photo by Best of the Better

Can I be frank for a minute?  And forgive me if you already know this, but…it’s important that you, as someone who’s interested in investing or living in Latin America, understand that you can’t trust what anyone out there is telling you about international living.  

Not even us.

Why, you ask?

Well, it should hopefully come as no surprise to you that those who write about topics like living and investing overseas aren’t just doing so out of the goodness of their heart.  Like everyone else these days they’re ultimately looking to turn a profit in some form or fashion.

Whether it’s selling ads on their website, getting you to buy their ebooks, luring you to a seminar, or even selling you a piece of tropical real estate.  And those are all perfectly acceptable means of making money.  Just so long as you, the consumer, know to take their opinions and advice with a grain of salt.

Why we’re only slightly more trustworthy than other international living sites

Around a decade ago, my business partner and I both sat right where you are. Working in unfulfilling careers in corporate America, trying to get ahead, and dreaming about what it might be like to break free and start a life with our families in a completely new context.

Long story short…we both mustered up the courage and took the plunge.  Now we and our families have never been happier.

What’s more, we think there are a lot of other North Americans (maybe even you) who might benefit from making a similar move.  They just need a little guidance and reassurance.  We wanted to serve as an unbiased, reliable resource for individuals like you.

I say unbiased, because we soon realized that there are a lot of marketers and gurus out there spouting a whole bunch of misinformation.  Because they have something to gain from your subscription or your investment, they tell you a lot of what you want to hear and gloss over the tough parts about life abroad and the process of uprooting your family.

The truth is that becoming an expat isn’t always easy.  You know how hard it is to move your family from one side of town to another.  Imagine that multiplied exponentially when it comes to transitioning to a new country and a different culture.

We’ve seen the devastating effects that unrealistic expectations can have on families, marriages, finances, etc.  We want to help you learn how to see through those scams and objectively evaluate tropical destinations and the expat lifestyle for yourself.

That being said, while we at VivaTropical try to provide you with the most relevant, accurate, and unbiased information available, even our articles are biased by our own opinions.  It isn’t intentional.  It’s just inevitable.  There’s no substitute for forming your own objective opinion.      

Pay close attention to the man behind the curtain.

The first step in evaluating any recommendation on tropical destinations or tropical real estate is to consider your source.  And, if we’re being completely honest here, a lot of the articles out there about international living are written by people that you probably wouldn’t even listen to for more than 30 seconds if they were standing in front of you.

But a fancy website, a credible-sounding URL, and the word “Expert” after the author’s name can go a long way in making them seem a bit more legit.  So, just make sure you remain as objective as possible and do your best to read between the lines.

For example, if you’re reading an article on a website called ElSalvadorBeachProperties.com then, yes, they’re probably going to tell you all about how that country has Latin America’s best beaches. They’re also probably going to gloss over its crime problem and poor education system.

The same goes for marketers who claim you can move to grand expat cities like Boquete, Panama, and Cuenca, Ecuador, and get by on some ridiculous amount of money. Yeah, you could live on less than $1000 per month.  But only if you live like a local and don’t plan to take advantage of the amazing opportunities to travel the region.

Sometimes it’s a little harder to determine a site’s agenda when it’s not explicitly spelled out in their domain name.  You might have to look for a copyright or a Contact Us page to find out who’s behind the information and what their motives might be.

But, once you know who you’re dealing with, you can view their information under the right lens and learn to spot a false claim a mile away.  

Consider the folks who got married at McDonald’s.

That’s right.  More than one engaged couple has, when faced with a plethora of options for a wedding venue, chosen to say their vows beneath the golden arches.  We’re talking about linking arms and sipping from straw cups rather than champagne flutes and posing with wedding cakes built out of strategically stacked hot apple pie boxes.

That right there ought to be enough to tell you that what suits one individual or family is by no means right for everyone out there.

One man’s paradise can easily equate to another person’s idea of hell on earth.  If you don’t believe us, then just go read an article about a Latin city–any city–and then read the comments people have posted below it.

For every article singing the praises of a certain destination there are usually at least a dozen critics who think it’s the worst place they’ve ever set foot in.  Our articles included.

Does that mean we’re wrong about some of these places? No.  Well, not exactly. It just means that not everyone is going to share our views about every destination we write about.  Nor do we share the opinions of some of the other international living bloggers out there.

It’s all a matter of preference and priorities.  The only way to settle on a destination that will make YOU happy is to consider your values and what’s important to your family.  Then have the time of your life looking for the place that fits that bill. 

Read everything you can find about a place, including the bad stuff.

Once you decide you’re serious about giving the expat lifestyle a try, start researching to narrow down your search.  Read guides.  Read articles from “experts.”  Read the comments from people who think the author is an idiot or at least someone who’s clearly never set foot in that destination.

Join expat forums and chat with people who live in or have been to the city.  Ask them questions and get real answers from people who aren’t trying to sell you a timeshare.

Learn to decipher some of the terms or descriptions marketers use to mask some of the less appealing aspects of some tropical cities.  A lot of them are the same as the tricks North American realtors use.  (You know the ones.  A bedroom described as “cozy” might barely accommodate a twin bed.  “Tranquil” means it’s in the middle of nowhere, while “convenient” can mean it’s in an area that’s noisy or busy.)

Likewise, with tropical destinations, there are similar cues you can look for.  A place that’s “undiscovered” might be cheap, but it probably doesn’t have the most reliable utilities or even paved roads.  In a city that enjoys daily afternoon rainbows, you’ll also have to contend with the necessary afternoon rain shower.  Don’t miss what the author is really telling you.

Consider it a red flag if an author or source never has anything bad to say about a place.  I assure you there’s no problem-free location in Central America, or anywhere for that matter.  However, at the same time, don’t be turned off by the slightest negative detail about a city.  The cool nights in towns at higher elevations may be too chilly for some, but could be ideal for you.

Always kick the tires and take her for a test drive before you buy.

You can learn a lot from reading articles, looking at pictures, and talking to other expats (and you should definitely do all of those things).  But there is NO substitute for actually boarding a plane and flying down to see a place for yourself.

Sure you hear the stories about the folks who buy tropical real estate sight unseen, move their families down, start a business, and live happily ever after in paradise.

That is NOT the process that we recommend.

You need to really see and experience a place for yourself in order to determine if it’s a good fit for you.  And not just for one weekend, during the dry season, with a driver, a tour guide and an interpreter.  Plan to experience the place the way it would really feel if you lived there.

Walk around and talk to the locals.  Eat something they consider a ‘delicacy.’  Go exploring and get lost somewhere.  In town.  In a jungle.  (Ok, well, maybe you should have a tour guide for that excursion.)

Not only does taking a trip and enjoying an authentic experience in a new setting sound like an amazing vacation, it’s often the last step in nailing down that final decision on which tropical city would make the best backdrop for the next chapter of your life.

What are you waiting for?  Turn the page.  You’re gonna love how this one ends.