There is lots of information out there
telling us the best countries in the world to live in. We hear that Portugal offers
free health care, Colombia has amazing weather, and that Malaysia provides a lower cost of living.
But does that mean we should move there? What's the catch? And how does living there as an expat
compare with slow traveling around the world? Hey everyone I'm Emilie. My husband Chris
and I have taken early retirement so that we can slow travel around the world, spend
more time with our families and friends, and work on projects that matter to us. We're
currently in Buenos Aires, Argentina and it is a beautiful city. It has a great climate, plenty of
things to do, a lower cost of living, and several options for becoming permanent residents here.
So should we move here and call this place home? Every time we arrive in a new place Chris and I
talk about what it would be like to live here, but then we move on to the next place. so why
do we keep choosing slow travel instead making a permanent move? It takes a lot of time, money,
and effort. Chris and I moved to another country for a few years and so we know from experience
that it is a lot to deal with. If you want to stay in a country for longer than what the usual
tourist visa allows then you need to figure out the system. Many countries are now starting to
offer simplified visas for retirees and digital nomads where you can stay in the country for about
a year assuming that you can prove a certain level of income. This can be a great option depending
on what you're looking for. But if you want that permanent residency status you're likely going to
have to shell out a lot of time money and effort just to get it. Depending on the country and your
age you may even have to buy a property or start a business to get your residency. And this can
take years of work and stress before you actually qualify for that permanent residency status that
you're going for. News articles are really quick to point out the benefits that you'll get when
you move to a new country like for example you might get free health care. But these benefits
are usually only available to permanent residents and citizens of the country. So when you move
to that country and you don't have permanent residency status you don't qualify for the free
health care. You can spend years trying to get permanent residency status and during that time
you're paying for your own health care and not getting the benefits you thought you might get
by moving to that country. I've also seen lots of perks being offered by different towns around
the world where you can do things like buy a house there for a dollar. And these look really great on
the surface but when you start digging into it you realize that there's usually a catch. Something
like yeah you can buy a house for a dollar but you must start a business there where you hire
at least 10 employees or something like that. And depending on the country where you're buying
a house, home ownership might not mean what you think it means. In Canada and in other parts of
the world we might be used to getting a deed or a title for our property. But that concept doesn't
exist everywhere and isn't honored in the same way everywhere. I heard a story from a couple
who bought a new home lived in it for a while and then left on an extended vacation. When they
returned they found another family living in their home and they could not get their home back. We
cannot assume that the laws and customs that we're used to in our home country will apply in the
new country we're moving to. And it can take a lot of time and effort to figure out the laws and
customs in our new country. It might be the right decision for you to make a purchase in another
country but it's good to be aware that what things appear to be on the surface might not actually
be the reality. And it's good to know that there might be some strings attached. Depending on
your visa status and what you're trying to do you might also be required to stay in the country
for a certain period of time without leaving while your paperwork is being processed and this can be
for six month months or even longer. This can make it really difficult for you to travel, for you
to see your family, or to return home in case of an emergency. It means your travel is limited
to staying within the country while certain phases of your application are processed. Another
consideration if you're thinking about becoming an expat is taxes. Your home country and your new
country will have different tax regulations and figuring out the difference between the two and
how they come together is a complicated process that can end up costing a ton of money. And it is
headache inducing. Another consideration if you're thinking about leaving your home country is having
to give up things like your driver's license. For example my Canadian driver's license would be
good for a period of time after I left my home country but it's not good forever, and so I would
likely get a driver's license in the new country that I'm moving to. But then if I ever wanted to
move back to Canada later in life I would likely have to go through the driver's license process
all over again. And that's cuz Canada doesn't necessarily honor the driver's license I have
in another country. And so I would have to be forced to take my road test all over again. One
thing I always tell myself when we get to a new city and everything looks so beautiful is that
the grass is always greener on the other side. I know so much about the pros and cons of living
in Canada. All the political, social, and health care issues we face makes me wonder if it would
be better somewhere else. And when I'm in sunny, hot Buenos Aires and I hear about the ridiculous
amounts of snow falling back home I am really glad I'm not there. While Buenos Aires doesn't have
any snow it does have its own issues. And some places have more issues than others. And though
Canada isn't perfect I am very grateful for the opportunities that I've had as a Canadian. As
a slow traveler I don't have to face many of the issues in other countries, but if I were to
make a permanent residency move there I could be facing more issues than I initially realized.
Like for example in Canada I'm pretty used to relying on constant electricity. When I wake up in
the morning my electricity is on and it stays on throughout the day. But depending on the country
or the city that you're in that might not be true, and you could be facing rolling blackouts on
a daily basis. But if I'm just slow traveling through the area I deal with the electricity
issues for a month or two then I move on. In my opinion you should be really committed to making
another country your home before moving there permanently. Slow travel allows us to see so much
of the world without the hassle of moving to a new place. There are definitely some challenges to
the long-term travel lifestyle depending on your personality like living out of a suitcase, finding
a way to make an income, not being around close friends, and adjusting to a new location only
to leave and have to start the process all over again. But to me the major benefit of slow travel
is the flexibility it offers. I can go anywhere in the world that I want to with just my backpack
and learn about the new place. I love the agility and the lightness of my lifestyle. And that's our
video for today we'll see you in the next one.
