own a b&b in france’s dordogne see opportunity digest on ... · as exercise and meditation...
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Hands in the soil. Working the land. A couple of acres of your own. And you get to enjoy the fruits of your
labor. You’re independent. A master of your own domain.
“Even though I’m very busy with the farm, my life in Ecuador is much more relaxing and peaceful,” says expat David DeChambeau. “I don’t have to deal with corporate politics or the fear of being laid off, and I’m surrounded by natural beauty all the time. It’s really hard to beat this lifestyle.”
Farming can be one of the most fulfilling lifestyles you can embark on. But many might dismiss it as too much hard work, or too expensive to get started. In the heavily industrialized, heavily regulated U.S. that may be true. But overseas there are opportunities and options that will make it easier than you think to live off the land…and you can make a tidy sum while you’re at it.
Perhaps you’d just like a veggie patch, enough to feed the family and bring in a little extra cash at the local farmers’ market. Or maybe you see yourself overseeing a large acreage of land, churning out big profits. How about a farm that looks after itself, and you only visit on weekends?
By Anna Lebedeva
INTERNATIONALLIVING’SJuly 2016
Volume 4, No. 5
FUND YOUR LIFE OVERSEAS
www.InternationalLiving.com
Own a B&B in France’s Dordogne 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
How to Build a Hothouse for Your DreamsBy Barbara Winter
Farming: A Business with a Built-in Healthy Lifestyle
Expats at the Forefront of Peru’s Craft-Beer Revolution By Jason Holland
Page 3 A week off every month with a portable income in Ecuador
Page 4 Our bike-shop takes shape in picturesque colonial Nicaragua
Page 10 Getting a Colombian visa is easier than you think
Page 11 Why I have no regrets after my seven year adventure in Spain
Page 14 Oaxaca: An importer’s dream
Page 16 Keeping up with global opportunities
Puglia, Italy has been home to olive growers for over 2,000 years. Olive oil made in this region will sell for a
high price back in the U.S.
In Arequipa, Peru’s second city, there is a growing demand for craft beer where there was none
only a few years ago.
Although I wasn’t actually a candidate for the product, I was enthralled by the magazine ads for Ayds Diet Candy when I was a kid. Each full-page ad extolled the virtues of losing
weight quickly with this amazing product. But it wasn’t the words that enchanted me. It was the before and after photographs of customers who had shed excess weight.
These days I’m equally enchanted by the television shows about renovating houses. I love seeing the skillful designers and builders take a worn-out piece of property and turn it into someone’s dream home.
Over the last decade, there has been a revolution in the beer industry. Beer drinkers have increasingly sought out alternatives to
mainstream lager beers, and embraced small-batch craft beers—flavorful brews inspired by Old World recipes and experimentation with ingredients.
The United States were the first to ride this new wave of craft beer. Then Europe. Now craft beer has a new outpost, a country where the scene has exploded in only a few years, with numerous microbreweries popping up around the country. They’re winning awards and winning over customers…creating a legitimate craft-beer scene enjoyed by locals, expats, and tourists.
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International Living’s Incomes Abroad | July 20162
BARBARA WINTER
How to Build a Hothouse for Your Dreams
Continued from page 1
July 2016 Volume 4 • Number 5
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 Shane OrmondCopy Editor Jason HollandGraphic Designer Ian FlemingPhoto Editor Hugo GhiaraAdvertising Helen Daly; Fax (353)51-304561; Email: [email protected]
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.
Transformation isn’t just a spectator sport, of course. If you’ve decided to move abroad, to embark on a new career and reinvent your life, you’re on your personal journey of transformation. You have a lot in common with the house renovators and the dieters. You’ll encounter unforeseen challenges. But if you keep your eyes on the prize, you’ll tackle those challenges and keep moving ahead.
How can you create an environment that supports your ultimate success in creating your own before and after story?
Start with the often-overlooked realization that dreams and goals are extremely fragile—especially in their early days. As writer Ken Robert confesses, “I often forget that there are many reasons to do a thing. I get hung up in thinking that a thing is only worth doing if it can be made into a product, serve a viable market (whatever that is), and turn a profit. I forget that I started doing the thing because it provided an intriguing challenge, because it answered a puzzling question, because it simply made me happy.”
New directions and projects, like babies and seedlings, need to be nurtured and surrounded by support. Take a cue from growers who shelter their plants in a hothouse. Set up your own invisible hothouse made up of positive thoughts and actions, and the right mindset, to get your vision and project off to a great start.
Here are some things to include in your hothouse.
Cultivate passion: While a dream may be born in passion, it’s up to you to keep it alive. One way to keep passion high is to spend a few minutes every day visualizing the successful completion of your dream. How does it look, smell, taste, sound, or feel? Allow that vision to keep pulling you forward.
Take good care of the boss: It doesn’t matter how great a dream is if the dreamer is too tired or too uninspired to bring it to life. Sometimes the most beneficial things to do are also the easiest to overlook—like drinking plenty of water and avoiding toxic or negative people. Make healthy activities such as exercise and meditation part of your daily routine. Dreambuilders have an obligation to create the healthiest and most balanced life possible.
Make your workspace a place that inspires you: When I walk into my home office, I am greeted by a poster that says, “Live Your Dream Not The American Dream.” Whether you work on a beach with your laptop or in an extra bedroom in your home, make it inspiring as well as efficient. Cover your walls with art or set up an inspiration board that features pictures of things that inspire you, things you’re working to create. You may want to have a fountain or soft music in the background, if it doesn’t distract you.
Take responsibility for staying inspired: Identify the things that inspire you and expose yourself to them frequently. Whether it’s music, words from a favorite author or other entrepreneur, or some spot in nature. Know where your inspiration well is located and go there often.
Create your own Hall of Fame: If you’re going to succeed, you need to be inspired by real people. Read biographies or interviews of successful people and pay attention to the philosophies that guide them. Pay attention, also, when you see a passionate entrepreneur doing work that they love. The point is not to compare yourself, but to notice qualities that you want to embrace yourself.
Be open to being inspired at all times: You never know where a great idea or solution to a problem will come from. Carry a notebook
with you at all times so you can jot down ideas as they occur. If you spend a lot of time driving, you may want to carry a voice-activated recorder to capture your thoughts. Put yourself in situations that you know will raise your spirits.
Collect entrepreneurial friends: There’s almost nothing more rewarding than spending time in the presence of kindred spirits who can add their own creative ideas and encouragement to what you’re doing.
Cultivating such friendships will be one of the best investments you can make. You only need a handful of such relationships to get a great return on investment. Seminars and coffee shops are great places to scout for new friends.
Change the scenery: There’s nothing that dulls the creative spirit more quickly than daily routine. Go on a field trip or creative excursion at least once a week. Take your laptop to a park, visit a museum, or walk in a Japanese garden. Challenge yourself to come up with new backdrops that feed your soul.
Photograph your journey: Don’t wait until it’s all in place. Take before pictures to recall where you started this adventure. Keep taking pictures all along the way. Use them to amaze yourself and your friends. Protect, water, fertilize your plans, projects, and dreams. Be sure to celebrate wildly—and take lots of photographs—when it’s time to harvest.
International Living’s Incomes Abroad | July 2016 3
PORTABLE INCOMES
A Week Off Every Month with a Portable Income in Ecuador
By Jim Santos
As an English speaker who trained in the U.S., Janis Bokar is able to charge more than local masseuses.
“The great thing about coming to Ecuador is that you’re able to look at things with fresh eyes, and
reinvent yourself,” says Janis Bokar, 48. “And I’d always wanted to run my own business.”
For 14 years, Janice ran various fitness centers and was a massage therapy director in the Florida Keys and San Diego. When she moved overseas, she was able to leverage those skills and seize the opportunity to make a great living doing something she loves.
She set up a massage-therapy business in Salinas, a Pacific beach town where her modest income affords her a dream lifestyle. Janice lives well and has enough money left over to travel frequently. Best of all, she can afford to take one week off to travel for every three weeks she works.
