Teaching English remains one of the most popular—and most accessible—ways to finance your

new life overseas. You already have the skill, and you’ll find yourself in demand in fascinating countries from Latin America…to the Middle East…to Southeast Asia.

In fact, teaching English acts as a passport into exotic cultures and a new life abroad. And you get to make money while experiencing the country firsthand and meeting local people.

Nicole Brewer’s English-teaching journey brought her first to lively South Korea and then to the charming Middle Eastern country of Oman, on the Arabian Peninsula…Matthew Scott has explored Peru and Guatemala…and Lex Alexander is saving a fortune teaching English in low-cost Taiwan.

Age is not a barrier to doing this. Many people in their 60s and 70s are teaching English overseas. Nor is education or experience a requirement to prosper. Many people who have never taught a class before—or certified officially as an English teacher—are earning money teaching English.

And there’s more than one way to do it. Some people arrive on foreign shores and proceed to set themselves up as private English teachers, soliciting new clients with flyers or local bulletin boards.

By the Staff of Incomes Abroad

IncomesAbroad

INTERNATIONALLIVING’SJune 2016

Volume 4, No. 4

FUND YOUR LIFE OVERSEAS

www.InternationalLiving.com

Run Your Own B&B in France’s Dordogne Valley See Opportunity Digest on page 17.

Also in This Issue…

Continued on page 12

GOOD LOCATIONS FOR...

COVER STORY

Continued on page 2 Continued on page 6

Why “9-to-5” Rules Don’t Apply to UsBy Barbara Winter

Great Perks & Adventure —Teach English Overseas

Running Surf Camps and Acrobatic Retreats in Costa Rica By Jason Holland

Page 3 Money in the bank for this New Yorker in Venice

Page 4 Tropical sun inspires a booming, home-based business in Costa Rica

Page 10 Barter your skills for room and board overseas

Page 11 Dump the stuff that’s weighing you down and reclaim your freedom

Page 14 Sell your translation skills in expat communities overseas.

Page 16 Keeping up with global opportunities

Matthew Scott easily found English teaching positions on his travels in

Peru and Guatemala.

Jeanine Haddad and Andrew Webster turned their passion for surfing into a

business in Costa Rica’s Southern Zone.

When Colette Morgan lost her job at an independent bookstore, she had the option of working for a chain or opening her own business. It was an easy decision. She

decided to open a children’s bookstore. Her plan was to create a place no corporate mind could ever conceive, an original unlike any other.

Twenty years later, she’s still running Wild Rumpus. But she doesn’t do it alone. Step inside this bustling spot, and you’ll be greeted by lively music, ferrets, free-range chickens, Wilbur the hairless rat, and caged reptiles.

With a growing number of vacationers seeking a break focusing on a specific theme or activity, the market for venues hosting retreats, camps, or workshops is on

the increase. All sorts of themes are possible…natural healing…team building…painting…dance…weight loss…writing…wine-tasting…self-improvement…yoga…and so on.

Attendees get to step away from their everyday routine to learn a skill, engage in an interest or treasured hobby, express themselves in a new art form, or improve their life in some way.

An overseas location with a solid reputation for tourism and the right natural environment is ideal for a business either hosting (as the venue owner) or leading (by renting a venue) a retreat.

International Living’s Incomes Abroad | June 20162

BARBARA WINTER

Why “9-to-5” Rules Don’t Apply to Us

Continued from page 1

June 2016 Volume 4 • Number 4

InternationalLiving.com

© Copyright 2016 by International Living Publishing Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction, copying, or redistribution (electronic or otherwise, including online) is strictly prohibited without the express written permission of the Publisher. Incomes Abroad is published monthly. Copies of this e-newsletter are furnished directly by subscription only. Annual subscription is $59. To place an order or make an inquiry, see: www.internationalliving.com/about-il/customer-service. Send address changes to International Living’s Incomes Abroad, International Living Publishing Ltd., Elysium House, Ballytruckle, Waterford, Ireland. For editorial inquiries, see: www.internationalliving.com/about-il/write-for-il. Incomes Abroad presents information and research believed to be reliable, but its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. There may be dangers associated with international travel and investment, and readers should investigate any opportunity fully before committing to it.

Publisher Jackie FlynnEditorial Director Eoin BassettManaging Editor Cleo MurphyCopy Editor Jason HollandGraphic Designer Ian FlemingPhoto Editor Hugo GhiaraAdvertising Helen Daly; Fax (353)51-304561; Email: advertising@internationalliving.com

IncomesAbroad

Our editor-at-large Barbara Winter is the author of Making a Living Without a Job (now in print for more than 20 years), Seminar in a Sentence, and Jumpstart Your Entrepreneurial Spirit. She shares her ideas about self-employment through seminars and retreats throughout North America and Europe. She has traveled extensively and lived in six states. She currently makes her home in Valencia, California.

You also will encounter many devoted customers who wouldn’t dream of buying their books anywhere else. Obviously, Colette has built a business that keeps her happily coming to work day after day. It’s a laboratory for her creative spirit. It’s an example we can all follow in our own ways.

The most interesting businesses are as fascinating to their owners as they are to the customers. Although sound business practices may be in place, great businesses do not come out of a template. The founder’s values and personality are an integral part of the operating system.

Like a tailor-made suit, such enterprises fit their owner perfectly. With a bit of foresight and introspection, you can do the same and design an enterprise that’s a perfect fit for you.

Begin by asking yourself what you’d like your ideal business to include. Being outdoors?...using power tools?...having a few select clients?…working with a small team of freelancers?...speaking in public?...flea markets?...dancing shoes?...pots, pans, and ovens?

Identifying these tangible and intangible items can save you time and frustration. Before I ever zeroed in on the form of my first business, I knew I wanted it to include speaking, traveling, and sharing my passions for creative living and personal growth.

Consider, too, how much time you want your business to occupy. Would you like to work intensely for several months followed by several months of leisure? Do you want to work on the weekend and take time off mid-week? Get really honest about this part of the planning. Remind yourself that 9-to-5 rules no longer apply to you.

Start capturing these qualities and

activities in a journal. Eventually, you can use it as a checklist when you get to the design phase and challenge yourself to incorporate those details that are uniquely important to you. Just look at how Marjorie Sterne (page 3) created an income that allows her to do something she loves with a passion: wander the streets of Venice, Italy and find new things for tourists to do.

Once you’ve taken your personal inventory, consider the factors that are present in successful businesses. For example, you should offer a product or service that meets a continuing need. Not a fad product, but one which stays in demand. Consumable products, of course, create a built-in market in repeat business.

If you want to open a charming boutique or bakery, consider where your business will have the lowest possible overhead. Look at how easy it is to set up overseas. Jeanine Haddad and her husband Andrew Webster set up a surf camp in Costa Rica’s Southern Zone. They couldn’t have started this business in the U.S.—start-up costs are too expensive.

So they got going with just a few surf boards and some borrowed equipment. And they operate out of the office of a local restaurant because the beach is their workplace—how perfect is that! All they need is a storeroom for the equipment.

A business run in your own home or on the road is also a great way of cutting down on overhead. If you have visions of traveling regularly or relocating from time to time, consider a business that’s as portable as possible.

That’s where the internet can be a fine business partner, making it possible for your customers and clients to purchase what you

have to offer online. I once ran a profitable mail order business selling a product that had distribution centers in numerous locations. I received the order, called it in to the warehouse, and they handled the rest. Essentially, I was doing the marketing, but none of the heavy lifting other than making regular deposits at my bank.

Speaking of the money side, an ideal business is also one that doesn’t require huge cash expenditures. In other words, it doesn’t tie up your money. Before you buy a new gadget or upgrade, give thought to how it will make a profitable contribution to your business.

Most importantly, the ideal business is one that keeps you fascinated. It requires your intellectual and, often, emotional energies. You feel as if your business is a private university that allows you to get an advanced degree in time management, creativity, and human relations. Best of all, it pays you while you’re learning.

As your undertaking evolves and grows, you’ll be discovering talents you didn’t know you had.

You might even find room for a ferret.

International Living’s Incomes Abroad | June 2016 3

PORTABLE INCOMES

Money in the Bank for This New Yorker in Venice

By Anna Lebedeva

Clever use of her skills helps Marjorie Sterne fund part-time living in her beloved Venice.

