The first question I usually receive when foreigners and Paraguayans alike find out that I am an expat living in Paraguay is: "Why Paraguay?"
My case in particular is a little than the traditional stories. I'm not in Paraguay because I married a Paraguayan. I'm not in Paraguay because my work sent me here. I'm not in Paraguay because I'm running away from problems in my home country. I'm not in Paraguay because I think it's the modern-day Wild West and I can do whatever I want. I chose Paraguay because I was looking for a new opportunity, and I saw Paraguay as a country with a low cost of living, a growing economy, and easy immigration policies.
Paraguay is a developing country, and it is not the right option for everyone. Life in Paraguay is not the same as in the United States or Europe, for better or worse. Paraguayans are friendly, social, family-oriented, and enjoy a relaxed lifestyle. While those traits are something I generally enjoy, it can also be frustrating at times when the relaxed lifestyle turns into a general acceptance of the way things are and lack of energy or hope for change. That's the beauty of bringing an outside perspective to the country though; I get the chance to remind people that things can and will change, and it's those that choose to be proactive that get to influence how things progress.
From an investment perspective, Paraguay is very interesting. The country is one of the economically most-stable in the region. It has some of the lowest rates of violent crime in Latin America. The enormous capacities of Itaipu and Yacyreta hydroelectric plants mean that Paraguay has a surplus of renewable energy, and we pay low rates for electricity. For three years now, I have had my own business in Paraguay, and I still get excited about the opportunities I see here almost every day.
Basically, I came to Paraguay for the opportunities, and I stayed for the people. I encourage international investors to take a moment to consider Paraguay as an option, and I will be writing more articles about investing in Paraguay in the future. In the meantime, feel free to reach out for more information!
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