The Expat Files: Living in Latin America

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A guide to moving to Latin America, finding work, and settling in.

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Friday Dec 21, 2012

The Expat Files - 12/21/12

Friday Dec 21, 2012

-Many folks have questions about those anonymous S.A. corporations we talk about occasionally here at the Expat Files. One question that often comes up is… “What if you have an S.A. corp and realize after some years that its just been laying dormant and doesn’t have any assets or money movement?” If that happens, you might feel like you’re paying for a dead horse- since you still have something like a $500 to $1500 yearly maintenance fee to keep it active and in good standing- and that's whether it has assets or not. Well here’s the dope on that score…

-After you’ve been around Latin America like me - off the tourist trail- for 20+ years- you think you’d seen all the great deals and opportunities that apply to expat living. Wrong!

I’m here to tell you that after all these years I’ve stumbled on a real game changer; a simply amazing living situation that’s absolutely unknown to any expats or first worlder’s I’ve ever known. And here I thought I was up on things!

Well, as it turns out, a few weeks ago I was startled when I heard of a most fantastic arrangement that expats and wanabees just have to hear about. And at the risk of ruining a very, very good thing, I present the first half of that story…. (the rest next week)

-I occasionally run into former illegal alien wetbacks traveling down here and visiting relatives and such(hail the conquering hero!), who are now perfectly legal in the USA (some eventually get green cards you know). Of course the ones who get green-cards can and do travel legally back and forth to their native Latin countries often come down on vacation too . Every year or so, green-card Latins lucky enough to be making making first world money up in the states, arrive back in their old dirty Latin American neighborhood bearing gifts and treats, acting the part of barrio boys who achieved the “American Dream”.

I recently ran into such a guy at a very nice but dirt-cheap all-inclusive Latin American resort. He cornered me (the only real gringo there) bragging how he now makes $60k a year while his poor twin brother in San Salvador only pulls down $4k. Now this proud and pompous guy- trying so hard to impress me with all the lame USA sports trivia and small talk he could muster- was an NYC garbage man! And the thing is, this guy was smart enough to realize a 60k salary is a king’s ransom down here (why do you think he doesn’t take his vacation in Manhattan or on Long Island?) And you know what? That makes this guy more savvy than 99.9% of all the first world Americans I know, including the highly educated ones in my own family! And here's the story on that..

- A quick update for loyal listeners; please consider joining our growing social media community. Just search for Expat Wisdom on Facebook or Twitter, and you’ll never miss a breaking report or an important expat update."

-I’ve put together a mixed media program specifically for expats and wanabees called the 'New 5 Flags'. Just head over immediately to ExpatWisdom.com and get all the details. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

-Two spots have opened up for my January Expat Wisdom seminar in Central America America. Go to www.ExpatWisdom.com to get complete details. I’m holding these two places at the same early-bird price so don’t miss out!,

-Follow the link on the main page at www.ExpatWisdom.com to schedule a 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

Sunday Dec 16, 2012

Expat Files - Seedy Bars - 12/16/12

Sunday Dec 16, 2012

EXPAT FILES SHOW #215, 12-16-2012 (SUNDAY)

-Now a few unspoken words about our favorite sometime fugitive; John Mcafee. All you’ve been hearing about his story so far are first world reports along with second and third hand stuff from so-called expat expats in Latin America - guys who are actually desperate wanabees pecking away at their keyboards in places like upstate New York. And by the way, some of these Latin expat blog authors are pretty clever- I know of one pretentious NY expat pretender who actually borrows a Guatemalan mailing address so at this mailing list “thinks” he’s down here with boots on the ground nosing around for himself! Nice touch. huh?...what some tenderfoots won’t do to get attention.

-Expats and gringos, be careful if you like to hang around seedy bars. If you do so in Latin America.. its not that you’ll be in any real danger.. but its just that because of your “gringo advantage”,every bad boy in the place will want to be your new friend. And that can be a real problem- as I’ll explain.

-The trials and tribulations of driving your car across different Latin country boarders. You may have heard that the laws and the officials are very flexible down here, well lets just say its not at all like popping over to Canada from New York for the weekend…

-You’ll find that throughout Latin America (off the tourist trail)that the “gringo advantage” is alive and well, but you’ll also find in some cases that there’s one thing that works even better and faster than that - good oldfashoned female sex appeal! Here’s a real life example… with who else but Expat Eddie!

