LIVING IN BELIZE – “Why Your First 6 Months in a New Country is Still the Research Phase” – 1/26/12

by Sharon Hiebing | January 26th, 2012

Two times in the last week I have been told by expats who recently relocated to Belize that they are going back home.  Both had been living here about 5-6 months. What most people don’t know is that this happens more than you think.

A very astute expat friend of mine, who also ended up not liking Belize, recently told me, “When you travel and/or relocate, remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable.”

Herein lays the rub for a lot of expats. Even though you think you want an adventure; even though you are thoroughly fed up with the country where you live; even though you want to downsize and simplify your life; even though you want a better climate or to be closer to nature; even if you want all those things and more, if you end up having a hard time adjusting to the way things are done in your new country of choice, all of the good will not be able to outweigh the bad.

One of the people that is leaving told me, “I could tell you ten things about Belize I love, and ten things about Belize I hate.” Truthfully, couldn’t we all, no matter where we live? But the bottom line is, if you’re not happy, no matter where you are, then you shouldn’t stay.

For me, I’m ten times happier here in Belize than I ever was in the States. There’s so little I really miss about my life there, and so much I’m grateful for about my life here. However, that’s me. If someone doesn’t like living in Belize, it doesn’t make them bad, or Belize bad. It just is what it is.

So, for those of you who follow me closely, this is why I preach about some of the things I do, because the dirty little secret is, relocating to a new country doesn’t always work out. This is why my slogan is “Relocate Without Rose-Colored Glasses.” I try to give a brutally honest portrayal of Belize to anyone who works with me, prior to arriving, so they at least won’t have significantly jarring surprises.

It’s  also why I recommend that you wait six months to one year before doing certain things:

  1. Buying property.
  2. Buying a business.
  3. Shipping your belongings.
  4. Major purchases (vehicle, for instance).

There are plenty of people who have done these things, and it has worked out for them. But there’s just as many that are now trapped here, miserable, because they didn’t think they’d be one of those people who couldn’t hack it.

I personally believe that the first six months to a year that you live in a new country, you are technically still in the Research phase. That may sound odd, but it’s true. You are learning so many new things, getting used to how things work, developing a routine, and basically determining if the country measures up to everything you thought it would.

So in case it doesn’t, having an exit plan that doesn’t involve you losing a lot of money or being trapped is always a prudent move. I’m really going to miss the folks that are leaving, but wish them nothing but the best, and I hope they find happiness wherever in the world they end up.

Do you ever wonder about all the people that don’t make it – what went wrong? And more importantly, what are you doing to make sure it doesn’t end up being you?

  • Brian

    Sharon, great post.  Would you mind sharing what reason(s) pushed the people you mentioned over the edge to return home, i.e., some of the ten things about Belize they hated after 5-6 months that outweighed the things that they liked?

  • Sharonhiebing

    Thanks, Brian! The person I referred to didn’t actually go on to list the ten things they liked or hated. Overall, that person was frustrated by the lack of services and/or goods here and the treatment of pets. I could probably fashion a post one day in the future that answers that question tho – stay tuned… Sharon

  • Brian

    Thanks Sharon.  I guess that’s a downside to slowing one’s life and downsizing:  the instant gratification we get used to in some parts of the US doesn’t exist everywhere.  Would like to see your thoughts posted about that someday.  Also, while it may not be your target audience, would like to see a post about families with small kids moving to Belize and how they handle such a move, especially finding quality education… Brian

  • Alan Slater

    A good post Sharon and I agree with Brian, that it might assist future people, if they heard why other people were turned off. I, personally, would never move without extensive research and spending a full year in any place. This allows one to see the changes in season, as well as the day to day living and seasonal costs etc. I think a lot of people look at the sunny aspects of a place and assume that Walmart and Home Depot, are automatically just a stone’s throw up the road, or their equivalent, because everywhere they go, it is so. Other people can not relax and enjoy simple living, even though they think they would. Moving to another country is not a thing to be done lightly.
    Alan S.

  • Sandy A.

    I would say that a lot of the people that want to move back to wherever they came from didn’t visit or stay here on a “try-out” basis long enough. Belize masquerades as a more developed country in a lot of people’s eyes just because English is the standard language. However, there is where the similarity ends. 
    Also, people who have never been to other countries (particularly in Central america) other than on a cruise or to some all-inclusive resort are ones who have a hard time. 
    Even though we are not here all the time yet, I am glad that we are “easing into it” as snowbirds for now. I have lived in other countries, even developing countries, but each country is different and each one has it’s own idiosyncracies. 

  • Sharonhiebing

    No, Alan, indeed it is not.

  • Sharonhiebing

    Hey Sandy. The two folks in question had visited Belize quite a few times, actually, and at least one had done extensive travelling, especially to 3rd world countries (he was a merchant seaman). The thing is, every person is so different. Even if you have all the travel experience in the world, you may not like it here. I guess that’s why I try to caution people to “ease” into it. Then if they hate it, they haven’t invested too much or locked themselves in so that it’s hard to get out. And you are so right about each country being different! Thanks for your perspective! Sharon

  • http://profiles.google.com/emilys7 Emily Smith

    Great post, Sharon, and excellent advice!

  • Sharonhiebing

    Thanks, Emily!

  • Susieleasure

    Love this post, Sharon!  Even though we decided to move here for 6 months, rather than just visit, we still are just renting, have no car, left the belongings that we didn’t sell in storage in Houston, and pretty much are open ended.  Besides, you can’t judge a country even by one area…San Pedro is different from Cayo, Corozal or Placencia.  Anyone who wants to make a success of moving to Belize must be adventurous, tolerant and patient, and willing to leave behind their home country thinking and attitude.  Expats are the visitors and newcomers and can’t expect to change the new country!  We just need to be flexible and go with the flow.  Whether or not Belize is for us remains to be seen, but we are just appreciating each day for what it is and living life! 

  • Sharonhiebing

    Thanks, Susie! I think you are doing things just the right way. I’m sure whatever happens, you’ll be real happy :)

  • Anonymous

    I imagine for you, just more than a few things have gone your way. One is that you seem to keep busy with a variety of something every day.  Another is that your growing business is successful. One other might be that you found someone who meets you needs and is a native Belizean.

    I’ve noticed that a few of your issues are about some of the weather conditions and that goods and services are sometimes different than you had been used to.  But, you will adjust to those over the next year or so.  Also, you’ve chosen to place a higher value on the “ten things” you love verses the “ten things” you hate.

    It has probably gone against some of the couples because neither is from Belize and also possibly because they’ve had to put up with some of the boredom of daily life after the initial “newness” wore off.  One can only golf and water ski so many times a week.

    Like you, I’d found a whole new world once I befriended the natives. They’ve had offerings of culture, habits, style and even their own memories to impart upon me.  That alone has been a fascinating and upbeat input to my life’s experiences.

    In a previous blog you asked about how much time one would consider “living” in a new place.  I answered that sorta’ okay, but without thinking it through.  To me, living somewhere for a year is ideal because it lets you experience all of the seasons, all of the weather changes, getting a driver’s license and tags, using public transportation, traveling across the country, paying rent, handling different money, eating differently, etc.  I’ve lived in places for several years or been to places repeatedly and still hadn’t experienced all that they had to offer.

    Oh, and one other thing; some people just won’t adjust to anywhere they live.  They couldn’t wait to leave home after high school and then spend their lives being uncomfortable everywhere they go.  I feel sorry for them.

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