Relocation begins long before you pack your bags. It starts with questions about finances, law, and everyday life. Many people reach a stage when they say to themselves: I want to move to a new country, and this is when the challenge begins. Moving abroad is not only about changing your surroundings; it’s about redefining how and where you want to live, work, and invest. Understanding the economy, legal framework, and general lifestyle conditions will help you. 

This year, we've been lucky to attend several international conferences on Mundo’s favorite topics. A few weeks ago, Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, welcomed us with arms wide open, showing us its futuristic face and its potential. When our CEO came back from this trip, she was marveled at what she had found, so we decided to write a series of articles comparing Dubai with our favorite jurisdiction in the Americas: Panama. 

Across time and space, stories interconnect. We can learn from past events and even more from relevant people who have left a footprint in posterity. Since Mundo is closely connected to Panama both in business and personally, we can't overlook a person who, more than a hundred years ago, chose Panama as the first stop in a profound spiritual journey. This person was the French painter Paul Gauguin.

The waters of the Caribbean and the sands of the Persian Gulf may seem like very different worlds, yet they have more in common that one may think. Hard work, resilience, and growth have shaped the stories of these jurisdictions as we can see in the history of the middle east, in Dubai, and Central America, in Panama. The word Panama, according to some interpretations, comes from the language of native peoples and means “a place of abundance”, where life flows freely, and nature offers its gifts. The name Dubai, from the Arabic root daba, means “to flow” or “to move slowly,” conveying an image of constant motion. These meanings foretold the destiny of both cities because they found a way to turn potential into power.

When people obtain new citizenship, they often think about documents, taxes, or minimum stay requirements, but rarely about language. Yet language reveals the spirit of a nation and the way its people see the world. That is why many new citizens of Vanuatu find themselves wondering what language do they speak in Vanuatu and whether it is worth learning one of them. The answer says a lot about the country and its people — they’re open, flexible, and respectful toward everyone who becomes part of it. Vanuatu is one of the few places in the world where three languages coexist in harmony, creating a vibrant cultural mosaic. 

Whether you've been living in Panama for two months, two years, or two decades, the country always surprises with its landscapes, museums, hills, forests, cascades, beaches, and archipelagos. For those who have become Panama residents, whether through Friendly Nations or Qualified Investor, we've created this special section called Plans for the Weekend. Today, we'll explore the best Pacific islands to visit near the capital, so you know how to spend a weekend or indulge yourself with a one-day escapade.  

Our Plans for the Weekend series is created for expats who want to transform a few days into a vivid memory in their new countries. Each article highlights destinations that invite relaxation, exploration, and a sense of discovery. Today, we share how to spend the weekend in Grenada, exploring the charm of Grenada Best Beaches. Grenada offers one of the most attractive Citizenship by Investment programs in the Caribbean. This opportunity allows you to live, work, and build a business without restrictions. 

The CBI world is both interesting as it is challenging. Conditions, regulations, and requirements are constantly changing, programs are evolving, and monitoring is becoming stricter. Word is spreading about the eastern Caribbean programs applying yearly application quotas, enhanced supervision between the parties, and a unified regulatory organ. This, along with the increase in costs we witnessed last year, may put these regions at a disadvantage when compared to Europe.

