I definetly recommend visiting several times before moving. There are a couple of ex-pats I know who are happy there. Patricia, the massage lady in Placencia, is one of them. Things like medical care for you and your pet, language issues, (not so much an issue in Placencia and San Pedro), and just buying stuff (there's no Home Depot, not many big grocery stores, especially in villages like Placencia)will be issues. You just have to go there and check it out. Thinking about it, or fantasizing will not do the trick. My hubby and I have been there twice, going for a third time soon. We LOVE it there, but don't really visualize ourselves living there. It's an individual choice.