Question & Answer: Week of September 30, 2011

By Jamie Douglas

Many thanks to all of you who have responded to our call for questions about Expat living.

Before getting to this week’s question, I have a request of all my readers everywhere: Those expats who have health insurance, please be kind to your fellow expats, and share some of the information with us. Of all the subjects my readers are addressing in the questions section, this seems to be the major item of interest. We are also dutifully looking into the topic, so look for it in an upcoming Q&A segment. Thanks!

Now for this week’s questions:

Goodbye USA, Hello ???? Expatriate Now!

By Jamie Douglas

Are you still in the formerly United States? Watching your corrupt and incapable politicians destroy the last of the republic? Tired of all the posturing by those incompetents? Fret not, because you are not alone. The Gallup organization’s just-released Annual Governance Survey shows that a staggering 92% of Republicans are dissatisfied with their so called leaders, while only 65% of Democrats feel that way.

Now the real question here is not why such a large percentage are unhappy with their Elephants and Asses occupying the Senate and House, but rather, what is wrong with the 8% of Republicans and 35% of the Democrats that are happy with the status quo? Is this the result of the educational system, which has consistently been dumbing down our best and brightest? After all, you obviously don’t have to be a bright light anymore to become President of the United States. George W. Bush was the best example of that, proudly proclaiming after his selection by the US Supreme Court that there is hope for “C” students.

The Latest on the Fallout from the Fukushima Disaster

By Jamie Douglas

March 11, 2011, is a date which will live in infamy for the island nation of Japan. It was on that morning that a magnitude 9.0 earthquake changed everything. It changed millions of lives, it changed the way we think of nuclear power, food safety, living on the shores of our oceans as well as feeling safe in our homes. Officially, 15,805 people died on that fateful afternoon, most of them as a result of the 133 foot wall of water that mercilessly attacked the already weakened structures, which include the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant. An additional 4040 souls are missing and presumed dead. There is plenty of blame to go around, but I leave the blame game to those responsible for doing that.

I was in our home in Patagonia, writing late at night, when I saw the first reports of a massive earthquake coming in to the Guardian website. I surfed to NHK Television in Tokyo, just in time to witness the unfolding disaster. NHK had at least one helicopter in the air, which was broadcasting live from the scene of the earthquake, when the camera panned out over the open water to show the viewers the approaching tsunami wave that was making its way toward the nuclear power plant. Within a very short time, the destructive power of the wave became evident, as it came ashore and destroyed everything in its path. From the view provided by NHK, one could see people running and vehicles trying to outrace the approaching water, but all to no avail. There was no escaping this calamity.

Greece, Spain, and the Euro’s Future



The Eurozone



By Jamie Douglas

Last week again featured absolutely insane market fluctuations around the world, with daily headlines touting opposing reasons for every up and down. On Monday, September 26, 2011, Bloomberg once again outdid itself by proclaiming that the 2.53% rise in the Dow Jones, as well as rises in other markets, was driven by renewed confidence in the European Union being able to put the genie back in the bottle.

Immediately prior to that, the optimistic assessment by “Experts” was that Greece should have an “orderly default” and leave the Eurozone, returning to its former diseased currency, the Drachma. In fact, rumors emanating from Greece have it that the Greek Central Bank has brought the plates for printing Drachmas out of storage.

Slow Tourism: Stopping to Smell the Fruity Bouquet

by Julie R Butler

We have been featuring a series of Nomadic Retirement articles here at Expat Daily News, so far traveling around the many fascinating countries of Europe. Due to the positive feedback that we have received about this series, Jamie has also launched a similar project for Escape From America Magazine, where he is taking the Nomadic Retiree on a grand our around the globe in the Southern Hemisphere, beginning in New Zealand and heading east to the shores of Chile and over the Andes into Argentina.

The idea of this kind of travel is to engage in what has become a global “slow movement,” where savoring the flavors and the soaking up the essences and really taking the time to not only get to know the destinations, but also the landscapes that lie between them makes the journey a much fuller experience. Slow travel is the nutritious, delicious, slow-cooked, homemade chicken noodle soup of travel to the fast-food experience of whirlwind tourism. It is healthier for the mind and the body of the traveler as well as for the communities and the overall environment. And it is more affordable, as long as you are willing to let go of the rather absurd idea that “time is money.”

