The Surprising Benefits of Living Abroad

by John B Stevens

IT NEVER GETS OLD

In this issue, I deviate a bit from my usual theme of teamwork and leadership, and focus on lifestyle.

The world has many interesting places to live. Many of them have unique advantages over others and, of course, some disadvantages.

If you consider yourself stuck in the country where you were born, or where your parents took you as a child, you’re limiting your options.

Here, I’ll focus on Argentina, my chosen corner of the world. That doesn’t mean you should. Considering the pros and cons of various locations will help you make a great choice.

While our detail focus here is a little apart from business performance per se, living and working where you're comfortable is vital to delivering your best results in your every endeavor.

First of all, if you’re happy with where you live, this may be a moot question. You may just want to stay there. As with many things, starting from a “clean slate” can be a valuable way to look at any situation. A clean slate means you start your thinking process from 0 rather than your existing condition. “If I had no established residence, where would I want to establish one?” is quite a different question than “Do I want to pull up stakes where I am and move to a different place in the world?”

As the popular song asks, “Isn’t this world a crazy place?” Most places in the world are undergoing significant changes politically and economically. Five years or ten years from now, the world hegemony, and political and economic climates are likely to be very different from what they are now. To discover where you're most comfortable in today's tumultuous world, examining the benefits of living abroad is worthwhile. There are thousands of interesting spots in the world.

What’s most important to you in your living environment?

Some factors that a move may improve are:

Later in this article, I’ll discuss these factors more as they apply to Argentina, my chosen spot.

Cons of Living Abroad

Moving to another country will result in big changes in lifestyle. You'll need to get accustomed to a new language, currency, climate and customs. This applies even more strongly if you’ve been living in the same place for many years.

Doing the groundwork can reduce the impact of these changes. This means researching all the information you can find. Get connected with people who have lived for some time where you’re considering moving to, including both expats and locals, to get different perspectives. Visit your new candidate in various seasons to experience its climate. This also helps you see the effect of tourist traffic, the business environment, and other non-climate seasonal factors.

Places to Consider

I won’t attempt to provide a list of candidates for you. There are many sources you can use, far more extensive than any list I could compile, where you can learn about places people have found desirable. Here are a few:

These sites focus on different types of environments, some on cities, some on more rural areas, and some on particular continents. A Google search can reveal places having the benefits most important to you of moving to another country.

How I Found Argentina

When I discovered Cafayate, Argentina, in 2010, I wasn’t particularly looking for a new place to live. Since the early 1990s, I had met and gotten to know Doug Casey, the co-founder of La Estancia de Cafayate (LEC), the development where I now live. Doug was an active explorer most of his life, having visited nearly every country in the world. When he decided Argentina was the best place in the world to live, started LEC, and began writing about it, I decided to come to take a look. I visited LEC for the first time in June 2010 and bought a lot, primarily for investment purposes.

During the next several years, I visited LEC a couple of times a year, met many of my co-investors, and found the development, its inhabitants, and the nearby village to be increasing to my liking.

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If you would like more information on options to participate in living life in such a special place as La Estancia de Cafayate, please contact me. With confidentiality and confidence, we can assist you to find the right fit for you to enjoy this wonderful place.

Email: caseyteresita1@gmail.com • Tel: +54 9 11 4145 6640
 
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