methods and thinking about what it would take to set up such a venture.  It was a rather intriguing few days.  It would be lots of hard work, but in our opinion it would be fun, in addition to it’s having the potential of being extremely lucrative.  There are numerous nearby islands that would also be interested in purchasing fresh produce.  The venture would take some serious research.  Hydroponics is a science; but it isn’t rocket science and we believe that anyone with a brain could learn what is required to be successful.

PANAMA, U.S.A., DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Back Door Tax Free Offshore Investing - Click Here - An Anonymous Offshore Brokerage Account - most people do not know that US brokerage accounts titled in the name of a foreign person or entity are exempt from capital gains.  As a result, there is no "Tefra" or back-up with- holding on profitable stock trades.  Clients of course are required to complete a W-8 form, stating it is a foreign account in order to take advantage of this (if the account is titled directly in the name of offshore structure or foreign client).

FRANCE
Female, In Search Of A Country - Click Here - In Placencia, Belize, unlike Paris, I settled in for a nap every afternoon in an audio space saturated with the melodious songs of birds. On the other hand, the sand flies in my bed kept me twitching and slapping, preventing me from napping as assuredly as the landscapers in the Paris garden below. ~ The first in a series of articles by Robin Sparks Daugherty. Join her in our webZine as she interviews expatriates around the world and shares the individual tales of escape artists from Belize to Paris, to China and the Middle East, down to South America and beyond. You won't want to miss this series.
"Je Ne Parle Pas" In Paradise  - Robin Sparks Gets Culture Shocked - Click Here - You move into a flat in the St. Germain des Près and you sip a Kir Royal under a vermilion awning at the Buci Café and you think, 'things don't get much better than this.' But the fact that you don't speak French begins to make things interesting. You have to plot how to get from here to there after you figure out where there is. And that means learning how to use Europe's oldest subway system, the Métro. You need to make a phone call, but first you must find out where to buy phone cards, and then where to use them. Where is the laundromat and how do you use it once you get there?
Passion Play In Paris - Click Here - By Robin Sparks - I set out to “know” Paris in my favorite way --  by blending in and pretending to be one of its residents. I negotiated Paris via the Metro. I sipped kirs at Les Deux Maggots (OK, so I did hit one or two tourist spots). At en plein aire cafés I stared unabashedly with the rest of the audience at the street theatre as it strolled past. I learned quickly to pick out the Frenchmen from other European males by the similarity of their narrow noses and lips, wire rimmed glasses, receding hairlines, and thousand dollar suits. I shopped daily at the patisseries and the boucheries and the tabacs and the outdoor markets.  I paraded down the Champs-Elysées adapting the I-Love-Being-A-Woman attitude that French women wear so well.
Running Away To Home - Robin Sparks in Paris - Click Here - The place is filling now with an interesting crowd. People are buzzing around, moving into the main room. The techno music has changed to jazz and the volume has been turned up a notch. Tres interessant, and here I sit pecking away. A blonde man leans over my table and begins speaking to me in French. I take off my glasses, look him in the eye, and say, "Je ne parle pas beaucoup Francais. Parle vous Anglais?" "Un petite peu,"? he says.
Which Way To Heaven? - Click Here - by Robin Sparks - Through Hell, High Water, and a Hurricane: the story of one couple’s perilous journey from New England to Belize - "The 2500-mile journey symbolized for the couple the end of 20 years of dreaming and the beginning of a two-year trial run in the charter sailboat business. What they didn’t know was that the biggest storm to hit the Caribbean in 500 years would rearrange their plans -- it would kill one of their dearest friends, nearly destroy their catamaran, and cause months-long delays and financial depletion. No one said moving to a third world country would be easy..."

MEXICO
Paradise Found? - The Expatriate Scene In Xcalak, Mexico - Click Here - We sat around a table under a palapa with Darrell, his fishing guide, Mike from Minnesota, and Stephen, an American expatriate from Sweden, who vacations here once a year for “the quiet and solitude.” Miguel popped open five Sols behind the open-air bar. I looked around and thought, “Is this real?” - The cerulean Caribbean  lapped at the scalloped edges of a bleached-white beach, dotted with inward leaning palm trees, and best of all, no people. There in the middle of paradise, the hours ambled by. Stories were told. Palm fronds crackled in the breeze,  pelicans landed on the pier and took off again, and the smell of the hamburgers Miguel was grilling filled the air.

