• About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Unsubscribe
No Result
View All Result
Live and Invest Overseas
FREE REPORT
BEST PLACES TO RETIRE
*No spam: We will NEVER give your email address to anyone else.
  • HOME
  • COUNTRIES
    • Top Destinations
      • Portugal
      • Panama
      • Belize
      • France
      • Colombia
      • Dominican Republic
      • Thailand
      • Mexico
      • Spain
      • Argentina
    • Browse All Countries
    • Best For
      • Retire Overseas Index
      • Health Care
      • Cost of Living
      • Investing in Real Estate
      • Editor’s Picks For Retirement
      • Establishing Residency
      • Starting an Online Business
      • Single Women
      • Playing Golf
  • BUDGETS
    • Super Cheap ($)
      • Cuenca, Ecuador
      • Chiang Mai, Thailand
      • The Philippines
      • Las Tablas, Panama
      • Granada, Nicaragua
    • Cheap ($$)
      • Algarve, Portugal
      • Medellin, Colombia
      • Boquete, Panama
      • Carcassone, France
      • Buenos Aires, Argentina
    • Affordable ($$$)
      • Abruzzo, Italy
      • Barcelona, Spain
      • Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic
      • Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
      • Costa de Oro, Uruguay
    • Luxury On A Budget ($$$$)
      • Ambergris Caye, Belize
      • Paris, France
      • Panama City Beach Area
  • Real Estate
  • ARCHIVES
    • Living & Retiring Overseas
    • Raising A Family Abroad
    • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
    • Offshore Diversification
    • Our Latest On Coronavirus ⚠️
  • Making Money
    • International Real Estate
    • Banking
    • Employment
    • Investing
  • CONFERENCES
  • BOOKSTORE
Live and Invest Overseas
  • HOME
  • COUNTRIES
    • Top Destinations
      • Portugal
      • Panama
      • Belize
      • France
      • Colombia
      • Dominican Republic
      • Thailand
      • Mexico
      • Spain
      • Argentina
    • Browse All Countries
    • Best For
      • Retire Overseas Index
      • Health Care
      • Cost of Living
      • Investing in Real Estate
      • Editor’s Picks For Retirement
      • Establishing Residency
      • Starting an Online Business
      • Single Women
      • Playing Golf
  • BUDGETS
    • Super Cheap ($)
      • Cuenca, Ecuador
      • Chiang Mai, Thailand
      • The Philippines
      • Las Tablas, Panama
      • Granada, Nicaragua
    • Cheap ($$)
      • Algarve, Portugal
      • Medellin, Colombia
      • Boquete, Panama
      • Carcassone, France
      • Buenos Aires, Argentina
    • Affordable ($$$)
      • Abruzzo, Italy
      • Barcelona, Spain
      • Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic
      • Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
      • Costa de Oro, Uruguay
    • Luxury On A Budget ($$$$)
      • Ambergris Caye, Belize
      • Paris, France
      • Panama City Beach Area
  • Real Estate
  • ARCHIVES
    • Living & Retiring Overseas
    • Raising A Family Abroad
    • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
    • Offshore Diversification
    • Our Latest On Coronavirus ⚠️
  • Making Money
    • International Real Estate
    • Banking
    • Employment
    • Investing
  • CONFERENCES
  • BOOKSTORE
No Result
View All Result
Live and Invest Overseas
No Result
View All Result

A Life Of Peace, A Life Of Freedom, A Life In Belize

Live And Invest Overseas by Live And Invest Overseas
Nov 14, 2016
in Belize, In Focus: Belize, Lifestyle
0
aerial view of the feep blue sea and colorful buildings on the coast of Belize
282
SHARES
4k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The Advantages Of Life At The End Of The World

“If the world has any ends, British Honduras [Belize] would certainly be one of them. It is not on the way from anywhere to anywhere else. It has no strategic value. It is all but uninhabited.”

–Aldous Huxley, Beyond The Mexique Bay

Huxley’s quote from 1934 holds true still today…

When I wake up in the morning from my carefree slumber in Belize, with the sun shining and the birds singing, it’s easy to think that all’s well in the world. But as soon as I turn on the television, this illusion is shattered. I realize that the tranquility and freedom I enjoy here in Belize are rare treasures today.

To understand what life in Belize is like, you must first understand what it isn’t…

Day-to-day life on this little sliver of Central America’s coastline is not a frenzied, high-paced rat race. There is no fevered, keeping-up-with-the-Jones’ competition… no need to accumulate things you don’t need to impress people you don’t like. There’s no struggle for sanity and safety as opposing factions rip society apart.

