The Expat Files: Living in Latin America

-By now long time listeners know all about the “Gringo Advantage”. They know it’s especially strong the farther one gets off the gringo tourist trail. But note that when you first get down to Latin America, sometimes when that “advantage” is alive and well and working nicely in your favor.and you don’t even know it. So today we have some examples of that phenomena.-Maintaining a very low personal profile is very very difficult if not impossible when up in Hartford or Cleveland. However, you’d be amazed how easily it can be done here in Latin America. Now though it may seem ironic, in many cases the “gringo advantage” can actually help one keep a low profile!-A few things you should know about Latin ATM machines, Part 1.-RFID chips are now starting to appear on the latest Latin government ID documents: such as licenses and passports. But not to worry, as usual, Latin bureaucracies are missing some of the key pieces in the technology department.No surprise here. Guess what? So far, none of the RFID chips we have studies can actually be machine read or scanned.-New, fresh gringos and expats can get bouts of loneliness,especially if they don't know any Spanish. One way to handily conquer that feeling and make quick, long-lasting friendships is just get a cheap ($50) guitar. And if you have absolutely no talent or rhythm at all... just buy a blues harmonica in the key of “F” ( 25 bucks). And no kidding, in one hour you will be able to make some pretty nice sounds.-Follow the link on the main page at www.ExpatWisdom.com to schedule a private consultation with me. If you want to discuss the details of living, working, playing, doing business and/or retiring in Latin America, now you and I can talk about your situation one on one

- Today, another expat story proving that when you’re off the tourist trail the “gringo advantage” rides again! - Why you might not want to become an expat in Brazil: reasons #8646 through #8679. -If you decide to move to one of the handful of Latin countries that are not much recommended for expats, that doesn’t mean there aren’t some choice little paradises in those countries still left to discover. Do search them out with “boots on the ground” since you won’t discover much about these little gems on the internet…. which is actually a good sign you know. Little or no web PR is what helps make great off-the-radar destinations for expats. If that’s your goal, here are some general guidelines to help you on that search. -With Colombia getting recent high marks from the first-world travel press like the AARP, International Living and a host of retirement newsletters, its no surprise that it didn't take more than a few short years for the top big Colombian cities like Cartagena, Cali, Bogota, Medellin to become first world expensive…. that is, if you want to live in a nice neighborhood. So if Colombia’s become first-world expensive, why go there? Well maybe because its beautiful, the people are educated, the weather’s perfect and there is no Big Brother, or even a hint of oppressive government.  -We talk a lot about the so called ‘gringo advantage” but what about first-world Europeans? Do they have a kind of similar ‘European advantage” when in Latin America? You’ll be surprised to know that Latins themselves have very strong opinions- negative and positive stereotypes- regarding different European ethnic groups. So depending on the European country of origin, some folks have more of an advantage than others(socially speaking at lest).               -Follow the link on the main page at www.ExpatWisdom.com to schedule a private consultation with me. If you want to discuss the details of living, working, playing, doing business and/or retiring in Latin America, now you and I can talk about your situation one on one

-What every potential expat must know about the art and science of parking a car in Latin America:-If you have a nice late model car or have any kind of items or packages in your car, parking lots and on-street parking can be unsafe. But of course we must all go shopping and occasionally drive here and there... sometimes loaded down with computers, boxes packages and other valuable stuff. So then, what parking options and precautionary measures should one take to secure and protect items left behind when leaving a car in a public lot or on the street?-In Latin America private security guys armed with shotguns seem to be everywhere. Scary stuff, right? Well not quite. But its true that its quite unnerving for new expatswhen they see uniformed armed guards with shotguns riding along in Pepsi and water trucks.-Did you know that if you have car insurance in Latin America and are unlucky enough to get into multiple accidents, your premiums will not go up. And surprisingly enough, companies will not drop or threaten to drop a client as long as the premiums are paid … no matter how stupidly one drives. I personally know some very, very bad drivers… and even they have not tested the patience, or limits, of their car insurance companies yet.-Follow the link on the main page at www.ExpatWisdom.com to schedule a private consultation with me. If you want to discuss the details of living, working, playing, doing business and/or retiring in Latin America, now you and I can talk about your situation one on one

