we are thinking about moving to belize but i do have tons of questions

tammyann....Take 3 deep breaths & relax.  You have too many questions to which no one can give you the right answers. I have researched Belize since 2009 and I still have questions. I purchased property in 2011, which I will start to build on soon. I have decided to rent in Belize while my house is being built.  During that time I will be doing even more research and I will probably still have questions.
It is impossible to find the correct answers because everyone's experiences are different.  What may be right for one may be wrong for you. 
Before you start, let me tell you this is going to be a frustrating process. There are guidelines in Belize however, NOTHING is set in stone. You can check 3 different websites & get 3 different answers.  Each territory, town & district in Belize is DIFFERENT.  You are the outsider...the gringo reference in some areas.  The locals may or may not treat you differently.  You may or may not have to pay a higher price. With 2500 a month you are considered rich to most Belizeans.  This is a poor country...not a structured society. Most things you have come to expect DO NOT exist in Belize. Like most things, the cost depends on where you buy something & who makes it.  Imported items are expensive & often outdated. Basically...there is NO set amount for anything...you pay or you leave...its that simple.
I suggest you take some time, tour around to the different areas in Belize and decide where you would like to live.  Make lists of what you want, what you can't live without & what you can leave behind. Then take your time & decide if this is really what you want.  This will be a complete lifestyle change. With 2500 a month you qualify for the QRP (qualified retirement program) but again you have to decide if this is right for you.  There are a lot of comments on this forum regarding the QRP.  I spoke to an actual broker before I decided.  Speak to the experts while in Belize & find out exactly how much it will cost you before you take the advise of someone else.

Approximately how long is the process in getting into Belize to live there?

belize wrote:

I spoke to an actual broker before I decided.  e.

May I ask what you decided?  I am on the fence also, going to build this fall
thankyou
Deanna

Tammyann, here's my best stab:

First let me suggest you sort all your immigration stuff beforehand.  You can do this online.  They want your money.  I found it impossible to get residency status once I got there, because none of the immigration officers knew what they were doing, and everything was different every time we went in.  My son is still there, married to a Belizean, two kids, and STILL can't get his papers sorted.

Builders WILL rip you off and do shoddy work and overcharge you and threaten you and take you to court every chance they get.  It's their job.  Buy something already built. 

Whatever you do, rent first for at least 6 months to see if you can deal with the country.  A decent house can be found for around $300 US.  Adjust your standards.  What I deem a decent house may not be your prime ideal.

Land is cheap, depending what you want. $5,000 could buy you a good sized lot when I left (a month ago.) I believe there are acreage restrictions on foreigners, and make sure that you will actually OWN the place after you've bought it.  Weird land laws down there.  Find an attorney before you buy.  Make sure it's not prone to flooding.

If you're inland, unless you are from somewhere REALLY humid, you might feel like you want to die of hot.  Be sure you like being in a sauna 24/7 all year, or find somewhere bearable.  I did not like the weather.

Grocery stores I went to were all owned by no-English speaking Chinese.  Watch expiration dates.  Look for bugs in pasta and pet food.  Veggies are everywhere at fruit stands and markets, but you'll be pressed to find lemons and mushrooms, hot Mexican peppers, tomatillos, etc., and seasonal fruits are just that.  You won't find avocados and mangos all year there.  Also expect "droughts" of certain items like onions and limes a few times a year for extended periods.  Try out mechanical and electrical things before you leave store (lightbulbs, radios, etc.), most won't give refunds.  Also, if you see something in a store, it's not a guarantee that they'll always have it.  Buy now or you'll never find it again.  Good cheese is hard to get, as are decent hot dogs (they all seem to be chicken), sausages, hot sauces.  Inspect bread before you buys.  They keep the green stuff on the shelf for dummies.

Pharmacies are great but lack many meds you might get in the states.  Most things you can get w/out prescription. Mechanical devices such as arm/wrist braces seem to only be in stock for the arm/leg you DON'T need.

Medical--the main hospital in BZ city looks like the projects.  People go there to die.  Otherwhere (Loma Luz in Santa Elena and Western Regional Hospital in Belmopan) the hospitals look better, but care is probably just as poor.  Nursing staff ignores you, pain killers are not given, diagnostics are nonexistent.  Your diagnosis of the day depends on which doctor looked at you for five minutes.  My husband died screaming at Western Regional, and there is NOTHING positive I can say about medical care in BZ.  People who have the money go to Guatemala, and that says it all.  Get whatever you need done in the States and pray you don't get sick.

Internet costs about $120 BZ per month, plus deposit, and installation.  Internet cafes are around but going away because of cell phone internet.  Same with land-line telephones.  US cell phones don't work until you change the SIM cards.  I hear you can buy phones that work on ebay.

Police are irresponsive and corrupt.  Remember, in BZ you are a target for every scam, rip-off, and crime, and the criminal's first cousin is probably the police chief.  Good luck.