While New Yorker Marjorie Sterne drinks her morning coffee, she looks from her window to admire a pretty

square and one of the most beautiful Gothic churches in Venice—Basilica dei Frari. She then checks her email, does some quick work on her website, and heads out to meet clients.

“I love the constant interaction with the people around me in the community,” says Marjorie, who runs a web content and development company providing services for small businesses.

“That is the biggest difference between freelancing in Venice and freelancing in the States. In New York, it’s a very solitary lifestyle. Here the only way to work is to meet face to face with people.”

Marjorie worked as a private practice attorney for some years before moving into business development consulting. As a freelancer, she was eventually able to move part-time to the magical city of Venice, taking some of her clients with her. But she also set up a whole new income to support her life there.

Beloved City Marjorie first visited Venice in 2000. “Before moving here part-time, I came to

Venice twice a year for 15 years for a longer stretch each time. There is always something new to see: History, art, food, culture,” she says.

While still doing her day job back in New York, Marjorie had taught herself how to build websites and developed other technical skills. She realized that she could use these skills—and her love of Venice—to create a city guide mobile application. And she sold the app, OG Venice, on the iTunes App Store.

“It stands for ‘Occhio Go,’” explains Marjorie. “Occhio is an expression Italians use similar to ‘look out’ in English. When I first published my guide I called it ‘Occhio Go Venezia.’ But, of course, my English speaking target market was uncomfortable trying to pronounce the words, let alone spell them. When I changed it to ‘OG Venice’ my sales quadrupled.

“I did very well with the app. As an independent publisher, I was selling between 5,000 and 10,000 copies a year.”

Growing BusinessIn 2014, Marjorie decided to bring the app

to the next level and moved all the articles and photography onto a website: OG Venice. The site gets good traffic, so Marjorie is able to offer advertising, sponsorship, and blog posts to Venetian business who want to appear on it. Plus, she will help them develop their websites and write English-language content for them. Although many of her clients speak English, the fact that she speaks fluent Italian helps.

Her “work” these days is to get out and about in Venice, see what’s going on, and bring

the fresh content (articles and information) back to her own website.

“Content development involves research, writing, and photography for the website,” she says. “As an attorney, I have a lot of experience in research. It is also about telling a compelling story.”

She does all this through her U.S.-based company and still does occasional consulting for her American clients, which contributes about 25% to her overall income.

Local PracticeMarjorie realized quickly that to get local

clients to work with her she had to meet them in person. She works from her home base, an apartment where she rents a room for less than $900 a month. She has a laptop, portable hard drive, tablet, mobile phone, and a good digital camera.

“In Venice, I also need very durable shoes as I walk a lot around the city,” adds Marjorie.

Marjorie says her life in Italy is more enjoyable than back in the U.S. “I walk here more. I have access to fresh seasonal local produce. The basic things are more affordable in Venice compared to New York City.”

At the moment, Marjorie spends six months a year in Venice as her visa allows her to stay in Italy for 90 days at a time. But she is working on converting it to a long-term permit in order to live in Venice full-time. When she is back in New York she sublets her room in Venice.

“I am excited about growing this business. It is living the dream but it is work at the same time.”

There are many things to consider before you set up a content and web development enterprise. Here are a few tips based on Marjorie Sterne’s experience. • Showcase your skills: As an aspiring web and content development freelancer, you should first develop your own website to showcase your skills. The experience of putting it together will tell you whether or not you enjoy it enough to do it for others.

• Use available resources: There are many great online tools out there that make developing beautiful websites a snap without getting too technical. Marjorie uses WordPress, Wibly, and Joomla for web design.

• Offer extra services: Look for add-ons to your services that will bring extra money. Marjorie does peripheral work such as creating LinkedIn profiles, Facebook pages, and TripAdvisor listings for a fee.

• Decide on your focus: Marjorie says that offering search engine optimization (SEO) and content writing services gives her a competitive edge as not all web developers offer those.

• Split the payments: Marjorie asks for 50% upfront before starting a project and the other half as soon as the client has approved the draft. Make sure you have the payment in full before the content or website goes live.

• Be patient: It took Marjorie five months before she was able to meet her day-to-day expenses with the new business.

Running a Content and Web Development Business

International Living’s Incomes Abroad | June 20164

START-UPS ABROAD

Tropical Sun Inspires a Booming, Home-Based Business in Costa Rica

By Jason HollandContinued from page 1

When Californian Ingrid Anderson and her family moved in 2012, to Uvita, a beach community on

Costa Rica’s southern Pacific coast, she and her daughter took up surfing in a big way. Her husband, Robby, was a lifelong surfer already.

Uvita is near several top-notch waves and it’s a dramatically beautiful area as well. It attracts eco-tourists and surfers. No big resorts or condo towers on the beach—only eco-lodges and boutique hotels and small towns. Just jungle (much of it protected by a large national park), mountains, and the sea. Wildlife abounds in the rainforest, with howler monkeys, sloths, and other creatures.

But the effects of the sun concerned Ingrid, and she was equally worried about the chemicals in sunscreens found in stores. Plus, in the water, most sunscreens wash off very quickly or even sting when they get in the eyes.

So Ingrid, an esthetician by training, put her skills to use and—along with her friend, Lynda Wieland—began experimenting with making a more natural sunscreen.

“It really came out of necessity,” says Ingrid. “We’re vain. We don’t want wrinkles.”

In the tropics, the sun can be very hard on your skin. Even if you don’t burn, UV rays are damaging your skin underneath the surface, which can cause premature aging and skin cancer. For those who spend a lot of time outdoors this can be especially concerning.

Take surfers. They spend hours in the water in direct sunlight.

“When you’re surfing you need serious sun protection,” explains Ingrid. “Our sunscreen is thick and water resistant. You get wet or sweat, and it stays on. It won’t get in your eyes. And it protects your skin from damage.”

Ingrid and Lynda had a ready market for an all natural sunscreen…so they created one. The main ingredient, making up 27% of the sunscreen, is non-nano, non-micronized zinc oxide, which is safe

for sensitive skin. It also contains a variety of ingredients like coconut oil, jojoba oil, coffee, cocoa butter, beeswax, almond oil, shea butter, Vitamin E oil, and more.

This is a true kitchen table business. The first batches of sunblock were created in their homes.

Ingrid and Lynda got their ingredients and started figuring out proper proportions of zinc, coconut oil, and the other ingredients with Lynda taking the lead role as “chemist.” They needed to get it just right for consistency, color, and effectiveness. It was a trial and error process until the right mix was achieved.

Then they created a brand, Jungle Mama Naturals, to market their chemical-free sunscreens and skincare products. A big selling point is that the range contains only organic and all-natural ingredients. The sunscreen, both the version applied on the face (which is more like a thick paste) and the other for the body, is the flagship product, but they also offer coffee scrubs and lip balm. A new product, a skin toner, is coming out soon. The sunscreen and lip balm are their bigger sellers.

Right ProductThe company is now in its second year

and growing fast. At the moment, all profits are reinvested in the business.

“All the ingredients are on the label. Because we need higher quality, more refined and organic ingredients, many of the ingredients we have to buy and have shipped down from the U.S.,” says Ingrid.

But not coconut oil or coffee, which are cultivated in Costa Rica and available at high quality.

The sunscreen has been a hit with surfers. It’s available in a small plastic “stick” that fits easily in the pocket of swimsuits without being cumbersome or interfering with movement, so it can be reapplied if necessary in the water. Extensive product testing by Ingrid and her family and friends shows it works.

Ingrid is reaching out to merchants in Costa Rica to grow the business. She visits local stores and those around Costa Rica, especially surf shops and organic stores, to ask them to carry Jungle Mama products on their shelves—her goal is to take on new wholesale accounts.

It doesn’t take much convincing when a store owner sees how effective the sunscreen is, according to Ingrid. So far they are in a couple dozen stores, as well as hotels, along Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, including the beach and surfing towns of Nosara, Santa Teresa, Jaco, Quepos, Dominical, and Pavones. These are world-famous surf breaks, drawing travelers from around the country and around the world.

A minimum order Ingrid will send to her clients is 24 “shorties,” the mini face

Ingrid Anderson and Lynda Wieland have tapped the market for natural sunscreen in Costa Rica with great success.

International Living’s Incomes Abroad | June 2016 5

START-UPS ABROAD

sunscreen line. Her biggest customers take 40 to 50 items at a time, from throughout the product line. She will deliver orders of 10 to 12 items for customers near her home as she can usually drop off a delivery while running her usual errands.