“There’s a lot of opportunity in Ecuador. You just need to open your eyes, and look to see where you can use your skill set. I really love setting my own schedule, and seeing new places, meeting new people. And Ecuador is such a beautiful and varied country ecologically.”
therapy session, the expat was thrilled to discover she had full range of motion in her neck. She was so grateful that she began telling everyone about Janis and her magic hands.
“My business was literally born in a matter of a month just by word of mouth” says Janis. Then she hit on the idea of offering massage therapy and personal training services at B&Bs and hostels in the Salinas area.
“Before I knew it, I was working consistently. Within six months I had a regular, steady client base,” she says.
Through working with the hostels, she found that Ecuadorians who came to Salinas to relax at the beach were just as interested as the local expats. Although most of these Ecuadorians speak some English, Janis’ ability to speak a little Spanish was also a plus.
“Sometimes the sessions would become part massage, part language lessons,” said Janis. “I help them with their English, they help me with my Spanish.”
Although the average cost for therapy sessions in Ecuador is $10 to $20 per hour, Janis is able to charge $30 per hour. Part of this is that her experience and training is superior to most local spas. But being an English speaker has been a big plus in attracting expat clientele.
She’s also been able to set her business apart from local spas by importing higher quality equipment from the United States. She regularly brings in oils and other tools of the trade, so she can offer products not normally available locally. Even her sheets and towels are brought in and are of much higher quality than those available locally. Her clients appreciate the difference and touch of luxury.
Janis chose to focus mostly on massage, as that is her passion. She freely refers physical therapy work or relaxation therapy to others. She is entirely capable of
providing these services. But these days she prefers to take it easy, finding that she has the luxury to only do the things she enjoys the most. Business is now good enough that she can also focus on her other great passion—travel.
Janis’s living expenses average about $1,200 a month. Based on how her business is doing, that means she has the financial freedom to start working less. Recently she has adjusted her schedule so that each month she works three weeks, then takes one week off to explore Ecuador and beyond. Already she’s been to Baños, Cuenca, Loja, and Vilcabamba. She’s trekked through parts of the Amazon rainforest and plans on returning for a visit deeper into the jungle. And she just returned from a trip to Peru.
“There are other niche markets here in Ecuador that are waiting for the right expat to fill them,” says Janice. “Particularly yoga or nutrition. Since the local fruits and produce can differ from what expats are used to in North America, a nutritionist could work with them to find the right substitutions where needed, or to help the aging expat population with vitamin and dietary plans.”
Above all Janice says to “follow your passion.” Many expats have found that seemingly commonplace skills in the U.S. can be rare and valuable assets overseas. Combined with the low cost of living in Ecuador, and you’re looking at a stress-free, laidback lifestyle that would be impossible in the States.
My business was literally born in a matter of a month just by word of mouth—Janis Bokar
As she wanted to wait as long as possible to begin drawing on her retirement fund, Janis needed a simple business model with low startup costs.
The answer arrived innocently enough through an online forum group for Ecuador expats. On it was a cry for help from someone in nearby Ballenita who needed urgent attention for neck pain.
Janis replied to the post, citing her experience and training, and set up an appointment. After that first massage
International Living’s Incomes Abroad | July 20164
BRICKS-AND-MORTAR BUSINESS
Our Bike-Shop Dream Takes Shape in Picturesque Colonial Nicaragua
By Bonnie W HaymanContinued from page 1
David and Katie Ruiz were searching for a different way of life. “Something more organic and
slower,” says Katie. “Some place more affordable where we didn’t have to stress out over bills each month.” Expensive and fast-paced Los Angeles, where the couple lived, was never going to offer them the life they wanted. So David hatched a plan…
David was an IT consultant and needed to be in the office daily. But he knew if he was a web programmer he could work remotely. And his boss was looking for just such a person. “I asked him if he could wait to hire a programmer until I had a chance to train myself in the new role. He agreed, on the condition that I set things up to run well while I was away. Five years later things are in top shape, and I can do the job from anywhere in the world.”
But developing a portable career was only step one in the couple’s plan. David’s passion is cycling and the couple had a dream of opening their own bike shop.
“I love bikes, and I was a cyclist. I competed for about seven years, and we often talked about how cool it would be to start a bike shop in Nicaragua,” says David.
“Years before coming to Nicaragua I was already scoping out the cycling scene there, so a bike shop was the natural step to take. We also had the desire to be part of a country that in many ways is just beginning to reinvent.”
Nicaragua also topped the list for its proximity to the U.S. And, David says, living in Nicaragua is substantially cheaper than living in California.
For just $1,960 a month the couple and their three kids live comfortably. “We could find a much cheaper rental,” says David. “But we have chosen something on the higher price point, and we have a full-time housekeeper.
“We looked at several cities before settling in León,” says David. “We chose León because we fell in love with the city and the people, and it was the ideal place to set up our bike shop.”
León is a university city covered in regal-looking colonial architecture. But the buzz around town is young and vibrant. From houses and bars to restaurants and cafés, the walls of the city are adorned with meticulously detailed murals highlighting León’s reputation as the political and
intellectual capital of Nicaragua.
Students sip coffee and pick at flaky croissants at the Pan y Paz bakery, reading poetry and watching the horse and buggies as they trundle past. In the central park young couples dance beneath the night sky, illuminated by fireworks.
The best thing about León is the simplicity of life and the ability to travel affordably with our entire family. —Katie Ruiz
The streets are lined with international restaurants—Mediterranean fusion, Polish, Cuban, and traditional Nicaraguan restaurants that will rustle you up a filling meal for as little as $1.
Katie says that the best thing about León is “the simplicity of life. The proximity to beautiful beaches, volcanoes, and forests. The ability to travel around with our entire family and have it be affordable.”
They opened their bike store Ruedas León (León Wheels) in a refurbished colonial building in the city center that they rent for just $670 a month.
“In León, we are the only real bike shop around that sells quality bikes and components. In Nicaragua in general, cycling is new and only two years ago people would have to find parts and bikes in the U.S. or Costa Rica. Now we have mostly everything a cyclist needs,” says David.
“We came up with the idea of having a hybrid store. One that caters to tourists (with motorcycle, scooter, and bike rentals) and one that caters to the local cycling community, which is growing. León is a walking and bicycling town. Everyone rides bicycles to get around. There’s a small
León, a sophisticated university city with a growing economy, is brimming with opportunity for new business.
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International Living’s Incomes Abroad | July 2016 5
BRICKS-AND-MORTAR BUSINESS
group that gets together to bike for fun. It’s such a beautiful country to explore, we’d love to expand that biking-for-fun group.”
They invested heavily in merchandise, all from Nicaraguan suppliers—motorcycles, bicycles, bicycle parts, etc. Their total investment for everything, including registering the business, was about $39,000.
David says, “I haven’t done the math, but the insurance in the U.S. alone—for motorcycles and the business in case of accidents, etc.—would have been prohibitive. Labor costs would have been much more as employees cost eight to 10 times more than a Nicaraguan employee. Taxes, health insurance, and rent would have all been more, and I can’t see getting a good location in California for less than $3,000 per month. We couldn’t do it.”
The Nicaraguan government has created many laws that benefit foreigners who open businesses in the tourist sector. Depending on your business, your focus, and a host of other variables, you may be exempt from paying real estate taxes and/or sales tax for up to 10 years. It is in your best interest to secure an English-speaking lawyer to
accomplish all the licenses and permits, especially if you don’t speak Spanish as all documents in Nicaragua are only legal in Spanish.
“We purchase our motorcycles from a Suzuki dealership in Managua,” says Katie. “Our bicycles are bought from a store in Managua that exclusively sells Specialized bikes. They are great to us and sell us the bikes and accessories at the price they get them.
“For now, we are charging the same price other rental companies are charging in other parts of Nicaragua. We really felt they were charging a fair price, and we wanted to make sure we kept our would-be renters from going to another business to rent their motorcycles or bicycles.