AFRICA
The Case for an International Venture Fund - Click Here - A friend of a friend of mine was starting a commercial fishing operation based in Africa. He had taken the time to have a proper business plan prepared; complete with his own audited financial statement.  This person was in need of a business loan to complete the purchase of a boat and equipment. He has had 12 years of commercial fishing experience, is familiar with various wholesalers to sell to, and had roughly 30% of his own cash in the deal. He could NOT get this deal done in the US!

AUSTRALIA
Expatriates Build Wealth in Australia - Click Here - The Aussie dollar is at an all time low against the American dollar and the strong Pound Sterling, consequently there is strong purchasing power for Expats and UK residents in Australia. Australia welcomes foreign investment in real estate.  Overseas investors can therefore obtain the benefit of freehold title.  To take advantage of this, major developers such as Central Equity apply to the Federal Government Foreign Investment Review Board to gain permission to sell their residential apartments to foreign investors prior to releasing their development to the public.

BAHAMA
Things Are Better On Grand Bahama - Click Here - Living and investing in the Bahamas is made a lot easier when you have someone who knows the ropes. Jerry Ritter knows the ropes better than anyone we know. He tells us about the Grand Bahamas. It comes as a surprising to some that the Bahamas actually consist of over 700 islands. Some of them are gems. If we lived there and had a boat we could see them all -- one day at a time.

BELIZE
Adapter Kit: Belize ~ Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Living, Retiring & Investing In Belize ~ by Lan Sluder - Adapter Kit: Belize - Belize is a favorite of those seeking a calmer lifestyle in close proximity to the wonders of nature.  It's a place where Big Brother isn't looking over your shoulder and you can set your own building codes or own a flock of chickens. It's a place where you can spend the day fishing without trying to keep up with the Jones's. It's also become one of the hottest expatriate destinations in Latin America. In a world that cries out for 'how to' books, a 'how to' book on moving to Belize was sorely needed. That need was recently met by Lan Sluder, with the publication of his Adapter Kit: Belize from Avalon Travel Publishing.
Belize's New Residency Program - Some Say It's The Best In The World! - Click Here - You can set up an office in Belize and run your business from there, (taking advantage of the low overhead costs, and tax free status we might add ) and still qualify for this program, as long as none of the money your company earns comes from a source within Belize. In this age of e-commerce and telecommuting , this scenario could work for a vast number of people. ~ Bill & Claire Gray tell us how to move to Belize - Sounds good, but who in their right mind wants to live on a white-sand beach when they could be living in Detroit?
Finding Offshore's Basis in International Law - Click Here - by Philip LaMar Jr. -  ...while governments of economically powerful nations may continue to exert political pressure to bend the will of smaller nations, International Law requires that the sovereignty of nations be respected in courts of law. With this protection in place, a small nation may enact legislation designed to shelter foreigners and to attract foreign wealth, and it is not possible for a superpower to conduct a judicial examination of the smaller nation’s governmental action.
Offshore: Who Goes There? - Click Here - "In my experience working in tax havens, I continue to be surprised by the diversity of people I meet seeking offshore services. It is not easy to speak of a typical client profile. Clients hail from every part of the world and are of every conceivable political persuasion, vocational background and economic circumstance. People who go offshore can generally be described as being dissatisfied with tax rates, threats to their assets, invasion of their privacy and unavailability of diverse investment opportunity."
You'd Better Belize It's Better - Click Here - Tim Sheppard and his wife Yumiko took a trip to Belize and ended up buying property there.  Tim says, "I have been looking for my own personal spot in the sun for several years.  The US is too crowded, expensive, and I’m tired of all the damn rules.  I’ve been searching Costa Rica, Honduras, and Nicaragua for that great deal.  I’ve been disappointed as I searched from Tela to Trujillo, and from San Juan del Sur to Blue Fields and Isla de Maiz.  Unfortunately, too many people saw “gringo” and thought that meant “mucho greenbacks.”  I love the countries and culture, but the prices have just been too high.  I was surprised that Belize, undoubtedly the most expensive Central American country for day-to-day stuff, had the best deals I’ve found on land."