Once a store needs more stock, Ingrid sends a box by bus. This system, called ecomienda, is a common way to ship goods within Costa Rica—kind of like UPS, which is not widespread in the country. The product packaging is plastic...but also available in glass. And they encourage recycling by giving a 10% discount to those who return empty containers in good condition.

Ingrid is also contacted by people hosting surf retreats. For that she creates special packages for the retreat guests, with fancy boxes or bags full of her product.

“That’s fun because I can get creative,” says Ingrid.

Often, Ingrid is able to mix business with pleasure, bringing along samples of Jungle Mama products on surf trips with her family to show potential clients. Her daughter is a competitive surfer on the Costa Rican national circuit. And those surf contests take the family all over the country too.

PartnershipThe partners split the business.

Lynda, who relocated to Delray Beach, Florida—after 12 years in Costa Rica—is in charge of growing the business stateside and creating product and shipping it to U.S. customers who order through their website. She also writes the content for the website and markets the business online, often through social media. Her husband, a writer, also helps craft the copy for the labels and website.

Ingrid researches potential ingredients and mixes up new batches of possible new blends and products in her home kitchen—and then tests the results.

Any time Ingrid dedicates to the sunscreen business is after work, at home. She mixes up batches of product three days a week. Her husband, Robby, puts on the labels and shrink-wraps the finished product. She tries to build up an inventory so that when a new order comes in she doesn’t have to scramble to fulfill it. In Florida, Lynda has her own “lab” where she mixes up batches of the same product following their recipes.

Jungle Mama has reached a tipping point, says Ingrid. She works full-time in her day spa (Incomes Abroad, June, 2013). It’s her main business, located in a busy shopping plaza just off the main road in the region. She caters to local expats, tourists, and Costa Ricans with facials, massages, body waxing, and other services. It’s a full day, and then when she gets home she spends time working on Jungle Mama.

“I do it all in my kitchen. It’s our lab. The business is growing faster than we imagined. Soon we will need a facility. Now I have all my equipment, like my scale, and ingredients in boxes, and I have to get them out when I’m making a batch.

“I didn’t expect it to get to this point. We keep plugging along, and oh my god people actually like it,” says Ingrid.

RegulationsThe FDA in the U.S. has certain

regulations pertaining to sunscreen. Ingrid explains that they do have to be very careful with the wording on their labels and website to not violate any rules. Although, based on their own testing, they believe their sunscreen meets standards.

“We don’t put any claims or SPF numbers. We say it’s a water-resistant sunscreen. We can’t say that it’s waterproof,” she says.

The sunscreen is not only for surfers. Anybody involved in water sports, boating or fishing, or even just spending the day at the beach is a potential customer. Ingrid says kids, who are usually very active at the beach and in and out of the water, could really benefit from Jungle Mama sunscreen. Even skiers with their exposure to sun and light bouncing off snow could benefit.

Ingrid and Lynda’s dream is to sell in retail stores in the U.S., especially to like-minded companies like Whole Foods.

“We’re not there yet,” says Ingrid. “To get into a store like that, we’d have to be tested and certified. We’d love to work with some big-name surf companies in the U.S., too. We’re open to private labeling with larger companies.”

It started as a personal project for Ingrid and Lynda to create a better sunscreen for their own surfing adventures. And now they’ve attracted attention across Costa Rica and throughout the United States with a full line of skincare products. They’re still mulling over their options. But they’re enjoying every minute of this business venture and are eager to see what the future holds.

And in the meantime, Ingrid is living in a great place. The region is opening up to development after the completion of a coastal highway in 2010 but at a slow pace and at a small scale. It remains unspoiled and wild in many ways, although there are all the modern conveniences: reliable electricity, and high-speed internet.

Expats here, including Ingrid, live in homes in the jungle set on hillsides, with quick access to the coast. It’s a laidback beach lifestyle.

Broad spectrum sunscreens protect against both UVB rays, which cause sunburn, and UVA rays, which cause skin cancer. Only products that pass the broad spectrum test from the Food and Drug Administration can be labeled as such.

The U.S. retail sunscreen market is valued at $1.5 billion and the FDA currently lists only 16 approved sunscreens, including zinc oxide.

For further information on approved skincare ingredients visit the FDA website.

You can learn how to make your own skincare products and turn it into a business. Check out skincaretycoon.com for more.

What You Need to Know About Making Your Own Skincare

Costa Rica’s sunny Pacific coast was the perfect place for two expats to launch a sunscreen business.

©Ja

son

Hol

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International Living’s Incomes Abroad | June 20166

COVER STORY

Great Perks & Adventure —Teach English Overseas

Continued from page 1

Others line up a job in a private school, teaching either schoolchildren or businesspeople. In some cases, their new school sponsors them for visas (see sidebar Page 7).

The path you choose—and the exotic location in which you arrive—depends on your particular circumstances and requirements.

“I originally started teaching abroad in South Korea back in 2009 after being laid off from my market research job,” says Nicole.

“After several months of unemployment in the U.S. and being at my wits end with no real prospects on the horizon, I decided to try my hand at ESL (English as a Second Language) teaching after seeing an advertisement on Monster.com. At that time, all you needed was a degree from a university in your home country and no real teaching experience.”

The experience in South Korea introduced her to the different ways to teach English, and she highly recommends it as a destination to start out teaching English overseas.

During her three years in South Korea, Nicole’s experience included teaching in both primary and secondary public schools through English Program in Korea (EPIK), a state-wide program affiliated with the Korean Ministry of Education. The program requires job applicants to have a bachelor’s degree in any subject to qualify. Once accepted, the EPIK will send you the relevant details you need to apply for a visa to teach in the country.

The demand for native English speakers in South Korea is so high that Olivia Babine, who also teaches there, found that recruiters are keen for people to start almost immediately. She was met by her recruiter straight off her 30-hour flight. He drove her to meet her new supervisor at her new school immediately. She started the very next day.

English teachers in South Korea can primarily work in one of three ways, she says: For a public school, at a university, or in a private hagwon—an international after-school academy that is somewhat similar to a local community services center where students go to take intensive English classes.

And as an English teacher in South Korea—especially in the capital of Seoul—you’ll find plenty of expat company.

“One can find Australians, Americans, British, Irish, South African, and Canadian teachers to name a few,” says Olivia. “Some have contracts for three to six months while others have one for one to three years.”

To teach in a public school or university, you’ll need an advanced graduate degree or certification. Olivia warns that the work is sometimes intensive—the Korean work ethic is strong and vacation times vary by school—but the experience comes with rewards, both monetary and otherwise.

She uses her weekends to travel…staying overnight in a temple…visiting the tiny and picturesque half-moon Namiseom Island…and enjoying the Gyeongju Cherry Blossom Festival, a celebration of the blooming of trees brought by the Japanese. A full weekend trip costs her just $20 to $150 depending on where she is going.

But the major reward for Olivia is financial. She’s been able to pay down her loans, save some money, and pay for her travel thanks to her salary. The benefits that come with a typical teaching contract are especially attractive.

“Almost all hagwons give teaching contracts that provide health insurance, a paid-for apartment, and your airplane ticket

home, along with your regular salary,” she says. Many of her peers manage to save even more money by supplementing their income by tutoring students privately either through their academy or other avenues.

Low Cost LivingLexington is also making a decent living

teaching English in Taiwan. He decided to make the move from Seattle where he was working 50 hours a week and still just breaking even. He was paying $1,000 a month in rent alone for a 400-square-foot apartment. He could barely afford his medical bills and was struggling with credit card debt. He needed to make a change—and to escape from shivering in his apartment in front of a space heater.

Five years ago, he chose to move to Taiwan, an island nation east of China. Though lesser known by those on the hunt for an English-teaching job overseas, Taiwan offers a decent income and low cost of living. Here again, native English speakers are in demand with openings available in a wide range of places, including kindergarten, public and private schools, universities, and more.

Unlike in South Korea, housing stipends aren’t as common but a low cost of living means that payment stretches further. Teachers are typically paid by the hour, and the average salary ranges from about $1,600 to $2,000 a month.

In exotic Oman, where Nicole Brewer now lives, English teachers are paid up to $4,000 a month.

