Live and Invest Overseas
Belize: Reef, Ruins, Rivers, And Rainforests, Plus Easy Residency And Tax-Free Living Free Report

FREE REPORT: DISCOVER BELIZE






    We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.
    • Home
    • Countries

      Top Destinations:

      Whether you’re looking for fun and sun, a peaceful retirement, or the chance to earn some extra income, you’ve got a real world of opportunity open to you… In short, we’ve done our best to narrow down your best options, but only you can decide the right country for you.

      • Spain
      • Portugal
      • Panama
      • Belize
      • Colombia
      • Cyprus
      • Mexico
      • France
      • Montenegro
      • Browse All Countries

      Best For:

      • The Best Places To Retire
      • Health Care Abroad
      • Cost Of Living
      • Investing in Real Estate
      • Establishing Residency
      • Gun Laws In The World
      • English-Speaking Countries
      • Safest Places For Retirement
      • Best Places In Latin America
    • Budgets

      How Much Will It Cost You To Live Overseas?

      The only honest answer is, we have no idea. And neither does anyone else. The only one who can answer that question is you. Here’s the most important thing to understand about budgeting your new life overseas…

      Super Cheap

      • Chitré, Panama
      • Santa Marta, Colombia
      • Phuket, Thailand
      • Dumaguete, The Philippines

      Cheap

      • Medellin, Colombia
      • Boquete, Panama
      • Kyrenia, Cyprus
      • Hua Hin, Thailand
      • The Algarve, Portugal

      Affordable

      • Valencia, Spain
      • Cascais, Portugal
      • Las Terrenas, The DR
      • Pisa, Italy
      • La Rochelle, France
      • Mazatlán, Mexico

      Luxury

      • Ambergris Caye, Belize
      • Kotor, Montenegro
      • The Panama City Beaches
      • Paris, France
    • Resources

      Global Living

      • Living & Retiring Overseas
      • Raising A Family Abroad
      • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
      • Offshore & Diversification

      Making Money

      • International Real Estate
      • Banking
      • Employment
      • Investing

      Follow Us:

      • Meet Our Experts
    • Real Estate

      Join our Weekly Newsletter
      Overseas Property Alert

      Sign up for our weekly newsletter to receive expert insights on the best international real estate investment opportunities.






        We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.

        Buying Real Estate For Cashflow

        • Discover tips and strategies used by global property investing veterans

        Explore Our Latest Posts

        • Learn how to invest and purchase property abroad…

        Go To The Overseas Property Alert Site

        • How To Become Independently Wealthy And Fund The Lifestyle Of Your Dreams
      • Conferences

        Upcoming Events

        • Explore Our Events Site

        International Property Summit

        Caribbean Virtual Conference

        Live and Invest In Spain Conference

        PANAMA CITY, PANAMA

        June 18-20, 2025

        VIRTUAL

        July 17-19, 2025

        Valencia, Spain

        Sep. 17-19, 2025

        LEARN MORE
        LEARN MORE
        PRE-REGISTER
        LEARN MORE
        PRE-REGISTER
        • MORE EVENTS

        Contact Our Events Team

        Toll-Free U.S. and Canada:
        1 (888) 627 8834
        From Outside North America:
        1 (443) 599 1221
        Working Hours
        Monday – Friday 08:00 am – 17:00 pm EST.

        Reach us with your questions by email at: events@liveandinvestoverseas.com

      • Store

        Unlock The World

        • Access Your Library

        Overseas Havens Reports

        • Expats' comprehensive destination guides

        Conference Kits

        • Hours of coverage  from our latests conferences

        Lahardan Books

        • Titles on living and investing around the world
        • Explore Our Store
        Your passport to a life well-lived abroad

        Services

        overseas living letter offers affordable retirement guidance
        The Simon Letter Wealth Protection Insights
        Global Property Advisor Global Investment Opportunities

        Our Customer Service team is here to assist with any questions or concerns CustomerService@LiveandInvestOverseas.com

      • My Library
      Live and Invest Overseas
      • Home
      • Countries

        Top Destinations:

        Whether you’re looking for fun and sun, a peaceful retirement, or the chance to earn some extra income, you’ve got a real world of opportunity open to you… In short, we’ve done our best to narrow down your best options, but only you can decide the right country for you.

        • Spain
        • Portugal
        • Panama
        • Belize
        • Colombia
        • Cyprus
        • Mexico
        • France
        • Montenegro
        • Browse All Countries

        Best For:

        • The Best Places To Retire
        • Health Care Abroad
        • Cost Of Living
        • Investing in Real Estate
        • Establishing Residency
        • Gun Laws In The World
        • English-Speaking Countries
        • Safest Places For Retirement
        • Best Places In Latin America
      • Budgets

        How Much Will It Cost You To Live Overseas?

