We registered our departure from Germany on November 6, 2019, and moved to Paraguay. We have been living here for almost a month now and have gradually but steadily settled in.
After our long road trip across Spain and Portugal in our motorhome, we faced some more stress in Germany while finishing the last tasks before embarking on the long flight to South America. Today, I would like to share a little about that with you.
The idea of moving to South America, or specifically to Paraguay, came to us in mid-2017. We actually just wanted to see if such a move would be possible for us at all; if it was, we planned to set up a second base first and then consider emigrating in about five years. By the end of 2017, we had prepared everything for our first trip to Paraguay.
The first trip to Paraguay#
In March 2018, the time finally came: we flew for the first time with our one-year-old daughter on such a long journey. From Frankfurt to Madrid, and then from Madrid to Asunción – the flight alone lasted 16 hours.
We had certain ideas about Paraguay and wanted to go there to see whether our expectations matched the reality. Additionally, we all applied for permanent residency permits in Paraguay.
When we returned to Germany, we were sure that we could live there—and we really wanted to. After a few more weeks, we realized that we didn’t want to wait another five years. So we started working on getting back to Paraguay as quickly as possible and this time, we definitely didn’t want a round-trip ticket.
Emigrating to Paraguay#
In the end, it took almost another year and a half to get everything sorted out in Germany. We had to sell the garden, the apartment, reduce the amount of furniture, pack a portion of it, and ship it as extra cargo. Finally, we sold the camper van and packed another part of the furniture; the remaining items were then stored in suitcases for travel.
We stayed with friends until the day of our flight and were able to prepare for the journey very well. We had four large suitcases, three carry-on bags, and two backpacks. All existing contracts were cancelled.
We rented a minibus and checked out of our accommodation in Germany on the 6th of November 2019. In the morning, we drove to Frankfurt Airport, where we returned the rental car. Then we flew for approximately 2.5 hours to Madrid. Unfortunately, the connecting flight there was delayed by over an hour. After that, we continued our journey by plane for another 12 hours to Asunción.
Finally arrived in South America#
When we landed in Asunción, we were very happy to finally be there, but there were still a few important things we needed to take care of in the capital.
After that, we continued on our way and arrived at our apartment in the evening. We are currently living in a small apartment until we build our own house later on. In the month that we have been here, we have been able to get quite a few things done.
Driver’s license in Paraguay#
We both obtained our separate driving licenses for motorcycles and cars on our own. It cost about 45 euros per person. After that, I immediately bought a motorcycle, which was delivered the next day.
First of all, I had to learn how to ride a motorcycle, since I’ve never done it before. I also needed to get used to the gear shifting mechanism. But now I’m doing quite well at it. On the racing track, you can quickly learn how to ride properly too.
A few days ago, Stefanie also got a motorcycle, so now we’re independent and can easily go shopping in the nearest town. Alternatively, we could also rent a car; next year, we’ll consider buying our own car.
One more permanent residence permit#
Liam was born a bit later, so he wasn’t with us on our first trip. As a result, he doesn’t yet have a permanent residence permit for Paraguay. We recently applied for one, and now the whole process is officially in progress. Eventually, he will also receive his own Cedula (the official identification document in Paraguay).
Tranquilo ☺️
We finished planning the landscaping for our property today. I think the excavators will arrive soon, and I’ll be able to take some interesting photos of the construction beginning. After that, our house can be built; we already have clear ideas for that as well. I’ll keep you updated on everything.
Otherwise, we’re enjoying our time in Paraguay. It’s beautifully warm, with temperatures above 30°C; while winter is approaching in Germany, we have summer here.
In addition, I will continue to work on my online business, which is what has made all this freedom possible for us. I will post more articles on my blog, and if you have any questions, feel free to contact me as well.
I wish you the greatest success, and may all your dreams and wishes come true.
Best regards,
Sebastian