BRAZIL
Brazil - Almost Paradise - Click Here - "Norman Morrison at OceanView Tours explains that because of the current exchange rate, there has never been a better time to consider investing in property in the state of Ceara, [Brazil] where oceanfront properties are available at a third to a sixth of the cost in prime areas of the U.S.. Ceara has some 300 miles of great beaches." ~ Ruth Halcomb from the Network for Living Abroad Newsletter writes about Brazil

CAPE VERDE
Investing in Cape Verde: Part I - Click Here - The word is out. The Islands of Cape Verde are a fertile ground for investors. Both individuals and corporations looking for the potential that exists with the special balance of enough development to get things done, but not so much development that there is nothing left to do, are leaving their native countries and settling on the Islands. However, if you want to see your dream come true, you'll have to do more than just show up. Here are some steps that may help you along the way.

CHINA
Investing In China: The 21 Century Powerhouse - Click Here - By Doug Casey - "Most Americans are provincial. If they travel anywhere, it's likely to be to Western Europe; the Orient (forget about Africa and South America) is pretty much Terra Incognita. The distinctions between the different countries and cultures in the Orient -which are as least as great as those in Europe - escape most of them." One of the leading investment consultants in the world, Doug Casey is well known as an authority on international investments. Casey has lived in seven countries, and visited over 150 ~ most several times. In this article on China Doug talks about the current investment climate in China and discusses, Shanghai, which he calls The Blade Runner City, Beijing,  Democracy & Freedom, State & Party, Falun Gong, Societal differences, and why the future in China is better than just good.  This article is a must for anyone concerned with the future, with investments, with the way the world is changine and what those changes mean to us.

CUBA
A Connecticut Yankee’s guide for success in Castro’s Court - Click Here - By Louis Sola, Managing Director of Berkshire Financial Services. Lou's company, Berkshire is currently involved in setting  foreign investments in Cuba.
Buy Cuba's best businesses - Buy Cuba's best businesses - For 36 years, U.S. business people have not been allowed to legally invest in Cuba. However, you may run across the odd American who has managed to figure out a way to sneak past the restrictions ... and thereby profit. From International Living Magazine -
Cuban Capitalism - A Guide to Trade and Investment in Pre and Post Embargo Cuba - Click Here - A chapter from the book Cuban Capitalism by Louis Sola including an introduction by the author. To our knowledge, Cuban Capitalism is the only investment book on Cuba.  It is written by someone with five years of first hand experience including providing all the legal and financial obligations to the first 100% foreign investment on the Island as well as overseeing trade and insurance's for major trading partners wanting to do business inside Cuba.
Cuban Capitalism - A Guide to Trade and Investment in Pre and Post Embargo Cuba Part Two - Click Here - Another chapter from the book Cuban Capitalism by Louis Sola. To our knowledge, Cuban Capitalism is the only investment book on Cuba.  It is written by someone with five years of first hand experience including providing all the legal and financial obligations to the first 100% foreign investment on the Island as well as overseeing trade and insurance's for major trading partners wanting to do business inside Cuba.

DOMINICA
Analysis: Dominica Remains an Excellent Choice for Economic Citizenship - Click Here - Economic citizenship programs give you the opportunity to legally acquire a new nationality quickly and simply, without major disruptions to your life. While there are many “instant citizenship” schemes promoted on the Internet and elsewhere, currently only five countries offer legal and clearly defined citizenship for investment programs on a statutory basis, commonly known as economic citizenship programs. This article focuses on Dominica. Dominica’s economic citizenship program is based on a solid legal foundation. It is clearly defined in the laws and in the constitution of Dominica.
Dominica: Encouraging Investment, But Not at Any Price - Click Here - by: Christopher E.J. Main - Ms. Lucilla Lewis of Dominica’s International Business Unit (IBU) reports that by December 1998, 173 investors had successfully applied for economic citizenship in Dominica through the Program and a total of 341 passports have been issued, showing the popularity of Dominica’s special fee structure for families; a one-time payment to the Government of US$50,000 qualifies the investor, his or her spouse and their two children (under 18 years old) for economic citizenship.  Another option is purchasing US$75,000 in 15-year bonds and paying additional application fees. From The Best of Offshore Finance Canada -