BZ bank accounts:  BZ banks are the most unfriendly institutions on the planet.  Sort it out before you go, because it's nearly impossible once you're there.

Plants:  Just about anything will grow there.  We tossed all our organic wastes in the back yard and soon had cantaloupes, squash, lime trees, tomatoes, peppers, just anything.  Seeds are hard to find, and if you grow herbs, be prepared, take seed for what you like.  I never found rosemary plants or seeds the whole time I was there.  I did have bananas, papayas, limes, oranges, and pineapples that all bore fruit.

No killer bees that I ever saw, hardly any bees at all, but there were plenty of other fun critters:  fire ants, cockroaches, horrible spiders, wasps that eat your house, termites, cicadas, microscopic ants, flies, mosquitos, tarantulas, geckos that shit everywhere and lay eggs in your appliances, snakes, frogs, and cane toads.

Good luck

WOW Dorthy, How long did you live in Belize and where did you live?

I was in Santa Elena/San Ignacio area of Cayo From July 2007 until April 24, 2013, nearly six years.

Did you ever consider another part of the country or is it pretty much the same except for the cost of living?

No, not really.  My husband was a paraplegic and didn't travel well.  He was British, and, for what it's worth, loved the weather.

We had pretty much decided on Cayo before we left the states.  I've been to Corozal and a bit into the mountains.  Pine ridge is pretty, and cooler, but more isolated.

Travel is not so easy there, and you can keep the chicken bus!  I bought a little car, but the guy who starved my dog to death stole the key because I attempted to take the dog back.  After that it was just bus or taxi.

One rule for driving in Belize:  Watch out.  All you need to know.

tammyann be extremely carefull,medical is extremely limited in belize,electricity,supplies,and everything is 3rd world.water is not drinkable and infrastructure is terrible.99% of the people that move to belize is because its english,dont make that mistake.belize is beautifull but lacks any necessities.it is the most expensive of the carribean countries to live,quoted by international living magazine,and the crime is high.honduras is the same,nicaragua is ok and costa rico is ok.but check areas.mexico has everthing,there are over 1,000,000 million expat americans alone in mexico,not to mention,canadians,europeans,thats more than the entire country of belize at 300,000 which includes locals.there are entire cities in mexico that are 90% english,contact mexico mike or google him for insight.make sure you contact as many people as possible and contact realestae people and talk to them as you will get a better opinion than people who are one sided to a particular country.i almost bought land in honduras and belize until i went firsthand and talked to people from my home country and they talked me out of it.it just wasnt for me.do your homework,carefully.

thank you everyone for your comments....yes we are thinking 6 months of renting down in belize and moving around every month to see what area would work for us....i was thinking top of belize for us would be better choice......i hear that skying is now allow in belize....can anyone conferm that ....i been looking and i do not see anyone talking about it yet.....i hope that in 6 months of living down there we can up with our game plan....we live in ct and living here is very expressive and our income is going to be slash becouse my husband is going to be force to retire to keep our medical benifets....

my husband was thinking of country of panama as well...if belize does not work out....my problem is i am harding time learning spanish.....so we will see what happens....husband want to buy land and build a home in belize that would be his first choice...thanks again

What 'polls'/research are you making reference to when you state that 99% of people that move to Belize do so because English is spoken?
http://www.abelizehomeforus.wordpress.com

Its been said to me many times over the 5-6 years we have been researching that if you could have lived in America in the early 1900's; Belize is just the place for you. On the other hand, some folks just aren't cut out for that kind of atmosphere.

In our modern world we have become accustom to utility services that are predictable and dependable. We have come to use the computer as an extension of our arms for everything from shopping  to communication to entertainment. We forget that we can actually GO to the store and talk to people and find fun. I asked my grand kids once (ages 6 & 7) if they wanted to play Scrabble. They had no idea that it was a "real" game. It could only be on Wii in their minds. And raising animals for food!? Or a garden?

My husband recently started raising chickens for eggs and meat. He had never really done anything like it before but wanted to give it a try. The neighbor is astonished that we would consider eating one. This is the same neighbor that cooks steak on his grill outside almost every weekend.

The point here is Belize is not America. Or Canada. Or Europe. It is a very young country struggling to find its place in the world. Just like my country did a couple of hundred years ago. If you want to live there, plan on mustering a little pioneering spirit.

Personally, that is the life we are looking for and that is why we chose Belize. English speaking is a plus! And in all honesty, "third world country" is a little misleading. Belize is a developing country; slowly developing but developing nonetheless.  So as a future resident there, please do not go there with the intention of changing it. Go there to enjoy what it is now and what it is becoming. It is not America. And with any luck at all it can avoid some of the mistakes that America made when it was starting out as a new Nation.

