Everyday life in Belize

HI guys, I am a newbie researching Belize- would you please help me by expanding on your blog thoughts- re:  Belize is not cheap and it is not paradise.    Belize can be interesting and enjoyable.   Belize is not for everyone.  Some people love it and do not leave.    Some come, lose money & go.    Plz do your reasearch, thoroughly".

Why do you say its not cheap and its not paradise?
How do people come and lose money & go?

Thanks for your assistance- take care, Kevin

We definitely did not move here with "rose colored glasses". We researched for months, visited both the mainland, Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye.  We decided we preferred Ambergris, we then visited an additional three times before purchasing a condo.

We currently stay a couple weeks every month, but. After retiring in Jan. Will be here most of the year.  I too, have read about the crime etc.  here on the island, there is an area where they have had problems with drugs, shootings, but have seemed to curtailed it and established neighborhood watches, more police patrol etc.   this happens in a specific small area of town.

I believe crime can be an issue, no matter where you live.  I wouldn't dream of walking in St. Louis at night, but we walk the beach to the restaurants here at night and feel very comfortable.
We have been coming here for a year now, and have never felt the locals were anything but welcoming and friendly.  They appreciate your business at the markets and cafés, they greet you on the streets with a smile.

I understand that belize city is very different, as well as maybe some other areas on the mainland.  But our experience here has been wonderful.  We also purchased a condo, which was relatively simple process , rather than maybe purchasing land parcels and building, in which you would have to deal with government polices, building permits etc. 
I did notice several post from the Corozal area with lots of negative issues.  We did visit the area and it was not for us, a little too remote and the beaches were not as nice.

Not sure what you all are looking for, but we love the island, the people are nice, lots of expats and lots of things to do.  It is a little more expensive, but we feel it's worth it, 
Hope this helps,

Hi kwn,

Welcome to Expat.com!

I have created a new topic as from your post on the Belize forum for more visibility and interaction.

Thank you.

kwn: We live in the Cayo district, and used to live in Canada (Alberta). Have worked in Peterborough many times so I know the city well (nice place).

Our cost to live in Belize is much less than our life in Canada. We have downsized though too, so that must be taken into consideration.

I don't know how people come here and lose money, unless they build a big house, pool, then decide to move away and cannot sell their expensive house to locals, and decide to sell for much less to expats as it is such a small market.

Not paradise. Of course that term is very subjective. Many people love big cities, and all of the events, crowds etc. For some that is paradise, for me it is hell. For me the nicest place I have been on earth was a farm on Kaui. Grow all year round, great temperature all year round, great beaches (we are not beach people), nice mixture of rain / sun. Problem with Hawaii though is that it is very expensive, most things have to be shipped in. If the world goes into chaos then living on Hawaii will be a problem as it is over populated.

What we like about Belize, which will not be the same for others (we chose Cayo district).
- Rural, small towns, villages
- Can grow all sort of foot. Our farm has a few hundred fruit trees, bananas, pineapples. We are putting in a green house, chickens, cattle, and goats. We enjoy having food that we have grown. Cayo also has a great market of locally produced food. Using locally produced food is much less costly than Canada! We have compared prices in Belize with the sales fliers in Canada.
- We have found a community of like minded expats. People that are self reliant, and are not looking for the government to do everything for them.
- We like that we look after our own water, electricity, sewer.
- We have found lots of wonderful local people that we are friends with.
- We like that the nights are 'cool'.
- Land taxes are far less than Canada.
- The pace of life is slower.
- Lot less temptation of bad things to do / eat  etc.
- Primary Health Care is less expensive (I consider what taxes are collected from us in Canada for Health Care).
- Lot less government intervention into most things. They just don't have the money to hire people to be in your face.
- There is a much larger percentage of the population that live their Christian faith and don't have to hide it as in Canada and the USA.

What we don't like:
- All the nasty ants (learning to live with them and not be bit, stung by them).
- I could do without the poisonous snakes, but have only seen one.
- There are lots of different bugs that like to bite us. They are not as bad as black flies and mosquitos in Canada though.
- A general attitude of it is OK to steal from their neighbour if they are not around.
- All the smoke in the dry season as many people burn their fields, and yards.
- Getting permits etc can be very frustrating as 'service' is not a concern for them.