Question and Answer for the week of September 23, 2011

By Jamie Douglas

Thanks to all of you who have responded to our call for questions about Expat living. Keep the questions coming!

With the financial world in turmoil, I am getting an increasing number of inquiries regarding the potential impact on expats in various parts of the world, but in particular Greece. The Hellenic nation has long suffered from its corrupt and inept politicians, and since joining the Euro Zone, things went from bad to worse. The leaders of the nation had to relearn the fine art of disingenuousness all over. Now they not only have to lie and deceive their fellow countrymen, but all of Europe’s bankers and the European Central Bank (ECB). These ECB’s financial wizards were unlike the populace of Greece, in that they were not accustomed to getting lied to by their politicians. It did not take very long for them to smell a big rat, discovering that the Greeks had manipulated and falsified all relevant data.

Expat Life in Exciting Sydney

By Jamie Douglas

If fate has chosen you to become a resident of Australia’s largest city, then congratulations are in order. From its landmarks – the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbor Bridge – to its famous beaches and a vibrant art and music scene, the city is a cultural heaven, with many different activities available year round. Sydney is a very cosmopolitan world-class city, and when it comes to doing business, they “out-American” their American counterparts in many respects.

The same may be said about homes in the city and its many suburbs. Very large is very in. Australians live big, from their ready for anything utes (pickups, for you Yanks) to their recreational activities, which often involve beaches and barbies and drinking very late into the night. During weekdays, Sydney is all business, being the headquarters of many financial institutions, and the all-important Australian Securities Exchange, one of the most important bourses in the southern part of the world.

Hong Kong for Expats

By Jamie Douglas

Expat life in Hong Kong has its ups and downs. Those who are employed have very good incomes for the most part, but the astronomical cost of housing pretty much dictates that your employer sending you there will need to cover that, as $5000 to $10000 per month for apartments is not unusual at all. The recent housing boom has done little to alleviate the acute shortage of dwellings.

The legacy of the British occupation of course is a big plus for expats, in that the city features first rate infrastructure, schooling, and health care. The level and cost of health care are almost on par with the US, with hospitals and clinics that are world class and costs rising constantly. Because of these rising costs, it is highly recommended that you obtain insurance from a good carrier. It is good to remember, here, that the lowest price is not always the best. Coverage varies wildly, and you have to be sure that most Hong Kong medical facilities are listed therein.

Computer Problems Getting You Down?

By Jamie Douglas

For those of us living in foreign locales away from Amazon.com’s overnight service, the loss of a reliable computer brings a whole new set of problems, lack of access to your email, news, Skype, Facebook, and banking being just a few. Computer repair or replacement in foreign countries may be an expensive proposition, but for those of you having minimal technical skills, there is a relatively simple and inexpensive solution: build your own machine!

If you have neither computer problems nor technical aptitude of any kind, may I recommend going to our sister sites, Expat Daily News Latin America or Escape From America Magazine where you will find useful expat information not involving electronic skills?

Gavilan Vineyards in San Rafael, Mendoza (* * * * *)

Gavilan Vineyards (photo by Jamie Douglas)

By Jamie Douglas

To begin, let me inform my readers that this is not a solicitation for investments; I am not in the service of Gavilan Vineyards and Wine Estates or any other related entity. I am not being compensated for writing this endorsement. I received one bottle of single barrel Malbec wine from the onsite manager of Gavilan. While alerting my readers to the opportunity available in Gavilan Estates, neither I nor Expat Daily News, its officers and employees will have any responsibility for your potential investments. It is suggested as always that you investigate the firm on your own, prior to committing any funds, and best of all, visit the facility personally.

For detailed information, see the Gavilan Investor’s Package (PDF)

See also: Gavilan Vineyards – Making your own Wine (PDF)

My wife and I paid a personal visit to the Gavilan Vineyards and Wine Estates on Monday, 12 September 2011. Before even entering the premises, we were impressed with the appearance of the entry as well as the ease of finding it. We were met at the gate by Gavilan’s on site manager, Martin, at the exact time we had set. Upon entry, we found there to be a series of existing fields planted with signage describing what was there. The fields were very well groomed and appeared ready for the current growing season. Martin took us on a tour, providing us with much information about different aspects of the operation. The vineyards were purchased by Gavilan in 2008, after having been planted in 1972-1973 and maintained by the original owners. They consist of a total of 85ha, with 42ha currently planted.

