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THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES : MUSINGS OF AN EXPAT
by Rev. Macarena Rose

Life's Journey Unfolds

You never know what your life will bring to you or what journey may be awaiting your inner heart. One day, if you're like me, you seem to be living life rather contentedly, and then whoosh…events happen, travel happens, new opportunities arise, and decisions are made.  In my case, the whoosh of unexpected events changed my life forever as I became what is known as “an expat.”

If you go with the flow of these events, it can seem at first like you're dangling off a precipice facing all these new challenges in life, but I say let that good old true blue pioneering spirit out of its box and go for it! Well, if you are so inclined, of course!

And I’m not diminishing the fact that it's a huge leap of faith to leave behind the culture you're familiar with and move to another land with different customs, but historically human beings have always done this, after all that’s how much  of our planet got explored and populated in the first place! 

So, if your spirit is calling out and your feel the urge, by all means explore these exciting options and make your plans. Because doing so, may be the most rewarding thing you've ever done. For me, it was the call of Belize that took me out of my home in Florida -- into a whole new world of challenges and rewards.

A Woman on Her Own with Daughter and Dogs in Tow

Not everyone will feel compelled to bring along their menagerie as I did, and often I have wondered what a picture my daughter and I presented when we first arrived in Belize with our beloved animals, including five dogs!  Most especially, in retrospect, I wonder what the Belizeans had thought to see a woman traveling on her own with no mate in sight! 

I was concerned about this aspect of relocation to Belize, but have been very fortunate and feel very grateful to find it was no problem at all.  Our greeting from the beginning was so warm and heartfelt, my daughter and I were made to feel very welcome indeed.

School and Community

There were many surprises and delights after we settled in Belize.  One I could have never anticipated was the pleasure derived from my daughter's experience with a very different school system. Schooling in Belize is more intimate than in the U.S. You truly get to know the teachers and the children here. You find yourself very much included in this delightful community.  I found this to be very rewarding and it definitely helped my daughter and I make a faster adjustment to our new surroundings. 

The school holds frequent parades with the school-aged children and the whole town comes out to enjoy the vibrant music with smiles on their faces. Who wouldn't want to stop their work, come out and see the parades!  I had no idea there could be such joyful schooldays for both parent and child. All of us in my office run outside when we here the band music, and watch from our verandah as the brilliant costumes, tropical music, stunning handmade costumes and the waves from the children pass us by. I cherish these treasured moments and appreciate the strong bond of community they form.

Real Estate - Buyer Beware!

Once you've made your expat move, you may want to find a home and/or land to buy.  I found this to be a bit of a sticky wicket.  This is where you are going to probably find a great cultural difference in practice from what you've known in the U.S., Canada or Europe.

If you are contemplating land purchase I urge you, from personal experience, to find one trusted professional in your new country who can represent you and show you as many listings as possible.  Everyone needs to do their homework on this issue -- Google the pro's name and check him/her out. Read their clients testimonials, and do your research. Ask the realtor for references of people who have bought from them, and particularly names of purchasers who hail from your country of origin.

THIS LEAVES THE DOOR OPEN FOR ANYONE TO SHOW YOU LAND WITH NO ASSURANCE THAT WHAT YOU SEE AND BUY WILL BE TRULY YOURS.

In most countries abroad, you will find that everyone from the taxi cab drivers, tour guides, local shop owners and cable man will try to sell you real estate.  They all know someone selling land they shall tell you. Each nation has its own practices in place, but some don’t. For instance, in Belize, there are no laws or uniform real estate practices in place as of yet. This leaves the door open for anyone to show you land with no assurance that what you see and buy will be truly yours. So, let me stress… in some nations you do not have the reassurance or protection of knowing that what you are looking at belongs to the person trying to sell it to you.  You don't even know if they have the legal right even to sell it.

You have no security whatsoever of the title being able to be transferred to your name.  Clearly, do not take the short cut, as appealing it may seem.  In the long run, it may cost so much to fix the situation – if it can even be fixed at all.  Avoid such disaster!   This is the best professional advice I can give you.

Find a professional REALTOR, check them out, and if you are in Belize, be sure they are a member of the National Association of Realtors, (N.A.R.).  Such membership means they have signed a contract to subscribe to a very strict code of ethics. And, if they do not abide by these codes, they shall be no longer then a Member of N.A.R. The need for such ethics in Belize is what gave me the chance to start my real estate practice in Belize.

I felt very strongly that expats needed to be able to rely on someone who was ethical and trustworthy.  I am proud to have been a founding member of the National Association of Realtors in Belize over four years ago.  I was even more honored to travel to Las Vegas, Nevada, in 2007, to sign the official agreement between the United States National Association of Realtors and the Belize Realtors group that I helped to start. 

What this means to you, is if you choose a REALTOR in Belize who has signed to agree to the Associations standards, is that you can be confident that you are in good hands, with a professional. Not all practicing real estate brokers are members of this National organization, so it is well worth your time to check out and make sure they are.