How Expensive is it
That is a big - 'it depends'.

We pay a lot less for electricity than we do in Canada. In the heat of the summer or in winter we pay $600 - $1000 a month for electricity. Though electricity is more expensive in Belize we use far less. Our last bill was $75 ($151 Belize). That includes the air conditioner in our bedroom.

Diesel fuel is about 80 cents more per gallon in Belize than in Edmonton (where we more oil than Saudi Arabia). We drive far less than we do when in Canada. Therefore we spend much less on fuel than in Canada.

We do not buy many foods that are imported. Part of our reason to move to Belize was to eat healthier. Therefore we eat local fruits, vegetables, rice, meat. We are not buying foreign booze, or a lot of brand name processed foods from the USA. Therefore our food bill is lower than in Canada and we are healthier because of it. As we grow more of our own food it will get even lower.

We still like to go out to eat a few times per week. There are several to choose from, but none of the chains to pick from. Just like in Canada you can eat inexpensive or eat expensive. Certainly we miss the variety of food available to us in Canada but we knew that coming into this adventure.

The local hospital is about 4 minutes away from us. Time to get in to see a doctor is much less than in Canada (I worked in Health Care across Canada for 26 years). The cost for primary care is low, and is of good quality. If something serious happens though that is a problem. We have not had to try that out but we have listened to the long timer expats that describe how bad it is.

CRIME:
I was a policeman in Edmonton for 12 years. I worked the street as well as worked in training, and did a lot of stats for the Police Association and executive. I also did cross country stats for Canada. There is a lot more crime in Canada than people know about. The stabbings, beatings, shootings, serious vehicle collisions that just don't make the news. Everywhere in the world has crime. Most of the murders like in Canada are committed against people they know (i.e. drug people, drinking buddies). There is more prevalence of theft in Belize than in Canada. I would not think twice about leaving my house for a month in Canada unattended. I would not do that in Belize for more than a day or two. Part of our problem is that our property was a high traffic area for people taking shortcuts, and was also uncared for, for a few decades.  The crime that is most worrying that occurs more than we like is when certain individuals target expats to extract money from them. Of course to many of the people in Belize us expats are wealthy. They obviously think we have money and gold lying around. When they don't get what they believe we have things can end very terribly. Therefore one must think about safety, and plan for the just in case.

When we moved in several of the expats that we got to know would ask us how we are doing. As they got to know us more they said that it looks like we are fitting in. They say that often the men will like Belize but the women will not. They will not like the lack of shopping, grocery options, the roads are poor, vehicles are poor. Fortunately my wife is not one of those that these are deal breakers. She is fitting in, and adapting. We are learning to live with what is local.  Yes we have frustrations. Yes we miss some things, but we are also learning to do without and when we go back to Canada, we find we don't want those things. We like our health, and our life better in Belize.

Is it paradise - no. Do we like our decision to move here - so far we like it very much. We lived for 3 months in our garage while building our 20 foot by 40 foot home, fences, etc. We had nightly visitors of large toads, frogs, snakes, scorpions, and large bugs. Our only shower was the garden hose outside. So we have roughed it, but things are much nicer now for us.

Many people say rent for a year first. That sounds like very good advice. I know though that for me I would have gone crazy in 1 month and would have left. I need to be creating, building. I needed to have my own property to give that expression of myself. We jumped right in after 3 years of research and looking at 3 different countries.