Q&A: An Invitation to Partake in an Interactive Discussion

By Jamie Douglas

Thanks to all of you who have responded to our

call for questions about Expat Living.

Many times, I receive questions that leave me scrambling for a response that is appropriate. Sometimes I have no immediate answer and other times the answer may not cover all bases. In spite of 40+ years of experience as a vagabond on this big blue marble, knowing that there are situations that arise in other people’s lives causes me to avoid trying a one size fits all response because of the depth of the inquiry. In other situations, it is a question of a personal nature, of which I have no experience at all. It is for situations that require a carefully thought out response, taking the various aspects of the request for information into account, that I will pose the situation to my readers for consideration.

Expat Health Issues

By Jamie Douglas

Many of us expats are Baby Boomers, and as such are nearing or have entered the absurdly called “the Golden Years.” They are golden for the medical professionals and drug companies that are keeping us relatively healthy and able to be functioning members of society. For most of us, globalization has brought about much higher costs for medicine in countries which formerly had ridiculously cheap prices for most medicines compared to the rip offs we were subjected to in the USA.

Some are fortunate enough to have decent medical coverage in the countries they settled, but others like myself are unable to obtain coverage, as a physical is required, and diabetes is one of those preconditions that is so easily diagnosed, but if left untreated, will lead to all kinds of complications and death, something I am well aware of, having lost my wonderful daughter to type I diabetes at age 30. So dutifully, about once a month I go to the pharmacies around San Rafael to get all my medications, dropping about 150 dollars for drugs which are keeping my diabetes somewhat under control, while doing little to stop the disintegration of my nervous system in my extremities.

Middle East this Autumn?

By Jamie Douglas

Are you one of the many expats rumbling about the European Continent for the summer, but wondering where to go for the autumn, when the time on your Schengen Visa runs out? The following article will suggest to you where not to go for now.

By this time I am sure that my well educated readers (why else would they be reading Expat Daily News) are aware of the so called “Arab Spring,” which became the Arab Summer, soon to be the Arab Autumn. As it appears that the situation is getting better, reality on the ground tells us otherwise. The unrest extends all the way from Morocco to Turkey, with some regional hotspots yet to blow up.

This Fall in Europe is Expensive

By Jamie Douglas

Normally traveling to Europe in the fall has been a wonderful experience. I say normally, because these days are anything but normal. First of all the weather has not been great and with the series of hurricanes that are crossing the Atlantic first from Africa to the Caribbean and then up the east coast of the United States and back across the Atlantic to the British Isles, which so far have received more than their average precipitation levels.

But of course to the traveling expat, it is not so much the weather as the cost of traveling and enjoying these last days of summer and early fall that is important to consider. With the ever-present currency crisis, combined with the airlines gouging the public, the cost of getting there, even in the off-season, has become astronomical, and it is scheduled to rise even more.

Living on a Volcano

Shortly after moving to the Costa Blanca, we discovered that in the nineteenth an earthquake had destroyed a small town close to the urbanisation where we had made our home. Nowadays, we live on a volcanic island in an archipelago where there are still several active volcanoes.

One of the very first pieces of advice that we received when we arrived in the Costa Blanca, and one that we quickly learned to be particularly valuable, was “Never believe what you hear from bar gossip; always find out the facts for yourselves.” Bar chat is easy and, like Chinese Whispers, often varies significantly from the truth, and particularly if it is bad or disturbing news. However, many expats, desperate for information and advice in their own language, often readily fall for misleading information.

The current topic in many of the Brit bars in the Canary Islands is the issue of seismic shocks currently underway in one of our neighbouring islands, El Hierro. This island paradise is quickly becoming the source of overreaction and potentially dangerous gossip causing concern. So what exactly are the issues?

Question and Answer for the week of Sep 9, 2011

By Jamie Douglas

Thanks to all of you who have responded to our call for questions about Expat living.

The question I selected this week comes from Virginia in the USA and is something that is on the minds of many who are considering expatriation from that country:

Totally understand the sentiments expressed regarding the "American Image" abroad. Part of the reason many want out of the USA is because of the horrible way Americans treat Americans and everybody else in the world. Most who look abroad for a place to live are looking to get away from American culture and all that it represents. My question to the present day expats is "with regard to the drug cartels seeming to infiltrate Mexico and the US and the horrific war going on, are people safe in Mexico today?"

