Closing on a property in the United States, where everyone speaks the same language, is pretty straightforward. You're at the table with the property owner, their attorney, your attorney, real estate brokers, and someone from the bank. Pleasantries are exchanged. The mood is light. In my case, as I signed my life away, each page was described to me and the bank handed over the check. Wide smiles and "congratulations" all around. A few weeks later, I received a package in the

There are a lot of little things about buying a house in another country that you don't have to think about when you purchase in the United States. Other people may have different experiences, but when I bought my apartment in the US, it came with cabinets and most of the closets (I had to build one in the bedroom). The windows came with screens and the staircase had railings. My house in Mexico didn't come with those things. It's both good and bad. The good was being able to

I am a walking contradiction. I'm both a meticulous planner and someone who thrives on spontaneity. Definitely not a risk-taker, yet...