Really though you have to decide for yourself. Do your research (which you are starting here).

just wonderful

Comparing with Canada is of limited utility to a potential relocator. Rather a comparison with the rest of the region (as in Mexico and C.A.) is possibly more enlightening. I just returned from a visit to Corozal district to visit friends and update my data base
Some easily acquired facts based on a little IT for regional analysis:
Overall the most expensive country to live in. And AC is 30% more than the rest of Belize
The most expensive electricity and internet. The latter among the slowest globally
Third most dangeous country regionally
45% poverty to partly explain the high rates of theft and other crimes, but with only a 12% resolution rate by police. Canada is about 75%. Nicaragua has higher poverty but 1/2 the violent crime due to better policing
Very poor infrastructure. The roads  off the main highways are not much better than Macedonian goat tracks especially after heavy rains
Low property taxes mean less services and  amenities taken for granted in first world countries
Health care at the primary care level is first rate, possibly better than Canada but anything beyond that especially ER /trauma or chronic care or sub specialist care is very grim. Corozal relocation offsets that by proximity to Mexican border
Commodity acquisition is problematic though better than the last time I was in Belize. Like Monterey Jack cheese.  I never found hours long multi stop hunting for certain products or food items  to be an adventure.
The climate is hot and humid. The coastal air is salt laden of course. Everything from cars to computers and even kitchen utensils rust in no time. It's not easy on the body either.
The GOB is far and away the most corrupt government regionally as evidenced by TI data. The ex pats like to go on about the joys of minimal government. However TI scores are reviewed by investors and the ex pat republican attitude keeps the local populace mired in poverty and despair.
The latter may also explain why Belize has  the highest regional rates for consumption of alcohol, cannabis and rates for AIDS
Paradise it is not. The Belize boosters like the mantra that " it is not for everybody". True enough. After all there are 3,300 ex pats in BZE and 20,000 in Panama and Costa Rica.
Who it is for could best be described as eccentric in the extreme. As in people who slaughter their own goats, survive on cheap rum instead of Argentine wine  and think showering under a garden hose is exciting beyond the age of 12.
But they need to have a place to retire to as well I suppose

Wow!  Not sure who you are comparing us to, but for all the expats I've met on the island, you are way off base. 
We are mostly middle/upper middle class, who have decided we do enjoy the simpler lifestyle, the beautiful beaches  and friendly people we have met here in Belize.

We enjoy nice wine at the local wine bars, lobster dinners at the beach restaurants, scuba diving and snorkeling.  We do not shower with the garden hoses, rather in the marble tile showers with granite countertops and balconies overlooking the ocean.

We are living here very comfortably on much less than we could with this lifestyle in the US.

You focused only on the last paragraph not suprisingly and which was directed at the resident of Cayo. There is nothing "Belize" about the island. It has as much in common with Belize as Cancun does with  Mexico. I know all about the place and it is misleading to paint an idyllic picture. It is 1/3 more expensive than the mainland. I have seen a local pineapple go for 5$ US. And wilted green beans double the cost of the Corozal market.  On occasion in Canada on sale I can get two pinas from Costa Rica for the above price. As for wine from say Wine deVine you pay double the USA cost. In Corozal if you are adept at smuggling from Mex you can acquire a fine wine from Argentina for 11$.
The comment about marble and granite would indicate you are a bona fide member of the petit bourgeouisie which does not endear yourself to the locals many of whom still use outhouses. Or have you not been to  San Mateo or mainland villages?
San Pedro is partyville. Noisy,crowded, and inebriated.
Here is something from a resident of Ambergris  on a public forum for the newbie to consider...
"Don't get me wrong,I love my life here in Belize, being an ex-pat from the U.S. since 2003. BUT my God, why do we have to put up with: theft lying,cheating,stealing,hassled by beggars because I have white skin,major corruption in the government and police force, and out right disrespect for human life? It makes it very difficult to survive financially, let alone be of service!
For all its natural beauty that draws us to Belize there sure is a big price to pay for a"simpler way of Life." "

Oh, so wrong again Dr. Al.
We have several friends in the local community.  I do know the San Mateo area. We are actually volunteering for projects in the the community,  working withe schools and local humane society.

As we all were telling Kevin, each area is different and not for everyone, check each out and decide for yourself.

That was just the type of information I was looking for!  (We're hoping to open an auto mechanic shop in Belize next fall)  Althought we're coming down for a week in September, that won't give us nearly enough time to figure out the pro's and con's of moving there.  Thank you!

