玩偶姐姐

First and foremost: remind yourself you鈥檙e in Belize, not wherever you came from, so don鈥檛 expect it to be just like where you left.

Second: remind yourself you came to Belize because ... (fill in the blank with your reasons). When the store you need is closed for lunch or after 1:00 on Saturday it can be easy to get frustrated and forget why you chose to move. When that happens - and it will! - just try to chill. There鈥檚 almost nothing that can鈥檛 wait but we鈥檙e so used to having everything on demand and at our fingertips it can be easy to forget that.

Third: find a way to get involved with your neighbors and community. For many of us our initial foray into Belizean life was to join the local humane society and help care for the huge population of abused and starving dogs and cats. For others it was volunteering to help in the classroom of the local school. If you look around, I鈥檓 sure you can find some activity that will help you begin to integrate into your new chosen community.

Try to relish the differences! The wonders of eating seasonally! Pineapple so sweet you can鈥檛 believe your taste buds. Fresh fruits and veggies of all kinds, many that may be unfamiliar so it鈥檚 fun to experiment with how to prepare and eat them. Women who wear what鈥檚 comfortable, not necessarily what鈥檚 stylish. You, too, can just kick back in shorts, t鈥檚, and flip flops if you wish and no one will judge you馃榿 The color blindness of the Belizean society. The absence of constant consumerism ads pushing products you don鈥檛 need. The list is almost endless.

Explore Belize鈥檚 stunning history and Mayan influenced culture, its amazing biodiversity, and its world class beaches and reefs.

Most of all, ENJOY! You came here to live a different lifestyle馃槂 So do it!

Remember that you are a guest and try to conduct yourself accordingly.
Belize is probably quite different than where you came from, but isn't that one of the things聽 that attracted you in the first place?
If you become a property owner stop complaining about the infrastructure especially the roads. You probably giggled uncontrollably when you got your first property tax bill. It is a prime example of "you get what you pay for".
Just relax, drop the word stress from your vocabulary and your life.
The more you adopt the Belizean lifestyle and outlook the happier you will be in Belize.
Above all, realize that Belize is not for everyone. That's OK, .....different strokes. If it is not a comfortable fit don't hang around complaining about everything .聽 Try somewhere else.
This Christmas will mark my 30th year, so as John Wayne used to say, I have some "bona fides".

I would add that immigrants who have these reactions to Belize in abundance are probably not cut out for the developing world. I have noticed that there are two categories of North Americans who come to Belize. The first group wants to bring their N. American lifestyle with them and live it in the tropical paradise. These people invariably do not last more than a few years, if that. The second group sees the downward spiral of the overdeveloped world toward collapse and seeks life elsewhere for that reason. Most of my neighbors here on Pine Ridge have that motivation, and they are here for the long term. Adaptation is the key; Belizeans have in many ways optimized how to live here, and it results in a healthier and happier life.

I would sum up life in Belize in one sentence: it has a few obvious disadvantages that visitors can immediately recognize and many subtle advantages that I am still discovering after 20 years here.

I so enjoyed your post. This why I plan to live in Belize but am concerned by so many ex pats that seem to want to just maintain their present life style from where ever they came from. I've always wondered why these types even bother?

Amen to that brother!聽 Well spoken and well taken.聽 We bought property in San Ignacio and can鈥檛 wait to get off of the hamster wheel.

This man understands. This post can't be improved lol. That's it.

hi聽 helen聽 allison聽 here.....i plan to move to belize聽 this year聽 聽i have owned 5 acres in the corozal district聽 聽 since聽 2013聽 now making the move....first i have to build a house聽 then聽 fence in the property聽 聽as i hope to raise one or two brangus calves聽 聽one for me and one to sell ...聽 at present trying to find out who聽 would have tv service in聽 my area....聽 聽and yes聽 belize is a culture shock聽 聽but聽 it is a good聽 shock聽 people are wonderful聽 聽the air is clean聽 聽weather is great聽 (so tired of freezing聽 聽in the winter)聽 聽and i love the fact that belize聽 works to protect聽 the natural聽 things in belize......the government has set aside corridors聽 to allow the聽 wild animals聽 a way to move from聽 place to place聽 without聽 danger to the animals....property owners in聽 the聽 area the animals travel have donated聽 land to do this ..聽 this聽 is聽 one reason聽 聽i am moving to belize聽 聽 聽 聽and聽 if you really聽 can not live聽 without聽 with out聽 walmart/sams club聽 聽 remember that both聽 are open in聽 chetumal mexico聽 聽7 miles from corozal town to the mexico/belize border聽 .....if you do not want to drive聽 there is a bus service聽 that runs聽 everyday聽 through out most of the country聽 聽(maybe the whole country)

Helen, the Bz - Mx boarder has been closed for more than a year due to covid.

Sam,s Club and Walmart are still there but we just can't get there from here. I mean the following in a very positive way.... Up date your info before you make your move. Things have changed (hopefully temporarily) sine you were here last.

i wish you would check聽 the information聽 that聽 you聽 post聽 on this forum......i have checked聽 and the mexican/belize border is聽 open聽 聽from chetumal and聽 other areas that i can not remember聽 but you can聽 聽type in聽 mexico/belize border and you can read it

We are both partly right. The boarder is open to foreign tourists who travel into Belize under the gold standard protocols.
The boarder is not open for normal transit of Belizeans to travel into Chetumal for a day's shopping.
If you are planning to build soon it would mean no聽 to runs to Home Depot in Chet.

Hello guys,

We are drifting off topic here.

Can we please focus on the topic launched by Cheryl?

Also note that you can launch another thread in the Belize forum if you want to discuss on some other important expat related matters.

Thank you,

Priscilla
玩偶姐姐 Team

I would like to see more posts on this point:

Third: find a way to get involved with your neighbors and community.

I am not into volunteering for kids or animals. I would love to hear about any volunteer activities that does not cost me.聽 I live in Corozal and eager to get out and do more with others.聽 I love volunteering.聽 Any ideas?

DennisF wrote:

I would add that immigrants who have these reactions to Belize in abundance are probably not cut out for the developing world. I have noticed that there are two categories of North Americans who come to Belize. The first group wants to bring their N. American lifestyle with them and live it in the tropical paradise. These people invariably do not last more than a few years, if that. The second group sees the downward spiral of the overdeveloped world toward collapse and seeks life elsewhere for that reason. Most of my neighbors here on Pine Ridge have that motivation, and they are here for the long term. Adaptation is the key; Belizeans have in many ways optimized how to live here, and it results in a healthier and happier life.

I would sum up life in Belize in one sentence: it has a few obvious disadvantages that visitors can immediately recognize and many subtle advantages that I am still discovering after 20 years here.

Thank you for writing this!聽 I am definitely one of the ones seeing the writing on the walls about downward spiraling society here.聽 I moved out of the city 5 yrs ago to a place 20 miles from nearest store.聽 The same advice holds true, outsiders need to integrate into locality not try to impose.

Ditto!

Ahab sticks another whale.
People need to adjust to the life style here if they want to be here long term.
Just to stir the pot a little, new arrivals also need to realize that聽 San Pedro is not typical Belize. It's more like Disneyland Belize.