Friday Dec 14, 2012

Expat Files - 13 Baktun - 12/14/12

Friday Dec 14, 2012

-Two final spots have opened up for my mid January Expat Wisdom seminar in Central America America. Go to www.ExpatWisdom.com to get complete details. I’m holding these two places at the same initial price so don’t miss out!

-Do you know what the Mayan phrase 13 Baktun is or means? Well, you’re not a very savvy new age wunderkind if you don’t. But that’s ok. The phrase “13 Baktun” is on a million T shirts down here, yet probably not on a single one in Cleveland. And guess what? I didn’t have a clue either, until I asked an indigenous lady with her own “13 Baktun” T shirt and a basket of tomatoes on her head (she was simultaneously holding a baby and talking on a cell phone too!).

-A few words on Health and Fitness Clubs in Latin America.You have 3 distinct classes to choose from: (1)completely first world, (2) barely mediocre, (3) and just plain disgustingly awful.

-Would it surprise you to know that I’ve been flooded with emails over my recent ahayuaska show. Seems people came way out of the woodwork to comment on that one. Some listeners described their secret desire to try it themselves while others had done so already and were dying to share their own vomitous experiences for us anonymously.

-Folks are always asking me which is the best most convenient and cost effective portable water filter- the one(s) I recommend you use when traveling and are on the move. My most recent best pick is one that J.C. from our own Expat Wisdom team has found and has given excellent reviews. Its only $25 and will purify 100 gallons (about 4 liters at only 25 cents a gallon)... that compared to the local untested/unknown bottled water that can easily cost a buck for a 500ml bottle. We’ll put up the product link on the ExpatWisdom.com website.

Sunday Dec 09, 2012

The Expat Files - Parking Meters - 12/09/12

Sunday Dec 09, 2012

-Many expat wanabees want to move to Latin America but have lingering high school and college memories of revolutions, coups, Noriega, Ortega, Castro, Colombia’s FARC and the burnt-out hulls of cars- as seen on the six o’clock news. How much has it really changed? People want to know the truth about the political situation and how safe their investments will be.

-How and why Latin governments work (err… don’t work), and how the revolving door of corrupt imbeciles in power continues unabated.

-Now for yet another blatant Latin govt. corruption angle you’ve never heard before…

-And just when you thought you’ve heard everything- here comes another astounding true story that proves beyond a doubt that expats and wanabees should have no fear of the Latin political system. And if you doubt the veracity of this particular story… there were three very reliable eyewitnesses!

-More bad news out of Argentina:. the utility companies are cutting off power to selected cities and municipal districts one by one. And its not because of brownouts or rolling blackouts. Turns out, certain bloated local govts with ever-shrinking tax bases have run out of money and have not paid their utility bills for over a year and a half! And of course the usual idiotic solution is to raise taxes and hire more govt employees. (and by the way, how delinquent can you be before they cut your power, one month maybe?)

-Actually I’ve saved the best (er,.. worst) news about Argentina for last.... did you know that Argentine import taxes are now so high that buying a common Toyota RAV4 there ($24,235 in the USA) will cost you $42,600- almost double? And don’t think you can ship a used vehicle down and slip through the tax cracks. If you ship you’ll pay 80% tax on the book value of the car plus about $3000 in shipping costs. Bottom line…regarding Argentina… the guys who've invested big bucks there ( like investor/newsletter writer Doug Casey), thinking it was an off-the-map "Galt Gulch" style paradise, are fooling themselves.

-MY JANUARY 2013 LATIN AMERICAN SEMINAR IS OPEN FOR REGISTRATION: Go to www.ExpatWisdom.com to get complete details. There may be one or two spots left, so don’t miss out.

Friday Dec 07, 2012

The Expat Files - Flashing Plastic - 12/07/12

Friday Dec 07, 2012

-Credit card lunacy in Latin America: “lag time” effect is about 20 years late on that score and down here its all about how much plastic you can stuff in your wallet (and flash around of course). Yup, down here some things never change (its all about the show)

-What you need to know about expats and credit cards in Latin America and why you might need just one card issued on a US bank (though you’ll never have to use it)

-Expats in business will have their employees working mostly on the books (legit and registered with the govt for tax purposes, etc.) However, expats will almost always have a few employees working completely off the books for cash- like your cleaning lady,gardener and maintenance guys. So here’s the scoop on the employee benefits you’ll be dishing out for both your “legit” and your “under the radar” help.

-As far as employee benefits go, the most troublesome for employers (and the one that sometimes bites them in the ass) is the so-called mandatory termination pay. Here’s exactly what expats should know about that mess.