Sometimes with these forums I wish there was a like button like facebook. Just so I don't have to respond.

To the good dr.......:he speaks the truth and does not look through rose colored glasses. He has a good history of living here in Belize. Sometimes his sense of humor may be taken the wrong way and faces some serious criticism.

However in this thread I back the good doctor and as usual he has described the truths of living in Belize. Living in Ambergris/San Pedro is nothing like living on the mainland. The people living in Ambergris (or at least most of them) are living the high life of paying more for everything......food...staple, supplies and housing than people on the mainland. Yes he describe Ambergris/San Pedro very well.......nothing to do there but live in fancy over priced homes that they will never (NEVER) get their money back if they decide to go back to their home countries. Life on Ambergris is basically walk the beach, go to Estels for breakfast, drink, play darts and then look for the next party.

You will find that there is a difference of the people (expats) living in Belize. For instance those living on the cayes are mostly party/drinking people. The same kind of thing goes to those living in Placencia and Corazal. These places are very tourist like and the people living there just want to be with other expats. (IMHO don;t be confused Doc I know you like this) The expats living on the mainland are not the drinking party type, they are mostly the type that just want to live on or off the grid with a quiet life while living among the locals (again IMHO)

I have to chime in one more time.....

Some expats don't always tell the truth of how they are living here so cheap!

For instance a lot of the expats living on the mainland are living in lower standards than they did in the US or Canada. In saying that, I mean they are living in wooden mennonite houses where they are forever being invested with all the bugs and critters and living completely off the grid and being self contained. This means they have no utility bills, no water bills, no electric bills.This means they are into their properties for probably less the 200K US. These ppl live with next to nothing and eat next to nothing. Over the years I have seen ppl come to Belize and live like this and they are healthy looking when they started out but within a few years they look like they are from ethiopia. Spend some time in Brodies and expat communities and you will see them all come into the stores buying their small little bits of food.

Now take those living on the cayes, Santuary Belize or Placencia or Hopkins are into their properties for probably not less than 450K US and I have even seen more than that put into properties. These ppl IMOH have deep pockets and will never see a return on their properties for many years on the real estate market because, really who the hell has 750K or more to spend or buy a house and lot? these are the ppl going home broke and lost all their money in my opinion.

I just hate it when ppl don't always talk the real truth of how they really live.....its like advising ppl through rose colored glasses. Yes there are people here that will tell you the down and out right truth without the glasses and yes we get our faces slapped for doing it or we are accused of bashing Belize. I live in Belize and like Belize but everyday can be a challenge and yes it's not for everyone. If you can live with some what blinders on to the poverty, ill health animals and eating what is available for that day you may do OK. The good Dr Al is pretty straight up and knows this country.

Just as a foot note....when building or buying a house here make sure you have at least a 3 to 4 foot over hang around your windows because when rainy season comes the rain will blow in and everything gets wet. Also, make sure not to get louverd windows.....they will always leak and the bug and small critters still get in.

All this is just IMHO

IMHO  ???

It is very complicated ,some people love Belize and others hate . It all depends on expectations.
Today was a wonderful day in Golden Stream. After 7or 8 days of dry hot days ,rain cooled our farm . Plants look great. Heliconias ,cardamom ,Nutmeg and citrus all take in the rain water with all the nutrients in the soil.
We are Looking for new leaves on trees and hopefully a lot of Blooms. Saw a wild orchid growing on a Teak. It is cyan in color and produce something the bees love. I wonder where it get all the nutrients to look so pretty since it is not attached to anything except a Teak. Yes Belize is beautiful ,the summer rain, Ocean breeze and the the thunder and lightning  - so powerful. The ocean is so beautiful and mystique and the flora and fauna are even more beautiful. One can focus on all negatives or enjoy the beauty and the abundance of produce in your yard you just pick for your dinner
Went to PG 2 days ago ,People collecting trash and putting them in Bins and the street looked clean.  For a 3rd world level of Sophistication they are doing wonderful.
Looking forward to enjoying another day in the farm in Beautiful Belize tomorrow.