Yayy Doglady! Thank you for that blurb! I grew up in rural northern Alberta, Canada in the 1950s and 60s. We lived on a homestead. The nearest town was 35 miles away by dirt trail, with a river to cross by ferry. The nearest hospital was 50 miles away. We grew our own vegetables, picked and ate wild berries, and my dad shot moose and fished so we had meat. For winter (the off-season) we canned all of the above. We had no phone, no electricity, no running water, no radio, and we cut and chopped wood to heat our home and cook our meals. Our home resembled the wood Mennonite cabins in Belize. We did not have a vehicle - we hitched rides to town with one of the few neighbors who had vehicles. Our nearest neighbor was 1/2 a mile away and the next nearest was 2 miles away, and so forth.
By the mid 1960s our area was just like Belize is today, but with the absence of cell phones and computers (we still did not have a phone, running water, or a television). But we did have electricity and we had propane and diesel to cook and heat our home.
That time of my life had so much more quality than it has now. If my parents were still alive, I am sure they would agree as well. That is what I see in Belize, and why I am moving there this year. I am tired of the rat race in Canada! I intend on raising my own fruit, vegetables and chickens. That is what makes life worthwhile. I don't want to sit on the beach drinking myself into oblivion - I want to actually live! I don't need to keep in touch with everyone every minute of the day. I want to have meaningful connections with those close around me. I want to walk and run again. I want to meet people at the village store. I want to know my neighbors.

this is a quote from an american doctor who left belize in 2010.he is answering questions on another american asking about belize.

What can I expect in Belize? Are people friendly? Is it safe? How much money does it take to live comfortable? Are there many Americans living there? Is there good health care?



There is way too much crime in Belize. I lived there and was "jacked" everywhere, including my home several times. Everyone has their hand out--especially the law enforcement, which is completely and utterly criminal. I witnessed a lot of beauty there--but also four different cultures that despise one another, and one would not be off-the-mark to say it is so lawless there that it is like the wild, wild west. Go at your own risk--but believe me--you will get taken if you are American. The Government is totally against the American there--do not believe the propoganda. I went through their bogus "programs" for Americans, and they ripped me off over and over. Everyone--absolutely everyone--wanted paid off. It is the norm there, and everyone knows it. It is not just initially either--it continues and continues. Many (not all) Creole basically hate Americans unless you are giving something to them. If you stop giving them things, then that can become a huge problem, too. I am a physician, and I looked at the problems from many standpoints--but try as I might--I could not resolve the crime problem there on my own and had to leave. And don't get me started about how they treat their dogs there--it is acutely inhumane--and most dogs are skin and bones and starving to death. Usually, they regularly throw out poisoned meat to rid them from tourist view. I found many unsatisfied Americans there, yet most are reluctant to admit the real truth of Belize--lest their "dream in paradise" be shattered. I was one of them for a little while...until the obvious truth kept rearing its ugly head. BTW, crime is basically NOT reported in Belize. I was told many times that if I reported that they robbed me, that they would return and kill me. It was just terrible living with that fear. Oh, and the cost of doing business is known as "a boat a year". Meaning, if Americans want to make money off of "their country and their waters", then be prepared to pay up with some of your possessions. Which leads me to the biggest bitch about Belize--that you absolutely cannot leave your home unattended for even five minutes--as in to walk around in the woods near your house--because they watch you and wait until you are not looking to steal. You cannot go to town, out to the reef, or anywhere without someone staying in your home to oversee it. This does not mean you won't get "jacked" (robbed) anyway. They actually robbed me while I was giving them money and work--at the very moment I was handing them money for working (at much higher than they are used to getting), they had their children running around ripping me off. It is dreadful. I would never, ever suggest to anyone that they retire in Belize. They have massive social, political, and criminal problems that will need a lot of work to improve. No offense to anyone who lives there now--but I spent many years there and you know what I am saying is the truth. n american doctor who left belize in 2010.

From your posts it is obvious that you do not have a very high regard (sic) for Belize. Given this why do you post so frequently on this Forum? And not on a Mexico forum?

i am taking posts that are coming right off this board and from actual americans and canadians that have lived there.i dont see you questioning any of their posts,why is this?why dont you ask them about their expiences?why do you keep insisting on answering posts that are not directed to you,especially if they are not the way you would like them to be.i post on many other sites but because they tell you the truth there we dont have to worry about the same 2 or 3 people insisting on telling people everything is ok,i can give you the doctors address,please call him.if you like your resort island life thats fine,but thats not belize,most people wanting to come down are looking for medical,and cheaper life,there is no medical there,i hope you dont get sick,and when you do,my wife is a nurse and i`ll meet you at the e.r. but it wont be in belize.there under investigation because of 12 babies that have died over a small period,they just destroyed a mayan ruin to use as fill for infrastructure,a tourist from new york was threatened by cops on ambergrise caye and were relocated to another part of the mainland.i dont see any of this when people ask whats it like there.