“For our bicycle sales side we focus our advertising and efforts on the locals. For all rentals we focus on the tourists. Although we have seen a big interest from the locals to rent motorcycles, we are still figuring out the insurance issue because it’s different in Nicaragua. Our motorcycles are all insured, but we could only get liability because full coverage was not available to us because our motos are rentals.”
Maintaining motorcycles and bicycles and finding a reliable mechanic can be a challenge in Nicaragua. But David and Katie found a great motorcycle repair shop. “And the head mechanic happens to be one of the best cyclists in Nicaragua,” says David.
Even though they currently rely on David’s online job for living expenses, David says, “We hope that in about six months we will be making enough to pay all our bills and have extra to save in the bank. In the long run it’s our goal to have a sustainable income in Nicaragua.”
And how do the kids like their new life? “We have chosen to homeschool our kids for the time being,” says Katie. “It is something we started even before moving. We enjoy the freedom it gives us to travel and maintain an overall calm pace of life. For now, both older children are involved in ballet and soccer and therefore have the chance to engage with peers. They have adjusted much better than we anticipated. I think both really enjoy the adventure of Nicaragua that life in L.A. didn’t offer.”
David has some advice if you are thinking of opening a business in Nicaragua. “First and foremost, be patient. Ask people you know for recommendations to find a good attorney that can help with all the paperwork. And most importantly—be adventurous.”
Nicaragua welcomes and encourages expat businesses and investment as part of efforts to boost the local economy. This has resulted in some pioneering investing laws and incentives that make the country an attractive location for entrepreneurs.
Two laws in particular offer a host of benefits for expats looking to start a business.
The Tourist Incentive Law/ Law 306: This law was introduced to revitalize Nicaragua’s tourism industry and offers generous tax incentives to tourism-related businesses, such as restaurants, hotels, souvenir shops, tour companies, and charter boats.
If your business qualifies you won’t have to pay import duty or value-added tax on any materials you need to start your business. There is an 80% exemption on income tax for most qualifying businesses, and you don’t have to pay property tax.
These tax breaks last for 10 years. If you decide to expand your business and reinvest at least 35% of the initial investment, these tax breaks can be extended for an additional 10 years.
To qualify you need to make an initial investment of at least $30,000. For some categories the minimum investment is higher.
The Foreign Investment Promotion/ Law 344: This law gives equal rights to Nicaraguans and foreigners doing business in the country and guarantees transparent regulations for all.
Law 344 recognizes the right expats have to own property and removes all restrictions on the amount of money foreigners can bring into the country.
What’s more, transactions are allowed to be accomplished freely and totally in U.S. dollars and the law recognizes the investor’s right to convert money. Plus, foreigners can easily use local banks and benefit from the financial gain of those institutions.
For further information, contact the Nicaraguan Tourist Board, INTUR or ProNicaragua, a government agency responsible for promoting foreign investment.
Nicaragua Makes it Easy for Expat Business Owners
David Ruiz was able to leverage his portable income to pursue his dream of owning a bike shop overseas.
International Living’s Incomes Abroad | July 20166
COVER STORY
Farming: A Business with a Healthy Lifestyle Built in
Continued from page 1
All these are possible and, thanks to cheaper land and less regulations in the agricultural havens below, getting set up is easy. You don’t even need any experience. There are folks in these countries who will help you get started, teach you everything you need to know, and even run your farm for you for a small fee.
Affordable BeginningsAs the profits from farming in the U.S.
decline for a third year in a row, the price of agricultural land continues to rise, with no sign of stopping any time soon. This means you’d need some serious capital just to get your farm started.
One of the major advantages of farming abroad is the low cost of land and minimal start-up costs. In many countries, you’ll find land, olive groves, or fruit orchards to rent for very affordable prices, often starting at $100 an acre per month. Buying land costs just a fraction of the price in the U.S. and will often include a house or orchard on the property.
Californians Catherine and Brian Faris fell in love with Italy many years ago. In 1995, they bought five acres of land with 150 olive trees and a traditional dry stone hut called trullo in the region of Puglia for less than $14,000.
For many years, they lived in the nearby town of Martina Franca, while the farm in Puglia served as an escape for summer holidays and Christmas. But when their three children graduated and started working, the empty nesters decided to follow their longtime dream. They sold their house, moved to Puglia to become farmers, and set up Pascarosa, a successful olive oil business that exports to the U.S.
Catherine and Brian opted for a person-to-person model of developing their olive oil business. This took more time than finding a distributor to do all the work but made the relationships they established all the more valuable.
This meant that they wouldn’t be earning a profit from their farm’s produce right away. But there are many ways you can leverage your farm to become an instant earner. To supplement their income until the farm became profitable, the couple started offering holiday packages in Puglia. “It started casually with some of our customers saying they would love to visit Puglia. I thought we should see if people would like to do a week-long tour with us focused on food and wine,” says Catherine.
Priced at $3,200 per person, the six-day tours have proved popular. They run four
tours a year now. “In olive season, we take people to the farm. They participate in the harvest and go to the mill to taste the oil when it comes out of the press.”
Steve Wayne Farrer first visited Nicaragua in 2002 and immediately saw the potential for farming. “The people are down to earth and enjoy a freedom from massive government control and regulations, which makes it
easier to start a business,” says Steve.“What’s more, Nicaragua has a wide
variety of micro-climates, the weather is warm year-round, and the country has 365 growing days a year.”
In 2003, Steve bought a 7-acre farm for $8,000 USD just outside the city of Rivas, about 40 minutes from Costa Rica.
The 66-year-old started his organic-veggie farm with a mix of seeds that he bought in Nicaragua, those he produced himself, and seeds brought in by tourists and expats from the U.S., Canada, and Europe. He borrowed a small rototiller for tilling the soil from a Canadian friend. Not including the purchase of the land, it cost him approximately $1,500 to $2,000 an acre to begin production.
“Nicaragua is a developing country, so new opportunities are more abundant,” says Steve.
Steve also runs a collective organic farm project and acts as an organic farm consultant teaching Nicaraguans how to grow organic produce. When the produce is sold the income is divided between all involved (workers, farmers, administrators, packers, transport, salespeople, investors, etc).
Easier Than You ThinkYou probably have some idea of what
farming entails (maybe your picturing back-breaking labor and long, hard days) but in reality there are many different types of farming to suit all kinds of lifestyles...and many ways to go about it.
Don’t worry if you’ve no background in farming. Labor costs are so low in many of these countries that you can hire locals with expert knowledge to advise you and work your farm. In some countries, informal agreements where helpers will forgo up-front pay for a share of the profits are quite common. This, coupled with a minimal amount of regulation and year-round growing seasons, makes getting started all that much easier.
Despite having no previous experience in agriculture, in 2007 Ron and Kim Miller purchased 42 acres of cattle-grazing pastures along the Rio Gariché in the Chiriquí
David DeChambeau turned his passion into a full-time lifestyle when he bought 75 acres of land in Ecuador’s Intag Valley.
International Living’s Incomes Abroad | July 2016 7
COVER STORY
province of western Panama. They’ve since turned this land into a successful organic farming business, Finca Santa Marta.
Ron explains. “With the tropical climate of Panama and the fertile soil it made sense to start a farm there. The country was growing economically and the cost of living was less than the U.S.” With the purchase of their farm, they formed a corporation and qualified for an investor’s visa, granting them permanent residence status in Panama.
Ron suggests that potential farmers seek help with the legal aspect of the business. “To start and run a business in Panama you will need an attorney, an accountant, and a facilitator. A facilitator is a bilingual Panamanian with a U.S. education, or who has at least spent some time in the U.S. These people can really save you time and money.”
Just outside the small town of Cotacachi, Ecuador, Shawn Greer has been farming since 2011 on his 10-acre plot of land. He originally began farming chickens to sell in large quantities, but over time he realized that it wasn’t as profitable as he hoped and so adjusted his business plan.
Running a farm in Ecuador is a straightforward process without too much red tape as the couple has found. “We need to have an inspection and permit from the Registro Sanitario if we want to kill the pigs on our property,” says Lindsay. “And if we wanted to sell our products in a store we would need to have a license for each product.”