-Part 2 of what to expect (and what you should do) if you’re pulled over by the cops or the transit police. Note that Latin cops are generally calm and non-confrontational. All in all, when dealing with Latin cops you’ll find it’s a totally different and usually a much more relaxed and friendly experience than what you might be used to when dealing with our more edgy and confrontational cops up north.But also note that all bets are off when dealing with Mexican cops!-Want to know what happens if a gringo or expat gets nailed in Latin America on a DUI charge?-Parking games in Latin America: The unwritten rules of neighborhood on-street parking (i.e., how to get your gringo advantage clipped).-A discussion of speed limits, driving regulations,vehicle safety, and many other over-optimistic Latin fantasies.-Do Latin cops eat Latin doughnuts?-Follow the link on the main page at www.ExpatWisdom.com to schedule a private consultation with me. If you want to discuss the details of living, working, playing, doing business and/or retiring in Latin America, now you and I can talk about your situation one on one

Divorce Latin Style: in macho societies like Latin America, divorces are on a steady upswing but still much rarer than in the first-world. For one thing, its not a litigious society, and secondly the majority of people stuck in bad marriages are too poor to pay a lawyer and can’t skip work for court appearances. But most of all, divorce rates are low because women nearly always get screwed out of the assets (if any) in the process. The lady ends up with the kids, he gets his freedom and any assets he may have tucked away in the prelude to the divorce proceedings…and gets way with it. With Latin American divorces the man is almost always the winner. Even if saddled with child support or alimony, the majority of guys become fast deadbeats since there is little enforcement in that department either.-What do you know about the so-called National Police (Policia National Civil) and the other uniformed guys and gals: the Transit cops (Policia Transito)? Here’s a good primer on a subject that is certain to surprise you.-The more time you spend in Latin America the more chance you have to get pulled over at a road block by one type of cop division or other. Its inevitably going to happen so you might as well be ready for it. So what’s that all about, will they violate your rights(do they even know you have rights?). What's the best way for a gringo or expat to deal with it? Get ready for more surprises..-Follow the link on the main page at www.ExpatWisdom.com to schedule a private consultation with me. If you want to discuss the details of living, working, playing, doing business and/or retiring in Latin America, now you and I can talk about your situation one on one

-Latins have discovered Facebook, Twitter and social networking in a big way and they’re becoming addicted just like so many US folks have. Copying the bad example of privacy-ignorant first-worlder's, Latins are freely giving up all their personal data etc., to anyone, or any pop-up window that asks for personal info. They’re making all of the same mistakes first-world people make, even more so. It’s that “lag time” effect again multiplied by the strong desire to be “gringo wanabees” that's driving the Facebook craze…-Most middle and lower-class Latin bathrooms are genuinely disgusting, and to put it kindly... quite scary. Expats really need a few Latin restroom / bathroom tips to keep a sane mind. Be sure to listen to this rant if you want to avoid unspeakable colonic grief and anxiety.-Internet access with smartphones in Latin America and almost everything else you wanted to know about prepaid (non-contract) cell phones and service plans south of the boarder.-The inside track on using your Latin lawyer, and what to expect when both on and off the gringo tourist trail-Follow the link on the main page at www.ExpatWisdom.com to schedule a private consultation with me. If you want to discuss the details of living, working, playing, doing business and/or retiring in Latin America, now you and I can talk about your situation one on one

-Here’s the lowdown on what happened at the latest January 2014 Expat Wisdom seminar that finished just a few days ago. As usual we had a very intelligent highly-motivated, like-minded group, loaded with excellent ideas regarding expat businesses as well as just about anything else one could think of. Yes the seminar is over but many attendees are still down here exploring and hatching plans and incubating amazing new ideas…. again, as usual!- No matter how your mother may insist.. no one likes to carry an extra pair of underwear for emergencies, especially in a foreign land! So to avoid uncomfortable and embarrassing situations, here are some general tips to keep you smiling, happy(and regular) while on the Latin American gastronomic trail…-Have you ever wondered how the third-world video DVD and CD pirates get those great copies of first run movies sometimes weeks before they ever hit the Cineplex? Well listen to this, because the mystery has been partially solved. Even of you’ve never wondered about such things- because you’ve never seen or bought a pirated DVD up there in Milwaueke or Cleveland- here’s another interesting, convoluted and quite un-PC but true expat story that needs to be told.-Follow the link on the main page at www.ExpatWisdom.com to schedule a private consultation with me. If you want to discuss the details of living, working, playing, doing business and/or retiring in Latin America, now you and I can talk about your situation one on one