It is really too bad that some people like to put people down because they don't hold the same opinion as they do. I and others have given their opinion.  I indicated things I like and things I don't. I am a very empirical person. I have a full spreadsheet of costs, and comparators to Canada (where I am from). Therefore like others here we don't have 'Rose Coloured Glasses' on. Someone moving from Peterborough Canada would find value in comparisons of costs with Canada. That is not the only comparison of value, but it has value. Knowing the cost differences between where one lives currently and where one is thinking about lets them have a good idea if their income will meet their needs.

Subjective Assessment
The term Paradise is very subjective. As Spiceman and many others have said it is a subjective assessment, and expectations, and what you want from life will determine how you see Belize. For those of you that don't like Belize that is OK - that is your opinion - but please don't try to say that everyone must see it your way.

Corruption
If you are a Dr from Sudbury Ontario, then unless you have your head in the sand, you will know about corruption in the Ontario Provincial Government, big problems in the OMA, and corruption in the millions of dollars at OntarioMD (and with the provincial Liberals). The corruption dollars there is way more than anything in Belize. Corruption is in every country. The examples I give in Canada are just some of the examples, there are many more.

Just because we decided to not pay for more months in a nice house in San Ignacio and live on our farm while the house was finished we are suddenly eccentric!   I read through your posts DrAl - others should to, you hate Belize and don't live here full time according to your own posts. How does that colour all your comments? Of course I encourage you to give your opinion on Belize, but let others have their opinions too without the stupid name calling - that is so immature.

very well stated 2flyaway!  Thanks !

You are much too  sensitive dude. Eccentric as you ought to know refers to the extremes of a normal statistical distribution. Meaning technically abnormal. I lived and worked in Belize for years. I teach a course in trans cultural medicine which includes comparisons of Belize to El Salvador and Iceland. On my recent trip I spent much time in conversation with Belizean business people and professionals  on the issues of corruption, crime and health care.
In any case here are some conclusions on the cohort of oddballs that retire there permanently...
1.Wealthy retirees:(mostly on the Cayes or Sanctuary Belize) a motley bourgeois group who build McMansions on oceanfront with a variety of sea toys and spend a well earned life of casual leisure not possible in S.Florida.They are generally North American in origin. Brits and Europeans in this group go to Malta.
2.Poor retirees: the social security crowd,who can live a better life for less in Belize and are most common in Corozal district
3.Fugitives: the original group popular in the 80's running from the IRS, a greedy ex spouse, or felonies. Not as common any more.
4.Losers and drifters: can be found at the Bumper restaurant or Jam Rock in Corozal at around noon daily sitting in front of 12 Belikins. Alcoholics in this group as well.
5.Spouse hunters: Narcissistic men of all extractions (Canadian, American etc) looking for wives or lovers of Belizean or other Central American origin, as traditional women are increasingly hard for them to attract.These men are generally well off , overweight, balding and are appealing to young local women who will admire them and never disagree.
6.Crusaders: includes professionals, clergy, and other well meaning do gooders saving the locals from the legacy of years of colonial imperialist oppression.
7.Granola crunching tree huggers:(Cayo and Toledo) the back to the land group who like to get their hands dirty growing crops or raising hogs.  This group also includes environmentalists who take on a cause like save the endangered pie eyed searsucker or a rare 7 legged beetle. Harmless, well meaning and eccentric. Can survive in Belize on grass soup if needed.
8.Fed Up: with the North American, fast food, consumeristic early heart attack cultural value system. Similar to #7.
9.Business people: those brave souls who come here ,open up a bar and grill to find out that the buns ordered yesterday won't be here till next week unless the driver gets over his hangover and fixes the transmission. Learns quickly that a good steak in Belize is an oxymoron requiring heavy pounding and 2 days in marinade.Most likely to beat a hasty retreat north
10. Flotsam &Jetsam : a myriad of societal misfits/rejects. Range from hermits to schizophrenics. Not specific to Belize. Can be found in Nepal or Slovenia.

Wow - I fit in 5 of those descriptions - I'm going to love it here.

