Moving to Belize blog series: Part V: Settling in – Interviews from happy expats

A lot of information has been covered in this week’s Moving to Belize blog series and now you may be thinking that this is all great but what about the actual experiences people are having there after they decide to move?

I wanted to get some feedback from expats currently living in Belize to share with you so I interviewed 6 expats ranging in age from 29 to 62, male and female, single and married.  I have not included their names but would like to provide short profiles of each;

• A: a single, retired female living in the Corozal District just outside of Corozal Town.  She is from the United States and has lived in Belize for just over a year.
• B: a married female in her late 20’s living in Corozal District.  She is from the United States and runs a small business in Belize.  She has lived in Belize with her spouse for about a year and a half.
• N: a married female in her 50’s living in Corozal Town.  Her husband is living in the United States while she lives in Corozal, Belize.  She runs a business in Belize and is from the United States.  She has lived in Belize for just under two years.
• R & L: a married couple, retired and living outside of Progresso village.  They have made their move to Belize recently, only having lived in the country for under a year.
• P: a single male, retired and living in Corozal Town.  He is from England and has lived in Belize for over 5 years.

To start things off I wanted to simply find out if they are happy in Belize.   

Are you happy living in Belize?

B: We are extremely happy here in Belize and would not change it for anything

A: I am very happy in Belize. It took a bit of adjustment, but I do like it a lot

N: I am happy in Belize…but having my family around would be the best of both worlds

R: Oh yeah

L: Most definitely

P: Very

One of the most commonly asked questions someone living in Belize as an expat can expect to get is, “why Belize?”  People are very curious as to your individual thought process in making the decision to move to a place like Belize.  Since you may be wondering…

Before you moved to Belize, what appealed most to you?

A: The idea of year round gardening, thus the weather

N: For me it was the adventure of moving to the Caribbean and running a business…it seemed very romantic and a chance to be truly adventurous.

B: Belize was appealing because of its location, the ability to run a business and work, its English speaking ‘mostly’, and being as it is still a commonwealth of England, still runs under English law

P: Climate, English speaking, under developed

L: Caribbean lifestyle

R: Simpler lifestyle

When you first move to a new place things are always a little different than when you’ve had the chance to settle in a bit.  Your initial opinion of a place may drastically change after just a few months.  I wanted to find out what each expat loves most about Belize now that they have had the chance to settle in – some for a few months while others for over 5 years.

Now that you have settled into your live in Belize, what do you love the most about it?

B: After living in Belize I’d have to say that the best is the people. They are so friendly and helpful.

A: I’ve made some very good friends that have really added value to my life.

N: What I love the most about living in Belize is not knowing what each new day is going to bring….lovely weather, new acquaintances, a rainstorm…just the fact that there are a lot of different possibilities.

L: Birds, breeze, lagoon, fresh air, no schedule

R: Having endless, quality time with my wife

P: Climate, pretty girls, Belikin.

By now Belize seems pretty ideal but it can’t all be great all of the time.  I wanted to find out what each person disliked most about Belize and received the following answers.

What do you dislike most about Belize?

A: I dislike the price of wine down here. I really miss it.

B: The roads are terrible.

N: Being alone at night, mosquitoes.

L: Gossip

R: Che Chen (poison wood tree)

P: Speed bumps and rough water.

Last, but certainly not least, I wanted to get some advice for other people out there considering a move to Belize.

What would be your one piece of advice for someone else contemplating a move to Belize?

A: Come visit first. I mean spend time around the people and get a good idea from expats who live here, what to expect.

B: For those wanting to move here I would say that the best thing is to not come down with a ‘know-it-all’ attitude. It takes someone who is flexible and willing to compromise on many things. Also willing to accept Belize as she is and not continuously compare her to the person’s previous land.

N: From visiting with other gringos that have made the move…I have learned it is not for everyone…and that the person contemplating living in Belize…should come for 2 to 3 weeks first and truly see if they could live in the environment.

L: Don’t expect straight answers from Belizeans, even in regards to policies.

R: Think carefully about residency vs. QRP

P: Don’t expect too much but be happy with what you get.

I hope this week’s series has shed some light on making the move to Belize.  There are certainly people out there who had decided to make a move to Belize and were not happy with their experience and I encourage anyone in that situation to please comment and share your experience.  Moving to a country like Belize certainly is not for everyone.  My experience has been a positive one but it is simply my experience and one place can produce many different reactions and emotions for different individuals.

As always, leave a comment if you have a piece of advice or experience to share – it may be the piece of advice someone else is looking for.