I do SO agree with the doctor's post.  The people are so specifically and spectacularly awful, it's nigh indescribable.  EVERYONE will rip you off, at every event.  You dare not let anyone in your house--if they don't steal from you then, they scope you out so they can hit you later when you leave your house for five minutes.  I had people, my NEIGHBORS, steal my clothing off the line to wipe their asses.  You cannot leave anything outside.  NO ONE can be trusted.  In six years, I met exactly four people I could trust--two of them were Chinese immigrants, and the other two were Salvadoran immigrants.  The country breeds its own and attracts serial killers and perverts from abroad.  Belizeans are only friendly to foreigners to see what can be conned out of them, or figure out how easy a mark they are for future exploitation.  They don't care about their country or it's resources if they can make 5 cents out of it.  Guns are strictly controlled but criminals seem to have them, and if they're not resourceful enough to get them, they hack people to death with machetes.  Lots of one-armed people walking around.

I would discourage anyone from even visiting, but no one thinks it could possibly be as bad as all that.  I leave it to folks to make up their own mind.

Personally, I think the country deserves a human-specific virus that is 100 percent lethal.

I don't often chime in, as I am still a "Newbie" here in Belize...But...

The hospital in Dangriga provides acceptable care and can stabilize an emergency patient for transport to another facility. They do an EXCELLENT job treating local illnesses and emergencies. If you are bitten by a snake, you are fine there...if you are mauled by a croc, you will want a hospital with a trauma center.

As for the crime...well...yes. There is crime. People DO steal. It is a product of poverty. Show me a poor, jobless community in the USA where it is safe to leave your items on your porch, and I'll kiss your @ss. The locals assume you have lots and lots of money. Because in comparison, you do. The first clue you get to the crime problem are the burglar bars on the windows. They are not there for decoration. As for neighbors pulling your clothes down to wipe with...wow! Who did you make angry?!? For a local to use a perfectly good item of clothing to wipe...I could see using it to WEAR...but for that?!? I'm thinking you came off to them as snotty or aloof, one of the "we're better than you" types of expats.

And that's another thing...one must remember that we are IMMIGRANTS to another country. We are not now...and never will we be -Belizean. No matter which government program you chose, you will not change your lineage. You will always be an outsider. As such, you must do what you can to fit in. Even if that means paying off a person or two or twelve...

Yes. Payola is the norm. Yes. People will want something from you. Be prepared to pay a "tourist price" for a while. One you settle in somewhere and the locals get to know you, you will get closer to the "local price". Still not the same...but closer.

If you have a US attitude of "I want it all and I want it now." You will fail miserably in Belize. If you want to make a quiet and peaceful life without a bunch of stuff around you, you should be just fine. Treat the locals as humans...not as if they are less intelligent beings than the all knowing expat. Join a church.

There are bad guys everywhere...not just Belize. In my experience running a business...one dissatisfied customer makes as much noise as 100 happy ones.

Oh...in response to your original question...No strawberries that I've seen.

I have heard of one story about killer bees. An expat (go figure) left a travel trailer to rot on the edge of his land very near my friend's home. The bees nested inside it. They came out in swarms and attacked! She said it was just awful! She has a young child, and cares for her elderly mother. She scooped them into the house, but the dog was left behind and it died from the bee stings. She contacted the government who didn't wish to help the expat owner. (I guess he's made a bunch of friends here as well...lol) But when they were told how it affected my friend's home, the government came out right away and got rid of the bees.

To Popeye 1
You may be citing the experiences of others but why? You have not lived here and do not want to live here so why is it of concern to you that others may be considering moving here?

http://www.abelizehomeforus.wordpress.com

thank you very much.........yes are going to be joining a church once we found right place to live .....we have crime here in our town my suv was broken into.....our home as a alarm system...so we are going to have alarm system down there as well....like our home....i been looking at yellow pages for belize and i see there are places that put in alarms....maybe even get a dog.....just trying to learn as much as i can about belize....the good and the bad....i think when you move you like to learn about the place you going to be moving to.....

Lived in apartment complex for awhile with communal bathroom for some units--

Stolen:  three dresses to wipe said asses in communal bathroom (left there with shit stains), dog bowl, metal pot with hole in bottom to replace said dog bowl, towel on clothes line, clothes line, hook for dog chain, drip bowl for plastic plant pot, one plastic chair--twice, a machete--twice.  A laptop computer and camera.  Guys sawed through the burglar bars to get them WHILE we were there.  Two cell phones.  Cooking spoons and plates.  My HOUSE KEYS, which the thieves made copies of and returned the wrong set to us.

House I bought and was making improvements to--

Stolen:  $3,000 worth of tiles by the builder, who backed a TRUCK up to my door to steal them (in boxes still) and sell to some stupid yank in broad daylight.  Guy was policeman's son.  Bags and bags of cement and other building materials.  Two bottled water containers, ceiling fan, bathroom fixtures, FISH POND--which they dug up in full view of the neighbors.  My car key.  A ladder.  Two power drills.  Various hand tools.    A gold coin and some silver rings, all hidden away, but stolen by visitors while we were getting them a beer or in the bathroom.