As a former longtime resident and regular visitor to Mexico, I feel uniquely qualified to answer your question. During the early 90’s, when we were working in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles, my wife and I would take several months-long breaks and drive down to Old Mexico – to the great consternation of our friends and co-workers. We drove the length of the Baja California Peninsula, went to solitary beaches, slept in the desert in our VW Van, went over to mainland Mexico by ferry, and followed the most desolate back roads there were, mostly deliberately. Our associates back in the States were always asking us if that was safe for us, and the reply was always the same: “The most dangerous part of the journey is getting through LA.”

Unfortunately those days are gone, maybe forever. Some of the most peaceful places we knew are now under the hammer from the Narco Terrorists. From large cities such as Morelia, Monterrey, Veracruz, and Oaxaca to tiny little hamlets, security has been lost. I particularly feel for my dear friends in Pátzcuaro, Michoacán and the surrounding area, which has been blessed with the legacy of Don Vasco de Quiroga, the first bishop of Michoacán. In his infinite wisdom, he gathered the many individual villages and taught them artisan skills, which to this day are practiced, establishing a creative atmosphere and bringing much needed income to the communities.

The World’s Economies and Trains

By Jamie Douglas

Once again, the world’s stock markets have fluctuated by trillions of dollars, just since last Friday, for reasons that always baffle me. I am the first to admit that I am not an economist, but merely a befuddled observer. If there is someone out there who can make sense of these wild fluctuations based on some hypothetical events that have the power to send the famous anonymous bargain hunters and profit takers out every day, to cause the huge disparities in value of the world’s so called capital wealth, please write to me. Personally, I think it is all a wild scam perpetrated upon the planet by a few manipulators using computerized programs to wreak havoc for their own benefit. There really is no rhyme or reason to it. But what most economists will agree upon is that we are currently staring at the oncoming headlights of the monster freight train that is poised to derail the world’s economies once again.

Daring to Dream the Impossible

Teachers have a responsibility to ensure that their pupils can read and write, and are numerate. It is a stated aim that they should do well in their SATS and achieve good grades in their GCSEs and beyond. However, education is much more than this and wise teachers place learning about life, learning to being happy and fulfilled human beings, as well as daring to dream the unthinkable at the very top of their priorities. By this I mean that creativity, and the ability for clear thinking, as well as original thinking, are all necessary for the process of ‘real education’ to be successful and for the ultimate survival of the species.

I like to hear stories of people defying the odds, achieving the unachievable and daring to be different. When faced with crises and potential disaster the human race has always had a remarkable capacity for daring to dream the impossible to get out of a tight corner. Over the years, explorers, wartime leaders, artists, philosophers, musicians and sportsmen and women have all contributed to the feeling that the impossible cannot only be dreamt about, but can also be made real. History also teaches us that we are often at our best when faced with a crisis.

Why you should move abroad for the opportunity, not the escape

 

My name is Brian and I have spent the last five years developing and operating the El Diablo Tranquilo boutique hostel and restaurant in the seaside town of Punta del Diablo, Uruguay. Before that, I spent about a year in Brazil, culminating in the sale of the contract consultancy I had set up analyzing pending legislation and macro-economic trends. Though I paid the bills by working for established western companies, I frittered away profits helping found several local production co-ops and was left with invaluable experience. I am unwaveringly proud that I went overseas chasing opportunity instead of simply fleeing a still great USA and my new project brings together tourism, travel logistics, and an innovative data collection system helping make emerging destinations more accessible to independent travelers and identifying tourism related real estate and hospitality investment opportunities – ping me at brian@eldiablotranquilo.com and I will happily tell you more.

Why you should move abroad for the opportunity, not the escape:

Having made the rash decision to extend a would-be vacation by starting a business in a foreign land, I had neither the time nor the inclination to make use of expat forums such as this until the dust had settled and I was well into my second successful overseas endeavor. But what a tool they are!

While I must admit that many articles bring a chuckle and a shake of the head:

·         No, you WILL NOT have the variety of goods and services you are accustomed to.

·         Yes, there is a noticeable difference in both infrastructure and quality between the first and third worlds.