International Living’s Incomes Abroad | June 2016 7

COVER STORY

“In my first year, I made $16.90 an hour, but teachers get raises and usually make around $18 or more in subsequent years. Hourly wages can reach as high as $30 an hour.,” Lexington says. When he was working full-time, he was able to save heavily. “Although I’m working less now, I was saving almost $500 a month during my busiest times.”

He’s slashed his food costs by half, his housing costs by more than half (even for a bigger place), and has been able to take back control of his finances. As for his medical bills, they’re no longer a worry.

“Taiwan has socialized medicine and it’s amazing!” he says. “My employer and I pay a small monthly premium. Doctor visits and a few days of medicine cost just a few dollars, and you don’t even need an appointment. Teeth cleanings cost $3 at the dental clinic. Necessary surgeries are mostly covered by the insurance, as is Chinese medicine and even acupuncture.”

Lucrative IncomeHands down, Asia and the Middle East

are among the most lucrative destinations in the world for native English speakers.

In China, for example, which has one of the fastest growing markets for English lessons in the world, the average English teacher can earn $1,500 to $2,000 per month—and often higher depending on the prestige of the school or university one teaches in. Many teaching contracts also offer a generous housing stipend. The salary and benefits, coupled with a typically low cost of living, means teachers are often able to save money or use their income to travel through Asia.

In South Korea, a teacher at a hagwon can earn between $1,600 and $1,900 a month, exclusive of any housing or medical benefits.

For a university teacher, that figure can rise to between $1,950 and $2,950 a month.

But for Nicole, who left South Korea and is now living in Oman, the financial benefits of her new country surpass even the generous benefits of her previous home.

“I decided to move on to the Middle East because financially I make more money in this region, and the cost of living is still relatively low. While there may not be as many opportunities for social outings, I can afford to globe trot, hopping over to Dubai for festivals, events, and the like.”

She enjoyed a partying lifestyle in South Korea, but life in Oman is quieter and more reserved. Still, she has plenty of money to enjoy herself.

In Oman, teachers working in an international school can expect to be paid from $2,100 to $3,500 a month. On top of that, they also get accommodation or a stipend for rent, a return flight to their home country, and medical insurance. Teachers with experience and an English-teaching qualification, such as CELTA, TESOL, or other recognized qualifications can earn up to $4,000 a month.

Great ExperiencesBut high earnings are not the only reason

to consider teaching English overseas. The choice of location, for many, is just as—if not more—important than what you’ll earn.

For Matthew, who is now teaching English in Antigua, Guatemala following his stint in Peru, his earnings are a third to a quarter of what teachers are earning in Asia or

the Middle East. However, the numbers on his paycheck do not tell the full story. His quality of life is comfortable, and he’s happy with the choice he made.

“I work in a private language institute, teaching 30 classes of one hour each a week,” he says. “For this I am paid just over $500 a month; this possibly seems paltry to those still laboring in the so-called developed world, but I have found that I can live very comfortably on this amount in Antigua.”

That amount is reasonable for Guatemala. Although the opportunities to make more if you have experience or an ESL qualification are limited, some people are making up to $1,200 a month with those certifications. Others supplement their earning with private one-on-one lessons, sourced through word of mouth contacts or by advertising locally.

Still, with his monthly salary of $500, Matthew can rent a spacious room in a large house with a rooftop patio, looking onto the sometimes-nightly eruptions of Volcan Fuego for $160 a month. And he’s found that even while being paid what would be a tiny amount in his home country of New Zealand, he can live extremely well. He dines out whenever he wants for just $10 and takes regular trips. He’s even able to save money sometimes.

And his job is far from stressful. He has plenty of spare time to enjoy the beauty of Antigua.

“During the week, I work in the mornings and in the evenings,” he says. “This means that I have every afternoon free—which works very nicely in a town that seems to be bathed in the warm sunlight every single afternoon.”

His free hours sometimes involve taking

Some governments welcome native English speakers into their schools with short-term working contracts and a visa provided.

France: Get a visa to teach English in France with the annual Teaching Assistant Program. The program offers a seven-month visa to France for the purpose of teaching English to students of either elementary (8-to-11) or high school (11-to-18) age. You will be required to work 12 hours a week between three different schools.

Ecuador: Ecuador’s government is looking for English teachers. The project is called It Is Time to Teach English in Ecuador and classes start in May and September. All parts of the country are covered.

Spain: Join a graduate language program in Spain. Applications for the Language and Cultural Assistants Program are taken between January and March each year for the following academic year.

Join a Ready-Made English Teaching Program

Olivia Babine got health insurance and an apartment as part of her English-teaching contract in South Korea.

International Living’s Incomes Abroad | June 20168

COVER STORY

a hike up the valley to look at the views of Antigua; other times, when the mood takes him, he takes a mid-afternoon siesta.

Matthew didn’t have his role planned out before he moved to Antigua. In fact, he came armed just with a CELTA certificate and a little experience. Once he arrived, he did a little online research and visited a few schools to enquire about jobs and income. In just four days, he had a position secured and was asked to start at the end of the month. He wasn’t under pressure to get started. And because the cost of living is so low, he had time to explore the area fully before he began.

“By the time it came for me to put on a shirt and step in front of a class, I knew that this was a place that I definitely wanted to be for at least a little while,” he says.

Though Matthew’s more laissez-faire approach to securing work is not for everyone, his experience in finding a job in Antigua is not the only time it has served him well. Prior to moving to Antigua, he had lived in the Peruvian city of Cusco. His approach on arrival was almost identical to his approach in Antigua.

“I arrived in Cusco one cold morning by bus and set to looking for work as an English teacher that very same day. Within two weeks I was working at an established language school on Avenida Sol, the main drag of Peru’s historic center,” he says.

Again, he found his certificate, which he had acquired before he left home, to be hugely beneficial to his job search. “I interviewed at a few schools,” he says. “With a CELTA certificate it seemed that I was in demand. This meant that I didn’t have to twiddle my thumbs and watch my bank accounts dwindle while I was settling into this new home. I was busy from the get-go.”

In Cusco, working 30 hours a week, he was paid the same monthly rate as in Antigua—$500 a month. Because he was only spending $250 to $350 a month, he was also able to save money every month in Cusco.

And again, just like in Guatemala, Matthew’s salary in Peru was average. Teachers working there in language institutes, like the one Matthew worked for, can expect to make around $500 to $700 a month full-time.

Rent was his main expense: You can get a modest but comfortable place to live for $115 a month, he says. If you’d prefer something more luxurious, a budget of $200 a month will get you a nice studio apartment with bathroom in a good location.

“The $500 for 30 hours a week that was my monthly pay check could be spread very far in Peru, particularly by using the plethora of local markets around the city for most of my grocery shopping,” he explains. “Places like the San Blas Market or Rosaspata, both of which were located just a 10-minute stroll from my house, sold fresh and organic produce for nickels on the dime. Food like avocados and quinoa, lauded as superfoods back home, are cheap staples here that form the backbone of a typical meal.

“Whether I ate out at the assortment of international options downtown or cooked for myself with market ingredients, a meal was likely to cost me just a few dollars.”

And the experience of living and meeting the locals in Cusco, he says, is something that will live with him for years.

“Sometimes in my hometown, it can feel like we are all just working for the weekend or the vacation or retirement, and it’s easy to lose track of the details of your days. My life in Cusco, however, was the richest tapestry that still remains vivid to me.”

Latin AmericaThe demand for English teachers is

high overseas. As Kary Vannice, author of Speak English and Get Paid explains, the possibilities for teaching overseas are endless—meaning you have your pick of exotic locales to live and teach in.

“When you consider that, currently, there are over a billion people studying English as a foreign language and most teachers of English worldwide are not native speakers, it becomes clear that native English speakers are in high demand at all levels and in all sectors of the market,” she says.

Kary speaks from experience. She’s segued that high demand into a new life in the beach town of Huatulco, Mexico. In the fall of 2008, she moved to Mexico without any teaching experience or even an English degree (Kary is a forestry graduate) and began teaching English. She hasn’t looked back since.

Chile is one of the most diverse and exciting countries in Latin America. The long narrow country borders the Pacific on the west and the Andes in the east. Off its shores you’ll find the big stone heads of Easter Island. Within its borders are First World cities, salt flats and geysers, volcanoes and vineyards, glaciers and lakes. On top of that, it’s one of the most stable and economically prosperous countries in the region.