About your "snooty Americans" comment.  That was our problem. We weren't.  We were friendly to everyone.  We let people in our house.  We talked to people.  We shared.  We didn't have much--nothing fancy, nothing much we wouldn't have given if asked, including money, which we did on several occasions.

I left because my husband died there, and I was alone.  Not a good situation in which to be a target.  I was too hot, and I was tired of the constant gunfire and repeated armed robberies at Bing's grocery store just up the street.  The rape/murder of Chris Lowe's 13-year old daughter last year clenched it for me.  This was when the police BURNED the crime scene, saying it was "contaminated."  Bleh.

Strawberries?  Are you kidding?  We had the strawberry dude come around every Sunday,  $5 BZ a pound,

Try lemons or Serrano peppers!  Nearly impossible--I did find them once or twice at market (in six years).

Dorothy Cook wrote:

Strawberries?  Are you kidding?  We had the strawberry dude come around every Sunday,  $5 BZ a pound,

Try lemons or Serrano peppers!  Nearly impossible--I did find them once or twice at market (in six years).

I want strawberries! Wonder if he ever comes to Dangriga?

In seriousness, I am sorry you had such a trying time here in Belize. The personal nature of your posts lends credence to your open nature. I did not intend to offend. I am sorry for the loss of your husband, as well. <3

Strawberry dude goes to Belmopan--saw the guy in March at the pizza place just after we finished with our monthly immigration ordeal.  Guy gets around.  Who knows, maybe he does Dangriga on Wednesdays.  Have you looked for frozen strawberries?  I know Celinas and Megafools (really) in Cayo had them.  Try some of the bigger Chinese stores, or maybe you have an American type  there?  Surely Brodies in BZ City.

Also, if you ever get to Spanish Lookout, Farmers Trading Post probably has them.  They have canned cherries.  Weirdest thing I saw was canned wildcrafted European mushrooms for $38 a can.  What a way to ruin a mushroom--can it.  Blech.

dorothy


i went to la ceiba honduras last august to look at property on the ocean,i called a former cop from boston who is honduran and runs a bed and breakfast there.he is six foot and about 250lbs.he speaks fluent spanish and we would not come to the san pedro airport to pick us up unless his security guard was with him and packing a gun.we could have taken the chicken bus similar to the ones in belize,but these get hijacked on the highways and there were americans who stopped at a creek to cool off and the were robbed with machetes and the women raped.we were told not to go out anywhere to far and not at night.the police have road blocks where they set up cones and stop cars and ask for payment,if you say no they pull you over and detain you and write you up for some infraction.we were tourists there and we were watched every minute.when we came to the roadblocks,our driver the cop from boston would just roll down our rear window a little and once they seen we were tourists they would let us go,they dont need us making accusations to our embassy.we went to the mall and were followed by guards with radios and guns,we went to go in an hsbc bank and all banks and stores are guarded with men or boys with guns,rifes,etc.i went to go in to cash some travellers checks and was stopped by one of the guards and we was holding his gun,they wanted to know why i was going into the bank.belize doesnt have the resources and infrastructure as honduras but the corruption is just as high,here is some of the corruption at the highest levels in belize.

(taken from belize news)and the u.s state department sources.

Add blog to our directory.    The corrupt Prime Minister of Belize has allowed his niece Naima Barrow and her brother Kimano Barrow to defraud 2 foreign investors with impunity.
Now I understand why Belize did not want to sign the United Nations anti-corruption convention. Dean Barrow is obviously turning a blind eye on his niece and nephew's conspiracy to defraud investors.
This is the obviously the reason why foreign investment in Belize decreased from over $100 million to just over 10 million, in a period of 1 year.
I hired and paid in full the Prime Minister's niece (Naima Barrow) to set up the corporation for my oil company Paradise Energy Limited,(PEL). I HAVE A COPY OF THE CHECK MADE OUT TO HER LAW FIRM.   
   She set up the corporation and gave all the shares to her brother Kimano Barrow, and his friend Alfredo Acosta. Making them the owners of the company. I did not receive shares in my own company. Then they tried to sell the concession to Treaty Oil Company.






HONORABLE (???) WILFRED PETER ELRINGTON
Hubert's younger brother

Attorney General and Minister of Foreign Affairs
Friday, February 24, 2012, 11:26

This news item was posted first in The Belize Media..



Belize City, Thursday February 23, 2012


Apparently corruption runs in the family. Foreign Minister Wilfred (Sedi) Elrington is presently engaged in a court battle in the Supreme Court with an American investor. The case involves millions of dollars (at least US $12 million) of land sales in Belize City by a company called Progresso Heights Ltd.

According to court records of the proceedings, Sedi Elrington is claiming that he is a 20% shareholder in the company and,  US national, Lawrence  M. Snyder  and his son  own 80% of the shares in the company.

