Build a better life across the border.

Check the expiration date before you book. Many countries require your passport to stay valid for months beyond your trip, and airlines can refuse boarding if it does not. Andre's advice: get your passport now, before you need it.

Entry rules depend on your passport and your destination, and they change. Check the official entry requirements for the country (for US citizens, travel.state.gov) and your airline's rules before you fly.

Most home health plans cover little or nothing abroad. Andrea recommends travel insurance for longer trips; she says it is inexpensive. Read what it covers, and pack mosquito repellent for tropical areas.

Tell your bank you are traveling, bring at least two cards, and know your ATM and foreign transaction fees. Go out with a little cash, one card and one phone, and leave the rest in the safe where you stay.

In Colombia they say "don't give papaya": do not make yourself an easy target. Keep your phone and jewelry out of sight, use ride apps, avoid walking alone in areas you do not know, and carry a copy of your passport instead of the original. Andrea covers this in Colombia travel warnings.

Ask locally. Andrea says she has had no problems with tap water in Cali, Bogotá or Medellín, but does not drink it on the coast, and skips street lemonades from open containers. When unsure, use bottled water.

Andre's first question for anyone relocating. Name what you want to change: cost of living, stress, safety, pace of life or time with family. If the move would not improve it, wait. Travel first and live in the city for a while before you sell anything.

Price rent, utilities, food, transport and health care in the exact city and neighborhood you want. Andre's book Anywhere Is Possible lays out how about $2,500 a month can support an upper middle class life in much of the world. Prices and exchange rates change, so check current numbers.

Visas are usually tied to how you support yourself: a pension, remote work or an investment. In Colombia, visas are issued through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Cancillería). Andrea walks through the process in How to apply for a Colombian visa. Confirm current requirements before you apply.

Rent before you buy, and visit before you sign. Compare a few neighborhoods: tourist zones cost more, and some upscale hillside areas need a car. Andrea's video Affordable living in Cali shows how she finds rentals.

Get a full checkup after you arrive; Andre found high blood pressure this way, with no symptoms. Compare local insurance options. US citizens generally still file US taxes wherever they live; confirm your case with a qualified tax professional.

Plan how you will meet the right people from the first week: meetup groups, clubs, Spanish classes, a gym, or a group like Toastmasters. A community is what turns a move into a home.

You get a one-on-one call with Andre and Andrea about your situation, whether you are single, moving a family or planning retirement: where to live, what it will cost, which visa path fits, and what to do first. You leave with a written next-steps list. Your first consultation is 2 for 1: two sessions for the price of one.