ECUADOR
Crisis investing in Ecuador: Rock-bottom property prices, fabulous ocean views, and easy living - Click Here - “Ecuador has it all,” I said to the group of adventure-some International Living readers traveling with me to my adopted homeland. “Beauty, convenience, and incredibly low cost. And right now, prices are lower than ever.”   I was having little trouble convincing this crowd. We sat at a cliff-top restaurant and watched the Pacific stretch blue and serene to the horizon. Miles of empty beach lay in our view. And we had just returned from inspecting Mediterranean villas that overlook a sleepy fishing village and the sea (on offer for only $35,000). by Gary Scott - From the Best of International Living

HONDURAS
Roatan
Secrets of a Real-Estate Developer ~ “How I built a profitable Roatan resort on a shoestring budget” - Click Here - One of the most important lessons I learned in this project was this: Build your amenities first. For us, this meant the pool…the dock…and the landscaping. You do this because when people come to look at your place they buy into the whole package. If they can see the pool and other amenities in place they know 1) that they will definitely be there and 2) what the place will look like when finished. What I’ve realized is that people are as interested in what their surroundings will look like as they are with what their actual house will look like. [From The Best of International Living]

IRELAND
The Sovereign Society A-Letter - Click Here - The Sovereign Society A-Letter is published by The Sovereign Society, a global community of Sovereign Individuals - international investors and entrepreneurs, expatriates, dual nationals and second passport holders, individuals concerned about privacy, citizens of the offshore world. The Sovereign Society states, "Throughout history, intelligent individuals have sought environments where personal freedom is maximized and risks to themselves and their assets minimized. Today, an escalating international migration is under way in direct response to threats by governments against their most productive citizens." The Sovereign Society arose as a central source of information and assistance for these new Sovereign Individuals.

KOREA
Investing in Korea - Click Here - A Korean business man spent four years developing a relationship with a Malaysian.  The Malaysian finally agrees to a joint venture in Malaysia.  But, he wants a contract with guarantees in the event of breach.  He also wants to use modern accounting methods and have a means to keep track of the money.  The Korean backs away making lame excuses.  The real reason is that he did not want anything in writing, especially a contract.  His remark was, "You must understand the Korean way.  This is how we do business in Korea.  You don't trust me."  He openly displayed insult over the Malaysian distrust.  It was an affront to his honor and reputation.  Actually, he would have disappeared all of the cash and the Malaysian was smart enough to know what the Korean was about.  The deal never happened for good reason.

MAURITIUS
Mauritius: Offshore Cyber - Island - Offshore Opportunities - Mauritius is well served by business and communications infrastructure and is a dynamic economy; the government actively encourages foreign investment and offshore activity through the Ministry of Industry & Commerce. The ministry operates a one stop shop for clearances and permits; it also provides assistance in identifying market outlets, joint venture partners, site locations, and buildings.  There is a wide range of investment incentives for inward investment. Free Trade Zones and a Freeport were established in 1992 enabling up to 100% foreign owned enterprises. Money laundering is discouraged by the government, as is any trade in guns or drugs. The Economic Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2000 established an Economic Crime Office.

NEW ZEALAND
An Interview with New Zealand Officials -Click Here - We had the good fortune and privilege to speak with Consulate-General, Jim Howell of New Zealand along with New Zealand’s Director to their North American Investment Promotion Unit, Mr. Kelly Beeman, about migrating to New Zealand.  They shed a great deal of light on the subject of migration as well as on New Zealand’s investment potential.

NICARAGUA
Talking about Nicaragua - Talking about Nicaragua - Robert Fordi talks about land and investing in Nicaragua - the prices are right and the beaches are white - Fordi knows a lot about foreign real estate and his assessment of Nicaragua is well researched and positive.