You hit on a some of the major attractions of Belize.

Lower cost of living  - both poor, middle class, and wealthy expats are finding the dollar goes further in Belize. 

Cheaper land - still room to have land at an affordable price, and you can do what you want on it, for the most part.  Not like in the U.S. and being told that "you can't do that" on property that has been in the family for over 100 years.   Similar land, ocean front, within 5 miles of the ocean, etc... is much, much more expensive in the U.S.   And laws and zoning restrictions etc... 

You can be who you want to be in Belize - I may be eccentric, self sufficient, a tree-hugger, a world changer, a party-aholic, a fun in the sun ocean junkie, or just someone just trying to live a quite life, and I will find some expats just like me. 

I know Belize is not perfect, but no place is. 

Thank you for pointing out some of the challenges expats may face in Belize, crime, corruption, bad roads, etc...  And thank you for promoting some of the other countries expats may want to look into. 

Which of the descriptions do you fall into?
What are the #1 and #2 countries with more crime that I should stay away from?

^ I am or was in the crusader class. I am better now. The other regional countries ahead of Belize in the violent crime dept. are Honduras and El Salvador. Nicaragua has one of the lowest due to effective policing and judiciary process. This despite being more impoverished than Belize.
An addendum to my ex pat research is that USA types tend to originate from Texas, North Carolina, Florida and Oregon. Except for Oregon these are republican not suprisingly. Oregon is a beautiful state and like NC which has Asheville it has Portland. Both are the beer selection capitals of the USA. So I haven't a clue why they migrate to Belikin central. Furthermore as I may have already mentioned, Americans go to Belize because they dislike America, Canadians because they dislike winter and Brits because they like Belizean women. Canadians generally do a 6/6 split because they don't want to lose out on free health care and you can only go so long without Tim Horton coffee.

I also like to "make the world a little better place", wherever I happen to be, and frequently volunteer.  When I go to a park I usually take an extra trash bag and pick up the trash while I am there, so it is a little better for the next guy.

I am looking into Belize as a potential retirement location.  I also visited Mexico for a month, but my Spanish isn't great, and my wife's is none existent.  I like having all official documents in English.

I spent most of my life in Michigan, moved to Texas to escape the winter, and Michigan income taxes. When we saw snow in Texas two winters in a row, we decided to look further south.   I am often mistaken for a Canadian here because I occasionally end my sentences with "eh", but I also sometimes say "y'all".

So I guess I'm an American that was close enough to Canada to want to escape winter.

I don't like beer so I wouldn't know about Belkin, but I do like an occasional rum & coke, and the rum is good here.

For now though  we love it here.  I have to admit I am more of the self sufficient type, and willing to make do instead of complain.  No hot water for 3 weeks while waiting for a hot water heater, power outages, poor roads, etc.  No problem,  nothing compared to rural Michigan in the winter, where power outages, or being broken down on the road can be life threatening.

We haven't had any problems with crime, or government corruption, or had any reason to use the medical system yet.   We have run into the "expats have money" attitude, been overcharged, often asked asked for money, etc....  I also ran into some of my own prejudices, misconceptions, that I didn't know I had.  Such as un-educated doesn't mean un-intelligent,  poor doesn't mean lazy, and that multi-cultural doesn't mean without prejudices of it's own. 

Thank you for the heads up on other countries to consider as an alternative.

And I have never had Tim's coffee must be good.

kwn;
We are also relocating to Belize in the near future, We have had reservations and concerns as well, but the best thing to do is visit and form your own opinion. We visited, found it very much to our liking, have purchased one small piece of property near Teakettle, and returning in September to look at some other properties. We won't actually move for a couple of years, but we wanted to purchase our property and spend some time there before actually relocating.
We loved: the people we met and came in contact with, the overall pace, the weather, the landscape and geography, the history and ancient structures, the awesome freedom, the myriad of business opportunities available, and the opportunity to be self-sufficieint (or as Dr Al would say "Do-it-yourself-Republican-Minimalist").
We didn't like: the price of gas, "sleeping policemen"(speed breakers), and the lack of street and direction signs.
We are anxious to move, but not really able to as soon as we would like. We will have to bide our time and visit as much as possible until then.