        The only honest answer is, we have no idea. And neither does anyone else. The only one who can answer that question is you. Here’s the most important thing to understand about budgeting your new life overseas…

        Super Cheap

        • Chitré, Panama
        • Santa Marta, Colombia
        • Phuket, Thailand
        • Dumaguete, The Philippines

        Cheap

        • Medellin, Colombia
        • Boquete, Panama
        • Kyrenia, Cyprus
        • Hua Hin, Thailand
        • The Algarve, Portugal

        Affordable

        • Valencia, Spain
        • Cascais, Portugal
        • Las Terrenas, The DR
        • Pisa, Italy
        • La Rochelle, France
        • Mazatlán, Mexico

        Luxury

        • Ambergris Caye, Belize
        • Kotor, Montenegro
        • The Panama City Beaches
        • Paris, France
      • Resources

        Global Living

        • Living & Retiring Overseas
        • Raising A Family Abroad
        • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
        • Offshore & Diversification

        Making Money

        • International Real Estate
        • Banking
        • Employment
        • Investing

        Follow Us:

        • Meet Our Experts
      • Real Estate

        Join our Weekly Newsletter
        Overseas Property Alert

        Sign up for our weekly newsletter to receive expert insights on the best international real estate investment opportunities.






          We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.

          Buying Real Estate For Cashflow

          • Discover tips and strategies used by global property investing veterans

          Explore Our Latest Posts

          • Learn how to invest and purchase property abroad…

          Go To The Overseas Property Alert Site

          • How To Become Independently Wealthy And Fund The Lifestyle Of Your Dreams
        • Conferences

          Upcoming Events

          • Explore Our Events Site

          International Property Summit

          Caribbean Virtual Conference

          Live and Invest In Spain Conference

          PANAMA CITY, PANAMA

          June 18-20, 2025

          VIRTUAL

          July 17-19, 2025

          Valencia, Spain

          Sep. 17-19, 2025

          LEARN MORE
          LEARN MORE
          PRE-REGISTER
          LEARN MORE
          PRE-REGISTER
          • MORE EVENTS

          Contact Our Events Team

          Toll-Free U.S. and Canada:
          1 (888) 627 8834
          From Outside North America:
          1 (443) 599 1221
          Working Hours
          Monday – Friday 08:00 am – 17:00 pm EST.

          Reach us with your questions by email at: events@liveandinvestoverseas.com

        • Store

          Unlock The World

          • Access Your Library

          Overseas Havens Reports

          • Expats' comprehensive destination guides

          Conference Kits

          • Hours of coverage  from our latests conferences

          Lahardan Books

          • Titles on living and investing around the world
          • Explore Our Store
          Your passport to a life well-lived abroad

          Services

          overseas living letter offers affordable retirement guidance
          The Simon Letter Wealth Protection Insights
          Global Property Advisor Global Investment Opportunities

          Our Customer Service team is here to assist with any questions or concerns CustomerService@LiveandInvestOverseas.com

        • My Library
        Live and Invest Overseas
         Free Belize Guide

        DISCOVER BELIZE

        REEF RUINS, RIVERS, AND RAIN FOREST, PLUS EASY RESIDENCY AND TAX-FREE LIVING

        Simply sign up to receive the FREE daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter plus our In Focus: Belize newsletter and we’ll immediately email you our editors’ latest research report… absolutely FREE






           

          We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.

          Home Countries Belize

          Moving To Carmelita Gardens After One Phone Call

          An Unexpected Phone Call On A Cold Sunday In Edinburgh Changed My Life Forever…

          by Louise Cooper
          May 18, 2022
          in Belize, In Focus: Belize
          0 0
          Louise, Carmelita Gardens’ architectural designer

          A year ago, asking if I wanted to join the Carmelita Gardens team as the architectural designer…

          What started as a volunteer project two years ago has since become my full-time job. Now, I get to help new members of the Carmelita community design their dream homes.

          Not only that, I get to live there, too… I pretty much have the best job in the world.

          I’m Louise. I’m from the U.K., and I’ve been working as Carmelita Gardens’ architectural designer for one year now.

          Visiting Belize For The First Time

          My introduction to the project was in 2020 when I volunteered as part of a workaway scheme. I did some traveling before I made my way to Carmelita and fell in love with Belize along the way…

          At the beginning of 2020, I embarked on a three-month trip around Central America. I flew to Cancún, Mexico, in the new year and spent a couple of weeks making my way down to Belize.

          There are many ways to get to Belize from Mexico (I’ve tried just about all of them) but on my first visit, I took the ferry from Chetumal, the closest city to the border, to San Pedro on Ambergris Caye.