PANAMA
Evolution of Modern Offshore Practice and Strategy for Americans - Click Here -  by Philip S. LaMar - This is Part 2 of a two-part examination of current trends shaping the offshore financial industry for Americans. Part 1 covered the declining role of the Trust and Part 2 introduces its successor, the Private Interest Foundation).
Evolution of Modern Offshore Practice and Strategy for Americans - Click Here - Evolution of Modern Offshore Practice and Strategy for Americans - Part 1: The Declining Role of the Trust by Philip S. LaMar, Jr., JD -  This is Part 1 in a two-part examination of current trends shaping the offshore financial industry for Americans. Part 1 looks at the declining role of the Trust and Part 2 will introduce its successor, the Private Interest Foundation).
Good News for Panama Investors - Click Here - Low Tax Online NewsWire reports record Panama Canal ship transits and a booming free trade zone in Colon. Panama's President Mireya Moscoso has also signed into law a new e-commerce bill believed to be the first of its kind in Central America. The canal is expected to generate US$795.4mn in total revenues from operations during the next fiscal year. Panama Canal Administrator Alberto Aleman also reported that the Culebra Cut widening project remains on track and is scheduled for completion by December this year. Foreign firms continue to invest in the country's many free zones.
Growing hardwood trees - Growing hardwood trees - Whether in reforestation or plantation projects, has always been an attractive eco-profitable business.  Today in Panamá, where the country’s Law 24 has been offering incentives in this sector since 1992, forestry activity has been spurred to new heights as more people discover the attractions of what this law is offering
Investing in Panama - What are the Laws? - Click Here - The article by William Hemingway in the last edition received a lot of positive feedback.  In this issue Hemingway provides those thinking of investing in Panama with resources regarding the laws of Panama.  He has a website under construction and will soon be providing investment and retirement information on-line.
Money Maker ~ Your Ship has Come In ~  The Fantasia del Mar is Up For Sale - Fair Winds and Following Seas - Not fit for everyone's pocket book, but certainly everyone's dreams, the owners and general managers of Argo Tours has put their 117 ft., steel constructed, twin screw, Detroit diesel powered, four decker Fantasia del Mar up for sale. They're asking an unbelievably low price for this vessel that's become the jewel of trans-isthmian waterways. It's an unbelievable opportunity for any individual or group of like minded entrepreneurs in search of a sound offshore investment, maritime career, and high seas adventure at any cost savings.
New Player in Offshore E-commerce - Preventing Taxation Before It Happens, Rather Than Hiding It After It's Levied - Click Here - How you going to keep them paying 50% of their profit out in taxes, when they can host offshore? It may come as a wake-up call to some, but for most of us, there is little question that Offshore eCommerce is the wave of the future. Playing offshore games of hide & seek is no longer de rigor - Today's web-smart cognoscenti are turning to offshore webhosting and offshore eCommerce. Once a thing of the future, offshore eCommerce is now a reality in Panama, with many exciting innovations coming online.
Offshore Conference - The Wealthy of the World meet in Panama - Click Here - The Offshore Association  of Central America and the Caribbean (O.A.C.C.) in conjunction with Times Publishing and Stern & Co. will host the 1st  International Wealth Conference in Panama City, Panama at the Westin Caesar Park Hotel from March 28-30,2001. The conference will open doors and international experts from around the world will gather in Panama to assist the delegates to cross borders and enable them to create wealth and personal and financial freedom in the global economy for their corporations and families alike. The three-day event also offers workshops on E Commerce, Internet Law, Captive Insurance Solutions, Banking and  Asset Protection and well as Investments in various industries. Well known speakers will attend. Also present will be Republic of Panama President Mireya Moscoso and Panamanian Economy and Finance Minister Noberto Delgado.
