Belize Forum

shawnkellie
Joined 2011
Posts: 2

12 years ago

Finding the right mix of entertainment/peace in Belize

12 years ago

My wife and I are in the begining stages of considering a move to Belize. We have looked into a number of other countries but keep coming back to the idea of living in Belize.

I am 45 and will retire in five years. My wife is younger than I, 25. We would like to make our move in 5 to 7 years. We plan on making our first trip to Belize in 2012 and making a yearly trip until it is time to pack up and move for good.

Because of our age difference my wife would obviously like to work. She is a vet tech. I on the other hand would be happy just doing odd jobs. I deffinately won't be able to sit still for very long. So I would like to hear from anyone about the possibilities of work in Belize. I know there are restrictions.

Also, we enjoy our peace and quiet but would like to find some place where we could go out for a night on the town if we wanted to. Again this is more important to her than me but I love her and a happy wife makes a happy life :) Any ideas on places were that might fit our lifestyle?

Unlike many we do not intend on buying property in Belize. At least not at this time. We would prefer to rent just for the convience of knowing that if we decided to return to the states or live somewhere else we could do so with the burden of trying to sell property and maintaining it in our abense. Good idea or not?

How do expats do their banking? Seems like many use a local bank and a bank in the states. Other ideas? I will have a descent retirement income but am wondering if I will really need all of it while in Belize. I only want to have what I need to live on but access to my funds if needed.

Then there is the question of crime. I have been in law enforcement for over 20 years and high crime to me is likely different from others. Even the safest town in the US has its crimes. I live in a wonderful and safe community but recently we experienced a rash of daytime burglaries. I can read crime stats was well as the next guy but what I want to know is what others experiences have been, or maybe lack of experiences. For example, I live in a peaceful, affluent community with a low crime rate. Yet I have had my vehicle broken into once in five years and my truck vandalized twice. It pisses me off but I don't see it as a high crime rate.

Finally. I speak really bad Spanish but can understand it passibly well. It has gotten me by in situations where no one spoke English. My wife can order at Taco Bell but that is her limit. How big a deal is language going to be? Should I invest in Rosetta Stone for her...lol

Thanks for your input. Shawn and Kellie

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Anyone thinking about moving to Belize should carefully consider the pros and cons of expat life in Belize. The article includes insight from expats about the cons (crime, limited healthcare, poor road conditions and more) and the pros (beautiful beaches, friendly people, low cost of living and more).

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Contribute
Help others in Belize by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Belize.