The couple has benefited from the use of international volunteers looking for work-for-board situations. By using sites like Workaway.info, they arrange free labor in exchange for lodging and meals. It allows them to avoid the paperwork and expenses associated with employees while providing the opportunity to make new friends from around the world. They have a constantly rotating group of volunteers with anywhere from one to six people on the farm at a time.
“The opportunity to live close to the land…doing something we love…while also raising our kids in a wholesome environment. None of this would be as easily accessible in the U.S. for us without a lot of extra money,” says Lindsay.
David DeChambeau turned his passion into a full-time lifestyle when he bought 75 acres of land in Ecuador’s Zona de Intag. This cloud-forest zone in the northwest quadrant of the country lies on the western slopes of the Andes and is a spectacular place for farming. Coffee, granadillas (a relative of the passion fruit), naranjillas (a fruit used in juices), and tree tomatoes (used to make a
local hot sauce) are the main cash crops you’ll find in the area, though an enormous variety of plants will thrive here.
“This area is attractive for many reasons,” David says. “It’s really beautiful with nice rivers, mountains, and scenery. But it’s also one of the most agriculturally productive areas in Ecuador with rich black soil.”
David used to spend a lot of time tending to his five bee colonies, clearing pasture for his horses, and repairing or putting in fences around the property line. It is a lot of work for just one person so he’s enlisted local help.
“There’s always someone in the area looking for work,” says David. “You can hire someone for $15 per day for six to eight hours of work. My advice for hiring help is to get references from people you know and make sure they are reliable hard workers before you agree to hire them.”
David is cutting back on his costs by doing what is called “medias” with another local farmer. The other farmer has plenty of pasture, but no capital to buy cattle. So David put up the money for eight head of cattle and the other farmer allows them to graze on his land and checks on them regularly. When time comes to sell them, they will split the profit.
From Passion to ProfitAlthough farming is not the most obvious
choice for expats, it’s an enjoyable way to make a living and can be quite profitable.
“There’s a lot more to farming than just putting seeds in the ground. And you’re not
Shawn and Lindsay Greer found a market for their artisanal meat products in the expat community of Cotacachi, Ecuador.
Working on my farm gives me a great sense of independence and freedom.—David DeChambeau.
“I was ready to do something I really liked,” says Shawn. “I had studied up on permaculture for several years and then I took a permaculture class with a guy in Tumbaco about the Andean region and the different practices here.”
Today the Nebraska native and his wife, Lindsay Numedahl, have a busy pig-farming and artisan-meat business. “Right now we have 42 pigs, 15 of which are adults,” says Lindsay. “We keep several sows for breeding purposes, but the others are butchered at around seven to eight months old.” At that time, the pigs are turned into fresh meat products like bacon, ham, prosciutto, and various types of sausages. “Our most requested product is the cilantro sausage.”
International Living’s Incomes Abroad | July 20168
COVER STORY
going to get rich quick,” says Ron Miller. “But if you’re patient you can make a good living.”
It did not take long for Steve Wayne to see a return on his investment in an organic farm in Nicaragua. He says, “Since I started with fertile land with water, receiving a positive return over operation costs was fairly fast, just a matter of months. I reinvested that return to promote the concept that thousands of family farmers can learn to stop using toxic chemicals and to eat clean food.”
Steve found a ready-made market in the local expat population. With very few salad greens and herbs available in Nicaragua, the expat community was desperate for fresh kale, basil, salad greens, and arugula.
“My new business venture currently sells 200 to 250 pounds of produce a week, after only one year in business. This amount will double in a few short months,” says Steve.
He found customers in restaurants in tourist zones. “I focused on expat restaurants and places in towns where expats buy their produce,” explains Steve. “For example, in San Juan del Sur there is a morning ‘gringo’ market every Saturday. Expats are thrilled to find that they can now find kale, arugula, spinach, lettuce and more for a healthier diet. We sell in restaurants, surf camps, farmer’s markets, high-end grocery stores and we’ll soon open outdoor markets in Managua.”
In Ecuador, artisan meat farmers, Shawn and Lindsey, sell their wares primarily to expats from the Cotacachi area. They began publicizing their products on local expat interest forums and built up an extensive mailing list from there. Every week Lindsay sends out a mass email letting their customers know what products will be available and takes orders in advance. On Thursdays, she sets up at a small farmer’s market and their clients are able to come pick up and pay for their farm-fresh meats there.
These days their farm is turning a good
profit. Lindsay estimates that each pig costs them around $200 to raise up to butchering age. But they gross $600, which gives them a per pig profit of $400.
“One of our largest expenses is the cost of pig feed,” says Lindsay. “To rectify this we’ve planted high-protein forage on about half of our land. Once that comes in we’ll be able to rotate the pigs through the field in the morning and then feed them carbohydrates like potatoes in the evening. That will both cut our costs and make the pigs healthier which in turn will be healthier for our customers,” says Lindsay.
Diversifying your farm business can help to increase your revenue. In Panama, Ron and Kim’s organic farm produces much more now than it did a few years ago. They’ve recently added free-range chickens and eggs to their assortment of goods.
Their large table at the local weekly market is loaded with items: veggies, herbs, seasonings, greens, roots, and more. Over the years, they have expanded their product line to include many imported food items as well as soaps, kitchen tools, and essential oils. Because they go back and forth to the U.S. regularly, they are able to bring organic products back with them or arrange for shipment of imported items. Many of the products they offer are not available elsewhere in Panama. This has added another source of revenue and helped to make the farm profitable and able to employ 14 people full-time.
Four years after their first olive harvest, Catherine and Brian bottled 5,500 liters of olive oil from their most recent harvest. Half of the olives come from their certified organic grove and the other half they buy from trusted local growers.
While they are based in Puglia, their son Stephen oversees wholesale operations and business development back in the U.S. Catherine explains that although setting up the farm itself did not require a lot of money, running the olive oil business means spending on branding, packaging, milling, and shipping. “The shipping is our biggest expense. It is a big upfront cost. One pallet for 700 liters costs $1,500, two pallets cost $2,100.”
Catherine and Brian realized that their origins gave them a competitive edge and decided to work exclusively with the American market. “Our business is set up as an American business because all our oil is exported,” says Catherine. Their high-quality Pascarosa extra virgin olive oil retails at a premium $20 to $24 for a half liter bottle of organic oil in organic shops in California, Oregon, Washington, and Colorado.
“Extremely high-quality olive oil is still seen as a luxury item in the U.S. And given what it costs for us to produce, ship, and sell it, we don’t disagree. You can make money through volume or extremely high prices,” says Brian.
To connect with their customers in the
Rent: Buying land makes sense if you are sure farming is what you want to do for a living. Renting land is a wise option for beginners if you want to try and see whether growing food is your kind of business.
Start small: Bigger is not always better. You can achieve great results with small-scale farming. There are many online forums and books available to help you to understand how to earn money running a small homestead. Check out The Market Gardener which is full of practical advice on small-scale organic farming or the FarmChat or Farming Forum Site for ideas.
Seek local advice: Make sure that the land you are choosing is suitable for the type of farming you have in mind. Hire an agronomist or farm facilitator who knows the nitty and gritty of local agricultural business. Talk to locals to find out what grows best in the area.
Buy to resell: You do not need to grow 100% of the produce you sell. If you have access to expat markets or buyers abroad you can command higher prices, so consider buying to resell. Talk to the farmers in your area. You might be able to strike good deals that will allow a healthy profit margin.
Consider going organic: In many countries, local farmers are not willing to invest in organic certification, which leaves a gap in the market. You can sell organic produce at a premium. Make sure to check local requirements for organic farming as they vary from country to country.
Things to Consider When Setting Up Your Farm
Being from the U.S. gave Catherine and Brian Faris an edge over their competitors when exporting
their olive oil to the states.
International Living’s Incomes Abroad | July 2016 9
COVER STORY
than anything, is the major benefit of farming according to all the expat farmers we’ve spoken with.
Last year Jim and Lori Dorchak bought 7.5 acres of land with a small cabin in the Los Lagos region in Chile, for about $25,000. Along with three of their six children, they moved there to fulfill a dream of running a farming homestead and living self-sufficiently.
