Field Notes: A Journey Through Life Abroad

Woman walking along a quiet beach in the Philippines

Philippines

Beyond Paradise: The Reality Overseas Veterans Experience Living in the Philippines

Added 10 September 2026. This piece is about the reality veterans meet in the Philippines and contains no figures at all. Here is the financial reality, which is a large…

Aerial view of a white-sand Zanzibar beach with turquoise water, anchored wooden boats, seaside hotels, and village buildings.

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Zanzibar

Zanzibar as the New Ritual Escape

The first thing you notice about Zanzibar is the light. Not the harsh, blinding kind that flattens a landscape, but something softer and more cinematic. In the early mornings, it…

Panama City View from Ancon Hill, Panama

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Panama

From Nomads to Pensionados: Why We Chose Panama As Our New Home

I like to say that my husband and I are “experienced travelers,” though “seniors with itchy feet” might be more accurate. Travel has always been woven into our lives. He…

People enjoying the summer at the beach at Lake Ohrid in North Macedonia

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Europe

Inside North Macedonia: Europe’s Most Unexpected Reinvention

North Macedonia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 at a time when the rest of the country was disintegrating and at war. Macedonia was able to quietly and peacefully…

Two people sitting on a beach at sunset with waves rolling in and rocky coastline silhouetted against the golden sky

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Costa Rica

Why Some Expats Leave Costa Rica (and Others Stay Forever)

Added 10 September 2026. This piece is about why people leave Costa Rica, and the honest answer for most of them is money. It gives almost no figures, so here…

Woman walking down a narrow street in Havana lined with weathered pastel buildings beneath a bright blue sky

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Cuba

The Reality Behind Cuba’s Romance

The island nation of Cuba has been at the fore of global fascination for decades. Its very existence is romanticised by some and brings ire to others. The word Cuba…

Female traveler standing in Bali rice paddies during golden hour

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Costa Rica

Costa Rica or Bali? A Tale Between Two Paradises

A Life Shaped by Travel As an avid traveler, I find it ironic that I was raised by parents whose world rarely extended beyond American borders. Yet two of their…

Woman steering a sailboat near a tropical island while living a sailing lifestyle at sea

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Interview

When the Ocean Becomes Your Home

For most people, the idea of leaving behind a conventional life to sail across the world’s oceans alone would seem unthinkable. For Captain Liz Clark, it felt inevitable. Raised along…

Aerial view of Puerto Vallarta coastal town with turquoise ocean water, sandy beaches, white buildings, green mountains, and boats anchored in the bay

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Know Before You Go

Mexico Beyond the Headlines: The Expat Reality

The killing of cartel kingpin Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, better known as “El Mencho,” has sparked a wave of backlash across parts of Mexico, setting off violence, government response, and…

Daily life in Costa Rica moves at its own pace, shaped as much by culture as by policy.

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Costa Rica

Costa Rica’s Digital DIMEX, Explained

Checked 10 September 2026. For a guide to a residency process, this piece is unusually short of specifics. It contains no fees, no income thresholds and no processing times at…