Learning English is in big demand in Chile. After recognizing that English-speaking skills could help to grow its economy, the Chilean government threw its weight behind improving the levels of English spoken in schools by both Chilean teachers and students. In 2003, it launched the “English Opens Doors Program,” supported by the United Nations Development Program, to pair native English-speaking volunteers with Chilean teachers to improve the English of students aged between 10 and 18 years old.

Though that program is unpaid (placements are short-term but volunteers have their health insurance, travel, food, and accommodations provided), the effect of the government focus has been to prompt Chilean adults, particularly those in business, to improve their English skills.

Native English speakers working in language institutes or private international schools are typically paid between $350 and

You’ll find many other stories about teaching English in your Incomes Abroad archive. Here are a few:

Empty nesters Jim and Jane Ann found themselves at a crossroads when their children left home. So, they decided to take a new lease on life by teaching English in Bogotá, Colombia (Incomes Abroad, May 2015).

Patrick Murtha, who is in his mid-50s, has built a steady income teaching private English classes in the colonial city of Queretáro, Mexico (Incomes Abroad, May 2016).

You can teach conversational English online. See how one expat in Thailand is earning as an online tutor (Incomes Abroad, February 2015) and another is doing it in Brazil (Incomes Abroad, October 2013).

Did you know there are special visas available to teach English in Europe...or that you can earn well teaching English in China...or that you’ll find great opportunities to teach English in Asia?

Your Incomes Abroad subscription gives you access to all this archive information and more.

Read More on Teaching English

International Living’s Incomes Abroad | June 2016 9

COVER STORY

of their past experiences and adeptness for working in professional environments. There is a huge need for business English teachers in Chile, and anyone with previous professional or corporate experience is at an advantage because they have first-hand knowledge of what kind of English will be most useful for their students.”

Julie acknowledges that the Chilean market is competitive enough that an ESL certification can open a lot of doors. (That’s not the case in all South American countries where native English speakers, with or without an ESL qualification, are in demand.)

She gained her qualification before she left Chile.

“Getting the proper certification to teach English is quite easy these days,” she says. “Knowing ahead of time that I wanted to teach in Chile, I selected a blended training program with online classes for theory and a 20-hour practicum. It was a great experience because I could complete the online work at my own pace and found an excellent volunteer opportunity to earn my teaching hours. It only took me about four months to get certified.”

Easy LivingWith the extra money you can earn in

Chile, there’s a whole lot of discovery travel to spend your income on. But no matter where you go, the experience of teaching English overseas is a usually a positive one.

Back when Matthew was trudging an hour to work in cold and drizzling mornings, he could have never dreamed that, two years later, his morning commute would be a stroll through palm-lined parks in the little colonial city of Antigua and his weekends would be spent exploring the Guatemalan Pacific coast or visiting one of the country’s pretty lakeside villages.

Before moving to Antigua, he also got to experience the raw beauty of the Peruvian city of Cusco, high in the Andes. A world away from his busy life before, he fondly remembers weekends spent sipping craft beers in the sunshine, sitting by the raging Urubamba River.

Similarly, Lex was living in a tiny apartment in Seattle and working 50 hours a week just to pay the bills. He’s more than halved his costs on the tropical Asian island of Taiwan. While his friends back home are buried under the weight of massive debt, he gets to enjoy five-course meals, for two, for $30…and add to his savings account.

Both of them are living more affordably, thanks to the drastically lower costs of living in each of their chosen destinations…and the use of that simple, basic skill the world wants so badly: English.

Kary Vannice is the developer of Speak English & Get Paid, a program designed to take you from novice to successful English teacher overseas. Here, she answers the most common questions about teaching English overseas.Do I need to have teaching experience before applying for a “teach English” role overseas?No, it is not necessary to have taught before to get a job teaching English abroad or online. However, you may want to consider taking a certification course, where you will learn how to teach English and gain some practice experience in front of students.How do I choose the right location for teaching English? There’s a demand for native English speaking teachers in nearly every country on the planet. The best thing is to choose several places where you would like to teach, and then investigate the requirements for teachers in that region (age, nationality, education, etc.). Aren’t older people at a disadvantage for getting jobs? Most countries value wisdom and experience of people who are “older” much more than in the U.S. or Canada…and generally, experience trumps age every time. Most doors are open to teachers of any age.Some countries—typically in Asia and the Middle East—do have age restrictions for teachers or for work visas, which vary by country. It’s important to investigate this as you consider the countries in which you might like to teach. Even in those countries with age restrictions, there are many, many opportunities to give private lessons. In some cases, people find they actually make more as a tutor than working in a school. In the Speak English & Get Paid program, you’ll hear from teachers who have taught in every major region of the world. Most of them are retired and doing this as a second career or just as a “hobby” to fund their life abroad.

Meet the Expert...Your Questions Answered

$600 a month. (Note, as Chile has one of the highest costs of living in Latin America, this is not enough money to live on full-time. Chile may be a better option for those who are seeking to supplement Social Security or pension income.)

However, private teachers can typically earn more. While those working in schools or institutes may earn between $4 and $8 an hour, those giving private lessons can charge $10 to $15 and up. Work on a Sunday, when most business people are available, and find a roster of eight to 10 clients and this can be a lucrative part-time income.

Working freelance, Julie Andersen, who’s originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, has found her niche. If you have previous business experience, you’ll be at an advantage, she says. And, whether you decide to freelance or teach with an institute, you’ll also be at an advantage if you’re over 45 as business clients often prefer an older teacher to a “backpacker” type.

“Right now the market is saturated with young backpackers looking to make ends meet,” she explains. “I think older, qualified applicants stand out to institutes because

Lex Alexander saved $500 a month teaching English full-time in Taiwan.

International Living’s Incomes Abroad | June 201610

SET-UP SOLUTIONS

Barter Your Skills for Room and Board Overseas

By Cleo Murphy

Your options for extended overseas travel are better than ever with low-cost accommodation through Airbnb

or no-cost accommodation as a housesitter. But you can go a step further—and stay a while longer—by offering to help out at organic farms, hostels, or even private homes in lieu of paying for your bed and meals.

Thanks to the internet, hundreds of people are organizing their trips this way.

Imagine traveling around Europe helping out on an Italian farm…a Spanish mill…or an Irish equestrian center. You get into the heart of each place and community quickly, and you can move from place to place after a few weeks.

If you bring skills like cooking, gardening, carpentry, or animal management, you’ll find someone who is looking for your help. Even if you have no skills, hosts are often glad to have an extra pair of hands.

The concept began in the U.K. when an office worker mentioned to colleagues that she was going to help out on her friend’s organic farm for the weekend. They thought it was a wonderful idea and wanted to come along…and so began the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms movement, or WWOOF. The folks who volunteer are affectionately known as “woofers” and the term “woofing” is even slipping into parlance in these circles. The practice has since spread to many websites and online communities around the world.

Organic FarmsMany countries now have individual

woofer sites, and there are thousands of hosts and helpers around the globe. Hannah Miller from California—who is traveling the world and blogging about her adventures—spent time as a woofer in northern Italy trading four hours work a day at a farming cooperative in exchange for her meals, bed, and lots of great experiences.

“Before I arrived in Italy I had no prior farm work experience,” says Hannah. “I reached out to the farm through wwoofitalia.com.

“At Villagio Verde we worked four hours per day in exchange for food and accommodation. The hours consisted mainly of weeding in the garden. The cooperative is

a very spiritual place. They wholeheartedly believe in the power of meditation to enhance purpose and bring fulfillment, peace, and happiness. They believe communal and sustainable living is the only way to live. The only animals they own are horses.

“I did not spend a dime…or a euro. If you need to earn, you can always pair farming with ‘digital nomad’ work…although a quick bicycle trip to the nearest town for WiFi may be required.”

There’s a $20 charge for putting your profile up on the Italian WWOOF site, and it gives you access to opportunities across the country. You can check with your hosts if they have WiFi available, how far they are from the next town, and what the situation is with transport. Some hosts may offer bicycles. Others may drive to a town once a day or be close to a bus service.

Make a list of your requirements and put questions to your host before you make an arrangement (see sidebar).

Live and LearnYou don’t have to go the farm route,

though. There are plenty of hosts restoring old houses or running artisan businesses who need help. The HelpX site welcomes anyone who can offer assistance with a project. Choose from restoring a 400-year-old stone farmhouse in Italy to beekeeping and olive-picking in Greece, or cooking breakfast in a B&B in France.

You can make arrangements to do some painting and decorating…take care of children…or build a fence.

