Thinking of moving to South America

Hi Sandre,

I have moved to Uruguay in South America and I think it is really excellent place to live. Life is good here, most of the people have no hurry in their life. No drugs no crime...seems like this place is perfect for you.

Should you have any queries drop me a mail at ***

Thanks
Ashwani

One thing that was brought was television American ,,,,do they have Neflix in South America ? I will have some more questions later we are getting them together .
Thank you
Sandra

Hi there. I am not sure about Uruguay but in Brazil we do have it. I believe you can find Netflix in any capital city these days.
Good luck,

A search for 'netflix south america' gives this informative hit:

http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/05/netf … ies-withi/

Sandra,

Unless you're fluent in Spanish (or Portuguese in the case of Brazil) you should forget moving to any Central or South American country if you have a serious medical condition. If you can't communicate clearly with medical personnel you can be putting your life at risk. English is NOT spoken much in these countries, you'll be lucky to find 1 in 100 or more who could carry on even a basic conversation in English. Do you really think in an emergency situation it would be a good time to be searching frantically for an interpreter?

If that isn't bad enough, the public healthcare systems in these countries leave much to be desired. Your Medicare/Medicaid/Obamacare or whatever you may call it there these days doesn't cover you outside of the USA and territories. You'd need a private international healthcare plan, which most likely will not cover any pre-existing conditions anyway.

Unless you're content with the possibility of devoting your entire life savings and the value of any assets you may own to cover your medical costs, perhaps you should rethink your plans completely.

Cheers,
James      Expat-blog Experts Team

Can you tell me what are some of the reasons you picked the area you lived in . .?
What is insurance cost in your area ? Once you pay for your insurance does it take effect immediately right away or do we have a waiting period ?
  Do they have library in English for American ?
What does cable TV cost ?  Telephone service for some calls to US...........we have unlimited calls for one price up here please explain.  .....
Do you live by the ocean ? What is the temperature in your area ?
We have no idea what to bring and what not to bring...... We need help in this area.
Sandra & Mike
Thank you for your time helping us.

I live in Brazil, came here almost 14 years ago now. Wouldn't recommend anyone take up permanent residence in any South American country unless they've become relatively fluent in Spanish or Portuguese depending on the country. I was fluent in Portuguese when I arrived, even so it was very difficult to adapt, and I can tell you from personal experience that I wouldn't even be alive to write this if I hadn't spoken fluent Portuguese when I was hospitalized with a Miocardial Infarction. The language barrier in South American countries is the single largest reason for expats failing to adapt and returning home (usually within the first year).

I can't stress enough how important fluency will be in a medical emergency. Read the posting of one of our members in Costa Rica about her experience and how it changed her way of thinking:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=351322

Regarding telephones, again depends on the country, in some they still charge by "pulses", essentially each pulse is a specific period of minutes (usually 4) even on landline phones that you are already paying a monthly fee for. Of course long distance and international calls would be billed over and above that.

Regarding bringing one's personal belongings to any South American country, it is cost prohibitive and not advisable unless an employer is picking up the tab for shipping. Also many electronics, electrical appliances, gas appliances should not be brought anyway, since they would require the host country's regulatory agency approval for such appliances. CSA or Engergy Star approval won't protect you from the civil liability should the product be responsible for causing a fire. Insurance would not cover you and that could wipe you out financially if for example you lived in an apartment and other units were damaged or destroyed. In most countries to have such appliances approved, one would have to go through the exact same process as the manufacturer would in order to obtain approval... again very cost prohibitive. Much cheaper to buy everything new once here, again this is from personal experience.

Where I live in Brazil (Macaé - RJ) the temperatures range from a highs ranging between 80 - 90º F, with some as high as 100ºF. Low temperatures can range anywhere between 75 to 60ºF. Note that the lower figure of both ranges are winter (June) temperatures and highs are summer (Jan/Feb). It's always pretty hot here.                             

Private medical insurance plans are extremely expensive, and at least here in Brazil, they do not cover everything as one would expect. They also, generally speaking, will specifically exclude any pre-existing conditions and have a waiting period of 3 months before going into effect. Depending on the country, the public healthcare system may not cover expats at all, and even if it does it is, for the most part, pathetic when compared to North American standards.

Rather than concerning yourself with things like telephone and television, netflix, etc., I really think you should be considering important issues like your health, availablity of decent healthcare, accessibility if you have any mobility issues, and language barriers. Those other things you can live without or work around. You can't get around health issues and they should be taken quite seriously. I don't want to throw a wet blanket on your dreams and plans, but I really have to say, with all due respect, I don't see in your postings that you're focusing your attention in the right areas. This could be a very costly and life threatening mistake.

Cheer,
James   Expat-blog Experts Team

Hi. I went to Punta del Leste in mid May and temperature was around 15 C, around 59 F. It is pretty wind by the ocean the whole year through. Minimum can be arounf 37 F, 38 F and maximum around 77 F, 78 F. In Punta there is a very good Hospital I heard called Sanatorio Cantegril. It seems to be high standard. Look it up:

http://www.asistencial.com.uy/cantegril/

Punta is visited by many foreign tourists during summer and most restaurants, bars, stores, etc present their bills calculated in Euros, American dollars, Reais or Pesos. Some staff can speak some English, especially at hotels and casinos. Check this site out too:

https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-livi … a-del-este



Good luck.

