Prostitution is legal here, and Colombian women are beautiful. A female real estate agent told me the same thing, as did my attorney. A lot has changed since then. And, week after week, I continue to be amazed by the number of American couples with school-aged children I now notice among these Sunday strollers.
And just yesterday, I collaborated with an American couple at the wine shop, trying to find the best value among the Chilean wines on offer. Membership at our gym now includes a number of American couplesโฆand a new couple joined just this morning. While walking around town, my wife Julie and I have seen dozens of retirement-aged North American couples exploring the area and a few pairs of something women.
And everyone seems amazed by the terrific quality of life available here. Expat spots around the world go through a fairly predictable cycle, morphing through a number of stages between their initial discovery and their maturity as a mainstream destination. The specifics of this evolution vary, but the general principles remain the same, as follows:. Phase I , the Adventurer Phase: During this phase, the destination attracts people who will go anywhere, regardless of existing stereotypes or perceived danger.
These include adventurers and backpackers, as well sex travelers and those hiding from ex-spouses, pending lawsuits, etc. Phase II , the Early Investor Phase: During this phase, people with money to invest, who believe they see potential in the destination, begin to visit and to take positions. At this stage, there is little to indicate that the destination will boom, so these early investors are acting on their instincts and past experience.
At the Early Investor stage, alternative publications are beginning to sound the alarm that a destination of note is emerging. Phase III , the Early Adopter Phase: During this stage, more investors come to get involved, as well as leading-edge second home buyers, overseas retirees, and those who want to work from abroad or start a business.