A similar site is Hovos.com, which connects hosts and volunteers. Joining is free, and there’s a $10 charge when you make a connection.

There’s a learning and engaging element to this type of travel. You may find yourself developing skills with horses…restoring furniture…making artisan cheese…or building fences.

You will, most certainly, get to know your hosts and any other volunteers who happen to be onsite at the time. Seasoned woofers, helpers, and volunteers talk of learning new skills and meeting great people along the way.

On the HelpX site, Dionne Jennings from Canada says, “I’ve had five HelpX experiences since leaving home and all have been exceptionally positive. I’ve learned some basic animal husbandry (like how much a goose does NOT appreciate you putting a splint on his leg, thank you very much), how to lead a llama, that guinea pigs love banana peels, and that chicks do not appreciate being put to bed before they are good and ready. I’ve picked fruit, prepped bee boxes, pruned grapevines, and made jam, cheese, and bread. I‘ve picked up some very basic Portuguese, Spanish, and my French has improved considerably.

“So many people opened their homes to me, and shared their stories, their lives, their music and books, as well as their cooking, culture, children and chores. I hope I was able to offer enough in return. There is a big world out there, filled with friends I haven’t met yet, and so many new things to learn and explore.”

It’s best to do some homework before you embark on a helper or volunteer trip. Here are a few things to consider.Clear communications: Establish with your host the number of hours a day you’re expected to contribute and the nature of your tasks. Four to six hours is typical, depending on the level of effort required. Check reviews: Sites allow for hosts and volunteers to review each other. Read through to get an idea of the positives and negatives that both sides encounter. Write your profile: The more information you give about yourself, the more likely you are to get a compatible arrangement. Specify if you have a driving license…are a non-smoker…or have an allergy to cats. Be flexible: Some arrangements will work better than others. Take the good with the bad. And, if something isn’t working out, shrug your shoulders and move on. There are plenty of other hosts out there.

How to Become a Traveling Volunteer

International Living’s Incomes Abroad | June 2016 11

CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Dump the Stuff That’s Weighing You Down and Reclaim Your Freedom

By Nancy Kiernan

Before I moved to Colombia and made a new life in the beautiful city of Medellín, I often found myself sitting

at my desk in my office, staring into space and yearning for the days when I didn’t have all the responsibilities that tied me down.

How had my life become so complicated? When did it happen?

My days were spent working long hours to pay the bills, cleaning the house, taking care of the family, and hoping to have just a little bit of time to spend with my husband, Mike, at the end of it. Hard to believe this stage of life lasted for more than 30 years.

When Mike and I were newlyweds, we made the decision on where to live by sticking a pin in a map. Ok, maybe it was a little more calculated than that. We knew we were moving to the state of Maine due to Mike’s job transfer, and we put pins in the center of the cities that had hospitals, because of my nursing profession. Then we drew a circle around them that represented a reasonable commute. We chose the town where the majority of the circles intersected, bought a house, and moved there.

Oh, to be able to act like that again. To have that feeling of freedom once more. No longer being entangled by a mortgage, college tuition, high-pressure job obligations, and, of course, taking care of a house full of stuff.

Collecting ClutterBack then, I was the quintessential

“stuff” person. I had a set of Christmas dishes, everyday dishes, and good china. My clothes occupied my half of the closet in the master bedroom, the entire closet in the guest room, and several large plastic storage bins in the basement. Stuff is like gas—it expands to fill your space. My husband, daughter, and I lived in a 15-room, three-story Victorian sea captain’s home and eventually every nook and cranny was filled with stuff.

The problem with stuff is that it becomes a burden. Just think about how much of your personal energy your stuff consumes. You have to work to buy it, spend time cleaning or taking care of it, and worry about keeping it safe. All with the idea that your stuff has value. Well, yes, it has a dollar value. But is that really what makes you happy?

In a one-and-a-half-year period my mother, aunt, and uncle all passed away. I was the executor of each of their estates, and therefore responsible for disposing of their assets. Each of them had a house filled with stuff. Items they had held near and dear were given away to charity. I learned that except for a few token memory pieces, no one wants your stuff.

It was there and then that I had my “lightbulb” moment. Material things really don’t matter much. As we all know, you can´t take them with you. What does matter, and what you can take with you and keep in your memory and your heart, are experiences. Spending an afternoon with some friends to celebrate your birthday becomes more valuable and fulfilling than any material gift.

The experiences-over-stuff concept is liberating. No longer do you have to expend energy for things that, in the end, really don’t enhance your life. The announcement to family of this changed way of thinking was met with the question: “Who are you, and what have you done with Nancy?” While comical, it demonstrates how many of us are identified by what we have, not where we’ve been or what we’ve seen.

It´s time to change that. Start collecting experiences instead of things that collect dust. You’ve paid your dues for years raising your family, climbing the corporate ladder, and taking care of others. Now, take care of yourself. You can focus on what you want to do.

Up until this point in my life, Mike and I were vacationers, not travelers. Spending one or two weeks in another city or country is a great start. But it is so short-lived that the experiences you remember are more like snapshots of enjoyment sandwiched between the getting-ready-for-vacation and the returning-from-vacation chaos.

When we decided to sell everything and embark on a four-month sabbatical through Central and South America to find our future home, family and friends thought we had lost our minds. Well, actually, that was their first

comment. It was often immediately followed by “I wish I could do that too.” Lots of people dream of freedom, but not everyone can make the changes necessary to do it.

Embracing ColombiaWhen we arrived in our adopted home of

Medellín, we stepped off the plane with only two suitcases of clothes each and a laptop. Then we started collecting experiences. Exploring all the beauty that Colombia has to offer keeps us busy these days. From the warm tropical Caribbean coast to the Andes Mountains to the Amazon jungle, our collection of experiences continues to grow.

They say timing is everything. Our daughter had graduated from college and begun her adult life in another state six months before we left. How poetic that both the child and the parents were starting new lives at the same time. Her for the first time, and us for the second time around.

I wanted a “do-over” of my youth…but this time I am older, wiser, and have more money in the bank. Our daughter is now content in the knowledge that mom and dad, like her, are simply pursuing the life that they want and deserve.

Nancy Kiernan has swapped the life of pressure and possessions for the experience of overseas living in Colombia.

International Living’s Incomes Abroad | June 201612

GOOD LOCATION FOR…

Running Surf Camps & Acrobatic Retreats in Costa Rica

Continued from page 1

Costa Rica’s southern Pacific coast, also known as the Southern Zone, is a perfect example. It has the serene wilderness of rainforest, misty mountains, and world-class beaches that make it the ideal place to escape.

Local expat entrepreneurs are providing retreats where you can learn to surf, do trapeze, relax with yoga and meditation, and train in alternative healing practices. They’re thriving, and there is plenty of opportunity for new businesses in this space.

“The birds, animals, and insects of the primary forest…if you want to get connected to nature, you can’t go wrong here,” says Jonathan Conant.

Jonathan and his wife, Christine Van Loo, run a retreat for those interested in aerial silks and trapeze (think Cirque du Soleil style work) called Airborne Arts. They had been running similar schools in the U.S. and had lived and traveled around the world but sought a change.

“We wanted to move somewhere where we could bring something with real meaning to the community,” says Jonathon. “We’d been coming to Costa Rica for years and had made lovely friends down here.”

Perfect LocationVisitors to the Southern Zone are not the

package-tour, all-inclusive resort type. And there’s definitely a bohemian tendency to the local expats.

“It’s an absolutely great social circle,” says Jonathan. “People are warm and

engaging. There’s a culture of massage and different spiritualities and modalities from around the world. Some are world-class experts at what they do. It’s a vibrant community, ready to share. There’s also a great respect for the Tico [which is how Costa Ricans refer to themselves] way of life here.”

That’s also what drew Dina Delaini to the area, back in 2000, from her home in south Florida, first settling in a beach town called Dominical. She moved about 20 minutes inland in 2006 after she found her mountaintop haven (“I’m more of a mountain person,” says Dina). Inspired to share the healing energies of Costa Rica’s tropical rain forest, as well as transformational practices like chi gung (qigong), tai chi, yoga, and other healing arts, Dina created Solfeggio Retreat Sanctuary.

She draws guests from around the world for retreats and hosts regular classes and events for local expats, including yoga and qigong. She has also hosted African dance classes, meditative dance, kirtans/sacred chant, and special community gatherings.