·         Of course people appreciate you speaking their language in their country!

·         Despite what they tell you – no place is perfect, and if someone has found their idea of perfect, do not expect it to necessarily match yours.

However, many articles are poignant and insightful, and even more are practical guides that should be valued as such.

For better or worse, though, it seems as though the expat and pending expat communities too often base their motivations first on why you should leave home, and only second on where exactly you should be headed. Maybe I’m naively confident in our innate ability to survive, maybe I’m too pessimistic and quick to point out that everyplace has its flaws. To be frank, if we are to admit the reasons that thousands of Americans head overseas every year, we should be equally prepared to recognize the reasons that many times more – tens of millions - seek entry into the US, and that number would be in the billions if not for the fact that to most, our lifestyles are but a dream; not an approachable reality.

 Why then, have I stayed away from the US and lived in Brazil and Uruguay?

 The answer lies a step beyond the short answer “because I can” a fact all but guaranteed simply by being born in a prosperous and well regarded nation and delves into the implications of that ability. (On a side note: See Jared Diamond’s ubiquitous treatise Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies for a long-winded explanation of the historical and biological context that provided the groundwork for this prosperity we get to enjoy.)

What we call “class” in the US bears little resemblance to class distinction in the developing world and a fundamental reason for this is access to credit. At 28 years old, every one of my college buddies back home owns a house, condo, car, or some combination thereof – just about all of it purchased in an exchange for debt. As they all grow up, they will increase their equity and their leverage, along with the opportunities that stored wealth offers. But we’ve all been shown over the past three years what the over-extension of this credit can do to even the most robust economy, and not many of us focus on alternatives while considering a move abroad.

The lack of credit means that in Uruguay, less than 10% of the population owns their home and roughly that same amount own an automobile. Despite being the owner of a successful business recognized throughout this small country, even I could not obtain a credit card without having it tied to a “guarantee account” in the bank which exceeds my credit limit, this in a country where less than a quarter of the population has a bank account at all. For those of you following at home, if your credit expenditures cannot exceed cash withheld by your credit provider – well that means it’s not credit at all.

While this may tell you why there are millions of people waiting to get into the US, it has only hinted at why I chose to swim against the current and come this way. The US is home to over 27.5 million businesses, brawling over decimals of market shares and saturating every commercial sphere. We are brought up looking unconsciously for tiny cracks in the market we can fit into and fill, looking for a job implies filling a market-induced need, creating a business says that we can bring someone something they want better than whatever else is out there. Step off the plane in a developing country though, and it is hard to stand on a street corner and not wonder why so many innovations are not taking place. While the answers range from resource restraints to bureaucratic restrictions, they are not to be found in the common competition we’re trained to look for; and as the world grows flatter, these limitations shrink.

Learning how to test limitations and find the opportunities is a skill the western eye is intuitively trained for. 80% of you seeking to live abroad will require an income. With wages low, rents high, and a built-in understanding of the role of credit in innovation – I am continually astounded by how few expat communities seek to probe these possibilities.

Many thanks to Julie for allowing me to write for all of you, and I look forward to sharing how we were able to spot the opportunity for Oportunidade Enterprises, El Diablo Tranquilo, and the upcoming SA-Trails.  Hopefully, along the way we can have a good discussion about the prospects abroad and how thrilling it can be to explore the advantages we bring our new communities – and not just leave the place we’re from, but arrive somewhere new, excited for an adventure, a challenge, and an opportunity!

(For more insights by Brian Meisser, see Julie’s intverview at Expat Daily News Latin America)

You can contact Brian at brian@eldiablotranquilo.com

And check out his lovely boutique hostel in Punta del Diablo, Uruguay at eldiablotranquilo.com

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The “Great Recession” Never Ended

By Jamie Douglas

On Friday, September 2, 2011, I answered a question about how to transfer your funds abroad, as an expatriate. Thanks to all of you for your nice replies to that.