-Today we're talking Expats doing business again!I can’t tell you how many emails have come in over the years from folks with dreams of boating down to Latin America from the states and either living on that boat full time and traveling around permanently in the tropics, or docking in some version of paradise and homesteading right there. Others write and ask questions about charter boat businesses, since some want to look into that venture too. The good news is that we can kill two or three birds with one stone today as we hear from a gringo who has recently done many of those very same things himself. He not only brought his sailboat down from the states, he took it through the Panama canal locks, landed on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua, and started a successful charter fishing and sailing business there that's been in operation for about two years. Listen to this very neat and daring story.-Few people know that I had my own charter fishing business experience in Costa Rica some 18 years ago that was definitely NOT a success story. Here's how that went down and the lessons learned... -You may have heard some very strange things are happening in Venezuela right now, and none of it is looking good for the common people. That said, I sometimes get emails from contrarians reminding me that since conditions are so chaotic and frenzied, and the black market dollar exchange rate now at 1000% of the official rate, doesn’t that signal the perfect time to scout out opportunities? My answer? Its complicated and dangerous, and thanks to Chavez’s negative propaganda machine, Venezuela (NOT Cuba) is really the only Latin country where people are not warm to gringos….-Follow the link on the main page at www.ExpatWisdom.com to schedule a private consultation with me. If you want to discuss the details of living, working, playing, doing business and/or retiring in Latin America, now you and I can talk about your situation one on one

-Man expat wanabees and gonabees want to know if commonly available medicinal herbs and natural plant supplements like turmeric (curcumin) are available in Latin America too. If so, are they are imported, and thus first-world expensive or grown and produced locally. Well, lets talk about curcumin, called “curcuma” in Spanish.  -A bit about the rising popularity of diesel cars in the states and the associated costs, etc., versus buying and owning a diesel car in Latin America.   -Those Prepper TV shows from up in the states have now landed here in Latin America(translated and dubbed in Spanish of course). And the Latins don’t understand what’s up with that concept at all. They don’t get it and think the they are either nutcases or scripted actors. To Latins the world’s great powerhouse, the almighty US dollar and the so-called first-world luxury lifestyle they aspire to could never crash and burn like the Preepesr predict. Latins can't believe US citizens would never sit in the basement with jugs of water, cans of beans, and pallets of ammo.  -More creative business tips and ideas for fresh gringos and expats who need to make a living (or just need a productive hobby) once they've landed in Latin America. -Some folks who land in Latin America, have hopes of starting internet businesses. In fact, the majority of expat wanabees and gonnabees surveyed in our ExpatWisdom expat "wish list" survey expressed just that sentiment. If internet portable busineses are in your future, here’s a very good place to start…   -Brazil is now known as one of the worst markets in the world for consumer electronics items, and here’s why…     -Follow the link on the main page at www.ExpatWisdom.com to schedule a private consultation with me. If you want to discuss the details of living, working, playing, doing business and/or retiring in Latin America, now you and I can talk about your situation one on one

-Now for some straight talk about expats and US dollar bank accounts in Latin America. These days practically every large and small Latin bank offers US dollar accounts, though surprisingly enough only about one in 80 accounts are in US dollars.-A streetwise Central American money and currency primer-There are many assorted, beautiful and endangered birds in Latin America. Some businesses, restaurants, hotels and resorts have them as pets and mascots. You even see many of the endangered ones as pets in captivity. So how is that possible? Well the fact is anyone can have one or more of them in the house or garden. But don’t do it. It’s NOT recommended and there are many reasons why…-With all the bad economic news coming out of the first-world on a daily basis: job losses, cuts in hours, benefits lost… you’d think that Latins living in the states would be feeling the pinch as well. But the fact is that for the past 3 years, the remisas sent back to friends and relatives in Latin America have been on a steady increase year over year. So it seems the Latins up north are either getting hired more frequently, their earnings are up, or both. Does that make sense? I shouldn't.-Politically correct language, phrases and terms are just now beginning to creep into Latin society. Even so, us expats and gringos stumbling along in the Spanish language are generally clueless about such things- we just hope to get our basic conversational points across. But there are some hotspot PC things to be aware of.. even if they don’t make much sense to us.-Follow the link on the main page at www.ExpatWisdom.com to schedule a private consultation with me. If you want to discuss the details of living, working, playing, doing business and/or retiring in Latin America, now you and I can talk about your situation one on one

