"Why Belize?"
People always ask me, "Why do you want to move to Belize?"
This seems like a reasonable question, especially since I haven't yet visited the country. How can I decide upon which country I want to pick up and relocate to if I haven't experienced it at all?
Back when I was attending Brandon University, I had a professor who spoke very highly of Belize. He and his wife had visited and loved it so much that they bought a house and spent a couple of months there each year. He stated how friendly everyone seemed to be, how easy it was for them to purchase property and live for so long there, as well as the reasonable cost of living for two months at a time.
What appeals most to me about Belize is it's lack of tourism to date. I know some people visit, and tourism is increasing within the country, but for the most part, I don't hear of many people choosing to visit it. Upon researching Belize, the population of the entire country is spread out within various small, rural towns, with a larger concentration around Belize City. However, their entire population is roughly the size of a small city in North America - around 350,000. I love the idea of not being crowded, and of potentially still being able to purchase property right on the beach, overlooking the Caribbean Ocean. My dream is to one day own a home right on the beach, where I can spend every evening staring out to sea, loving the warm breeze and feeling enveloped by the darkness that is spattered with distant lights. To me, that's magic.
The tourism in Belize interests me, however, because what I would love to do would be to operate a bed and breakfast and cater to people who haven't yet realized the wonder and beauty of this country. You won't find many all-inclusive resorts here, and I think this scares a lot of tourists into avoiding countries like Belize, Ecuador, Costa Rica and Nicaragua. However, if I could operate an establishment that proves to people they can be safe, eat healthy food, and have locals watching out for their well-being to ensure they fall in love with the area, I think it would begin to attract more tourism to the country. And one thing I learned doing some research on Belize, their government wants people who are eager to invest in their country!
Some other benefits to Belize include its natural playground - the attractions are abundant. You can visit the jungle, explore virtually untouched Mayan ruins, and scuba dive along the world's second largest barrier reef all from within Belize's boundaries. This is where the Blue Hole is located, attracting divers from across the globe. People speak English, so learning another language wouldn't be necessary (though I'm disappointed I wouldn't be forced to). Food is fresh and people are naturally drawn to the healthy, abundant options of fresh fish, fruit, and locally grown meat and vegetables. I would love to have a little garden and chicken coop behind my B&B to offer fresh food to my guests! And maybe Bryan can learn to fish...
People relocating to Belize can declare permanent residency in as little as 2 weeks of staying there, and buying property is apparently quite easy. Property prices are not as cheap as in other Latin American countries, but they are still affordable in wonderful locations. Apparently Belize has a strong banking system that strives to protect customers' privacy and security. And, I read somewhere, a couple can comfortably live off $1000 per month. If my 'plan' for continually renting out my paid-off condo for $1500 a month does work out, I am set!
Of course, while doing this research, I came across some negative 'reviews' about the country, so I know I need to visit there myself and perhaps talk to some expats who have been there awhile. Not everyone will have a great experience, but it seems like, overall, Belize is a safe, easy country to relocate to one day.
Hopefully in 2015 now (as 2014 is almost full for vacations), we can visit Belize for a few weeks to explore and find out as much as we can about the areas where tourism is booming. I know Bryan is set on Costa Rica, so I'll visit that country to check it out as well, but who knows? I'll keep an open mind.
There - this should help answer the question, "Why Belize?", just a little bit more.
This seems like a reasonable question, especially since I haven't yet visited the country. How can I decide upon which country I want to pick up and relocate to if I haven't experienced it at all?
Back when I was attending Brandon University, I had a professor who spoke very highly of Belize. He and his wife had visited and loved it so much that they bought a house and spent a couple of months there each year. He stated how friendly everyone seemed to be, how easy it was for them to purchase property and live for so long there, as well as the reasonable cost of living for two months at a time.
What appeals most to me about Belize is it's lack of tourism to date. I know some people visit, and tourism is increasing within the country, but for the most part, I don't hear of many people choosing to visit it. Upon researching Belize, the population of the entire country is spread out within various small, rural towns, with a larger concentration around Belize City. However, their entire population is roughly the size of a small city in North America - around 350,000. I love the idea of not being crowded, and of potentially still being able to purchase property right on the beach, overlooking the Caribbean Ocean. My dream is to one day own a home right on the beach, where I can spend every evening staring out to sea, loving the warm breeze and feeling enveloped by the darkness that is spattered with distant lights. To me, that's magic.
The tourism in Belize interests me, however, because what I would love to do would be to operate a bed and breakfast and cater to people who haven't yet realized the wonder and beauty of this country. You won't find many all-inclusive resorts here, and I think this scares a lot of tourists into avoiding countries like Belize, Ecuador, Costa Rica and Nicaragua. However, if I could operate an establishment that proves to people they can be safe, eat healthy food, and have locals watching out for their well-being to ensure they fall in love with the area, I think it would begin to attract more tourism to the country. And one thing I learned doing some research on Belize, their government wants people who are eager to invest in their country!
Some other benefits to Belize include its natural playground - the attractions are abundant. You can visit the jungle, explore virtually untouched Mayan ruins, and scuba dive along the world's second largest barrier reef all from within Belize's boundaries. This is where the Blue Hole is located, attracting divers from across the globe. People speak English, so learning another language wouldn't be necessary (though I'm disappointed I wouldn't be forced to). Food is fresh and people are naturally drawn to the healthy, abundant options of fresh fish, fruit, and locally grown meat and vegetables. I would love to have a little garden and chicken coop behind my B&B to offer fresh food to my guests! And maybe Bryan can learn to fish...
People relocating to Belize can declare permanent residency in as little as 2 weeks of staying there, and buying property is apparently quite easy. Property prices are not as cheap as in other Latin American countries, but they are still affordable in wonderful locations. Apparently Belize has a strong banking system that strives to protect customers' privacy and security. And, I read somewhere, a couple can comfortably live off $1000 per month. If my 'plan' for continually renting out my paid-off condo for $1500 a month does work out, I am set!
Of course, while doing this research, I came across some negative 'reviews' about the country, so I know I need to visit there myself and perhaps talk to some expats who have been there awhile. Not everyone will have a great experience, but it seems like, overall, Belize is a safe, easy country to relocate to one day.
Hopefully in 2015 now (as 2014 is almost full for vacations), we can visit Belize for a few weeks to explore and find out as much as we can about the areas where tourism is booming. I know Bryan is set on Costa Rica, so I'll visit that country to check it out as well, but who knows? I'll keep an open mind.
There - this should help answer the question, "Why Belize?", just a little bit more.
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