The record also reveals that for every land sale made by the company, Sedi should be collecting 2% of the proceeds of the sale amounting in total to thousands, if not millions of dollars.

What has caught the eye of this BELIZE TIMES reporter is that Mr. Lawrence Snyder through his attorneys in Belize has informed  the court that he is scared of coming back to Belize because he has been threatened by Minister Elrington that if he does he will be arrested and jailed.

As a result, attorneys  here in Belize  applied to the Supreme Court on behalf of Mr. Snyder to have him give his evidence from the United States of America, where he resides, by video link.Political Rights and Civil Liberties:




Belize is an electoral democracy. The head of state is the British monarch, who is represented by a governor general. Members of the 31-seat House of Representatives, the lower house of the bicameral National Assembly, are directly elected for five-year terms. The 12 members of the Senate are currently appointed to five-year terms, though Belizeans voted in a 2008 referendum to change to an elected Senate following the next general elections in 2013.

There are no restrictions on the right to organize political parties, and the interests of Mestizo, Creole, Mayan, and Garifuna ethnic groups are represented in the National Assembly.

Government corruption remains a serious problem. Belize is the only country in Central America that is not a party to the UN Convention against Corruption. In 2010, three high-ranking Belize City Council members resigned due to allegations of misconduct. A report by the auditor general claimed that the council had misused or failed to account for millions of dollars in municipal funds since 2006.

Belize has a generally open media environment. Journalists or others who question the financial disclosures of government officials may face up to three years in prison or up to US$2,500 in fines, but this law has not been applied in recent years. The Belize Broadcasting Authority has the right to prior restraint of all broadcasts for national security or emergency reasons, though this too is rarely invoked. Despite the availability of diverse sources of media, including privately-owned weekly newspapers, radio and television stations, concerns over government control of the broadcast industry remain after the nationalization of Telemedia. While the government does not restrict internet access or use, internet penetration is low due to lack of infrastructure and high costs.



Violent crime, money laundering, gang violence, and drug trafficking continued to be serious concerns in 2011. Belize now has the sixth highest homicide rate in the world. Officials estimate the perpetrators are convicted in only about 10 percent of homicides.


Belize is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children trafficked for prostitution and forced labor. The majority of trafficked women are from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. The trafficking of workers from South Asia and China for forced labor has also been uncovered in recent years. There is also concern that Belize is emerging as a sex tourism destination.

Was the Ruin in San Ignacio?  Cuz they just redid some of the main streets and I remember them digging up mummies and pots and stuff.  On Burns Ave., of all places.  I never heard of them using it for fill, but it wouldn't surprise me.

I'm sorry that the good Dr. had a bad experience. But imagine for a minute that your family is hungry and you had a person move in next door with the letters "DR" before his name. Now imagine the attitude is already such that the rich gringos can afford to pay a little more. Yes, they take advantage. So do Americans - poor or not; so do Canadians; so do....you fill in the blank. Some people who do not have, will always take from those who do.

Its a bit unnerving to me that people get on forums and speak of leading a "Belizean lifestyle" or "as the native people in Guatemala" but what they really mean is that lifestyle PLUS expensive computers, cell phones, TVS and cars. They keep large sums of cash at home and wear jewelry or clothing to show affluence. And remember--"affluence" here is relative. Then they are completely shocked that they moved into what would be commonly known as the wrong side of the tracks at home; and someone broke into their home to take their goods.

Here's a novel concept. Take a page from others that moved there before you. If you plan on dragging your American lifestyle along with you, move to a protected or gated community, not among the natives, the poor, and the needy. Find protection if that's what you seek. But don't go to the Bronx or Detroit City or South St. Louis in your fancy car and wearing your two carat diamond ring and expect that the criminals won't notice.

Its even more surprising to me that people think they can buy their way out of others' bad behavior. You wouldn't expect that approach to work here in America. You don't hire felons to do your roof and then are shocked that they stole your Ipod while they were in your house unattended. Common sense just isn't that common anymore?

And yes I understand that blaming the victim is a terrible thing. But we should all take a look and the culture and attitudes of the country we are considering and then take an honest look at ourselves and our own behaviors. What are the dangers and what are the expectations? Do they mesh? Are we personally willing to take the risk?

Grandma used to say... "don't poke the sleeping dog with a stick and then get mad when he bites you."  Seems like some sage advice for a lady that never left the state of Kansas.

:: stepping down from the soapbox now:

im not sure which ruin one it was,but it made the front news here in canada,the guy was in the loader and just started removing fill,but the 12 dead babies at the hospital i just read about was the nail in the coffin for me on belize healthcare,my wife is a nurse and she is just disgusted.she went on a horseback ride on the beach in the evening in honduras and we had to be carefull as locals just walk the beach with machetes.the belize cayes are more touristic and protected,they even have their own tourist police which have been disiplined for corruption to americans.its bad in mexico as well in the center of the country,but up the yucatan coast is pretty safe,and lots of people speak english there,and the healthcare is the same as the u.s. or canada. and i dont have to raise my own cow and chickens to get fresh steak and eggs.having to raise chickens for eggs,cows for fresh meat,goats for milk,make my own bread,walk everywhere i need to go cause i cant afford the price of gas,this is not a slower quality of living,THIS IS POVERTY.

