Negative feedbacks when I stated I wanted to move to Belize

5allan1 wrote:

Police: Robbers Steal over $50K from Caribbean Tire in Spanish Lookout

Update:
https://www.breakingbelizenews.com/2017 … -detained/

billdoesbelize wrote:

Hey guys, I have been monitoring this thread for a couple of days now and have a couple of observations.

Everyones opinion (when supported) should be valued and welcomed whether it is positive or negative, even if it doesn't match our own. Belize is not for everyone, in fact according to statistics it is not for most people. When you consider 50% leave within the first year and more like 70% by the end of year two, it becomes obvious that those of us that stay are a small unique group that find the pros outweigh the cons based on our expectations, lifestyle, and comfort level. I cannot provide a source for those stats, it is more common knowledge, and what I can tell you is that most people can think of more people that have left then have stayed.

It is always important to determine who is providing the information we are receiving in order to determine if it is of value to us. Does their unique situation match our unique situation closely enough? Will their perspective ultimately be our perspective? If not, then whether or not what they have to say is what you want to hear, it is probably irrelevant.

Is the person that has visited for a month every year for the last 12 years really qualified to talk about life in Belize. Probably not really, but if your intention is to do that as well, then maybe so.

Is the person that comes from Nov. to April every year and after four months (by mid February) is starting to get a bit fed up, but can see the light of an April departure date at the end of the tunnel really qualified to say how great a place Belize is to live full time. Maybe not, but if your intention is to come from Nov. to April as well, then maybe so. And if they have built a home or have experienced other processes, that might be valuable as well.

Even those of us that have made a permenant move Can only share our experiences based on our perspective. If your perspective is not the same, then probably neither will your experience be. When I say "for me and my wife, Belize has been everything we had hoped it would be" the so called naysayers often say to me, "Oh so you like corrupt governments, how poorly the local animals are treated, unstable infastructure,..............." and so on with facts and figures and stats that without perspective I refer to as the "devils math" designed to prove you are wrong and put you on the defensive. I usually don't argue the point, but for those of us that stay, unlike them, these are not the things that are top of mind for us, they are the cons that are outweighed by the pros of "a more relaxed atmoshere, a generally healthier food and lifestyle, a lower cost of living (yes you get what you pay for), a warm and friendly people, and of course after thirty years of construction the tropical climate is a major plus............." and so on (and yes I'm sure we all feel bad for the animals that are treated poorly).

I believe everyone's opinion is valid and valuable to the person that is doing their research and takes the time to research the perspective from where information is provided. IMHO, those that are all bright and rosey and can find no fault in Belize (in most cases to justify their mistake), are to be trusted about as much as the crusty old curmudgeons that can only vent their dismay.

In Conclusion there are all types of people on these forums with all types of motives for being here. Some are looking for information. Some just hope to help others to make an informed decision. Some want to promote themselves in one way or another. Then a small number are just looking for entertainment by ruffling feathers and rattling cages, what we refer to as the trolls. The trolls are easily identified, and share some common traits. They generally burst into the thread making claims that are generally opposite to those of the community as a whole (Get the community into reactionary defensive mode). They use diction that is far too copious for my feable comprehension to get their actual point (This is to prove how much smarter they are than you). Once you react and comment back they have a lable for everything that you accept that they object to (this is to put the individual into reactionary defensive mode), remember you can't usually win, you are reacting while they have done much research and are ready to copy and paste a response, or have an out clause for your every response. Once they have the community rattled, they generally have a civil conversation with a member or two to let everyone know that they really are a nice a person (it must be you that is wrong or has the delicate disposition), and just as you are falling for the new personna that they have created, they burst out of the room with a final comment designed to restart the cycle. The trolls feed on our human instinct to react. However there is a defense, the thing they hate the most is when nobody reacts to the invitation to play their game. They remain alone, unfulfilled, and will move onto  somewhere else where others will play. But, you must be vigilant, they will return after a while to test the waters again. So........... Don't take the bait and Please, don't feed the animals trolls

Fellow readers : THIS is why I follow this gentleman's blog.  The voice of reason and sense.
Well done, sir.

One of the guys from costa rica won the peace prize by quelling the contra vs. Sandinista war with reason and sense.

Before I get feed back that this post is off of the original topic, I am posting it here because this is where it is the most relevant at this time. So please don't comment here, those comments would be off topic. I will also post it as it's own topic where you may provide feed back if you wish, however I must say up front there will be little room for negotiation with regards to enforcement of the Forum Code of Conduct going forward. I will be beginning right away on this thread.

OK guys (and Gals) I have begun to hide posts for review in an effort to stop this cycle of abuse of the Forum Code of Conduct on this particular thread in particular. My intention is not to squelch anyone's right to free speech, but rather to begin more strictly enforcing the rules and the intent and purpose of this site. The purpose is to provide a platform for expats in Belize to share their experiences (both positive and negative) to help existing and future members make an informed decision on a move to Belize. But let's remember most people come looking for information rather than to provide it. It is an information forum and not a social forum.