Panama is a place that attracts people looking for warm weather, friendly communities, and new opportunities. Life here is closely connected to the official language, Spanish, and speaking it opens countless doors. We spoke to our chief editor, fluent in both English and Spanish, to find out how hard is it to learn Spanish for English speakers. Hopefully, her insights can guide you on your own path toward mastering the language. We often write about Panama, its advantages, and the opportunities it offers for those seeking a fresh start in an extraordinary country. Known for its strong economy, investor-friendly environment, and attractive residency programs like the Friendly Nations Visa, Pensionado Program, or Qualified Investor Visa, Panama makes relocation straightforward for foreigners with financial or relocation goals. If you’ve made up your mind about coming to Panama, learning Spanish will help you navigate daily life, expand business opportunities, and integrate faster. The guide below will show what you can realistically expect when learning the language as part of your new chapter in Panama. For English speakers, gender in Spanish language can be a surprise. Nouns and adjectives are divided into two categories: masculine and feminine. This is something English does not have, which makes feminine words in Spanish a challenge. For example, the word libro (“book”) is masculine, while mesa (“table”) is feminine. Knowing the Spanish feminine and masculine forms is essential if you want to speak correctly. Consistency comes with practice. Regular exercises that focus on study Spanish gender of nouns will help you remember patterns and exceptions. Over time, using the correct Spanish feminine and masculine forms becomes second nature. Spanish has one of the richest forms of the subjunctive mood, which can be tricky for English speakers. It changes the verb when expressing a wish, doubt, or something that could happen. Unlike in English, where mood is less visible in grammar, the subjunctive mood in Spanish is woven into everyday expressions. The good news is that in daily conversations, mistakes in the subjunctive mood usually don’t prevent understanding. Native speakers will often guess your meaning even if you don’t conjugate perfectly, so the focus can be on gradual improvement rather than perfection. Written accents (or “tildes”) in Spanish can completely change the meaning of a word. For example, papa means “potato,” while papá means “dad.” Similarly, si means “if,” and sí means “yes.” Understanding where to place accents when writing is as important as knowing the right vocabulary. Does it sound too difficult? Don’t worry, because if you want to master this, you can study theory. There are clear rules that indicate when a syllable goes with a “tilde” and when it doesn't, which depends on the number of syllables and the vowel at the end of the word. If you don’t have time to study, regular reading and writing will help you naturally remember the correct placement. Over time, this habit ensures you won’t confuse té (“tea”) with te (“you”). It’s a detail that can elevate your fluency and help others understand you better. Pronunciation is one of the more forgiving aspects of Spanish for English speakers. Words are pronounced the way they are spelled, and even if you sound like a “gringo,” people will still understand you, a luxury not always available the other way around.

The world is full of places with names so similar, it’s easy to confuse them, until legal, financial, or political realities highlight just how different they truly are. Just as there is a Panama City in both Panama and Florida, or cities with similar names, like Grenada and Granada, we find the US Virgin Islands and British Virgin Islands, two names that often confuse travelers and entrepreneurs alike. While the names suggest similarity and even though they are very close to each other geographically, these jurisdictions operate under distinct flags, laws, and business environments. The US Virgin Islands are located in the Caribbean and form an unincorporated territory of the United States. Their capital is Charlotte Amalie on the island of Saint Thomas. The islands operate under U.S. federal law, use the U.S. dollar, and residents are American citizens. They lie approximately 1,100 miles from Miami, about 1,600 miles from New York, and around 4,200 miles from London, making them a relatively accessible destination from both North America and Europe. Just a few miles away, also in the Caribbean, are the British Virgin Islands, a British Overseas Territory. The administrative capital of the British Virgin Islands is Road Town, situated on the island of Tortola, the largest and most populated island in the territory. Though governed under the British legal system, the islands enjoy autonomy in internal affairs. It’s interesting to note how close the British Virgin Islands are to their American namesake. We can see this by comparing the distances described above. The distance from Miami to Tortola is around 1,100 miles, while it lies 1,500 miles from New York, and just under 4,000 miles from London. Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, the Caribbean archipelago became a region of strategic competition among European powers. Nations like Great Britain, Spain, France, Denmark, and the Netherlands vied for control over valuable maritime routes and island outposts. These rivalries shaped the destiny of many territories, including the British Virgin Islands and the US Virgin Islands, leading them down very different political and legal paths. The British Virgin Islands ultimately remained under British authority. That foundation later adapted to the needs of international finance and corporate structuring, making the territory a respected and stable location for global business. The US Virgin Islands, by contrast, were originally a Danish colony known as the Danish West Indies. In 1917, during World War I, the United States purchased the islands from Denmark for $25 million in gold. Since then, they have been governed under U.S. federal law, and their legal and business systems have reflected the country’s broader regulatory philosophy. If you’d ask us to choose one of these two for company incorporation, we wouldn’t have to think that long. The British Virgin Islands have long been recognized as a key destination for setting up international corporate structures. The jurisdiction offers a balance of confidentiality and a transparent legal and tax framework. At Mundo, we provide a well-structured, clear, and internationally compliant company formation service in this jurisdiction. It is especially relevant for those seeking a convenient setup for holding companies, trading activities, or investment structuring.