          A blue sea in Ambergris Caye, BelizeSan Pedro is big, buzzing, and full of life. I took the water taxi to Sarteneja next, which was much more my scene. It’s a quiet fishing town in the north of Belize, with nothing more than a few fishing boats, waterside restaurants, and lots of wildlife. I visited a nature reserve and the manatee and monkey rehabilitation center and went horseback riding.

          Sharks in Belize to the left and a boat in a beach to the rightNext, I went Caye Caulker, which I also preferred to San Pedro. You’ll never find a place more relaxed than Caye Caulker. The motto is literally, “Go slow.”

          I got my PADI diving qualification and went diving on the reef every day. Any spare time I had I spent with the dogs at the local rescue center or sipping cocktails on the split.

          Several pictures incluing a man sitting next to dogs, a hammock with a dog, a green smoothie next to a blue sea, and a person scuba divingAfter a week of island life, I headed for the Belize mainland. I took the chicken bus from Belize City to Hopkins. These buses are cheap, easy to navigate, and a great (if sometimes sweaty) experience. I never went a whole journey without someone striking up a conversation with me.

          In Hopkins, I experienced Garifuna dancing and food for the first time, as well as lazing on the beaches and visiting a bioluminescent lagoon. Belize is small but home to many cultures and people, plus all sorts of landscapes.

          A man in a beach in Blize to the left and people sitting down playing instruments to the rightFinally, it was time to head to Carmelita to slow down for a month… or so I thought. I took the bus to San Ignacio, met some great people, and was picked up by Alisa from the Carmelita team for my workaway.

          Within a few days, I’d met my fellow volunteers as well as Phil, Carmelita residents, and half of Santa Familia. The walk from the village where I was staying to Carmelita got longer every day, as I’d stop and chat to people along the way.

          The more time I spent at Carmelita, the more I felt like I was becoming part of a big extended family. I did all kinds of jobs, from watering vegetables to painting fences…

          Within a couple of weeks, we were cooking lasagna for tour groups and hosting housewarming parties. By the end of the month, I had started an exciting design project with Phil after we connected about our architecture studies.

          Several pictures including Louise with horses, a cat sitting on top of Carmelita Garden's blueprints, and a snack of carrots and cucumbers

          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






            We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.

            In my spare time, I swam in the river around Carmelita and went to San Ignacio, exploring the food scene and local attractions. I took a few days off to visit Flores and Tikal in Guatemala.

            The month I spent at Carmelita Gardens was busy, full of fun, and heartwarming. No two days were the same, and it flew by… I fell in love with Belize and enjoyed everywhere I visited, but San Ignacio stood out. It felt like home.

            Leaving to catch my return flight to the U.K. was bittersweet. I didn’t think I’d be back any time soon, if ever again…

            Images of Belize's landscapes including a forest and a lakeI just about made it home to Edinburgh before lockdown set in. Phil and I kept working on our design project remotely. I also went back to university to get a master’s degree in interior, architectural, and spatial design. A lot of it was based around urban planning and building communities, which had strange parallels to Carmelita.

            Then, on a random Sunday in April 2021, I got a call from Phil asking if I wanted to move to Belize and officially come onboard the Carmelita team. It didn’t take long for me to make a decision.

            For the next few months, I worked part-time on Carmelita projects while I finished my master’s.

            My New Life In Belize

            After graduating in August 2021, I went full-time with Carmelita Gardens, and by November, I was living on-site.

            Architectural model of Carmelita Gardens, BelizeFrom the moment I arrived, we’ve been busier than we ever anticipated. We had over 20 projects in the pipeline: some in the concept stage, some in drafting, and some starting construction.

            On weekends I still explore Belize, spending time in Belize City, Placencia, and San Pedro. I also go to my favorite place, Mountain Pine Ridge, less than an hour from Carmelita Gardens.

            Belize has a lot to keep you busy, and there’s still more on my must-see list…

            It’s been a year since I officially started working for Carmelita Gardens, and I can’t believe how much we’ve achieved and how much is coming. I spend my days designing beautiful homes for lovely people from all over the world.

            No two designs are the same, which keeps my job interesting and enjoyable. I’ve expanded my knowledge through working with local draftsmen, engineers, and building crews, not to mention Phil.

            We’re now starting work on the civic buildings, which will develop the community even further. It’s an exciting time for Carmelita. The community will look completely different in another year’s time.

            Louise Cooper
            Belize Insider

            Tags: 'Belize'Carmelita GardensExpats in Belizelife in belizelive in carmelita gardensLiving in BelizeMoving to Belize
            Share111Tweet61
            Louise Cooper

            Louise Cooper

            Louise Cooper is a British architectural designer with a master's degree from the University of Edinburgh. For the last year she has been designing homes for Carmelita Gardens, a sustainable riverfront community in San Ignacio, Belize. She discovered and fell in love with Belize during a three-month trip around Central America in 2020. Louise has now spent six months living in the country taking projects from concept to construction at Carmelita Gardens. She is a keen traveler and splits her time between San Ignacio and Europe, where she continues to work remotely on the project.

