Immigrating once is hard enough, but Nina- I’ve dubbed her a professional immigrant- has done it time and time again. A true global citizen! She’s a Colombian-American who’s lived all around the world and now calls Belize “home.” Let’s here from her on her ex-ex-ex-ex-expat life and how Belize compares to other locales… has she finally found the Goldilocks country that is just right for her?
When and Why did you move to Belize?
I moved to Belize in 2019, because when it came time to search for a place to go with my partner, I was too lazy to do the work and he came up with the idea almost immediately. He didn’t tell me at the time, but he did a bit of research about how hard and how expensive it would be to move to Belize, and he knew that for me going back to living in the Americas had a draw as it would bring me back to being on the same schedule as my family for the first time in over 10 years. Then he told me about Belize, said it was good for him as they spoke English, the cost of immigrating was not astronomical, and both our passports had easy access. So the decision was made.
Central America is one of the areas of the world I have not spent a lot of time in. I did a few tourist trips to Panama, and lived in Honduras as a child, but not a real immersion. So, this was my chance to have a home base in Central America, and take the time to explore the surrounding areas. This last part obviously has not really happened over the last few years (pandemic), but I have been able to get to know Belize very well. I know how to get around all over the country, and I have seen all the things and done all the adventures I once dreamed of. In the next few years it will be all about the rest of Central America (and yes, I am counting Mexico in this because it’s close to Belize).
Where else have you called home?
I have lived in Miami, Colombia, Brussels, Buenos Aires, Singapore, Spain, Kauaii Hawaii, Japan, England, Honduras, and Ecuador.
How does the immigration process in Belize compare to others you’ve gone through?
It is frustrating, the lack of computerized systems and accountability for timelines makes the process very frustrating, not to mention the fact that there is very poor job process training and a total lack of customer service training for most government employees. All this is said with the total understanding and compassion for the fact that Belize is a developing country and one that is trying to make strides to fix its issues, in the future this may all be better, and it was not enough of a deterrent for me to give up, this is just my opinion based on having done similar processes may times in many different countries.
I have applied for and been granted Long Term Residency in 5 different countries. Some countries were what you call Developed nations, but that alone did not mean it was easy. You have everything from the super effective automated process that allows easy transition from one step to the next, as well as closed systems where the applicant is not privy to any information at all. In some less-developed nations, the process may seem more frustrating because simple quivering information is hard, but then there are other benefits like the fact that you might know someone that can guide you.
Each country has a unique way in which it handles its own bureaucracy, in the end when you are asking for permission to stay in a country you need to make every effort possible to follow all the laws, to be an exemplary citizen, a person that will actually be an asset to the country you are choosing to join. Be informed, have what you are required to have, but also be willing to show more proof that you are deserving of the status you are requesting. In the end remember, YOU are the guest, act like one.
What are your pros and cons of life in Belize compared to elsewhere?
Belize has all the cons of a small developing country and has the added challenge of being a very small country with a small GDP. It is hard to get a lot of “things”, lack of local industry means high prices for most things as most things are imported, no industry also means that the country needs to make the money where it can, and that is taxing everything you want to bring in, lack of infrastructure, lack of public spending, a small footprint in the word economy means less attention from airlines, musicians, sporting events, and other forms of entertainment that will surely be lacking.
Some of the Pros, Belize is a small country! You can travel the whole country in a matter of hours, you can visit different places and see everything in a short amount of time. Belize being a small country with a small population means you actually get to know people, even in places that you don’t live in. I am amazed every day that in my short time here I actually have a network of friends in almost EVERY major City, Town, and Village, I can’t claim that anywhere else.
Another pro and probably my favorite is that there is SO much still to be done and figured out, if you are the kind of person that enjoys the challenge of figuring out how to make things work within the framework of a government or society then this is the place for you. Belize has grown in leaps and bounds, but having done so very fast it has left major holes that are just waiting to be filled in. And so the best advice I can give anyone that is interested in coming here and making a life is, Do Your Research. Don’t come here to do the same thing, don’t think that you can do something better than the guy that is already doing the same thing, not because you can’t, but because he is already doing it, and there are other things to do.
Be imaginative, be willing to take a risk and do something different, really different, not just another version of!
Do you have another move planned or is Belize your “forever home?”
This is a question I can never answer, every place I have lived has pulled me to stay for one reason or another, and at the same time pushed me out when it was time to go. I don’t know if Belize is forever, but is it my home for now.
What tips or tricks would you give to someone contemplating a move abroad?
1. Take ALL your personal documents properly copied and legalized.
2. Familiarize yourself with the proper legalization process for documents, this is especially important if going to developed countries.
3. Read the Law, ignorance of the law does not absolve you for the crime. It is YOUR responsibility to be informed.
5. If you even hear yourself saying “well, back where I am from this is how it is” slap yourself, put a dollar in the swear jar, and change your mind set. If you want it to be like where you came from then GO BACK!
6. Embrace the incomprehensible, frustrating, quirks of the place you chose to live, make all those things that cause you stress a trigger for smiling, being kind and digging deeper to get what you want. It is only by overcoming the adversities through integrations that you will make it and be happy on the other side.