“We are in our fifties,” says Jim. “We wanted to slow down and enjoy life a bit more. We don’t want to make a lot of money, we just want to live peacefully and grow our own food.”
The Dorchaks are currently living in the small cabin while building a bigger home. For $4,500 they installed a solar panel system on their new home. “That way we don’t have a power bill,” says Jim. “We have a creek and multiple springs on our property, which we use for our consumption, so no water bill either. And we have our own septic system, so no sewage bill. We only pay for gasoline for the car and cell phone services.”
Los Lagos is an agricultural area and well suited for running a small homestead. The Dorchaks now have 16 pigs, chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys. “We make bacon here,” says Lorie. “Mostly for ourselves but when the locals tasted it they loved it and keep asking for more. We want to do ham, salami, and sausages in the future.”
Although Jim and Lori are only at the beginning of their farming adventure in Chile, they have already realized its great business potential. “Yesterday Jim was talking to the owner of a grill restaurant nearby and that man wanted to buy all our piglets, without even seeing them,” says Lori.
“Here they just come to your farm and buy sheep from you straight away,” says Lori. “Families slaughter sheep themselves, roast it whole, and eat it at celebrations and feasts. And it’s an easy animal to raise.”
Jim is planning to put up a greenhouse for planting lettuce, tomatoes, and other vegetables. He says, “We already have agreements with restaurants who want to buy our vegetables when we are ready. Restaurants here are big on organic produce; they want healthy chemical-free food.”
Jim and Lori say that life in Chile is calmer and healthier. Their sons go to a local school and do not spend as much time in front of the computer as they did back in the U.S.
“Here we are busy outside working on the farm,” says Lori. “They help with everything that we do: build houses, lay tiles, put up fences, work with the animals.
“We are enjoying a kinder and slower pace of life. We do what we want and how we want. We feel very safe and free here,” says Jim.
Brian and Catherine in Italy say that the olive oil business is hard work but also both fun and gratifying. Brian felt a great amount of accomplishment when he finally got the hang of pruning, which he says is the most difficult part of the business. “I observed lots and lots of farmers prune their own trees, then my trees, to get the hang of it. Then I pruned alongside them and had them criticize my work (this happened a lot). When they stopped offering advice and review, I knew I had gotten the hang of it.”
The couple has made many good friends in their town. They even became somewhat of local celebrities when a small graphic design agency asked them to model in television spots and billboards for a local pasta brand.
“What we love the most about living in Puglia is the emphasis on the things we care about the most,” says Catherine. “Your family, your friends, the time to connect with people. And just how beautiful it is: the color of the soil, the color of the sky, the intense red of a tomato. Everything is more visceral.”
U.S., the couple introduced a club system membership for those who wish to buy their olive oil from them directly.
“We send them olive oil four times a year,” says Catherine. “Our club members get 15% off the oil and tours. This way we have a more intimate relationship, and they feel a kind of proprietary interest in our success because they are members of the club. The system has proved to be a success and the number of club members is growing steadily.”
David DeChambeau spent the first year preparing his Ecuadorian farm to provide an income in the future. “My plan is for the place to first be self-sustaining and then eventually produce a surplus of food. I have 25 avocado trees planted and they should start to produce fruit in another couple of years, but it will be a good five years before they are substantially profitable,” he says. David is optimistic about his small farm venture. “We should start to generate income from our first honey harvest this fall and hopefully the farm will be turning a profit within a year.”
We are enjoying a kinder and slower pace of life. We do what we want and how we want.—Jim Dorchak
David is also experimenting with different money-generating ideas, such as smoked trout. He buys the trout from a neighboring farm, then brines and smokes them himself. He recently sold his first batch of smoked trout to expats in the Cotacachi area and already has a waiting list for more.
“Working on my farm gives me a great sense of independence and freedom,” says David.
A More Fulfilled LifeOf course, farming isn’t just a job, it’s a
lifestyle. Keep that in the front of your mind when deciding on what kind of farm you should start, and if farming is for you at all. Yes, farming overseas can be profitable and easier than you think, but the farming life can also be extremely fulfilling. This, more
The Dorchak family feel safe and free on their 7.5 acres of land in Chile’s Los Lagos region.
International Living’s Incomes Abroad | July 201610
SET-UP SOLUTIONS
Getting a Colombian Visa is Easier Than You Think
By Nancy Kiernan
The cool breeze rolling in off the Caribbean as the sun dips beneath the waves…listening to howler monkeys
rustle through the jungle canopy as you drink your morning coffee...unwrapping a hot tamale as you stroll down the malecón (boardwalk) with a new friend. Perhaps you can’t quite remember the moment you fell in love with Colombia, but for whatever reason—be it the perfect weather, lifestyle, or low cost of living—you’re smitten.
If you’ve decided to make the move and want to start a business in this South American powerhouse, then good news. Setting up a business in Colombia is cheaper and easier than in the United States, and there are many more benefits. Labor costs, office/warehouse rental fees, and the overall cost of living are significantly lower than what you would pay in the U.S.
I recently met a couple who is starting a cosmetic manufacturing business in the Zona Franca (an area where goods may be landed, handled, manufactured or reconfigured, and re-exported without the intervention of the customs authorities) in Rio Negro, 30 minutes outside of Medellín. They were able to hire a chemist with several years of cosmetic development experience for a third of what it would have cost in the U.S. And construction of the laboratory cost less than half of what it would have been in the States due to lower labor and material costs.
So how can you live and start a business in this land of opportunity?
If you are entering the country with only your U.S. passport, it will be automatically stamped at immigration for a 90-day maximum stay at no cost. You can request an additional 90-day extension at an immigration office. These requests are usually granted and, again, require no fee. However, if you are planning to stay in Colombia for more than 180 days in a calendar year, then you’ll need a visa.
While you can apply for a visa on your own, using a professional firm is a good idea. You’ll only need to secure your visa once in your life and working with a pro can save you time, headaches, and money.
The two most popular business-related visas are:
The Company Owner Visa: This is what most expats need if they plan to start a new business or purchase an existing one in Colombia. The government actually encourages foreigners to apply for this type of visa because it stimulates local investment, and it means the visa holder will be employing people and contributing taxes. To qualify for this visa, the applicant must commit to invest at least $23,000 in the business. This is valid for one year initially, after which you will have to reapply.
The Investor Visa: This is the second most common business visa, intended for those who want to either create their own Colombian corporation or significantly invest in an existing one. The investment threshold to qualify for this visa, as of 2016, is at least $140,000. You must actually purchase shares in the corporate name, not just give money to a company. The investor visa is valid for five years.
The investor visa route is not as complicated as it may seem. It’s the option I chose back in 2012 when I first came to Colombia. With the assistance of a lawyer, my husband and I created a Colombian S.A.S. corporation (similar to an LLC in the U.S.), opened an investment account with a local brokerage firm, and then funded the account with sufficient funds to qualify for the visa.
Our company exists solely to hold investments such as real estate, brokerage accounts, and other investment products. However, having it allows us to maintain our visas. Once you have had this type of visa for five years, you may apply for citizenship and hold dual passports.
There are two very common mistakes that most people make when applying for a visa. The first is not giving the visa process enough time. A simple retirement visa or annuity visa request can take two to four weeks to process, while any of the business visas can take up to seven weeks or sometimes longer.
The second most common mistake people make is not knowing which type of business visa is right for their situation. With many different visa types, it is helpful to have a professional guide you through the process. There are many reputable firms that can assist you. Before applying for a visa, make sure that your U.S. passport has at least six months
before it expires. It should also have at least two empty pages in the visa section so that the stamp can be affixed. The time spent walking through the visa process varies depending on the level of documentation needed and how quickly and easily those documents can be accessed, especially if they must come from outside of Colombia.
Any supporting documents for your visa that are written in a language other than Spanish will need to be apostilled and translated into Spanish by an official translator. An apostille is a notarization of a document that allows legal documents to be used by countries other than that in which it was issued. For example, if your spouse is applying for a visa that will be attached to your visa, you will have to have the marriage license apostilled. The apostille process occurs in the country of origin of the original document, not the country that you want the visa for.
