If You\’ve Ever Fantacized About A Carefree Life As an Expat “Island Girl,” These Two Unique (English-Speaking) Islands — Malta and Saba — Just May Suit You Perfectly By Teresa Roberts NABBW’s Expert on Living Abroad There is something rather otherworldly about living on an island. During the course of my travels, I have lived long term on two islands, the isle of Malta and the isle of Saba. Even though these two islands are separated by quite a distance and don\’t even occupy the same sea, they share many similarities. If you have fancied island... Read More

Saddle Up in Ecuador by Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate   What prompts a young Brit ensconced in the Parisian perfume industry to flee the continent in quest of creating the ultimate South American riding experience? That was the first of several burning questions I had for Sally Vergette, owner of RIDE ANDES, before joining her in Ecuador this September. I’m looking forward to romps through pastures in the shadow of snow-crowned volcanoes with other experienced riders on Sally’s fit and well-mannered mounts. Each day’s ride ends at a wonderful colonial estate like... Read More

Winging It on the Central Coast By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Expert   Morro Bay is a sweet coastal town, situated nicely between spectacular hiking and birding opportunities. To the south, Montana De Oro (mountain of gold), at 8,000 acres, is one of the largest parks in the state and one of its best-kept secrets. Fifty miles of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails wind through wooded canyons and along hidden coves. To the north rugged, untamed coastline given to the state by the giant Hearst Corporation remains a remnant of the natural splendor that greeted early explorers... Read More

Is Renting a House Abroad a Good Option? By Teresa Roberts NABBW’s Expert on Living Abroad   Living abroad has a lot to offer to those of us who have found ourselves dubbed by social media as either baby boomers, empty-nesters or anxious retirees. There are lots of us! Many are women, too. Some of us are single women. Others have partners. A significant number of us are in search of a lifestyle that is a bit different from our parent\’s lives when they retired. We\’re not interested in sitting at the end of the road twiddling our thumbs and baking cookies. Our lives prior... Read More

Living in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico By Teresa Roberts NABBW’s Expert on Living Abroad   I\’m an international house sitter and world traveler. I\’ve been traveling long-term for almost nine years now, often using this comfortable and inexpensive housing solution to make my travels easier. I tend to take care of the homes of expatriates, largely British, American and Canadian expats. So although I am not an expatriate myself, I certainly have had the pleasure of enjoying the homes, gardens, pets and exotic locations of many successful retirees who have chosen to live... Read More

Kick Back on the Kauri Coast of New Zealand   By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Expert   My heart pounded as loud as my mare’s hoof beats on the hard-packed sand as I paced myself to the gait of my leader and occasioned a glance over my shoulder at the sea. The immense surf, cresting in ten-foot faces rolling in fast, met the sand in a crashing fury. Under an intense blue sky the turquoise curls played a thunderous symphony.  I’d discovered the Kauri Coast on the North Island of New Zealand.  On the less-visited beaches stretching from the Hibiscus Coast to Breams Head Scenic... Read More

Can Learning a Second Language Save Your Gray Cells? By Teresa Roberts NABBW’s Expert on Living Abroad Women are on the road. Women of all ages, socioeconomic backgrounds, and cultures are discovering the many joys of travel, even traveling solo. It is the truth that today\’s woman is more independent than ever before. I recently received plenty of evidence of this phenomena while attending Spanish school at the Malaca Instituto in Spain for two weeks. Yes, there were also plenty of young men and women at the institute, but I was most impressed by the students over 50 who were enthusiastically... Read More

A Cruise I Couldn’t Refuse By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Expert Doing nothing is perfectly acceptable on the 150-foot Safari Explorer luxury motor yacht. You don’t have to jump up for whale sightings or watch bottlenose dolphin ride the bow wave. You can sit on the upper sundeck wrapped in Sky Father’s blue dome cooled by the sea breeze and enjoy your favorite book. Peering into the cobalt blue depths at the amazing adaptations of creatures living in the coral reefs is not mandatory. You certainly don’t have to partake in all the wonderful gastronomic delights placed... Read More

  By Teresa Roberts NABBW’s Expert on Living Abroad While I am not an expatriate, I do live abroad for up to ninety-day stretches at a time as an international house sitter. I have also enjoyed long-term rentals on numerous occasions. I now reap the benefits of having lifelong friends all over the world. Many offer us their guest houses free of charge. Having enjoyed a quiet life in various communities, it shouldn’t be surprising that I’ve grown attached to some of these lovely destinations. Since I am a compulsive wanderer, I would have trouble settling anywhere on a permanent basis... Read More

If you have ever dreamed of living abroad, you are not alone. There are a growing number of boomers who have packed up their belongings in order to establish residency in a new country. Americans and Canadians often wander south to warmer climates found in Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, Belize, or Ecuador. Northern Europeans have moved in droves to Spain, Italy, Portugal and other locations. However, did you know that there is a way to live abroad without settling in one specific location or setting up housekeeping for good? I am referring to international house sitting, a form of long-term travel... Read More