-We all know that the IRS is an agency that’s been out of control for the last few decades. The tax nazis with with their ungodly 60,000 pages of tax code will snag you if they can. It’s understandable why everyone grumbles about it. That’s why its important to know about huge tax advantages for gringos and expats living outside the USA.-Some broke, highly bureaucratic Latin countries (the “usual suspects” being Panama and Costa Rica) in their quest to be just like the big tax and spend countries like the USA have been trying to slip in their own subversive first-world style tax bills without open hearings or debates. Here’s the dirt on what’s just happened in Panama…-For some adventurous folks one of life’s great dreams is to take a cruise around the world and through the Panama canal. Some romantics even dream of taking their own boats through the locks. How might that work out in real life and how much would it cost? This will really surprise you…-Due to pressure from its citizens, Cuba is slowly opening up commerce and a limited amount of street-level capitalism. But when the government loosens the noose a bit they always seem to dole out a fair dose of pain along with the deal…. as seen by the new 2014 liberalized auto purchasing laws. Now, for the first time since the 1950's revolution, residents can buy a car without waiting years for special government permits. But the hitch is that uncle Fidel has raised vehicle taxes to a point where cars now cost about 400% of their first-world sticker price!-People often want to know how they can earn a first-world salary in Latin America. Expats who start businesses do it all the time. But some people don’t want the usual business headaches and prefer working for the man… on a first-world salary of course. Yes, it can be done but it’s not at all easy- or everyone would be doing it.-My January 2014 “Expat Wisdom” seminar is filled. For those of you who wanted in on that and didn’t sign up in time, you’ll have to wait some months and see if I’m going to do another (maybe, maybe not).-Follow the link on the main page at www.ExpatWisdom.com to schedule a private consultation with me. If you want to discuss the details of living, working, playing, doing business and/or retiring in Latin America, now you and I can talk about your situation one on one

-Whether you’re on (or off) the gringo tourist trail, certain local Latins will try to take advantage of gringos and Expats especially since we don’t know the language, customs or traditions. A Latin who does look to take advantage of people is called an “aprovechado”Now funny enough, Latins themselves are very attuned to the tricks of ‘aprovechados’ in their own neighborhoods and stay clear of dealing with them. However, we gringos often don’t realize we’ve been snookered… until some local clues us in much later. Now for a few examples..-Gringos often wonder why Latins are so short in stature. Is it genetics? Indigenous Latins are especially short…often 2 or 3 inches shorter than the average Latino (who themselves are a few inches shorter than average first-world Americans and Europeans). Why so short? Especially when Native Americans up near Minnesota and Cleveland can be quite tall. Aren’t the Indigenous tribes of Latin America from the same basic stock as their much taller cousins the Native Americans? Why the big height difference? It doesn't make sense... or does it?-If you come down, be prepared to see some pretty strange and repulsive hairdos. No, I don’t mean strange doos worn by the ladies… but by adolescent boys and young men! Try not to laugh, but Latin girls don’t like these hairdo's on their young men either. So why then do these young Latin men go in for it? A better question might be…why do young Latin men with just three miserable facial hairs proudly cultivate them? It’s the macho thing of course. It seems that the lower-class Latin boys down here do the same idiotic macho things as their undereducated Latin male counterparts do in the barrios of Boston or Cleveland.-Thinking of going to the June 2014 World Cup in Brazil?If you do, get ready for a truck load of grief… financial and otherwise.-My January 2014 “Expat Wisdom” seminar is filled. For those of you who wanted in on that and didn’t sign up in time, you’ll have to wait some months and see if I’m going to do another (maybe, maybe not).-Follow the link on the main page at www.ExpatWisdom.com to schedule a private consultation with me. If you want to discuss the details of living, working, playing, doing business and/or retiring in Latin America, now you and I can talk about your situation one on one