Offshore Opportunities 2001 Conference ~ Panama City, Republic of Panama ~ October 3-7, 2001 - Shhhhh, too - International Living and The Sovereign Society have organized this three day all inclusive conference to show you how you can manage your money safely and privately in the Americas’ most sophisticated offshore haven. Top legal, financial, tax, asset-protection, and real estate experts from around the world reveal their secrets for building wealth, reducing taxes, protecting your privacy, and living well overseas…in the Republic of Panama. Join others in Panama and learn how you can take advantage of this country’s sophisticated and private banking infrastructure to guard your hard-earned wealth and reduce your tax burden.
Panama as a Tax and Investment Haven - Click Here - "Individuals can derive a special benefit when, both Panama's tax haven qualities and its investment haven benefits, are exploited together. Individuals in search of a tax haven or asset protection need something in which to invest once the wealth has been secured. If such people are not confident in traditional markets, the Republic of Panama is ripe with opportunity to diversify internationally. " by Philip S. LaMar, Jr., JD
MiraMar Offshore Convention, Panama City, Republic of Panama, September 13 -17 - Click Here - Spend a wonderful 5-day working vacation in the heart of Panama City side the Panama Canal.  Learn from the leading professionals on offshore financial planning and international investing on how to protect your estate and earn higher interest rates on your money than ever experienced before.  This five-day getaway is guaranteed to leave a lasting impression on you. Speakers to include: Carlos Varela  ~ Panamanian Attorney, focusing on Panamanian Corporate Law, IBC’s, & Foundations; Richard Kilborn ~ focusing on offshore asset protection and financial planning as well as Panamanian Residency; Alex De Janon ~ General Manager of Sterling Financial Group corresponded with Bear Stearns & Company; John Haines ~ Director of Fortress Management discussing investment in Real estate here in Panama; Gary Bustin ~ Canadian CPA discussing certain tax issues in Canada.
The Other Side of the Gold Market - Click Here - A friend and his family from Costa Rica just visited us here in Panama.  One of the things he mentioned was gold.  We had a long and exacting discussion about gold.  He convinced me it's about to go up.  As someone who made money on gold in the 70's I've always been a 'gold bug' but my enthusiasm for it has waned over the years. None-the-less my friend convinced me that it's about to make an upwards move that may send it quite high.  As it's always been a standard of value, gold is always a good thing to keep on hand.  For expatriates and escapeartists, making sure that there is food and money stashed away for an emergency is an important subject.  We asked Mark Smalley of BullionCoin.Com to give us an article on gold to wet our appetites on the subject.  With the new millennium coming - and potential social breakdown looming perhaps now is a good time to stock up on a few essentials.  Gold is one of them.
The Panama Canal Silicon Valley - Click Here - The law firm of Pardini and Associates has provided a two page comprehensive report on what sort of business and end-consumer can benefit from offshore e-commerce, different ways an e-commerce company can experience cost savings, and why those companies should move their activities to Panama.  The answer to that why question is now, given Panama's continental fiber-optic network links, infrastructure, and incentives. These together with the strong recuperation of its international banking center, the report concludes, can be seen as heralds of a second Singapore in the middle of the American continent, a point of reference not to be ignored in the conceptions of the new economy of the 21st century.