Once all the documentation is collected, the application will be reviewed by the office of the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to determine if it meets all the requirements for the type of visa requested. This evaluation process may take one to two weeks.
After approval, the official visa stamp will be attached to your passport. If the applicant is currently in Colombia, this process occurs in the government office in Bogotá. If the applicant is outside of Colombia, the stamping process occurs at a Colombian consulate. Once approved, you must register the visa with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and request a Cédula de Extranjería (National Identification Card). If the visa was issued in Bogotá you have 15 days from the date of issue. If the visa was issued outside of Colombia the 15-day clock starts from the day you enter Colombia.
The base application fee ranges from approximately $211 to $391. However, there are several additional third-party fees depending on the type of visa and whether or not the process will involve documents from outside of Colombia. The total cost can range between $500 and $900.
Editor’s Note: For legal advice when applying for a visa, contact Andres Durago of Medellín Legal Partners.
International Living’s Incomes Abroad | July 2016 11
CHANGE YOUR LIFE
Why I Have No Regrets After My Seven Year Adventure in Spain
By Tal Abbady
In 2008, I was working as a newspaper reporter in Plantation, Florida. I had recently earned a salary increase. I had
private health insurance, a beautiful home, a growing retirement fund, and two-week’s annual vacation. In short, I had all the “safety” one clings to in an organized, American life.
Living in the U.S., I was used to the efficiency and goal-oriented rhythms of life here—much of which I loved and was grateful for. My yearly work evaluations led to a raise, the lawn-mowing service arrived weekly without fail, banks seemed to beg me to borrow their money. But I’d grown afraid—afraid of not succeeding, of not working hard enough, of being without my safety nets.
And with the newspaper industry’s forecast growing bleaker by the month—an issue facing many industries these days, I soon found myself worrying about losing a job that was as unfulfilling as it was predictable.
That’s when the memory of a college road trip through Spain came back to me—the arid landscapes of Andalucía, vineyards as far as the eye could see, and cheap roadside lunches where your wine and dessert were included as a matter of course. When my husband mentioned the possibility of moving to Madrid, Spain where he had several small businesses he managed remotely, I leapt at the chance.
It was time to deliver myself from this padded existence.
Because my husband was Spanish, moving to Spain was easy for us. But it’s easier than you think for you too. You can stay in Europe’s Shengen zone for a 90-day period with no visa, at no extra cost, and if you plan to stay longer than that, there are a number of visa options available to you.
Our new apartment—a place my husband had owned and lived in for years before we met—was in Madrid’s Arturo Soria neighborhood, not far from the cobblestoned antiquity of Puerta del Sol, a plaza that’s a hub of activity in the heart of the city.
While it’s a big European capital, I found Madrid addictively manageable. I’d left South Florida’s commuter culture—and my Honda Civic—for trains and buses that run with knife-sharp efficiency. Urban walking—exercise that is naturally integrated into one’s
day—came back into my life. My husband and I, along with our young son—enjoyed walking everywhere.
The city’s mix of modern and historic buildings, its wide avenues shaded by cedar trees, its parks, its cuisine and packed wine bars made me want to go native pretty quickly.
For meat and poultry, we went to the butcher—a shop swarming with family matriarchs ordering every conceivable cut of meat or offal (edible organs) a cow can yield. Fresh fruits and vegetables were piled high in carts in the produce store. Madrid has its fair share of superstores—where I also shopped—but the presence of small, independently-owned businesses gives the city a warm accessibility that I welcomed.
After the novelty of being in a new place began to wear off, I started building a life in my new city and becoming a part of it. The need to rush to the only American store to stock up on pancake mix and boxed cereal faded. I became an eager consumer of Spanish products, developed a taste for verdejo wine and jamon iberico, learned to use the public health system, and joined a writing group—a mix of Spaniards, British, and Americans.
After several months of teaching English on a per diem basis to staff members of a private company, I landed a good job as an English instructor in the city’s oldest private university.
We found a pre-school for my son run by
a bi-lingual Spanish woman in a converted two-story home. My son’s days were filled with instructive playing and singing and included a hot meal. Spanish schools provide full-course hot meals for students at a reasonable charge.
Madrid, like any large capital, is hardly a slow-paced city. But I found myself relaxing into a more expansive view of life—one that allowed me to linger over a meal a little bit longer, jog through an olive grove, and bike around the city with my husband and son. I also learned to obsess a bit less about professional goals and mingle with people who aren’t defined by their jobs—and made many close friends. After a year, I was at home in Madrid.
Seven years later, circumstances led me back to the U.S., back to the bubble-wrapped life of south Florida. But having shed some of my self-protective layers in Spain, I can enjoy my own country’s beauty and complexities more. I’ve traded the olive groves for live oaks. And, wine glass in hand, I pay more attention to them now.
I find that I’ve absorbed the Spanish credo, no pasa nada (no big deal), when confronted with fears of financial insecurity and the misadventures life sometimes lobs our way. I suspect I’ll tire of the confines of suburban American life again. The Madrid sierra, those snow-frosted peaks I ponder on my daily drive to work, will call me back some day.
With its elegant architecture and perfectly manicured parks, you can’t help but fall in love with Madrid.
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International Living’s Incomes Abroad | July 201612
GOOD LOCATION FOR…
Expats at the Forefront of Peru’s Craft-Beer Revolution
Continued from page 1
I initially saw the Latin American craft-beer scene kicking off in Chile and Argentina, but now Peru—a country of 39 million and twice the size of Texas—is coming on strong.
With virtually no representation just a few years ago, there are now more than 40 microbreweries around the country, says Yann Lemaire, the General Manager of Cervecería Nuevo Mundo microbrewery.
The movement is spearheaded by Peruvians and expats from around the world who came for the great climate, low cost of living, friendly people, and modern conveniences the country offers. But they, like in-the-know locals, yearned for craft beer…so they made it happen.
“I can definitively say that the craft beer revolution is happening right now,” says Yann, from France, whose brewery is based in Lima. “When we started, nothing was available here in Peru, no malt distribution, no hops, no gear, just some passionate guys who decided that we should do something else than this carbonated, yellow stuff sold by the millions by one big company.
“The total lack of resources to build a brewery and get access to ingredients lead to a necessary solidarity between brewers. We shared information, knowledge, providers, shipping containers for importation...etc. and of course a great adventure!
“Gastronomy in Peru is big, people are
curious and starving for new products. Before, nobody knew what a pale ale was, and now we get people asking for double IPA, imperial stout, and sour!”
Before my recent trip to Peru, I had heard a little about the craft beer there. In the July 2015 issue of Incomes Abroad, my colleague David Hammond had visited the Sacred Valley Brewing Company in a rural area on the road to Machu Picchu. But nothing could have prepared me for what I discovered as I toured the southern city of Arequipa, ancient Cusco, the picturesque Sacred Valley, and the sprawling capital, Lima.
Everywhere I went there were craft-beer bars, craft beer for sale in stores, craft breweries, and craft beers on restaurant menus. Sacred Valley Brewing was well-represented. But there were dozens of other beers from different breweries available too.
For a veteran Latin American traveler, who normally struggles to find even one craft beer on the road, having a dozen plus choices in a typical craft-beer bar was
quite unusual. Although, it does make sense as Peru is well-known worldwide for its cuisine, including a vibrant gourmet-restaurant scene. A well-crafted ale perfectly complements that focus on unique and quality food.
One of my favorite places to enjoy a craft brew was down a side street in the historic mountain city of Cusco, where part of a crumbling old colonial home had been converted to a bustling craft-beer bar. There I watched knowledgeable bartenders offering classes in discerning the different beer
styles, including a brown ale and golden ale, to neophyte customers.
“We target Peruvians,” says Ted Alexander of his target market, which he says are mostly men aged 20 to 47. “We are a Peruvian brewery, for Peruvians. The vast majority of our customers are Peruvians, although expats enjoy it as well.”