James
Thank you for your information. Maybe we need to be sure the area we move to can communicate
With us for medical information. You do the best you can with serious diseases like I have. I can not live in fear about them. Sometimes when it,s your time to go it just happens. I understand that I must know what is in store for me in certain areas with my medical problems. Some areas have enough Americans in the area that medical is set up for them. My husband speaks some of the language in the area.
It is a big area down there we should be able to find a nice place to live.
One thing James is just about every place in the world they have L.D.S. Churches any one can go to them member or not and get advice for help.
Thank you
Sandra , Mike

Oh yes we have a long list of questions other than what I mentioned. The things I mentioned were just my fun questions...not really what we need to be asking. My husband is the well traveled one. He does have questions he is getting answered.
Thank you for your input.
Sandra& Mike

Hi, Sandra
IŽm Valeria, from Montevideo and I can answer your practical requests...
In Montevideo there is one library at least, Artigas Washington, pls check http://www.alianza.edu.uy/index/index.php/biblioteca
TV Cable fees goes from 25 to 100 USD p/month, it depends on the channels you want to see, or for example, to see uruguayan soccer there is a plus too... but you have several companies to make a choice.
Regarding to communication, Uruguay is a very developed country and you can find wi fi for free even at the airport. You can sign a contract with our local company and you have both regular phone   internet conexion... pls check www.antel.com.uy
They charge every international call, you can not buy them some credit to use, but you can communicate by skype with that system you mentioned.
We have 4 different seasons, Spring is here but it has been a bit cold... today we have 13ªC and windy. This is supposed to be an exception, you know, weather is changing everywhere.
In summer it can be from 19ªC to 28ª in the coast. In the countryside it can be hotter and probably reach 32/33ºC
Our winter is dry, sometimes it goes minus... -1ºC to 13ºC. You can check that in several webs.
It is true that is better if you speak spanish but in ordinary situations you will be able communicate with us, as we are in touch with tourist all the time. We are very friendly people, that is for sure. But I think you should be prepared if you have to see doctors regularly. In my experience, I used to work with finnish people and some of them got sick. The doctors I saw did not speak English fluently at all. I used to go to The British Hospital,   but I know that they request several medical examination       
I hope I helped you. Pls let me know if you have any doubt about this..
Valeria.

Thank you for your information . Your so very kind.
Sandra & Mike

Hi, You can be member of Hospital Britanico in Montevideo, you pay around 220usd each month membership as a 50year old. All speak good english!  You should live in Carrasco, near Montevideo, all expats prefer living there. See Haras del Lago with gardens and near beach and lakes.

Uruguay is home to only a few thousand USA citizens, while Mexico has over 800,000 of them.

As a result of this latter number, Mexico's proximity to the U.S., lower care costs south of the border and the large number of USA Boomer retirees .. the health/assisted care industry catering to North American Expats has blossomed faster in Mexico than here in South American countries.

Uruguay is not a low-cost country, at least by South American standards.

Given your health situation, you should consider Mexico before Uruguay.

While James is correct in stressing your Spanish-language ability, it stands to reason that you are more likely to encounter doctors in Mexico with whom you could communicate, than in distant Uruguay.

In particular, look into the healthcare/assisted care offerings in the Guadalajara, Mexico, area.

cccmedia in Ecuador

laboureuse wrote:

You should live in Carrasco, near Montevideo, all expats prefer living there.

Not all Expats have the money to live in Carrasco, a one-time seaside resort that became one of the most exclusive barrios of Montevideo.

Exclusive and expensive.

source: Wikipedia page on Carrasco, Uruguay

cccmedia

laboureuse wrote:

You can be member of Hospital Britanico in Montevideo, you pay around 220usd each month membership as a 50year old. All speak good english!

This advice is dubious.

Before you follow Laboureuse's counsel for a 50-year-old who supposedly pays $220 a month, find out what Hospital Britanico's limits and fees are for your actual age and pre-existing conditions.

Even this hospital's website claims only that "most" of its medical staff speak English .. which could be 50-plus percent, not 100 percent.

cccmedia

I am not able to understand why we cannot motivate people to come here. Language can be one of the bottleneck but not a showstopper to live here. I have made a lot of friends here and all of them speak both english and spanish. If you are a good person and can make friends, most of your problems are resolved.
We are not living in stone ages any more, there are lot of mobile apps that one can use while communicating. I am using google translate and it is very helpful. Rentals are ok depending on location. I am staying in downtown area and rentals are 14000 pesos i.e. ~500 USD per month for 2 bedroom apartment.

If you need any help after you move here,please let me know.

Ashwani gupta wrote:

I am not able to understand why we cannot motivate people to come here.

1.  URU cost of living is relatively high for South America.

2.  Uruguay is a long way from that bastion of Boomers Exiting For a Cheaper Life.

3.  Montevideo is a complete unknown for most North American retirees.  Over 90 percent of them could not pronounce it correctly if they saw it spelled out.

cccmedia

Thats what they call RUDE...

More like ignorance than rudeness.  They have more on their minds than how to pronounce the capital of Uruguay.

Well. that should not be a problem to them....they should be familiar to place with same name in US i.e. Montevideo, MN 56265, USA.

Ashwani gupta wrote:

Well. that should not be a problem to them....they should be familiar (with the) place with same name in US i.e. Montevideo, MN 56265, USA.

Although pronounced differently -- just as "video" is pronounced differently in Latin- and non-Latin American countries -- there has been a friendship between Montevideo, Uruguay, and Montevideo, Minnesota, since 1905.

According to the MN city's website, that sister-cities friendship remains vibrant today.

Every year in June, men in the Minnesota city grow sideburns and dress up as Uruguayan cowboys during the local Fiesta Days.  The Fiesta queen wears a traditional Uruguayan gown at her appearances.

This year, Uruguay's consul general came up from Chicago to see Montevideo, Minnesota, in person .. and participate in the festivities.

source... www.montevideomn.org

cccmedia