THAILAND
Bangkok
Former Hit Artist Turns Restaurateur - Click Here - So why come to Bangkok? Loveland pauses and says, "Six years ago everyone said that Asia was the place to put your money, and specifically Thailand. But they said to do it quickly, because the opportunity wouldn't last. When I bought this place we were the only ones out here. Now the development is just booming, and soon there are going to be two more expressways passing right by here, so I couldn't have asked for a better location. Our clientele is also much better behaved because we are far away from the Sukhumvit, and the Patpong crowd."

U.S.A
Foreign Earned Income Exclusion for American Taxpayers - Click Here - Thomas Azzara writes, "Under US tax law (i.e., Section 911 of the Internal Revenue Code) , an American taxpayer and his wife can exclude up to $76,000 each from their salary ($152,000 = total), provided they live offshore at least 330 days of every year. This is called the "Foreign Earned Income Exclusion", and is  part of the Statutory Internal Revenue Code. This exclusion is an annual tax allowance under US tax law, but you have to live outside the US at least 330 days to qualify for it. The amount one can exclude increases to $80,000 for fiscal year 2,002. for 2001 the amount excludable is $78,000." Links to the online IRS Publication 54 on foreign earned income exclusions are provided.
Great Income Stream with IBC - Click Here - Ken Barker is an international merger and acquisition specialist. Formally a vice-president at one of the United States' “front line” brokerage firms. Mr. Barker presently focuses on the development, investment in, starting of international venturelimited partnership funds. Mr. Barker has initiated and completed transactions totaling over a billion dollars, globally. Mr. Barker writes, "This article is about a sheltered income stream, coupled with an IBC. An International Business Corporation buys tax mortgages. The IBC that owns the note is free to conduct any other form of business that is so desired. There are no restrictions on moving the funds.
HR 3886 is Killed - Click Here - September 18, 2000 WASHINGTON, DC. Dealing a death blow to HR 3886, legislation
which would give the US Treasury power to cut off offshore banks and nations, the US House Majority Leader opposes "financial protectionism" aimed at low tax regimes. Rep. DICK  ARMEY says the bill is "against our national interests and would endanger the economies of other nations." - It comes as a surprise to EscapeArtist that HR 3886 has been stopped.  If a bill were a weapon, HR 3886 would be a neutron bomb capable of destroying life without harming the real estate.
International Variable Life Policy - Click Here - Trevor Reynolds of Banner Overseas Financial services writes, "The ILVP has been specifically designed as a ModifiedEndowment Contract. An MEC that satisfies the requirements of Section 7702 and Section 817(h) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code 1986 allows the policy holder to obtain significant tax savings on investment growth over a regular investment or brokerage account. Providing certain regulatory requirements are met, investment assets within the Policy will accrue completely free of income and capital gains taxes."
Possible Increased US Effort to Track Offshore Assets as a Result of Terrorism - Don't Tread on Me - This commentary, submitted anonymously as a Letter the the Editor of Escape from America Magazine, reflects a growing concern among American citizens that their right to invest abroad and take advantage of lower taxes in foreign markets may soon be compromised under the ruse of international terrorism. Earlier this year, the US Government approached several tax haven nations in its effort to crack down on citizens rights to invest overseas. Rumor has it that the US Government even threatened to freeze US assets of foreign banks if those banks continued to withhold investment information concerning US citizens in those countries. Some believe the US government will begin using the ruse of terrorism in increasing their efforts. Escape from America Magazine invites readers to send comments to the Editor and voice their opinions on this volatile issue.
The Kinder and Gentler IRS - Click Here - If you, like many Americans fled abroad to a foreign country to escape to greener pastures and then inadvertently blundered back into the USA guilty of not paying your U.S. taxes while you were away, then potential amnesty or forgiveness may now be at hand.  Yes, you may be able to return to the U.S. without the pressure and burden of looking over your shoulder waiting for the IRS to show up and grab everything you own.
Tick - Tick - Tick The Economy Bomb - Click Here - This article comes to Escape From America Magazine via John Gaver, Editor and Publisher of Action America.  John writes about how and why the wealthy are leaving the United States in record numbers.  He asks if it is any wonder that, according to records of citizenship and permanent residency applications at many foreign consulates, the wealthiest Americans are leaving the USA at the highest rate ever for more wealth friendly climates?

Belize, Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panamá, El Salvador y Guatemala
The advantages of Living Overseas: a new and refreshing way to look at Offshore - Click Here - Edmund J. Pankau writes about the broader meaning of offshore, this time in terms of the real advantages to the ordinary person seeking a lower cost of living, a better quality of life, reasonable and fantastic real estate, lower taxes, and ground floor business opportunities. "In recent years, Central America has become the Florida, California and Arizona of the 1950’s.  Remember when you could buy beachfront property in Florida for a song? When prices in California were dirt cheap?  Well, those days are now in full bloom just a little further south of the border.  The slower paced climate of Central American has awakened to the realization that is can revitalize its economy by becoming the retirement center of the western world. All of the things that made Florida and California boom are now happening in Belize, Honduras and Costa Rica, as is starting to emerge, Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador and Guatemala."

Central America, U.S.A. and Europe
The Wireless Advantage and Offshore Investments - Click Here -  Best selling writer Edmund J. Pankau is putting together a new book on offshore investing - The author of "Hide Your Assets and Disappear: A Step-by-Step Guide to Vanishing Without a Trace," Ed has provided us with an article relating to his work in progress.

