Are you happy in Belize?

Absolutely not.  The ex-pats were unwelcoming and in cliques.   Gossip abound.   Too expensive for second class goods and food.  Beaches were ugly.  Saga the dog "rescue " was not ethical.   Beware of donating to them.  Money goes for member lunches and not the dogs.  We finally left and have a wonderful life of our dreams with ethical people and great beaches.

HarleyMan501...where did you end up?

Coronado Panama

Good Morning, I come from the States, and like Belize very much. I believe it is in what you expect? I live in Punta Gorda a small town where everyone knows your business, but then I came from a small town in Arizona where everybody knew your business. We don't either have a whole lot of tourist or expats, and have found the white people here to be less than friendly. That is made up for by the locals who are friendly, and helpful. I don't mind riding in a less than comfortable bus, where some would detest the thought of doing so. Today is my one year anniversary, and have no desire to return to the states to live. I do like my new home:)

I love Belize  I am not yet in Belize permanently, but over the last few years have averaged 4 months each year over 6 to 8 trips each at different times of the year. Our new home is almost finished yay.  need to convince my Husband to actually retire. I love Belize and have done since the 90's when we first  lived there for 2 years. I am very happy in Belize, I have made many friends, both expats and local.
Belize is a country with its own character and problems, I feel it is somewhere you have to want to go for its own self, not just a place to escape to from what you do not like in your own country. It is so unlike which ever western country you are abandoning.
When there I do  feel free and safe (despite what many say about the crime issues) The crime rate is so badly skewed by the small size of it population. The vast majority is gang related mainly in Belize city,  and often it is drug related outside of there. If 80% of all the crime in the US was located in one 10 square mile area in one city it would still be a lower  overall number for the country  than Belize, as the rest of the population numbers for the US  are so big. Unfortunately in Belize the population numbers outside the biggest  crime area is tiny by comparison.
The friends and local people I meet seem very happy in general. I am greeted by smiles and greetings whenever i am walking down the road. The Belizeans are really helpful, one time  when having a vehicle problem (ok I backed the rear wheels into a concrete ditch) I was surrounded by helpful people with some great suggestions for solutions, and to the extent one guy went home to get a bigger jack,  and utilized the strong plank brought by someone else to get me back on the road. Once on the road they all melted away not hanging around looking for payment.  I am not unhappy in California but I can't wait to be permanently in Belize.

Our experience has been similar. We have found most expats to be less than friendly, though there are a few we really like. Lots of them kind of red around the neck, you know? And I come from a long line of Busch lite drinking rural SC folk, so I know of what I speak. But the Belizean people are by and large wonderful and fabulously friendly and helpful. I've been helped out of a jam more times than I can count. It can take a while for Belizeans, especially in small villages, to let you in, but once you're in, you're in.

I have found that happiness is not a place. I thought moving here would be the panacea to all my woes and that I would suddenly be profoundly and permanently joyful. Well, it doesn't work like that. Toddlers are still toddlers. Husbands are still husbands. Teenagers are still teenagers. But I am happy here. Because I choose to be. And I love it here. I love warm. I love the beautiful water and rivers and jungle. And I love the people. And it does make a difference to me, though it's certainly not the deciding factor, that everyone in the US has taken crazy pills.

So the question was....Are you happy in Belize?

Ive been coming to Belize for the last four or so years.  FIrst coming on vacation, then house hunting, invested in Ambergris Caye, then Placencia area.....loving both these areas for different reasons.  Visited the San Ignacio area, Corozal, Punta Gorda..... so definitely feel as though Ive had a good mix of experiences.
I now stay for the majority of the year in Belize, going back to the states to visit kids and grandkids.  Of course when returning to the states, that is the question.....are we happy in Belize....enough to be away from the grandkids for extended periods of time.
I have to say, I love it in Belize and realize yes, we are very happy there.  Of course there are disadvantages, some things are more difficult, you have to adjust to a different lifestyle, but yes, it was a great choice for us.

Happiness for me was to be in a community where I felt safe, the ability to live a healthy lifestyle, warm climate and reasonable cost of living.  ALthough you will definitely get different opinions, for me, I am happy here.  However, I believe happiness is a state of mind......I was relatively happy with my situation in the states, just wanted the warmer climate and healthier lifestyle, the ocean....Belize was a place that provided that....I love it!!