“I draw on the many talents in the local community who offer yoga, raw food classes, classes in medicinal plants, spirit animal journeys, introductions to permaculture…the founder of Community Carbon Trees, a reforestation organization, gives guided talks in the rain forest,” says Dina, who often rents out her place to others to host their own events. “There’s a whole menu of things to

experience in the local area.” Jonathan and Christine at

Airborne Arts chose their spot in the mountains (they’re very close to the village of Platanillo) because of the lack of development and the cooler weather that is possible due to the higher elevation. Yet, they’re only 30 minutes from the water.

“For us it is a bit cool but not too cool. We feel more comfortable and relaxed,” says Jonathan, who also likes that coast is close by. “And we love that the water at the beach is warm year-round.”

That warm water also makes Costa Rica’s Southern Zone a world-famous destination for surfing.

Some waves are best left to experienced surfers, but many surf spots are beginner and intermediate friendly. And that’s one reason Dominical Waverider Surf Camp has proven to be increasingly popular with visitors since starting four years ago. It’s run by Jeanine Haddad and her husband Andrew Webster.

Day-to-Day BusinessJeanine and Andrew do offer one-off surf

lessons to visitors. But the main part of their business, and the biggest money-maker, is running six day/seven night surf camps. It’s a full package.

They hire shuttle drivers to pick campers up at the main international airport in San José (the country’s capital), arrange accommodations offer daily surf lessons at area beaches, provide breakfast and dinner, and arrange other tours as requested by the guest like sightseeing tours or waterfall hikes.

Local surfers are their instructors, with Andrew and Jeanine managing the day to day operations and marketing efforts. They charge from $700 up to $2,500 per person for a surf camp package. The rate changes depending on the number of people in the group that books, the level of accommodation, number of extra activities, and other factors.

They’ve found that seven days is ideal as that is the length of time most visitors set aside for vacation, although they will do longer stays if requested.

Christine and Jonathan at Airborne Arts host frequent retreats; the students come mainly from the U.S., and they’re seeking to perfect their aerial skills under the tutelage of a world-renowned coach. Christine, who teaches aerial silks, rope, lyra (a suspended ring), and trapeze, is very well-respected in

Andrew Webster and Jeanine Haddad live amid rainforests and beaches running a surf-camp

business in Costa Rica.

The lush landscape of the Southern Zone is the perfect environment for hosting camps and retreats.

©Ja

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Hol

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International Living’s Incomes Abroad | June 2016 13

GOOD LOCATION FOR…

the aerial world with world championships in several disciplines under her belt. She’s also performed at the Winter Olympics, the Grammy Awards, and more. Jonathan does instruction in rings and yoga.

They have onsite accommodations, including private rooms and dorm-style shared accommodations. Like Dominical Waverider, Airborne Arts retreats last seven days. They charge just under $1,000 for the retreats, which they host periodically through the year, although they focus on North American winter. There are also extra add-ons like yoga classes, massage, photography (so attendees can document their stay), and more.

Dina is a certified practitioner of qigong, an ancient Chinese self-healthcare system. Like the Airborne Arts folks, she has her own facility. She teaches her own classes but also rents out the space to other teachers to host their own retreats. Her compound is down a long dirt road near Platanillo, high in the mountains. There is an open-air pavilion for meditation and lectures, cabins and guest houses for retreat guests, common areas, and extensive tropically landscaped grounds. It is a former cattle pasture that Dina replanted extensively.

During her time in Costa Rica Dina had started learning qigong and was called to share this practice with others.

“I always had the seed of the intention to build a retreat or sanctuary to share the healing energies of Costa Rica with others,” says Dina. “I trusted that the place would resonate with people.”

She has had several retreats and events in 2016 and already has three scheduled for 2017.

When not leading sessions or hosting events, Dina stays busy with maintenance, which is a lot to keep track of in the humid

rainforest environment. Keeping her structures open-air and well ventilated helps dehumidify.

“I manage the property and direct the workers, although my ideal day is to wake up with the sun, sweep clear the space [referring to her balcony overlooking the rain forest], make green tea, practice qigong, meditate, and read,” says Dina.

Growing and MarketingJeanine and Andrew couldn’t have

started this business in the U.S.—start-up costs are too expensive. He’s from San Diego. She, originally from Brazil, was there for 15 years before they moved to Costa Rica eight years ago. They started Dominical Waverider four years ago.

They first came down when Andrew was invited to start a lifeguard program. “We thought it would be an adventure—that’s why we came,” says Jeanine. They originally started a surf school in Dominical to help fund the program, employing their lifeguards as surf instructors to give them an income to support their families.

It was a natural fit for Jeanine and Andrew, who are lifelong surfers. At the beginning it was just a few boards and borrowed equipment. To cut down on costs, they continue to operate out of the office of a local restaurant in Dominical—most of their work is on the beach anyway. They store their equipment in a storeroom on site, too.

“I had a lot of time on my hands. People started asking me for surf lessons,” says Jeanine of their early days. “I went online and learned about GoDaddy (for registering domain names) and how to build websites. We slowly built our business and our name here.”

As far as generating interest and generating bookings, online marketing is most effective. For Jeanine and Andrew, they

use social media like Facebook extensively, as well as niche websites like Surfline, which caters to traveling surfers. A good review on TripAdvisor, the new traveler’s bible, is also key.

“It is a lot of work, and there always has to be fresh content,” says Jeanine. “People are looking for your reputation. They’re booking from overseas and trusting that you’re real and that you’ll pick them up at the airport. They need to verify you’re legit because they’re paying a $1,000 deposit ahead of time.”

Jonathan, with Airborne Arts, feels their business fills a need and over their first 18 months they’ve seen it grow.

“We’re already almost as busy as we want to be. We have 20 to 30 tourists per month. And we bring people down for workshops,” says Jonathan.

Dina markets the retreats through her website, as well as social media. But she doesn’t want to sit in front of her computer all the time—that’s not why she lives in the natural beauty of Costa Rica. So she’s hired a friend experienced in marketing to help her manage these efforts.

Starting a retreat is a great way to share one of your passions with others…and help them improve their lives in some way as a result. On top of that, you can make a good living doing so, and you can live in one of the most beautiful places on the planet.

“It’s all about the community and how you visualize spending your time. My purpose is to connect people to themselves and the earth. The setting is an integral part of that. There’s so much to take advantage of in the local area…waterfalls…rainforest,” says Dina.

“It’s been a place of healing for me. That’s why I created this retreat, to help people slow down and reconnect.”

You don’t have to own the facility to run a retreat-related business. You could organize tours to bring travelers to the retreat location overseas.

In your role as organizer you would line up the venue (most facility owners are very open to this idea), transportation (including airport pick-up), accommodations (whether at the retreat center or elsewhere), meals, and the retreat schedule each day of classes, workshops, or sessions. You could also offer side activities like tours.

A major perk, besides the fees you charge attendees, would be that you can accompany the group on your trip and attend the retreat yourself for free—plus you’re getting paid to be there.

If you have a talent that others might want to learn, or expertise to pass on, you could run your own retreats.

An Easy Way to Run a Retreat Without a Venue

Jonathan Conant and Christine Van Loo chose Costa Rica for their niche trapeze retreats because

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International Living’s Incomes Abroad | June 201614

GAP IN THE MARKET

Sell Your Translation Skills in Expat Communities Overseas

By Lydia Carey

Anywhere you find expat communities or tourist haunts—and where English is not the first language—you’ll

find a need for interpreting and translation services. So if you speak the local language, this provides a perfect opportunity to create an income to supplement your Social Security or investments…or even develop a small business.

“The first thing expats need is help with translating the documents required for residence visas,” says IL Salinas, Ecuador Correspondent Jim Santos. “After that, the most common needs are for dealing with utility companies, opening bank accounts, and making phone calls to set up appointments. There are also some who like to find a bilingual driver to take them on tours of the area.”

There are two main ways to use your language skills for income. The first is interpreting, defined as oral translation. This means you are physically present and either consecutively or simultaneously translating from one person or persons to another.

Translating, in contrast to interpreting, is either on the written page or the virtual one. As anyone who has ever read a grammatically incorrect and misspelled menu knows, translation is vital to presenting a professional image in a bilingual community.

If you’re bilingual you have inevitably served as someone’s interpreter or translator at some time. If you want to make money doing it, there are a few things you should know.