We welcome more Do-it-yourself-Republican-Minimalist. You are the salt of the earth.

Hi Philcole
Very good posting. Complainers will complain everywhere .

Vow !  Al
How opinionated

Hi. Glad to see your doing well. My wife is going to retire soon yet I'm of working age  .  And would like to do so. I have made a career in water treatment   we are also leaning towards moving to one of the Cayes. Do you have any idea on any publications for job hunts  .in my area of expertiece Especially in your area  thank you so  .  Much   Wayne

I am a Brit who has been living in Belize for almost 30 years, so I know the country pretty well.

Yes, there is crime, of course, but most of it by far is in Belize City. I have been living in the Cayo District since I have been here and have never been robbed, burgled, threatened or hassled. I don't have a gun.

I personally don't like the cayes too much as there is nowhere to go (except by plane or boat) and, apart from the sea, there is nothing to do. It is very expensive to buy property and also to live there. Placencia, on the mainland coast, is the same. A long way from anywhere and just a village with bars, restaurants and gift shops.

The beaches in Belize are not that good and, if I want to spend a couple of days on a nice beach, I go to Cancun or Playa del Carmen in Mexico for a weekend where the beaches are beautiful. These places are not that far away by car.

Unlike the cayes and Placencia, there are no ex-pat hang-outs in Cayo. We are fully integrated in the local community and social events are invariably a good mixture of locals and ex-pats.

Before coming to live in Belize, I travelled the world in the Royal Air Force and I never found any place that I would rather live than Belize. I am very happy here and have a good life. I spent yesterday visiting my girlfriend in Guatemala, a short drive from Cayo.

If anybody wants to receive some useful information on Belize, living in Belize and buying property here, send me an email ([email protected]) and I will be happy to send it.

Facts are generally more reliable than anecdotal data...
"The recent rash of home invasions in Cayo has turned deadly with the brutal murder of Dr. Lawrence Johnson, 68, a retired chiropractor, father of 10 and U.S. expat co-owner of Iguana Creek Resort near Ontario village."
"Two naturalized Belizeans were brutally murdered in Cristo Rey Village over the weekend. Michael and Donna Hill were Americans who came to Belize over a decade ago and made Cristo Rey Village in the Cayo District their home"
"A New Zealand man has reportedly been murdered during a robbery at his home in the Central American country of Belize. Barry Blayney, 76, was found at his home in Crooked Tree by local residents, local news channel 7 News Belize reported."
Belize police report 2013
"2013, the Belize District proved to be the most violent with 58 murders, followed by Cayo with 25 murders. Orange Walk and Toledo were the least violent of all districts with 2 murders each....
"The  Belize District had the highest number of burglaries with 404, followed by the Cayo District with 155 burglaries"

People, listen to someone like John that has lived in Belize for 30 year, integrated into the community and really knows his way in the community. That is who I choose to take seriously as opposed to someone that does not live in Belize, wants the fine life (which will not be found at a reasonable price in Belize) and wants Belizians and Belize to conform to his ways.

Before I came I read several times that those that come to other countries do well when they live as the locals, 'when in Rome do as the Romans do'. After we arrived many people watched how we behaved and were doing. They were watching to see if we were the know it all first worlders insisting everyone change to our way, or do we adjust our ways. They watched to see if we adjusted to the many differences.

For sure we are still adjusting and learning. As we have known people longer some have expressed that we are doing good. We come and we learn, we get involved, learn the local ways, and like good people we help others around us. Essentially being like Germans, Canadians, USA citizens that want immigrants to their country to fit in (just to mention a few).

Dr. Johnson, who could be very obnoxious, was murdered by one of his workers, some years ago.

The murder of Mike & Donna Hill, friends of mine, was terrible and shocked the whole country. That must have been about 10 years ago.

Crooked Tree is not in Cayo, which is the area we are talking about.