Netherlands, Italy and France, and in North and Central America
Moving Your Business Offshore - Offshore/Onshore Reports - Click Here - In an ongoing effort to provide a cross-section of the best offshore information on the internet, EscapeArtist seeks out the best online resources. We are really excited about a new website and news letter called, Low Tax Online NewsWire - If you want to know about investing offshore we recommend that you subscribe to the NewsWire. It's written by professionals and provides up to date information that is accurate. By subscribing to the "LowtaxOnline NewsWire" you will be able to receive all important international tax and offshore stories in one compact e-mail, conveniently sent at midnight GMT every Thursday so as to be available around the world before the end of the working week. This LowtaxOnline TaxWire on Moving Your Business Offshore was a Special Feature for Friday 5th January 2001 It was compiled by Tax-news.com editorial staff in London and New York Robert Lee and Mike Godfrey.

Czech Republic and U.S.A.
Tax Time with an Overseas B&B - Click Here - Ron Winkles and his wife run a Bed and Breakfast establishment in the Czech Republic. They spend about six months of each year in the US and six months in the Czech Republic. Ron writes, "Our return on investment has run about 5 to 8 percent annually, and we have had a great time making a little more than stateside CD rates while earning a nice tax write off. I was audited once by the IRS, the agent was curious and could not believe a retired couple earning $55,000 a year could afford to live in America and own a villa in Europe. Jokingly, I told him we saved money by not shopping in Wal-Mart."

Europe, U.S.A.
Operation: Dollar Storm - Click Here - Just six weeks ago, the price of gold reversed its steady decline of the past several years. The European Central Bank (ECB), as well as the central banks of 14 other European countries, announced a moratorium on more gold sales and loans for the next five years.  ...this was just the first shot in war that will force new highs in the dollar price of gold, and make fundamental changes in the balance of economic power between Europe and the US. ~ Hard metal advocate Willy Smith lives in Costa Rica with his wife and three daughters.  In this article he talks to us about our monetary future.

MEXICO, BELIZE
OACC Workshops ~ Solutions for Leaders ~ Caye Chapel, Belize, October 26th-28th  and at Cancun, Mexico, November 23rd–25th, 2001 - Shhhh - Learn about Corporate Structures and Ownership Solutions, Operating Offshore Structures, Secure Communication, Banking and Investments. You are invited to one of two exclusive and intimate learning experiences that are limited to 12 participants each in order to ensure a real personal experience. These are truly unique opportunities to learn directly how to structure your business and private affairs so as to greatly benefit from an offshore solution from Lic. Steve Saemmler-Klein and his team. Be sure not to miss out. Choose from one of two small group weekend retreats located in two wonderful tropical locations. The first is at the exclusive and luxurious Caye Chapel Golf Resort, a small and private tropical island situated on the Belize Barrier Reef and surrounded by the turquoise tropical waters of Belize. The second is held at the world famous Ritz Carlton Hotel in Cancun, Mexico’s tropical Caribbean playground.

Hong Kong, Austria, Turkey, Finland, London, Argentina, Ecuador
My Secrets to a Lifetime of Making Money in Overseas Real Estate - Click Here - by Gary Scott - If we can now buy a ranch in Argentina (or Uruguay, or New Zealand, or name your spot,)  for ten cents on the dollar of what a similar property inside the United States would cost us, and if we can carry on commerce from anywhere we are, how long do you imagine it's going to take your neighbor to realize the very same thing? As one writer put it, "those folks who buy that ranch in Argentina today are going to have grandchildren who will think they were a genius." Gary Scott tells us more, in an article from the best of International Living.

NEWSWIRE ON OFFSHORE STOCK EXCHANGE
Bermuda, Ireland, Jersey, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Mauritius, Panama, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Malta, Costa Rica, Cayman Islands
Offshore Stock Exchanges - Special Feature From LowTax Online TaxWire - Click Here - In an ongoing effort to provide a cross-section of the best offshore information on the internet, EscapeArtist seeks out the best online resources. We are really excited about a new website and news letter called, Low Tax Online NewsWire - In this issue or Escape From America we present a Special Feature from the NewsWire on Offshore Stock Exchanges. Countries such as Bermuda, Ireland, Jersey, Cyprus (maybe), Hong Kong (already) and Mauritius are cleaning themselves up for what could be a glittering future. This report includes some of the offshore jurisdictions with Stock Exchanges, their Regulatory Basis Including Listing Rules, Trading and Settlement, Costs of Listing and additional resources.