Starting a Business as An Expat

I will be very straightforward with you -- starting a business by myself, a woman in Belize, was more of a challenge than I had expected. Having started the Prop Up Pillow business in the United States, I knew what do, and how. The best advice I can offer - and this may surprise you - is to buy an established business.   Again, do yourself a huge favor, do your homework, find a trustworthy person to be involved in the transaction and  then trust that person's advice.  Otherwise, you run the risk of getting too many opinions, too much input and it becomes more difficult for you to determine what course of action to take.

 As a Certified International Specialist in Belize (C.I.P.S.), I understand the value of my own (hard won) advice and live it!  I cannot stress enough that you need someone to be looking out for your interests, not just someone who is trying to sell you something.   I remember when I went with my friend Liz (from the U.S. Peace Corps) to meet a wonderful couple from the USA visiting in San Pedro.  Liz commented later on how wild it was to observe me advising them about their next step in house purchasing.

This couple had found a home they very much wanted to buy -- a worthy goal - but after many hours of discussion with them, I was able to help them understand this was not the home for them.  The reason was that although they had the funds to purchase the home, they did not have enough of an income stream that would be needed to sustain themselves and their family of three children on the Island.

Later, they found and bought a small home on the mainland which was affordable for their income and are very happy there today.  I, myself, have found it very rewarding professionally and very satisfying on a personal level to know how much they appreciate my suggestions on what type and price of housing was appropriate for them. Team Spirit.

It has been extremely satisfying to me to be able to put together a team of real estate professionals who inspire me every day with their enthusiasm and commitment to providing ethical, honest services to those who come to us seeking a new home in Belize. 

My team and I are fully committed to the task and will walk the extra mile every single time for our clients because we truly believe in what we are doing.  It is our mission to provide the highest standards of integrity in our business dealings and we have become well known for adhering to the strictest standards of the National Association of Realtors.

My staff has been carefully screened and selected for their ability to provide the utmost in helping you cope with the ins and outs of relocation.  We are a fountain of relocation information and delighted to share our expertise with you.  Rainforest Realty has on staff a former head of Interpol in Belize, named Pastor Kotch. After retirement, he decided to join our team and we welcome him greatly. 

Another Belizean with years of professional real estate management experience is Gwido Hector Mar.  Also on hand are an American husband and wife couple, Lee and Ray Austin, who first came to our office as clients.  Now they are dedicated to providing their specialized and personalized knowledge of the whole relocation process to helping clients make an easier transition.  

Another member of our team, Jeremy Lavendar, comes from Belgium  and speaks four languages, including French.  We rely on him for property management services.  So we are truly a multi-cultural team with top quality experience in real estate and relocation issues who can serve a client’s every need. 

By the way, I'd like to commend the fabulous staff of Rainforest Realty for their recent award.  We all traveled to Florida to receive it and it was a wonderful moment for all of us.  This award was form the New York Times and CNBC, for the Best Real Estate Agency in Belize. It inspires us to even more commitment to client needs!!

DURING THESE TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES, MANY ARE LOOKING FOR AN ESCAPE HATCH.

Forecast for Expat Life

It is my own personal opinion that many more people will be seeking the expat way of life.  During these tough economic times, many are looking for an escape hatch!  Those who are interested in moving to Belize will find the transition made easier for several reasons.  Belize is English speaking and the laws are similar to those we have in the North America. In addition, and most relevantly, your dollar will stretch farther here than you can imagine!  The good life in Belize is affordable!

For example, my car insurance costs $150 USD a year, home insurance  is $400 a year and the fact that I can get organic fresh fruits seven days a week at the market for 1/8 of what I would have paid in the U.S.A. makes life here quite yummy!!

Moving to Belize is a lateral move, due to the fact that so many things are similar to what I was accustomed to. All of the signs, laws and schooling are in English. The foods are delicious, and the local Creole language is fun to try and decipher. This Creole language will be covered later in another issue, as there are some funny stories on trying to translate this language that we expat’s encounter.

Certainly I can tell you that moving to Belize is an experience but one that I would have never wanted to miss. Once here, I can assure one and all that you too can live a life like you never could have imagined. One of my hallmarks is always being available to potential Expats for advice. 

If your dream is to live abroad, please know that it can be your reality.   With a trusted advisor and the desire to move, it s all doable! 

We are here to serve you in every capacity we can because when you walk through our door, you become part of the Rainforest Reality family!   I welcome your concerns with open arms and will do my utmost to give you the most ethical, honest replies. I look forward to seeing you in Belize, and making it your 2nd home.

As for me - The adventure continues!!!

Author : Macarena Rose is an Ordained Minister, Inventor of the Prop-Up Pillow and a Master in Healing Arts who, after raising 8 children in St Petersburg, Florida, picked up and moved to Belize. She has lived there for the past six years and has never looked back or regretted her decision! Currently she owns Rainforest Realty in Belize and continues with a busy personal schedule as an inspiration as to how to live a fulfilled life…her motto is Just Do It !

Email : Rev. Macarena Rose