I’m not saying that everywhere else is a mess… but, I have to say, from our perspective in Belize looking out at the rest of the world, it sure can seem like it.

Some of my friends elsewhere in the world see this turmoil as the realization of their worst fears. In fear and desperation, they’re preparing for an end-of-days scenario.

That’s not a life for me…

That said, I do want to feel assured that should there be an abrupt change in our global society, my family and I are secure.

But am I going out and digging a hole to hide in with canned goods and bottled water? Will I be building a fortress to protect my family from the marauding hoards after civilization falls apart?

Nah…

I don’t need to. I live in Belize.

How does living in this little English-speaking country allow me to feel comfortable even in the face of the turmoil spreading throughout the industrialized world?

Here are nine reasons…

Belize is:

1. Off-the-beaten-path: Most of the world doesn’t know Belize exists. Until the year before I moved to Belize, 12 years ago, I had never heard of it. When I arrived, I noticed a T-shirt in a tourist shop that read: “Where the hell is Belize?” Not much has changed since then.

2. Peaceful: Belize has no history of civil unrest, and Belizeans are a peaceful people. There has never been an armed insurrection, coup d’état, invasion, or anything of the like in well over a hundred years, since long before Belize was even a country. The closest we come to an uprising happens around Christmas week when the local brewery inevitably runs out of beer. What you witness that week is about as worked up as Belizeans get.

Belizeans are so laid back they are nearly horizontal.

3. Free and tolerant: In everything from politics to stray dogs and religion to bad roads, Belizeans are tolerant. Above and beyond that, Belizeans are fundamentally all about mutual respect and freedom. They have little interest in meddling in other people’s affairs.

Belizean society embraces diversity above all else. While politicians struggle with how to codify society’s wishes, people go about their day-to-day lives practicing a civilized mutual respect and love of freedom.

4. Non-violent: Like any society, Belize must contend with crime, but Belizeans are culturally non-violent. Don’t be fooled by the sensationalist statistics or news stories. Modern-day gang influence in certain areas of Belize City creates per-capita statistics that belie the reality on the ground.

Belize is an entire country that feels like a small town. This translates to a close and intimate society, the greatest protection against radicalization of youth and the disenfranchised.

5. Resilient: Modern utility infrastructure and information technology are relatively recent arrivals to Belize, so almost everyone could easily revert to an off-line, self-sufficient lifestyle.

Electricity is not yet nationwide, and some, like the Mennonites, eschew it by choice. The current power grid has improved and is actually fairly reliable, but a large part of the population is still within a generation or two of having no electricity… so they don’t panic when the lights go out.

Water systems in most areas are still rudimentary, and it’s surprisingly common for village water pumps to break and go weeks or months without being fixed. When that happens, the villagers shrug their shoulders and grumble a bit about the current government as they pull on their boots, grab a bucket, and head to the river.

Cell phones have swept across Belize, like everywhere, so the majority of the populace is connected telephonically to some degree. I know several people without indoor plumbing who have cell phones… just one more aspect of the charming quirkiness of Belize.

If people in Belize lost access to power, water, and telecommunications for an extended period of time, they wouldn’t panic. We would not see here anything like the massive cultural upset that would occur in the 100%-plugged-in, industrialized countries,

6. Convenient: Belize is close to the United States, and flying here is easy. However, if things ever got really chaotic and flights were no longer an option, you could sail, motorboat, drive, or catch a bus to your Belizean hideaway. I have a friend who set out on horseback from Oregon to Chetumal (Mexican city on the Belize border)…

7. Food-secure: Belize has an abundance of naturally occurring food sources and a tiny population. Walk down the road in Belize and you will see mangos, coconuts, avocados, breadfruit, game animals, and more, all growing healthily in the wild… and all for the picking.

Belize has an abundance of marine and river fish, and it is a common sight to see people catching their dinner by hand-lining a hook with a wad of bread on it. Half the country is national parks where you can hunt with a license in season. In good times and bad, people can and do get their own food; they won’t need to fight you for yours.

8. Naturally comfortable: Cold weather is a natural weather cycle that Belize does not have to contend with. Living here you have no heating bills and no danger of dying of the cold and all you really need for shelter is a roof to keep the rain off your head. Though, because the warm tropical climate also means sunshine and bugs, porches and screens are nice features, too….

