The Energy, Bounce, and Flow of International Living
Dreaming of your new international lifestyle in paradise but overwhelmed by logistics? Tired of comparing climate and cost of living stats?
Imagine a place that invigorates you, has friendly locals, and makes daily life effortless. Learn how to identify these hidden gems that go beyond the usual checklists and spreadsheets.
We're unlocking the secrets to finding your ideal international living destination based on energy, bounce, and flow. Imagine a place that perfectly matches your vibe, not just the numbers on a page.
Let’s go find your “happy place.”
Living Well Wish List
You’ll often find the most desirable overseas retirement and international living locations rated on criteria like cost of living, climate, and healthcare. Look a little closer and you’ll also want to know about: visas, immigration, taxes, and real estate ownership. These criteria are important and should be part of the extensive research you do before taking off.
In canvassing the globe for my ‘paradise,’ I expanded my ideal criteria and developed a wish list. I didn’t expect to get all of these, but it was a good place to start.
CRITERIA FOR LIVING WELL
Lower cost of living
Warm climate, but not hot.
Access to good medical care
English spoken, at least, as a second language
Ample supply of clean, drinkable water.
Basic dependable utilities, including Internet
Availability of groceries and supplies
Stable government
Stable banking/money system
Smaller town with accepting people
In addition to the standard criteria I just described, I like to include my own measure of a destination by evaluating those qualities mentioned in the title. These are not formal measurements. What’s being evaluated here is very difficult to quantify. You’ll know it when you feel it.
What’s the Vibe Like
The Energy of a location is about its vibrancy; how does it make you feel when you’re there? What kind of vibe do you get? I can remember spending time in Southeast Asia during the world recession of the mid-2000s. Apparently, the people and businesses in the region didn’t get the memo. For countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam, the economy was booming and you could almost feel the electricity in the air. Great energy.
Bounce is about the people, the culture, and their history. How friendly are the locals? Are they as curious about you as you are of them? Could you see yourself enjoying life here—possibly with a bounce in your step? The strong family values of Panamanians, for example, set the groundwork for a friendly and happy culture. And it doesn’t hurt that American influence has been around since the building of the Panama Canal in the early 1900s. A foundation of familiarity helps in adapting to a new culture.
Flow is about practical things like traffic, potable water, communications—anything that needs motion to have value. Part of the Flow is finances. How robust is the local economy? Is the banking system sound? Singapore is a good example of excellent flow in all of these categories. The country is prosperous, business-friendly, and is considered one of the freest economies in the world.
How It Works in Practice
As you do your research, dig into the details that influence the culture and, in the end, your level of comfort and happiness. Don’t make the typical newbie mistakes. Here is an example:
Placencia, Belize
Formerly known as British Honduras, this crown colony—since 1862—gained full independence in 1981 and reclaimed its original name, Belize. Because of its British heritage, English is the official language.
The language is easy, the currency is easy, and the driving is easy. For being a foreign country, the culture shock is next to nil. This is what initially attracted me to Belize. I researched and studied the country for almost three years. I found it interesting that it had all this going for it but, somehow, didn’t share the notoriety enjoyed by other Caribbean destinations.
ENERGY
Wedged between Mexico and Guatemala, this tiny and eclectic country has become one of the most popular ecotourism destinations in Central America. Belize is located on the Caribbean Sea about 195 miles south of the exclusive Mexican resort area of Riviera Maya. This sparsely populated country (with half the number of residents of Denver) is roughly the size of New Jersey with a total population 382,444.
Belize has the second largest Barrier Reef in the world, the highest concentration of Maya Ruins in Central America, and hosts an abundance of untouched nature and wildlife. Nearly half the country (46%) is protected national parks... on land and in the water.
Combine these diverse elements and you end up with a unique energy and vibrant locale.
BOUNCE
Placencia is a charming, low-key fishing village located at the southern tip of the Placencia Peninsula in southeastern Belize. As you might imagine, it also draws a more laid-back clientele.
Belize became a buccaneer haven in the 17th and 18th centuries for pirates taking a pause from life at sea. If you enjoy channeling your inner Jack Sparrow, this is the place to do it.
Around 1640, the legendary Buccaneer, Peter Wallace captained the Swallow out of Tortuga. His band of pirates, the Baymen, would attack Spanish ships loaded with gold heading back to Spain. Belize was pirate perfect — treacherous waters, the barrier reef, and lots of little islands to play hide and seek.
There's one road in and out of the peninsula and Placencia Village sits at the very tip. This captivating stretch of paradise has played host to the Mayans, pirates in the Caribbean, and now scalawags like you and me.
FLOW
The country is stable, the legal system is good, foreigners can own property, and taxes are low. The form of government is based on the British parliamentary system and the Belize legal system is modeled on the common law of England. Despite the strong British influence, driving is done on the right side of the road, just as in the USA.
The local currency is the Belize Dollar. One US dollar is worth $2 BZ dollars. There’s no need or advantage in using Belizean money, however, since banks charge a fee to exchange currency and US dollars are accepted everywhere. Nearly all hotels, restaurants, and shops take major credit cards. Bottom line: Make purchases just as you would in the USA.
MY STORY: My dream had always been to own a residence on the beach—one that I could rent out when I wasn’t there. When Belize started gaining popularity and desirability, I was ready to make my first international real estate investment. My dream came true and it did so for less than the cost of the typical subdivision home in the United States. The view of the Caribbean Sea was only obstructed by a couple of palm trees swaying in the breeze.
Don’t take it to mean this location is at the top of the list. In fact, don’t let any list determine your experience of a locale. Discover for yourself which has the best energy, bounce, and flow for you. You’ll know it when you feel it.
PRO TIP: An exercise that might yield some interesting insights is to evaluate the Energy, Bounce, and Flow of where you presently live. Hmm.
What’s vibe like? Is there good energy ‘in the air?’
What about the people and the present culture? How friendly are the locals?
What’s the traffic like? How robust is the economy? Is the banking system sound?
After this evaluation you might feel the need to check out the ‘competition.’ For me, the most important things are the new lifestyle I’m able to create and the new friends I make along the way.