Ted, who grew up in Pittsburgh, started up the Sierra Andina Brewing Company in 2011 in his adopted hometown of Huaraz.
“At that point there was really nothing,” says Ted.
For Sierra Andina the top-selling beer styles are the Huaracina Pale Ale, a hoppy and citrusy variety, and the light and mellow Inti Golden Ale. The brewery even has a few award-winners in its roster, including the Shaman India Pale Ale and the Pachutec Imperial Ale, which won best American India Pale Ale and Barley Wine, respectively, at the Copa Cerveza de America, one of Latin America’s most prestigious beer competition, in 2015.
Ted had originally come to Huaraz, which is high in the Andes Mountains, to indulge in his love of adventure sports like alpine climbing and white-water rafting (Huarez is a center for adventure sports—especially rock climbing and alpine climbing). But after running an adventure business since 2001 he wanted a new challenge.
He had been home brewing for a while,
Casey and Katterin Workman (far right) love the sense of community surrounding Arequipa’s growing craft-beer scene.
Casey Workman’s bar, Chelawasi, pairs ice cold beers with tasty gourmet burgers.
International Living’s Incomes Abroad | July 2016 13
GOOD LOCATION FOR…
seeking new flavors in a landscape where somewhat bland national beers reigned. His first efforts were hit or miss—sometimes he gathered bitter herbs in the mountains as a substitute for hops, which have to be imported. But as he brewed up a new batch every week, it got better and better. So when he decided to start a new business, a brewery seemed like a good fit, especially with the lack of craft beer in the country.
They started small, producing just 12 bottles a day for the first six months, slowly adding capacity to their brewery as things took off and they reached their current level of production. Sierra Andina is one of the top breweries in the country and most successful. They have 600 to 700 points of sale throughout Peru and last month sold 37 cases per day, according to Ted. Their main market is in Lima, the capital, although they have a distributor in every major city and town in the country.
For Ted, who lives in Huaraz with his wife, Jenn Hrinkevich, and their children, the brewery is just one part of a small business empire. He opened a restaurant in 2012 (where his beers are prominent on the menu, of course), and an events company. Recently he and Jenn started up a school with some expat partners—which his wife mainly manages. They had originally planned to educate just their own kids…but have already enrolled 40 students from the local community.
Ted acts as the manager to the businesses and hires a professional brewer from the U.S. to oversee operations at the brewery. Usually, they stay for a year or so, on contract, and then go back.
As he builds his business, Ted is also giving back to the community, giving
locals good jobs that teach them leadership skills, and a good salary in a good work environment.
Of course, it’s not just brewers who are part of this craft-beer renaissance.
Casey Workman and his wife, Katterin (a Peruvian from Lima), run Chelawasi Public House in Arequipa, a bustling metropolis of 1 million with a UNESCO World Heritage Site colonial quarter.
Casey’s pub—which is named for the words for “beer” and “house” in the indigenous language Quechua—is in one of the oldest neighborhoods in town. The couple rents the space and lives above the bar in a small apartment.
Casey, originally from Portland, Oregon—one of the epicenters of craft-beer culture in the U.S.—offers beers from many Peruvian craft-beer producers (he’s a local distributor for Ted at Sierra Andina), as well as his own brews. He can be found most evenings in his place behind the bar. It’s a small place. A few small tables and a short bar. Cozy but fun, with great camaraderie.
“I like the culture side of it. Having beers with friends, tasting different beers…it’s a community more than anything,” says Casey.
His customers are a mix of Peruvians, expats, and travelers.
Like many expats, Casey noticed a distinct lack of craft beer in Peru when he first arrived three years ago. But things have changed quickly and, as he says, the scene is “exploding.” Craft beer festivals, in which brewers showcase their brews to customers, are frequent and very well attended. At these events, brewers offer samples to festival-goers and compete with each other to be named the best beer at the festival, usually
broken into categories by style.Ted credits the improving economy in
Peru and a middle and upper class with more discretionary income, along with an awareness of craft beer through social media, for the growth of the scene. And he and others in the industry say the craft beer industry in Peru shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon.
“The craft beer scene has totally changed in less than two years,” says Yann. “Cervecería Nuevo Mundo started in June 2014, with my friend Alain Schneider, and six fermenters of 600 liters. We are now producing 8,000 liters a month, expanding our brewery. And we are about to open our second Nuevo Mundo Draft Bar in Cusco. The first one is in Lima.”
The craft beer industry is growing and that’s made the start-up process and running a business smoother. Where once craft brewers had to import everything at great expense, now there is a malt distributor and there are good relationships with shippers to bring in equipment at a lower cost.
That ease of doing business—signs of maturing industry in which you no longer have to be a pioneer—means it’s never been easier to start a craft beer focused business in Peru. And with Peruvians growing thirst for beer beyond the mainstream, coupled with demand from travelers and expats, there is a ready market. You could start a brewery or open a craft brew pub, although staying in the larger cities with people with disposable income is probably the best route.
“It’s definitely growing in all ways. You can measure it by the number of people buying it, by the number of mainstream outlets selling it, and the number of different breweries,” says Ted.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if Peru becomes a leading nation in the Latin America craft brewery scene very soon,” says Yann. “We are proud to be part of it.”
Here are our four tips to starting your own craft-beer business in Peru.
1. Start brewing at home. You don’t have to own a brewery, or even be in Peru to get started. You can try out recipes and start honing your craft from home. There’s a wealth of homebrew tips, guides, and recipes online to help you out. Check out homebrewtalk.com, beersmith.com, and mrbeer.com
2. Network with more established brewers. The scene in Peru is supportive. They’ll help you navigate the hurdles. The Asociación de Cerveceros Artesanales de la Republica del Perú is a group dedicated to promoting craft beer in Peru. They offer classes, sell ingredients, and will be a great resource as you get your venture off the ground.
3. Start small. Create one or two distinctive beers. And before you invest in expensive equipment, rent time in somebody else’s brewery.
4. Marketing your beers. Business in Peru is done one-on-one. Pay a visit to the local bars and restaurants with a your cooler of beer in tow. You’ll make personal connections with potential retailers, over a bottle of your very own craft beer.
How to Start a Craft-Beer Business in Peru
Ted Alexander and his wife, Jenn Hrinkevich, started making small batches of beer a few years ago… Now
their Brewery, Sierra Andina, is the most successful in the country.
International Living’s Incomes Abroad | July 201614
IMPORT EXPORT
Oaxaca’s Folk Art Tradition Makes It An Importer’s Dream
By Judy Miranda
Since becoming an importer in 2005, I’ve traveled all over the globe in search of authentic, fine-crafted folk art.
On my travels I’ve made many friends and visited artists in Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Tanzania, Turkey, Indonesia, and Thailand. It’s not difficult to find artisans whose work will resell in the U.S. for a large profit, but you certainly have to be open to new experiences, and occasionally going off the typical tourist trails.
Although I’ve had purchases shipped home on occasion, generally I’m a suitcase importer. By traveling with few clothes, plus an empty suitcase, I’m able to safely carry my finds back and stay under the U.S. import free tariff limits.
I recently took a trip to Oaxaca, Mexico, a great place for a budding importer to get started. The villages surrounding the city are home to some world-renowned artists, and each village specializes in a different type of folk art. My goal was to pay for the trip and expenses with the folk art I bought and still make a good profit. With that in mind I searched for pieces that could be resold for triple the purchase price.
Just a 30-minute drive from Oaxaca, in the village of San Martín Tilcajete, you’ll find a folk-art tradition unique to the Oaxaca area. Alebrije are meticulously detailed wooden figures, often depicting impossible and magical beasts painted with brightly-colored, intricate designs.
One of my favorite alebrije artists is Zeny Fuentes, a renowned third-generation carver whose family workshop offers many fine-crafted pieces that will sell for a nice profit. For example, an elaborately painted rooster from the Fuentes workshop costs just $12.50 and will resell in the U.S. for $65 due to the artist’s fame at markets or through my website.