As has become the norm, the world’s leading publications, economists, and thinkers publish their findings a few days after me. My overinflated ego of course assumes that they are all reading my writings, such as when I call Brazil’s problems “Dilma’s Dilemma” and BBC has that very same headline a couple of weeks later. ...Or when I boldly pronounced that we never left the first recession, as the US Government’s shady figures claimed. Late last week, it was revealed that a respected Harvard Economist appears to agree with me now on that as well. As CNN put it so well:

For the average household, the Great Recession never ended. In fact, eight in 10 Americans think we’re still on one, according to a new CNN/ORC poll. Harvard University Professor Ken Rogoff said that view is justified. “We have never left the recession by any reasonable measure,” Rogoff said. “If you’re 10 feet below water, and you come up a foot, you're still drowning. The question of whether we are growing at 1% or falling at 1% is not the big issue. We’re in a different animal.”

And what was that big economic brouhaha in Jackson Hole last week? The best Chairman Bernanke could come up with was a vague suggestion that “…the Fed has a range of tools that could be used to provide additional monetary stimulus.” That is so reassuring to the rest of the world! Does that include printing additional hundreds of billions of dollars to dilute the currency even more than they did with the last round of “quantitative easing,” which is political B.S. talk for printing more money for the banks to not lend to small business?

For us expats and prospective expats, it is making a difficult situation even worse, as most of us live on a fixed US$ income, which has shrunk by 30% over the last 3 years, due to fiscal incompetence and irresponsibility by US leaders (?). One need only go back to the humiliating meltdown in the House and Senate over the debt ceiling, one of the most embarrassing cases of political infighting in the history of the Corporate States of America, which led to the very well deserved downgrading of the USA’s credit rating by Standard and Poors, a downgrade which was not only well deserved, but not sufficient. What kind of credit rating would you have as an individual, if you owe more than you make all year, and you want to borrow more to pay the interest on your massive debt?

On Friday, September 2, the Justice Department, after three years, finally filed lawsuits against the worst offenders in the fraudulent mortgage repackaging scams that robbed the middle class of its wealth forever, causing untold misery across the globe, with bankrupt pension funds, municipalities, and small time investors losing everything, many times ending up with huge debts to the banks and financial institutions that ultimately are the responsible parties.

The Justice Department filed civil suit against the following:

1.       Ally Financial

2.      Bank of America

3.      Barclays Bank   

4.      Countrywide Financial (Angelo “The Tangerine” Mozillo’s outfit)

5.      Credit Suisse Holdings

6.      Deutsche Bank

7.      First Horizon National

8.     General Electric

9.     Goldman Sachs

10.  HSBC North America

11.   JPMorgan Chase

12.  Merrill Lynch/First Franklin Financial

13.  Morgan Stanley

14.  Nomura Holding America

15.   Royal Bank of Scotland

16.  Societe Generale

What is most disturbing here is that in spite of the US Supreme Court’s obscene ruling that corporation have the same rights as individuals, that apparently does not apply to criminal misdeeds, as not a single criminal charge has been brought against the perpetrators of the crime of the century. Never mind Bernie Madoff – small time, compared to what these bankers did. The likely outcome will be the usual. After a few years of behind the scenes litigation and manipulation, all these “too big to fail” corporations will sign consent decrees, where they will not admit to any wrong doing, so as to be protected from lawsuits by individuals, pay fines which are way out of proportion to the evil they committed, and the injured parties, the population of the United States and the world, will get NOTHING! Well not quite nothing, they will get screwed again!

Anyone who will be surprised at that outcome obviously has not yet grasped how that Ayn Rand capitalism without a conscience has ruined the world economies with naked greed and selfishness. But excuses always abound. “Those Arabs running up the oil prices” is always a good one. Actually, it is not OPEC that sets the prices of crude. They merely set production quotas. The real evil here again lies with large multinationals speculating in crude oil, such as Goldman Sachs and Company, who profited billions of dollars by ripping off the world’s consumers when the price of crude was driven up to $150 per barrel! And then they gave themselves huge bonuses to reward themselves for very bad behavior.

But sadly, their conduct is not illegal, because ever since all the deregulation went into effect, starting with Reaganomics and continuing right through George W. Bush’s administration and on to the current administration of a powerless Barack Obama, regulatory authorities have been stripped of enforcement authority, and all their funding has been cut off, in staying with Grover Norquist’s philosophy of starving the government until it is small enough to drown in a bathtub. I am all for that, if it includes the drowning of all the corruption and lobbyists that have destroyed this once great nation, and forced not just me, but many tens of thousands of thinking Americans into exile.

Jamie Douglas

San Rafael, Argentina

Where that Fine Malbec Wine helps me keep some semblance of insanity!

