choosing a destination

Where Should We Go? Part 5

Aside | | Sita

If you didn’t start at the beginning of this series, you can read the first part here: Where Should We Go? Part 1

Priorities

Deciding where to go seems like a real exercise in priorities.  What we might rank as a con for one place, leads us to finding that “missing thing” in the next place and ranking it as a pro.  But the new place comes with a whole list of its own pros and cons.  As with anything there are going to be ups and downs no matter where we choose.

So what’s most important for our family? Assessing our personal priorities is going to be key in finding the right place.    Continue reading →

Where Should We Go? Part 4

| Sita

If you didn’t start at the beginning of this series, you can read the first part here: Where Should We Go? Part 1

Option 4: Penang, Malaysia

Pros

  • Food!  Romeo is a foodie and he has turned the whole family into foodies.  When we ask our seven year old penang foodwhat she wants for dinner the answers are usually “Vietnamese” “Thai” “curry” or something of the like.  MamaSita was raised on Indian food and spices and has a special love for heavily spiced vegetarian food.  Food is a huge consideration for our family.  It’s also possible that we have watched too much Anthony Bordain and Andrew Zimmern and we want to go to some of the places they’ve been to and eat some of the amazing food around the world.

Continue reading →

Where Should We Go? Part 3

| Sita

If you didn’t start at the beginning of this series, you can read the first part here: Where Should We Go? Part 1

Option 3: Merida, Mexico

Pros

  • Cost. The cost of living difference between our current location and Merida is huge.merida map
    • Indices Difference
    • Consumer Prices in Jacksonville, FL are 71.10% higher than in Merida
    • Consumer Prices Including Rent in Jacksonville, FL are 96.36% higher than in Merida
    • Rent Prices in Jacksonville, FL are 230.14% higher than in Merida
    • Restaurant Prices in Jacksonville, FL are 103.88% higher than in Merida
    • Groceries Prices in Jacksonville, FL are 65.99% higher than in Merida
    • Local Purchasing Power in Jacksonville, FL is 240.00% higher than in Merida
    • See the full comparison chart here.

Continue reading →

Where Should We Go? Part 2

| Sita

If you didn’t start at the beginning of this series, you can read the first part here: Where Should We Go? Part 1

Option 2: Bucharest, Romania

Pros

  • Cost. The cost of living difference between our current location and Bucharest is huge.
    • Indices Difference Info
      Consumer Prices in Jacksonville, FL are 93.26% higher than in Bucharest
      Consumer Prices Including Rent in Jacksonville, FL are 106.27% higher than in Bucharest
      Rent Prices in Jacksonville, FL are 153.02% higher than in Bucharest
      Restaurant Prices in Jacksonville, FL are 99.60% higher than in Bucharest
      Groceries Prices in Jacksonville, FL are 132.39% higher than in Bucharest
      Local Purchasing Power in Jacksonville, FL is 156.42% higher than in Bucharest
    • See the full comparison chart here.

Continue reading →

Where Should We Go? Part 1

| Sita

The decision has been made about going Overseas.  We know we are leaving the states.  What we haven’t decided yet is where that will take us.  Some of the contenders will be highlighted in the next several blog posts.  We have a pro and con list for everywhere we have considered and that will (hopefully) help us narrow it down.

Option 1: Barcelona, Spain

Prosspain map

  • Romeo speaks Spanish.  It’s important for our kids to learn another language and what better choice than a language that embraces their Latin American roots?  It’s the third most spoken language in the world.  MamaSita needs to learn Spanish, too.  Spain seemed like a natural first choice.
  • The Beach.  We are beach folks.  We live about 30 minutes from the beach and we love to be able to dip our toes in the ocean whenever we feel like it.

Continue reading →