-Many expat teachers and other professionals like engineers and geologists (and radio hosts) get offered jobs on a independent contractor basis. That way Latin employers don’t have to deal with all the govt rules and regs normally required for regular employees; like vacation pay, Christmas bonus, termination pay, taxes, pensions or social security. When expats are offered contracts like that there are some tricks you need to know to make it legal. And by the way, deals like these are almost always great for expats

-MY JANUARY 2013 LATIN AMERICAN SEMINAR IS OPEN FOR REGISTRATION: Go to www.ExpatWisdom.com to get complete details. There may be one or two spots left, so don’t miss out.

-I’ve also put together a mixed media program specifically for expats and wanabees called the 'New 5 Flags'. Just head over immediately to ExpatWisdom.com and get all the details. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Sunday Dec 02, 2012

The Expat Files - Wealthy Women - 12/02/12

Sunday Dec 02, 2012

-There’s a baby boom going on right now here in Latin America, which is why there is still a never ending stream of poor mojados (wetbacks) sneaking into the USA for their piece of the “sueno Americano”. The so called “American dream” (to be middle class first world style) is pretty much an unachievable fantasy these days- but the Latins don’t know it yet. They actually believe that 7 bucks an hour (US minimum wage) is the American dream! And why not? Since they only make a buck or so an hour in Nicaragua or Honduras, making US minimum wage is an instant 700% raise!

-You’d think that the wealthy upper 3% of Latin American women have had all the luck. Why not? They have the money, cloths, jewelry (real-not plated), bodyguards, beach houses, shopping trips to Miami, etc., etc. But there’s a dark hidden side to their lives. Its been reported that a fully 20% of them (1 in 5) live in constant fear of being physically abused by their philandering husbands. A few of these ladies are just now starting to come out of the closet on the subject, and here’s the scoop…

-A Latin guy who plays around on his wife is called a mujeriego. But did you know there is no analogous word for Latin women who cheat? However, there is a slightly derogatory term for a woman who likes to flirt- coqueta

-Food/price inflation in the US versus Latin America. By popular demand- more Latin cost of living news.

-The do’s and don’t’s of shopping at the big, chaotic, central produce market- an absolute must for expats on a budget. And believe it or not, some expats go there just because they like the energy and the buzz of the place- that giant flea market atmosphere.

-MY JANUARY 2013 LATIN AMERICAN SEMINAR IS OPEN FOR REGISTRATION: Go to www.ExpatWisdom.com to get complete details. There may be one or two spots left, so don’t miss out.

ut your situation one on one.

Friday Nov 30, 2012

The Expat Files - Moving In - 11/30/12

Friday Nov 30, 2012

-A Quick update to our loyal listeners, please consider joining our growing community on social media, just search for Expat Wisdom on Facebook or Twitter, and you’ll never miss a breaking report or an important expat update."

-More on the subject of building a house or an office, and the inevitability of your contractor trying to cut corners with or without your permission.

-Sure contractors will cut corners, and some of the cuts will be insignificant (and you can make some inexpensive upgrades when you move in). Many of these properties are still worth buying... though other shortcuts, structural in nature, are expensive future demons just waiting to rear their ugly heads. And matter how nice some places look on the inside or outside, many are lemons and not good buys at all for expats. But how can you tell? When looking to buy an existing house or building there are some telltale signs that critical corners were cut, where inferior construction lurks beneath the freshly painted walls.

-Skylights are ubiquitous in Latin America and very highly recommended energy savers, but all skylights are not created equal (nor are cement blocks either) - not by a long shot!

-While house hunting, you might just run across a stately older house with a bidet (or even two!) installed in the bathroom. Usually the bidet is not being used or used correctly and may have a potted palm growing in- it or it may have become a permanent birdcage stand. But believe it or not, a bidet in the house is a good sign that the house was well constructed and of first world quality…..

-The continuing saga of Expat Eddie- this time he tries out a nice, simple business expansion idea in a place where no gringo has gone before (what else is new?).

-A few surprises pop up in the latest news about average tax rates for individual workers (THOSE WORKING ON THE BOOKS) in various Latin Countries.

-MY JANUARY 2013 LATIN AMERICAN SEMINAR IS OPEN FOR REGISTRATION: Go to www.ExpatWisdom.com to get complete details. There may be one or two spots left, so don’t miss out.