9. Rich in natural resources: Belize has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to natural resources, certainly when you measure them on a per-capita basis. At the same time, there is no supply of any particular natural resource so abundant that it attracts international attention.

Water, water, everywhere—and plenty of it to drink! One of the main reasons that Belize was able to support a Maya population four times the current population is because of the vastness of its riverine and aquifer systems.

Another reason is the soil fertility and expansive arable land. As a member of CARICOM (Caribbean Free Trade Organization), Belize is a breadbasket for the Caribbean.

People have been searching for utopia since Thomas Moore coined the phrase in his titular work of fiction in 1516. Most don’t realize that the word utopia is formed of Greek words meaning “no place.”

I think back to Huxley’s words: “…not on the way from anywhere to anywhere else.”

I know Belize is not utopia, but it is on the road from no place to nowhere… and that is a good place to be in today’s world. I appreciate this about Belize more every day.

Con Murphy
Belize Insider

Comments

Tags: 'Belize'con murphyexpats belizeliving belizeoff-grid belizetravel belize
Share113Tweet71
Previous Post

Ready To Move From The U.S.? Here Are Your 6 Best Options

Next Post

More And More Americans Abroad Are Renouncing Their Citizenship

Live And Invest Overseas

Live And Invest Overseas

Live and Invest Overseas is the world's savviest source for top opportunities to live better, retire in style, invest for profit, do business, and own real estate overseas. Established in 2008, the Live and Invest Overseas' editors and correspondents have more experience researching and reporting on top opportunities for living well, investing for profit, doing business, and owning real estate around the world than anyone else you'll find.

Related Posts

Belem Tower, Lisbon, Portugal.
In Focus: Europe

The Ultimate Portugal Info At Our 2021 Portugal Virtual Conference

by Kat Kalashian
April 13, 2021
0

Don’t judge a country by its food. Or, at least, not by the first dish you experience. On my first...

Read more
San Pedro Beach, Belize

What I’ve Learned From Living 6 Years In Corozal Town, Belize

April 7, 2021
View of Carvoeiro at sunny spring day, Lagoa, Algarve, Portugal.

Portugal: The Best Place To Live Is Also One Of The Safest

April 5, 2021
Bocas del Toro, Panama.

Bocas Del Toro: Calypso Life On Panama’s Caribbean Coast

April 1, 2021
Small sprout for landing in the ground in hands.

Enjoying The Benefits Of Gardening In Belize’s Cayo District

March 24, 2021
Carvoeiro,Portugal, Algarve.

Starting A New Life In Portugal With A Family

March 24, 2021
Siena, Tuscany, Italy

The Best Option For Exploring And Traveling In Tuscany, Italy

March 23, 2021
Next Post
renouncing US citizenship

More And More Americans Abroad Are Renouncing Their Citizenship

A world full of fun, adventure, and profit awaits! Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and we'll send you a FREE report on the 10 Best Places To Retire In Style Overseas Today.

Start Your New Life Today, Overseas

Get ​Your Free ​Belize Report Today!
 

​Simply enter your email address below and we'll send you our ​FREE REPORT – ​​Discover Belize: Reef, Ruins, Rivers, And Rain Forest… Plus Easy Residency And Tax-Free Living
 

how to retire overseas

LIOS Resources


  • New To LIOS
  • Ask An Expert
  • Media Center
  • Contact Us
  • FAQs

Quick Links


  • Best Places To Live
  • Best Places To Retire
  • Finding A Job Overseas
  • Real Estate

Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and get your FREE report: The 10 Best Places To Retire Overseas In 2021

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Unsubscribe

© 2008-2021 - Live and Invest Overseas - All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Countries
  • Budgets
  • Archives
  • News
  • Events
  • Bookstore
  • Newsletters
  • About Us
  • Members Area
  • Contact Us

© 2008-2021 - Live and Invest Overseas - All Rights Reserved.

WANT TO RETIRE OVERSEAS?

Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and we’ll immediately send you a free report on the 10 BEST PLACES TO RETIRE in style overseas. Each day you’ll learn about the best opportunities for international living, retiring overseas, offshore diversification and asset protection, and investing in real estate around the world.

Get Your Free ​​Belize Report Today!
 

​​Learn more about ​​BELIZE and other countries in our free, daily Overseas Opportunity Letter​​, as well as our ​In Focus: Belize ​newsletter​​​​​​. Simply enter your email address below and we’ll send you our FREE REPORT – ​​Discover Belize: Reef, Ruins, Rivers, And Rain Forest… Plus Easy Residency And Tax-Free Living
 

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.