I'm not suggesting there is no crime in Cayo, or anywhere else in Belize. I'm just saying that most crime is in Belize City and that I feel perfectly safe where I live.

The Belize District is the most populated pat of the country, followed by Cayo.

Thanks John for fact check on the statement that these were a recent rash of events. You have put further perspective on this person.

In my honest opinion

@DrAl: Still nothing positive to say? At some point it makes your posts less  and less credible and doesn't contribute in helping others at all.

Thanks
Armand
Expat.com Team

Kevin,
I don't know if you are from Peterborough, UK (where I'm from) or Peterborough, Canada but it doesn't matter. I assure you that government bureaucracy is much worse in your own country than it is in Belize. Nobody even knows or cares that you are in Belize unless you go out of your way to let them know.

And, I have never heard anybody ever say that Belizeans are not friendly to foreigners. In fact, all the ex-pats living here comment on the fact that Belizeans are very friendly.

I doubt there is any beuracracy that could compare to the inefficiency and incompetence of the US Federal Government. From the VA debacle, to the total incompetence of the IRS, to the ACA disaster, the US Federal Government is the epitomy of waste,corruption,inefficiency,beuracracy and how not to do things. I know that there are simiilar issues everywhere, but the US has got to be the poster-child for incompetent and inefficient beuracracy. 

@Armand: Entry #18 on the "Negative Thread" has 4 positives. (Seek an ye  shall find dude"..Mathew7:7)
Now that the Republicans are on the subject anyone who thinks Belize has a more efficient   bureaucracy than the USA hasn't applied for permanent residency. Anyone who thinks that the GOB is less corrupt hasn't greased palms to speed up the aforementioned application. They also haven't reviewed reports from Transparency International
The republican reference is utilized as this seems to reflect the political leanings of Belizeophiles.Namely a worship of the JS Mill view that the best form of governing is the least form. So it suits those who have a nostalgic affinity for the Wild West with marginal rules and regulations,inefficiency, corruption, high crime, poverty,shitty health care, and possessing of a don't tread on me self reliant philosophy. So in the justification and defence of this existential position you will hear the acronym BINFE...to wit Belize is not for everyone. Of course this begs the question of who it is for.
Well that is essentially cowboys, fugitives, and odd ducks.

To answer Dr. Al, who seems to have a negative opinion of all things Belizean, we were not talking about bureaucracy efficiency, but the amount of bureaucracy in Belize compared to other countries.

You "greased palms" because you chose to, which is illegal. In almost 30 years of living in Belize, I have never paid a bribe to anybody. Sure, things don't happen overnight in Belize but, if you don't have patience, you shouldn't be living in Central America.

One thing that is reaqlly guaranteed to upset Belizeans is a foreigner who keeps saying, "Why don't you do it this way, like we do in my country?".

As for his stupid comment that Belize is only for "cowboys, fugitives, and odd ducks", he may want to repeat that to some of the thousands of ordinary Americans, Canadian and Europeans who have retired and live a very happy life in Belize.

It would seem you do not hold the view of   the majority of UK ex pat potentials...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/pers … me=2398325
This is an unedited quote from a UK ex pat ex military (BATSUB) from Corozal known to me..
"40+ years in Belize and finally getting out. Belize was a primitive paradise in the 70s, 80s was very prosperous. In the 90s Belize started going downhill. Now it has become a cesspool of corruption, high crime, graft, pollution and everything else bad. I thought I would never leave but it has come to the point I need to get out. This has been my home but I no longer feel safe or happy in Belize."
It is useful for potentials to consider all points of view. Being cautiously pessimistic is a safer position.

Fortunately for those us that like Belize as we find it, the 'majority' and people that want to change Belize to be like their image of what is right don't live here. That let's us be off this BLOG and enjoy not being harassed by people that want to change us and Belize.

I have never thought that I should let the majority be my guide. Rather I should let my head, heart, and soul guide me. Those that follow the majority remind me of the Article lemmings that over populate their environment, run short of food and the majority run off a cliff into Article sea and die trying to find their next paradise to over populate.