Expensive Car:  1981 purple Honda bought in BZ from the vet, worth about $200 US, if that.

Expensive computer:  1 laptop, roughly $400

Cell phones:  nearly everyone in BZ has one, most MUCH more expensive than any phone I ever had or am likely to own.  Landlines are impossibly expensive, monthly fees, deposit, and installation.  If you have a landline, you ARE rich.  They steal cell phones because they're portable, as with laptops.

Expensive clothing--dresses that became toilet paper:  bought at the local thrift store (they're everywhere).

Expensive jewelry was silver or cosmetic sentimental value stuff.  One gold coin was about the size of my pinkie fingernail.

My house was between a three-story mansion that was owned by the leader of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and a blue brick house, whose owner was a chicken (Wi Da Fa Wi Chicken--roughly translated as "Our Chicken," a major brand) truck driver who sidelined as a smuggler and wildlife poacher.  A policeman lived across the street, another behind me.  My house was a 20x20 cement shack with no bathroom or kitchen when I bought it.  We added tile, a bathroom, and a kitchen.  The builder was recommended as honest.  We bought it because it was all the same level and the street was (sort of) paved.  My husband was in a wheelchair, and that was a requirement of his.

We arrived in BZ with six suitcases of stuff.  That's ALL.  No freight stuff coming in, nothing flashy.  We had no bedding, no appliances, no nada.  A laptop and a camera were our only luxuries.  We brought hardly any clothing with us because we knew the stuff we had would not be climate-appropriate.

We were not in the slums and no one around us was in any need.  People just don't want to believe that some are just raised to steal and do so all their lives with no qualms.  This is why most Belizeans will allow no one into their homes, no matter how humble, because they'll steal ANYTHING, down to the toilet paper if you let them in.  It's not even expected that you invite people in.  It IS expected that they'll thief from you.

Things I learned to do in BZ:

Make Chile Verde without tomatillos.

Make my own bread

Make Taco Bell, Tabasco, and Tapatio hot sauce

Make BBQ sauce

Make my own sausage

Raise chickens until the neighbors stole them all

Give injections to dogs and cats (URK!)

Medically diagnose myself with the aid of books and buy meds I needed from the pharmacy without the "aid" of a doctor

Cut trees down with a machete

Make lard

Fix broken wheelchairs and improvise tires for same

Make sure someone is at the house at all times

You learned a lot there Dorthy. I hope to do the same. But you understand that living next door to a church doesn't mean safety and that what is costume jewelry to us, may seem like valuables to a thief and/or poor person, right?

Here at home I have worked in criminal justice for over 20 years. Thieves are thieves. One of my jobs over the years had me in some really, REALLY, bad neighborhoods at midnight. After the first night of looking like a turd in a punch bowl I learned.

I learned that you do not dress like a Parole Officer when visiting this area at night. You do not look like a case worker, you do not wear any jewelry, the list was pretty extensive after going there several times. Thank God nothing ever happened, but lessons were learned. Poor people have poor ways. And there are ways to work around them. I learned that if I wanted to keep this job and survive, I better learn to fit in a little better. I'm bringing that lesson to Belize with me.

And Popeye--- I value your opinion here. But understand that some people don't consider having a small farm for meat, eggs, and milk poverty. And you don't have to live in the "slums" to get robbed. Would a person be more likely to steal in an impoverished neighborhood or a place where people actually had belongings worth stealing?

Didn't live next to a church, lived next door to the MANSION that was OWNED by the OWNER of the church.  He didn't get robbed much, but the triple barbed-wire wall around his place might have helped.  Also, he was Belizean.  For what it's worth, shacks and mansions DO exist side by side.  Everywhere except the gated communities, which I've never been inside.  Point being, my house was kind of the hovel on the block.

Costume jewelry was in a box in my bedroom, not on my person.  Ever.  As I said, it was sentimental crap, stowed away.  These assholes were just "grazing."  Picking up portable shit they could stick in their pockets.  It didn't matter if it was junk, but it wasn't THEIR junk, and they had no right to be grazing through my belongings anyway.  And they were all guests.  Friendly ufngick people.  You EXCUSE this behavior?

I will ASSUME you are white.  If so, you are a target in Belize.  My son is Brown.  As long as he doesn't open his mouth, nobody bothers him; as soon as he does, everybody rips him off.  I was lucky to never get mugged, but then again, all shutters and doors were closed and locked the minute it got dark.  Or rained.  Chinese stores all lock up when it rains because, according to Mr. & Mrs. Bing, Belizean rain sprouts thieves and armed robbers.  The rest of the Belizeans think they'll melt or catch AIDS if one drop of rain falls on them, nevermind everyone takes cold showers every day (hot water being a rarity reserved for rich people).  Thieves and armed robbers are immune.