I must take some responsibility for the behavior on this thread the past week or so by not intervening and enforcing the rules sooner, the old "give an inch, they will take a mile" scenario our mommy's mentioned years ago. Hardware issues have prevented me from intervening, but I assure members respectful of the rules, that is going to change starting immediately. I usually like to be relaxed on rules, lenient to peoples right to free speech and opinion, but I regret this last week has proven why rules have to be instituted and subsequently enforced to keep this Forum a neutral place  for the sharing of information.

The Belize Forum and Expat.com Website are provided to help members do research on a country they are considering a move to (in this case Belize). It is not a social forum for your personal conversations, political/religious views, or name calling and labeling individuals or groups of members. Comments should be relevant to the original topic posted.

Comments posted that are off topic, irrelevant to the thread or life in Belize will be removed. You can repost on an appropriate thread or create your own Topic if you wish.

Comments containing name calling, labeling of members, will be removed. It is perfectly OK to respectfully disagree with the opinion or insight of someone else. If you have a civil point to back up your position then make it in an effort to inform other members on your experience of life in Belize. But not just as a matter of conversation to argue or diminish the validity of the point of view of another member.

Submissions that are Religious or Political in nature will be removed. I don't care how you personally interpret the rules, there is no place for either on the forum either as a Topic or as a stated opinion on a Comment.

Comparisons to other countries are usually irrelevant. For example, to compare Belize to Mexico is probably irrelevant to anyone in the world other than an Expat in Mexico or a Mexican national thinking of moving to Belize. We can assume most people that are here are researching Belize and will visit the Mexico Forum to receive informed information on a move to that country.

The facts as we see them are often based on our personal perspective though past experiences and our interpretation of information. So then, that been said, all we all really have is our opinion. So when sharing our opinions to inform others, IMHO we all have a duty to base those opinions on personal experience, not on hearsay, conjecture, unverified research and percentages found online that is often skewed one way or the other, and so on.

In the beginning I will private message you with an explanation of the rule I am enforcing, but let me be blunt, after so many PM's informing you of Forum Code of Conduct violations, you will have proven your inability or unwillingness to follow those simple common sense rules and you will be banned. So govern yourselves accordingly by asking youself the following questions before hitting send;

~ Do I have something of value to say? Or do I just have to say something?
~ Is my comment relevant to the topic and will it help that member? Or not.
~ Is my comment based on personal experience, or just hear say?
If your honest answer to yourself on any of these questions falls after the "or", you should reconsider hitting send in the interest of being a helpful member, as I hope we will all strive to be going forward.

The opinions and contributions of all members are appreciated when submitted in the spirit of helpfulness, and certainly encouraged to provide other members with a broader perspective when researching here on the Belize Forum. To that end, I would encourage everyone to familiarize yourself with the "Forum Code of Conduct", and rather than using semantics to twist it to serve our personal agendas, interpret it in the spirit of helping others and making the forum a better resource for all members.

Comments to my previous post #84 are certainly welcomed and encouraged on the proper thread found at this link https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=703492. Those posted here will be removed as off the original topic.

Thank you in advance for your understanding.

5Allen1;
Please check your PM's. I sent an explanation to you of why your post that is clearly off topic (read paragraph 1 of my post #84) would be removed from this thread prior to doing it. I also sent an invitation to repost it on the appropriate thread and a link to that thread. Also I sent a copy of your comment so you could easily copy and paste in the appropriate thread. I also gave you the choice for me to move it but explained why it would be best if you did it yourself. I have extended every courtesy.

I continue to invite you to post in the proper thread and have provided all the resources for you to do that, if you don't wish to do that, that is your choice. You also seem to have a uncontrollable desire to label and name call so your previous post will also be deleted. Again I believe your point of view (when presented civilly) certainly deserves a place on this forum, however it is your presentation that usually does not.

I am posting this for a short time as a courtesy because I am not sure if you get private messages or even bother to check them. This will also be deleted tomorrow as it too is off topic.

Personally what angered about is one our forum sent me enrollment in a dating service which is absurd and im having trouble cancelling. Probably I will purchase on the mexican riveara or elsewhere and visit aquaintances. How do we unsubscribe from expat?

Esteswaco wrote:

Personally what angered about is one our forum sent me enrollment in a dating service which is absurd and im having trouble cancelling. Probably I will purchase on the mexican riveara or elsewhere and visit aquaintances. How do we unsubscribe from expat?

You can have your account deleted by filling out the contact form at this link 
https://www.expat.com/en/contact.html
and forwarding it to the Admin Team. Do not forget to indicate your username and your e-mail address in your message.

Sorry to hear you have had a bad experience, thank you for your contributions and even more important, thank you for your past service to your country.

Did you ever move to Sarteneja? We bought land close to Sarteneja last year and hope to make a permanent move in the next couple of years. Would love to ask you some questions.

Hope everything goes well for you, though I am not sure if you are responding to billdoesbelize or another post.

karenjoe,
It would be good idea if everyone would start their "reply" with a name.
It is a silly way to run a blog, as a thread with no nesting, but it is what it is.
Gordon, now living in Cayo district for almost 5 years.