            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.

            We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.
            Our Expertise Unlocks The World

            quick links

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

            LIOS Resources

            • New To LIOS
            • Ask An Expert
            • Media Center
            • Contact Us
            • FAQs
            the 10 best places to retire in 2025
            Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and get your FREE REPORT: The 10 Best Places To Retire Overseas In 2025






              We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.

              As seen in

              US Media Logos

              © 2008 – Live and Invest Overseas™ – All Rights Reserved.

              About Us / Contact Us / Privacy Policy / Terms / Unsubscribe
              Facebook-f X-twitter Youtube Linkedin-in Instagram

              Welcome Back!

              Login to your account below

              Forgotten Password?

              Retrieve your password

              Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

              Log In

              Sign up to receive the FREE daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter and we’ll immediately email you our editors’ latest research report…

              BEST PLACES TO RETIRE 

              FREE REPORT:






                We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.

                Sign up for FREE and learn how to live the good life on a modest budget, find bargain property, and more. Plus, check out our free report on the 10 BEST PLACES TO RETIRE.

                RETIRE OVERSEAS AND LIVE LIKE ROYALTY






                  We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.
                  HOME

                  Top Countries

                  • Spain
                  • Portugal
                  • Panama
                  • Belize
                  • Colombia
                  • Cyprus
                  • Mexico
                  • France
                  • Montenegro

                  Best For:

                  • Health Care Abroad
                  • Retirement Living
                  • Cost Of Living
                  • Investing in Real Estate
                  • Establishing Residency
                  • Gun Ownership
                  • English Speakers
                  • Safety
                  BROWSE ALL COUNTRIES

                  Budgets

                  How Much Will It Cost
                  To Live Overseas?

                  Super Cheap

                  • Chitré, Panama
                  • Santa Marta, Colombia
                  • Phuket, Thailand
                  • Dumaguete, The Philippines

                  Cheap

                  • Medellin, Colombia
                  • Boquete, Panama
                  • Kyrenia, Cyprus
                  • Hua Hin, Thailand
                  • The Algarve, Portugal

                  Affordable

                  • Valencia, Spain
                  • Cascais, Portugal
                  • Las Terrenas, The DR
                  • Pisa, Italy
                  • La Rochelle, France
                  • Mazatlán, Mexico

                  Luxury

                  • Ambergris Caye, Belize
                  • Kotor, Montenegro
                  • The Panama City Beaches
                  • Paris, France

                  Resources

                  Global Living

                  • Living & Retiring Overseas
                  • Raising A Family Abroad
                  • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
                  • Offshore & Diversification

                  Making Money

                  • International Real Estate
                  • Banking
                  • Employment
                  • Investing
                  Meet Our Experts

                  Real Estate

                  Overseas Property Alert 

                   

                  How To Become Independently Wealthy And Fund The Lifestyle Of Your Dreams

                  VISIT SITE

                  Buying Real Estate For Cashflow

                   

                  Discover tips and strategies used by global property investing veterans

                  READ MORE

                  Explore Our Latest Posts

                   

                  Learn how to invest and purchase property abroad…

                  EXPLORE

                  Conferences

                  INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY SUMMIT

                  PANAMA CITY, PANAMA June 18-20, 2025
                  LEARN MORE

                  CARIBBEAN VIRTUAL CONFERENCE

                  VIRTUAL July 17-19, 2025
                  LEARN MORE
                  PRE-REGISTER

                  Live and Invest In Spain Conference

                  Valencia, Spain Sep. 17-19, 2025
                  LEARN MORE
                  PRE-REGISTER
                  MORE EVENTS

                  Contact Our Events Team:

                  Toll-Free U.S. and Canada:
                  1 (888) 627 8834

                  From Outside North America:
                  1 (443) 599 1221

                  Working Hours
                  Monday – Friday 08:00 am – 17:00 pm EST.

                  Reach us with your questions by email at: events@liveandinvestoverseas.com

                  Store

                  Overseas Havens Reports

                  • Expats' comprehensive destination guides

                  Conference Kits

                  • Hours of coverage  from our latests conferences

                  Lahardan Books

                  • Titles on living and investing around the world

                  Services

                  • Overseas Living Letter: Affordable Retirement Guidance
                  • The Simon Letter: Wealth Protection Insights
                  • Global Property Advisor: Global Investment Opportunitites
                  VISIT OUR STORE

                  Free Report

                  THE 10 BEST PLACES TO RETIRE IN 2025

                  FREE REPORT: The 10 Best Places To retire in 2025

                  Sign up to receive the FREE daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter and we’ll immediately email you our editors’ latest research report…






                    We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.

                    LIBRARY

                    Follow Us:

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