Nearby lives artist Norbarto Fabián Xuana and his family, who share their outdoor carving and living area with a friendly herd of goats. Norbarto creates a variety of smaller carvings, including some intricately-painted geckos, ranging in price from $9 to $37. In the U.S., they will sell for $35 to $95 each.
Farther south is the village of Ocotlán
where I met Josefina Aguilar, a master clay artist whose work has been renowned by aficionados of Mexican folk art for years. She lost her eye sight in 2014 but unbelievably continues to create beautiful collectible figures. Her artist daughters help out by providing the fine details and painting the final pieces. I bought several exquisite pieces of art from the Aguilar family for just $10 to $22, incredibly inexpensive for highly-coveted work. Although I purchase nearly all imports to sell, I will keep these treasures for my own collection.
Of course, a trip is never just about shopping. I broke for lunch in Ocotlán’s main market and enjoyed traditional chicken enchiladas at La Cocina de Frida cooked up by chef/owner Beatriz Gomez, who is the spitting image of artist Frida Kahlo. I took my time in Ocotlán and visited the home and museum of deceased artist Rudolfo Morales, a surreal painter of rural Mexican culture. In nearby Mitla, I visited the Árbol del Tule, a Mexican cypress tree that is over 2,000 years old and about 15 stories tall.
Here we paid a visit to the workshop of Rocio Lopez Mendez, who makes an important fashion garment in Oaxaca, the embroidered aprons worn daily by local woman. These gingham aprons are machine sewn with elaborately embroidered flowers and are worn to market and visiting friends. After trying on some aprons myself, Rocio brought out some special hand-woven blusas (blouses) with beautiful embroidery and
colorful yarn stitching and fringes. Priced at just $6, they will sell for $25 to $30.
In addition to the surrounding villages, there was the city of Oaxaca to explore. Among the lovely boutiques was Mujures Artesanas de los Regiones (Female Artists of the Region), representing women’s cooperatives with hand-crafted folk art including woven scarves ($3), handbags ($8), cotton skirts ($9), wood carvings, and pottery.
You’re free to explore Oaxaca’s folk-art villages on your own, but I often recommend aspiring importers to consider hiring a guide, especially if it’s your first visit. In the end, it will save you time and energy, and it’s a great introduction to the local artists in the region.
In the past I’ve done this trip solo, but on this particular occasion I hired Linda Hanna of Casa Linda Folk Art B&B as a guide. Linda is an American who has lived in Oaxaca for 15 years and has established friendships with artists throughout the region. She knew which local artists were right for my business, included her favorite restaurants in our schedule, and was a wealth of information. Linda charges $20 per hour and will take you in her own car.
Mexico’s Oaxaca region is an importer’s dream for a stay of several days or longer. I have yet to sell the pieces I purchased but I estimate I will make just over $900, after all my travel expenses. Not bad for a three-day vacation.
Unique to the Oaxacan area, Alebrije are wooden sculptures of bizarre magical creatures. The first Alebrije were imagined by local artist Pedro Linares in a fever dream.
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International Living’s Incomes Abroad | July 201616
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OPPORTUNITY DIGEST
An Ecotourism Opportunity in Cloud-Forest Ecuador
Set in the Andean foothills north west of Quito, the small town of Mindo is among the most heavily visited tourist spots in Ecuador. The surrounding valley is covered in a biologically diverse cloud forest, filled with an astounding array of vegetation and wild life. More than 400 types of bird alone inhabit this nature lover’s paradise, including toucans, barbets, golden-headed quetzals, and hummingbirds.
IL Ecuador Correspondent Wendy DeChambeau is just back from a scouting mission to Mindo, where she uncovered a potential business opportunity.
“The diversity of wildlife in this area is due to Mindo’s cool-weather mountain climate,” says Wendy. “During the day, temperatures hover in the high 70s F, while at night the cool mist brings temperatures down to high 50s, low 60s F.
“Birders are the primary tourists who are drawn to the area, but it also attracts plenty of people looking to immerse themselves in nature. There are waterfalls, hiking trails, orchid gardens, and plenty of opportunities for adventure in the region.”
“Right now, there is three-bedroom chalet-style home for sale not far from Mindo,” says Wendy. “It would make a lovely B&B or a great base for nature tours. The house sits on a 10,760-square-foot lot and is surrounded by greenery which can be admired from the bedroom balconies.” The asking price for the property is $60,000. Go here for details.
Own a Pizzeria by the Beach in Costa Rica
Picture this. You live a stone’s throw from the glittering Pacific Ocean, with a long, golden-sand beach gracefully curving around a large bay. Boats bob at anchor just offshore. And as you walk the beach on your way to work, you see surfers catching the first waves of the day.
You’re in one of Costa Rica’s premier beach towns, Tamarindo, in the northwestern corner of the country. It’s a funky little seaside village, very popular with tourists, and known for its surfing, beach bars, and…top notch restaurants.
One of them, a popular pizzeria less than 200 feet from the water and in one of the main tourist areas in town, is for sale. It has an indoor area with 20 seats, and an open-air veranda with room for 30 to 40 more, depending on how you set it up. The centerpiece is a large wood-fired pizza oven with room enough for five pies at a time.
Swimsuit-clad patrons in need of hot pizza and an ice-cold beer flock to the restaurant after a long day in the sand and surf, and it’s popular with the nighttime dinner crowd too. It has a good reputation among tourists, as well as locals and expats.
IL Roving Latin America Editor Jason Holland says, “This place was on my way to the beach when I lived in Tamarindo and always had a nice crowd.”
The asking price for the business is $145,000, which includes all the inventory, furniture, and equipment, like refrigerators. The lease on the building is $1,260 per month. Go here for details.
A B&B with a Ready-Made Guest List in France’s DordogneSouillac 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 the rotund 12th-century abbey church of Sainte-Marie, tasty walnuts, and juicy strawberries.
Right now there is an opportunity to buy a little B&B in this peaceful French town. In summer, Souillac fills up with tourists stopping over on their way to some of the most visited destinations in France, such as the nearby pilgrimage site of Rocamadour, several medieval castles, and the world famous caves of Padirac and Lascaux. In spring and fall, the village receives a steady flow of enthusiastic walkers and cyclists who come to enjoy the nature.
The B&B is priced at $169,000, fully furnished, and has two bedrooms to accommodate up to seven people. There is a small self-contained apartment with an office and private outside terrace for the owners.
The hotel has advanced bookings for the following year—totalling over $12,000 at the time of writing—which means you won’t have to worry about finding guests for those first few months. The bookings come via the B&B’s website, Booking.com, and Airbnb. For more details, email the owner: [email protected].
A Great Lifestyle for English Teachers in Peru’s White City
A booming and bustling city of one million, Arequipa is Peru’s second-largest city and brimming with opportunity for expats. Here, Peruvian natives young and old seek to learn English to improve their job prospects, and advance their careers. There are dozens of language schools around the city eager to hire native English speakers.
IL Roving Latin America Editor Jason Holland is just back from scouting Arequipa—his favorite stop on his trip to Peru. “The pay for teaching English in Peru is not the highest in the world, but the cost of living here is so low you’ll still be able to have a great lifestyle,” he says. “A typical three-bedroom apartment in the best neighborhoods, within walking distance of many English schools, runs about $400, which you could easily split with fellow teachers. There are cheaper one-bedroom places and some schools will even help place you in housing.
“As an English teacher, you’ll work about six hours a day, Monday through Friday. You can also tutor privately for extra money on nights and weekends…but you will want to save some free time for fun and travel.
“Arequipa’s colonial center (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) has plenty of cafés, bars, and restaurants—serving both international and local cuisine. And with meals starting at $2 a plate, it’s very affordable. The nearby Colca Canyon is one of the world’s deepest and home to the endangered Andean condor; it’s a favorite hiking spot for tourists from around the world. And Lake Titicaca is close by as well,” says Jason.
Your best bet to land a job is to contact a school directly, including Centro Cultural Peruano-Norteamericano, Extreme Learning Centers, or The English World. Certifications like TEFL aren’t strictly necessary but do make you more attractive to employers.
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