I encourage you to write to me, jamie@expatdailynews.com with any questions or suggestions you may have, and if necessary, we can establish a voice communication via Skype. Disclaimer: I am not in any travel related business. My advice is based on my own experiences, and is free of charge. (Donations accepted). It is always my pleasure to act as a beneficial counselor to those who are seekers of the next adventure.

Jamie Douglas is an Adventurer, Writer and Photographer with an amazing array of Nikon equipment, and a lifetime of experience traveling and documenting. To contact him for assignments and new adventures, email: jamie.douglas [at] yahoo.com

See more expat articles by Jamie at

Expat Daily News Latin America.

(Image by Flickr User RambergMediaImages)


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Question and Answer for the week of September 2nd 2011

By Jamie Douglas

Many thanks to all of you who have responded to our call for questions about Expat living.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the many readers who contact me every day via my email address to give me thoughtful suggestions and sharing hints and tips for everyday life abroad. Many times I get questions that may be better addressed in this forum, as many of us are curious about the same subject. So here is a paraphrased question which has drifted into my inbox:

What should I do with my money? How can I transfer funds to my new home to purchase property or vehicles?

Your finances are the most important aspect of expatriating! Great care must be exercised to assure the safety of your funds. For your day to day needs, a bank account in your home country with a debit card is one of the best financial instruments you can have. If you have a spouse, make sure he/she has a card as well, as that will allow you to access up to US$1000 per day. In most countries, there is an ATM fee of between 3-5 dollars, but you can use a Visa or Mastercard branded card in many of the larger stores without having to pay a fee, and from my own experience, the exchange rate is very close to the published rate. I do a once-a-week shopping trip to the nearby city of San Rafael, where I can use one of the many ATM’s to replenish my cash, and then pay for many of my purchases with my debit card.

When we purchased our car, we needed to get several thousand dollars in cash from the ATMs (in Argentine Pesos, of course). We simply went to the cash machine at the bank every day, withdrawing our limit on each card until we had the necessary amount of cash. Within a couple of weeks we had a car, without involving the hassle of making a bank-to-bank transfer, which carries its own risks and reporting requirements, along with large fees and exchange rate losses.

That covers your basic financial needs. What about when you need an even larger sum? Assuming that you purchased land or a house, you will need to come up with the purchase price at some point in time to complete the transaction. This is a situation when good relations with your bank back home will come into play. One of the best and easiest ways to transfer large sums of money is of course via wire transfer from your bank to a trusted intermediary, such as an attorney, or if you have an account in your new homeland, having it wired directly into your account.

Be prepared to explain in detail where the money originated and what you plan to do with it, as all the money laundering laws will apply to your transaction, which will have to be as transparent as possible. There is always the possibility of paying by check, and waiting until it clears. Many times sellers will be more than happy to work with you, but be aware that in many countries in the developing world, it is cash that rules. If that is the case, and you had your funds transferred, you may want to invite your seller and his attorney to the bank to give them the money in the form they prefer, with you walking out without that large sum of money, but title in hand. Whatever you do, be very discreet with your transaction. And make damn sure that you have a good title coming to you, and not one where you have some distant family member come out of the woods a couple of months later to inform you that it is his land, since he never signed off on the deal, and he is a rightful heir. That is a situation that unfortunately occurs all too frequently.

There are a couple of other reasons why good personal relations with your bank will be necessary while living abroad. First, there is the USA Patriot Act, which enacted requirements for how US banks verify the identities of their clients. Maintaining a US mailing address is very helpful in this regard, along with making sure that someone at your bank knows that you will be making purchases from abroad. Also, banks will often cut off credit and debit cards when “unusual transactions” come through, which purchases in Uruguay definitely qualify as. (We even had our card cut off when we went to Florida, once!) We simply called our bank to confirm that Uruguay is a small country in South America, and that we were, indeed, in that country.

Should you have any questions beyond what I wrote here, be sure to contact me.

Jamie Douglas

San Rafael, Mendoza

Where you can buy that Fine Malbec Wine with your Debit card. Salud!