Lessons learned?  I can live anywhere.  On arrival back where I came from, I moved into the local crack motel.  As if the criminals here could scare me after what I've seen.  They're all pu$$y WHITE criminals, so I am inconspicuous.  You're right--they go rob the rich neighborhoods, not the folks in the local crack motel, so I'm probably safer here than anywhere else.  The lack of burglar bars DOES bother me now, I must admit.  It's like being naked,

White Americans in Belize are NOT inconspicuous.  They are walking targets with big, fat, red bull's-eyes painted front and center, but don't let me dissuade you.  You seem to have convinced yourself that I did something wrong, couldn't POSSIBLY have any validity, thus, you will go and have a beautiful time because you know how to behave in a manner that precludes all danger, whereas I, moron, walked into it blind and pissed poor people off, thus deserving every inch of the abuse I received.  These ufcks were NOT poor.  They were thieves, born and raised. 

And yes, before you ask, I am bitter as hell and insanely angry.  You might look up Vince Rose in Belize.  He's another one that got screwed, blued, and tattooed there.

What town are you guys talking about or you talking tha whole country?

I don't doubt the validity of your story. I don't doubt that being white makes me a target, been there, done that. In America and in Belize. Got screwed on my very first trip to Belize. Learned the lesson and moved on. I don't intend on behaving in any manner other than being myself. If that's good enough tfb. I don't pretend to know what Belizean culture teaches its children. I am willing to bet that putting them all into one thieving basket is wrong on every level.

I have worked with sex offenders, thieves, juvenile and adult murders and everything in between. I can tell you that in America these people are not one color or one culture or one race. They span the board. I have been poor and never robbed my neighbor. I have lived in both crack invested inner city neighborhoods and in country towns where everyone knew your business whether you wanted them to or not. I did steal a few things as a kid but not because I was poor, but because I was stupid.

But as an adult, I don't jump to conclusions about who "deserves" abuse. As far as I am concerned no one does. I wasn't saying that you deserved anything. What I am saying is that you made a choice and that choice led to consequences. But after all, you did research your choice to move there and you did it anyway. As I expect many here will do. And I sincerely hope that someday your bitterness and insane anger give way to something more pleasant because bitter and angry is no way to live; no matter where that might be.

I certainly hope the opinions of a few very vocal dissatisfied expats would not be the basis of someone's decision. This thread has taken a real Belize Bash tone...not the tone of the country in my opinion. I have had a bike stolen here. I left it out and forgot the time and it got dark...By the time my husband came in, it was gone. My clothing is fine on my line...in fact...one of the SWEET little local boys returned a shirt belonging to us after the wind whipped up unexpectedly one night. My plastic porch chairs remain on my porch untouched, except for the occasional visitor who stops by and sits in the breeze with me. I have a trash can on my other porch...also untouched. We DO lock our propane tank to the porch. Common sense.

I have met families who teach their children to beg. The kids uncomfortably asked me to feed them breakfast. The next time I saw the family headed my way, I stepped onto the porch, and closed my door. I said I was in such a rush...important meeting in Belmopan!...No problem since.

As for leaving folks in your house...well...I don't invite unsavory characters in no matter the country. I HAVE however entertained several EMPLOYED Belizeans inside...NO PROBLEM. I have allowed Belizeans to sleep over! EEE Gads! The kiddo in question is a 19 year old father...working to support his WIFE and child who missed the last bus out of town. I gave him a set of sheets, and he was gone on the first bus in the morning...He did not take anything! He even made the bed he had slept in. I don't think my own son would have thought to do that!

Fresh eggs are cheap and abundant. The cows are so skinny because it's too hot for their bodies to bulk up like a good northern steer. The dogs are so skinny because people feed their children first.

There ARE quality family values in Belize. I hate to say it, because it makes me part of the negativity of this thread but...Perhaps the posters who hated Belize enough to continue to post about it after they have left...perhaps these folks are Negative Nellies...putting out energy that brings bad stuff to their door. Perhaps they lived in the worst areas next to the devil's cousins. Perhaps the rear view mirror of their lives is bringing things closer than they are.

i am very sorry that some people had real tough go living in belize that is why we are thinking 6 month and moving around country...but my plan is not living in the belize city....my hope is to found right place for us to live....and keep asking question while we live down there....visit the stores....hospitals...chuches...and if we do not found right place for us then our plan is coming back to usa to live in az

Thank you Melly. I went to bed last night seriously rethinking our plan. In retrospect I am not sure why. We have only had two negative experiences in Belize, neither were all that traumatic. The first was an unscrupulous shop worker that didn't bother to give correct change to the stupid tourist. The second was stolen water shoes. Both completely our fault. If they had asked for the stolen item, I probably would have given it to them.