Ever since humans invented seafaring vessels, they have set sail for distant shores in search of untold riches — risking life and limb to claim the booty. Many considered this game of high-seas jeopardy well worth taking because the treasures could be so lavish.

In this age of international conventions and modern air and sea transportation, global travel is not the death-defying adventure it once was. Today it is investment dollars and other forms of currency that rush offshore by the billions in search of exponential expansion, and the riches can be every bit as lavish as the earned and pirated treasures of the past.

Though human life is rarely at stake in offshore investments, the dollars most certainly are. Problem is, the promise of lavish treasure is elusive. That leaves investors with a couple of choices: either adjust expectations or avoid wading into international waters altogether.

Diversification and currency exposure

Investor