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Yet Another Livability Study



Melbourne, Australia (image via Wikipedia)

By Jamie Douglas

It seems that only few days or weeks pass between new comprehensive studies being released, telling us where the best place is to live. Just when you had your bags packed and were ready to move to Vancouver, BC, you find out that it is really not the most desirable place to live anymore (Hint: They don’t much like “Americans”). Change of plans: Go west, way, way west, and south, all the way to Melbourne Australia, to be precise. Here then is the new ranking from the Economist Intelligence Unit:

1. Melbourne          97.5 out of 100

2. Vienna                 97.4

3. Vancouver          97.3

4. Toronto               97.2

5. Calgary                96.6

6. Sydney                96.1

7. Helsinki               96.0

8. Perth                   95.9

9. Adelaide              95.9

10. Auckland           95.7

Calgary? Is it the lovely Tar Sands of Alberta that are the attraction?

What of course speaks for itself is that half of the most livable places are in Australia and New Zealand, three are in Canada, and two are in Europe, and not a one in the USA! Perhaps this could explain why so many residents of the Corporate States of America are looking to bail out of there.

The quality of life, or as it is referred to as the “American Way of Life,” has deteriorated to a degree where most residents of the USA have made massive sacrifices to adjust to the new and lower standard of living, while the cost of everything from energy to food to college tuition has sky rocketed, leaving many families in the lurch, after having gone on an uncontrolled spending binge from the mid 1990’s until the big bubble burst in 2008. It was a case of US consumers spending way beyond their means, contributing billions to the trade deficit with the purchases of all those imported goods, financing everything with easy (high interest) credit, while selling their souls to the devil (Angelo ‘The Tangerine’ Mozillo of Countrywide infamy) by getting second mortgages on their homes and spending the artificially accumulated equity on yet more frivolous items like Hummers, that 3^rd SUV, new cars for the kids, and so forth.

This disaster was allowed to happen because the government was taken over by lobbyists, which during the Bush administration had free reign over Congress and the Senate (remember Tom Delay, convicted money launderer, the K Street Project, and good ol’ Jack Abramoff?), writing bills to benefit their corporate clients, and turning them over to their underling elected representatives to introduce as legislation, which in turn would be rubberstamped by the corrupted system.

Then there is the heavy influence of the small-government evangelicals. Before one can run for public office in the CSA, one has to sign multiple pledges that are passed around, assuring the very loud minority that they will never (fill in your favorite divisive issue), and you end up with people running for office who have already abrogated their legislative powers to those on the fringes of sanity, completely crippling the legislative process. One has to be blind to not recognize that all the political power in the country has shifted from individuals electing their representatives to the large multinational corporations having their lackeys elected with massive cash infusions. This has been virtually enshrined by the US Supreme Court, also known as Court 54, in its usual 5:4 split decision ruling that corporations have the same right to free speech when it comes to making political donations as do individual citizens, who are now hopelessly drowned out by the huge campaign donations made by secretive groups with no accountability whatsoever.

The formerly United States of America is losing its best and brightest citizens to foreign shores, because those who analyze the current situation with an unbiased, non-nationalistic mind will find that the best days are behind them, that the republic has been driven off the cliff, and that much worse times are coming. One need look no further than the assortment of wing nuts who are clamoring to get the republican nomination for president, to start the worrying process.

For those of you interested, I wrote some articles about Australia a few weeks ago, covering the exact cities listed above.

Perth, the City of Lights

Adelaide, South Australia

Melbourne, Victoria

Nomadic Expat: Sydney, Australia

Also, watch for an article on Expats in New Zealand in an upcoming issue of Escape From America Magazine.

Round trip airfares from the west coast of the US are currently running about $1o00. Buy roundtrip as it is always cheaper that the one way fare, mate.

Jamie Douglas

San Rafael, Mendoza

Where that Fine Malbec Wine helps when I write about the CSA!

I encourage you to write to me, jamie@expatdailynews.com with any questions or suggestions you may have, and if necessary, we can establish a voice communication via Skype. Disclaimer: I am not in any travel related business. My advice is based on my own experiences, and is free of charge. (Donations accepted). It is always my pleasure to act as a beneficial counselor to those who are seekers of the next adventure.

Jamie Douglas is an Adventurer, Writer and Photographer with an amazing array of Nikon equipment, and a lifetime of experience traveling and documenting. To contact him for assignments and new adventures, email: jamie.douglas [at] yahoo.com

See more expat articles by Jamie at

Expat Daily News Latin America.

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