-Here’s an explanation why first world banks (who should know better after their poisonous contribution to the big 2008 financial and real estate blowout in the states) aremoving to, and expanding like wildfire, down in Latin America. They are contributing mightily to the huge real estate bubble that seems to be the norm in almost all mid-sized and large Latin cities. Not surprisingly, none of the locals see it coming and they keep scrambling to get in on the next inflated deal(another sign that the bubble is huge). Meanwhile the banks down here reap huge profits...-Yes, online banking has come of age with all major Latin banks but less than 5% of Latins have ever tried it. Though more than 50% of first-world folks do their banking online up north, Latins are more than gun shy about it and here’s why…-How certain gringos and expats get their Latin American business ideas off the ground.-When off the gringo tourist trail most “boots on the ground” trips never fail to produce unique and exceptional business ideas. The trick is, once a brainstorm hits, you have to strike while the fire’s hot. In other words you have to get off your duff andACT before another gringo jumps in and does it!Bottom line: You don't want gringo competition. Latin competion is ok... since its almost no competition at all. -My January 2014 “Expat Wisdom” seminar is filled. For those of you who wanted in on that and didn’t sign up in time, you’ll have to wait a few months and see if I’m going to do another (maybe, maybe not).-Follow the link on the main page at www.ExpatWisdom.com to schedule a private consultation with me. If you want to discuss the details of living, working, playing, doing business and/or retiring in Latin America, now you and I can talk about your situation one on one

-You may have heard one can buy and sell human hair on certain internet websites for $1000 plus a crack. Although I have never met a stateside person who’s actually done it, down here in Latin America I’ve meet more than a few Latin mothers who have. Nope, it’s not mother selling her own hair either.. its one of the kid’s hair that goes on the chopping block. Sure moms bribe their kids to do it. And once the little tyke with the great locks gets about 14 years old the shearing stops since there can be a fierce mother/daughter yelling match. That’s the age when a buzz cut is just too harsh and embarrassing for any female adolescent to handle…-What about the question of making money beekeeping in Latin America? The two main things certain people want to know: (1) Have the Africanized bees made it down south yet? (2) Have keepers experienced the dreaded “colony collapse” like up in the states and Europe?-Getting over the creepy crawly syndrome: When fresh gringos and new expats first get down here they are generally freaked out by the extreme closeness of nature… I’m referring to bugs, bats, snakes and all those nameless creatures you saw only on the Nature channel in the comfort of your lounge chair. But now they're outside scratching at your door!-For all of you wannabes and gonnabees with allergy meds and inhalers wondering about the allergy and asthma situation in Latin America… get ready for a real eye-opener! Considering there are jungles, forests and masses of vegetation, that means more pollen and spores- not to mention peanuts are grown and consumed all over Latin America too. How worried should you be?-My January 2014 “Expat Wisdom” seminar is almost filled. To get one of the last 2 spots available, check out the agenda and the signup details by clicking on the Latin American Seminar link on the top of the www.ExpatWisdom.com mainpage.-Follow the link on the main page at www.ExpatWisdom.com to schedule a private consultation with me. If you want to discuss the details of living, working, playing, doing business and/or retiring in Latin America, now you and I can talk about your situation one on one

-For those of you who are the high-strung nervous type, it may not be a good idea to arrive in Latin America right around Christmas time or New Year’s. Why? Because Latins are absolutely nuts about fireworks and pyrotechnics. They carry on with their own individual and occasionally massive fireworks displays at all hours and do it right out in the streets in front of their homes. Note its especially crazy starting the week of December 24thbeginning at about 12 midnight. That’s when the big explosions begin. And remember, if you’re in the city at that time its absolutely deafening!Then it continues the next day at 6pm... and the next... and the next... through New Years. So bring your earplugs or join in the craziness. -To best enjoy most types of Latin entertainment, you simply have to relax and be willing to lower your critical first-world standards. If you start to make first-world comparisons you’ll be disappointed and may miss out on a good time.-We all know that Latin America has extreme Christian influences: with 80-90% of the population claiming they are solid, church going Catholics and most of the rest of the professing to be Evangelical Christians. But you’ll never believe how deep that Christian current flows and what a strange effect it has on practically all walks of life… including popular adolescent entertainments like “Heavy Metal” music.-My January 2014 “Expat Wisdom” seminar is almost filled. To get one of the last 2 spots available, check out the agenda and the signup details by clicking on the Latin American Seminar link on the top of the www.ExpatWisdom.com mainpage.-Follow the link on the main page at www.ExpatWisdom.com to schedule a private consultation with me. If you want to discuss the details of living, working, playing, doing business and/or retiring in Latin America, now you and I can talk about your situation one on one.