Interpreting Interpreters are used to inform victims

of their rights, help witnesses make official statements, and translate speeches to audience members. Their less official roles include helping non-bilingual folks set up bank accounts, muddle through the immigration system, or buy a house.

Making money as an interpreter is easiest in places with lots of new arrivals or where there is a large seasonal expat population. These visitors are less likely to invest in learning a language because they aren’t permanent residents. There are also opportunities in areas with large aging populations. Folks that find their tropical

paradise in their golden years are less likely to learn the language than younger expats with families. Places that have strong academic or civic society ties often use interpreters for conferences and special events—think the San Miguel Writers Conference in Mexico or a local TED talk.

Interpreter services are in more demand in countries where few residents have lived abroad in English-speaking countries or whose language is difficult to learn. Working as an interpreter in China, for instance, might be more lucrative than in Latin America.

Unless you are interpreting in court or at a major conference, most of the work available will not need certification. Your best added value for customers will be a knowledge of local terms and colloquial language; expertise in the inter-workings of your country’s banking, housing, credit systems, etc.; and a general familiarity about getting around town. Connecting with local doctors, lawyers, academics, and organizations, as well as services in your town that cater to foreigners, will be your best bet in getting work.

IL contributors throughout Latin America have told us the running rate is $10 per hour which can spike up to between $15 and $20 per hour if the interpreter provides his or her own transportation. Certified interpreters working at a professional level will be able to charge more for their services but will compete with bilingual locals for jobs.

Most expats eventually find a friend who will interpret for them for free. Avoid this by creating your own area of expertise.

TranslatingTranslators are more likely to make a

profit in places with more established bilingual communities. That’s because long-term residents (both foreigners and locals) start businesses, run organizations, and interact with each other on an ongoing basis. These are places where folks are willing to invest in good translation and where a translator can build a clientele.

Once again, you are better off in a country that is further from an English-speaking border, which lacks a local population that has lived in an English-speaking country, and doesn’t have a large tourism industry based

on English-speaking visitors. But in contrast to interpreting, fewer locals, even if they speak English fluently, will have your level of grammatical accuracy or vocabulary—important in written documents and websites.

Legal documents filed for official purposes in any country will require a certified translator. The process of certification is different in each country and can be lengthy so do your homework in advance.

In Mexico, for example, certification requires proving you have been certified in your home country and/or have five years of professional experience. You must then apply through the government to be placed on a list of official translators. Some local law offices, however, might be willing to hire you to “unofficially” translate documents and pay a smaller fee to their “official” translators for their stamp of approval. For most one-on-one and business-related jobs (websites, publicity, an organization’s by-laws) you won’t need official certification, just a track record as an excellent translator.

I’ve already mentioned a few areas where translators are needed: websites, menus, legal paperwork. But they may also find work translating project proposals, author memoirs, and at local newspapers.

Most translators charge a per word price for their services. In the United States, an average per word price is anywhere from six to 16 cents depending on language. But prices vary widely from country to country. My translation company in Mexico charges between four and eight cents a word for local clients depending on the length, difficulty level, and organization requesting the translation. It’s a good idea to set up some pricing guidelines for yourself before you start so you can quote consistently.

Written translations need to be grammatically exact and for that reason most clients want native speakers. For work outside your native language, try to associate with a native speaker to edit your work and for you to edit theirs. Translators can be successful by building a strong local client base—word of mouth recommendations are your best publicity.

Editor’s note: Lydia Carey is a freelance writer and translator living in Mexico City.

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OPPORTUNITY DIGEST

Run Your Own B&B in France’s Dordogne Valley

Souillac is a charming medieval village in the heart of the Dordogne valley, one of France’s most popular tourist regions. The village is famous for its beautiful 12th-century abbey church of Sainte-Marie, tasty walnuts, and juicy strawberries. If you fancy settling down for a peaceful life in rural France, here is your chance; this small B&B has come on the market.

The current owner is moving to a different location and says that the B&B is ideal for a retired couple that wants to make some extra income or for someone to gain experience before undertaking a bigger B&B project.

It’s priced at $169,000 and has two bedrooms to accommodate up to seven people, as well as a small self-contained apartment with an office and private outside terrace for the owners. The furniture is included in the price—along with the advanced bookings for 2016, which, at the time of writing, are more than $12,000.

Located only a few minutes away from the Paris-Toulouse highway, Souillac is well-connected with the rest of the country and also has a small international airport nearby. In summer, Souillac fills up with tourists. In spring and fall, the village receives a steady flow of enthusiastic walkers and cyclists who come to enjoy nature.

Bookings at the B&B come via its own website, Booking.com, and Airbnb.com. For more details email Don Jones at don.jones.souillac@gmail.com.

Tap Into This Information Opportunity in Peru

Websites that provide valuable information get plenty of visitors, and where you find readers, you find advertisers. Right now, there’s an opening for such a site in the up-and-coming expat haven of Peru.

You see, finding a long-term rental can be challenging. It involves scanning local newspapers, checking several online classifieds (in Spanish), networking with expats, asking around on Facebook, and even walking neighborhoods looking for “For Rent” signs.

“During my recent trip to Peru, the difficulty in finding a good rental was one of the biggest gripes from local expats,” says IL Roving Latin America Editor Jason Holland. “They said the good ones were snatched up within a day of being available. And they had to search for weeks to find something livable.”

A comprehensive website, in English and aimed at the expat market, could be a winner. You would maintain listings for popular expat areas like the cities of Cusco and Arequipa, the Miraflores District of the capital, Lima, and even the Sacred Valley region, which is home to small villages and rural areas.

Charge each landlord or property owner a fee for the listing, which is viewable for free by renters to boost your audience. To attract web traffic you could write about the cities and their neighborhoods, review restaurants, and more. This would give you a good excuse to travel the country—and maybe even get some free meals.

You could also sell advertising on your site. Restaurants, real estate offices, retailers, service providers…all would be eager to attract the attention of your website’s visitors.

Cater to a Health-Conscious Market on Mexico’s Pacific Coast

San Pancho, a charming village on Mexico’s Pacific coast, tends to follow the green living and wellness trend. Its population—a mixture of locals and expats—keeps growing every year and has an appetite for eco-friendly and health-conscious services.

A couple of successful stores and restaurants from the nearby surf spot of Sayulita are starting to open branches in San Pancho—ChocoBanana and Casa Gourmet French Bakery, for example. And juice bars are also becoming popular in the small village; two new ones opened last winter. But so far there is no vegetarian or vegan restaurant, no natural food store, and no place to find sustainable household or beauty products.

The area has been growing exponentially in the past year, and the Riviera Nayarit (the name of the coast where San Pancho is located) is attracting more and more people who want to live in the region, but not in the city-like atmosphere of nearby Puerto Vallarta.

Avenida Tercer Mundo is the main street of the village and the most popular one, ending on a quaint little plaza on the beach. It has a couple of boutiques and restaurants that are very easy to find. Any of the side streets are also good locations, as everything is walking distance and close to the beach.

For more information about real estate opportunities check in with F.L Feibel, who specialize in San Pancho.

Buy This Language School in Italy and Get a Visa for Europe

As owner of this language school in the beautiful city of Padua in Italy, you’ll be eligible to apply for Italy’s self-employment visa. Better still, there’s a manager in place, so you can simply be a silent partner if you wish.

The manager is negotiating the purchase of an 8% stake in the school. But the remaining 92% stake is available for a price in the region of $62,000 plus a closing fee of $2,000 for legal and administration costs. Two current owners are moving abroad for family reasons and say that a steady intake of students is guaranteed.

The school was established seven years ago and has, on average, 120 students of all ages enrolled annually. There are three rooms fully equipped with TVs, computers, projectors, and digital players, all included in the price.

Padua is overshadowed by its famous neighbor, Venice, just a short drive away. But its charms are undeniable: noble villas, porticoed streets, stunning frescoes, lively markets—all these make Padua one of the most beautiful cities in Italy.

Although there are several other English schools in the city, this one has an excellent reputation for modern teaching methods and highly qualified staff. These factors have allowed it to increase its sales and student numbers every year of its existence, despite having higher prices compared to other schools.

The school also runs a very popular book club and film nights. There is room for growth with a possibility of opening a second branch offering additional courses for exam preparation and business English. The owners are very proud of the business and want it continue to succeed in the future. So they will be happy to offer assistance and support throughout the first year. For more details, email Sean at info@studioinglese.it.

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