Sunday Nov 25, 2012

The Expat Files - Goin' Electric! - 11/25/12

Sunday Nov 25, 2012

-Expat wanabees always want to know if they should bring down electronic toys and appliances like their LCD TV’s, microwaves and home theatre stuff. Or maybe they should they just buy that stuff down here. What’s the best move? If they choose to buy when they get down here, what about the merchandise selection? Can they get the same “best buy” model smartphone they saw in Consumer Reports magazine with all the bells, whistles and add ons?

-The step by step process of how an expat goes about getting electronic items, TV’s, compluters or appliances repaired down here.

-When you have an electronics or appliance repair job on your hands you can either go to an authorized repair center or to any one of the half dozen or so “hole in the wall” mom and pop appliance repair shops in your neighborhood. Here are a few things that expats need to know before they make a choice.

-Johnny gets sideswiped in a hit-and-run accident and here’s how the whole strange episode went down…

-How to deal with your car insurance company- and how they deal with gringos!

-MY JANUARY 2013 LATIN AMERICAN SEMINAR IS OPEN FOR REGISTRATION: Go to www.ExpatWisdom.com to get complete details. There may be one or two spots left, so don’t miss out.

Friday Nov 23, 2012

The Expat Files - The Obama Efffect - 11/23/12

Friday Nov 23, 2012

The Obama re-election effect in Latin America; and a few words about Latin politics in general: after all, it would be nice to know if there are any genocidal dictators in the neighborhood.

-Latins just Love Obama, but when you ask a Latin person why you get no good answer. In fact, of the 20 plus “so-called” educated Latins I’ve spoken to about this Obama love affair, none can actually name a single positive thing he’s done either. And get this; when asked who Obama is running against most just don’t know, and the rest just blurt “George Bush?”(duh?)

-Did you know that every major Latin celebrity/star like Shakira, Selma Hayak and Ricky Martin(yuk) as well as every American star with Latin blood like Eva Langoria, J-Lo, Cameron Diez, Jessica Alba and Sofia Vergara, etc., have come out gushing like idiots for Obama. In fact its quite impossible to find any Latin celeb who hasn’t drunk the Obama Koolaid.

-There has always been some confusion (with gringos and expats) about the actual definitions of the words Latino, Mestizo, Ladino, and all the dozens of various Latin American indigenous groups. And since the European/indigenous blood mix is all over the map, just who is and who isn’t “Latino” is often a good question. Allow me to throw a little more mud on the subject…

-MY JANUARY 2013 LATIN AMERICAN SEMINAR IS OPEN FOR REGISTRATION: Go to www.ExpatWisdom.com to get complete details. There may be one or two spots left, so don’t miss out.

Sunday Nov 18, 2012

The Expat Files - Earthquake Zone - 11/18/12

Sunday Nov 18, 2012

-There was a big 7.2 earthquake in Guatemala some days ago (the last big one was in 1976- 36 years ago). When it hit, I was less than 100 miles from the epicenter and on the second floor of a gringo-built structure. So what happened to me and the building itself, with an estimated force of about 6.2 on the richter scale where I stood? Absolutely nothing happened. Sure, it was a 60 second white-knuckle rock and roll but no real damage. Meanwhile very nearby, about 100 died, 2000 homes were destroyed and 20,000 people were displaced. So how do you you explain my dumb gringo luck? Nope, it wasn’t luck at all. Its like the old children’s story of “the 3 little pigs”……. I’ll huff and I’ll puff…

-A few words about high-rise residential and commercial construction in Latin American earthquake zones (practically all of Latin America is in or near one). So, if you live in a 17 floor high-rise in Panama City, Caracas or Cartagena should you be worried?

-What about those Latin American mega 6 to 8 Richter scale earthquakes- the ones we often see on the first world 6 o'clock news? Are they in any way predictable, and how often might they actually strike the average Latin American city? (You’ll be amazed)

-More discussion about GMO’s and their penetration, or lack of it, in Latin America

-Do first world product recall notices filter down to Latin America? (ha ha, don’t make me laugh)

-Did you know that airpane-like black boxes are to be installed in all new cars sold in the USA as of 2015? It will track your speed, the way you drive, your trips, stops and movements for the life of your car. What a revolting development that is; but no such thing will happen in Latin America. (another good reason to move down here).

-Recent car theft statistics in Latin America and suggestions on how you can greatly shift the the odds against theft in your favor.

-MY JANUARY 2013 LATIN AMERICAN SEMINAR IS OPEN FOR REGISTRATION: Go to www.ExpatWisdom.com to get complete details. There may be one or two spots left, so don’t miss out.