I had an interesting offer this weekend. I won’t go into to many details yet, but I have been offered a job in Belize managing a brand new hotel/condo complex. The area is “Placentia” (sp?).
Needless to say, I don’t have any condo management experience, but I do have managment experience…there are other reasons than that as to why they wan’t me, but for now I will just say they now me as a trustworthy, capable person. It would start in more than likely around 2 years time. I don’t know much about Belize and I would appreciate info from other dopers if you know anything about the area…like culture, crime, stability, etc.
The wife and I obiously have to talk about this as it is not a decision to make overnight, but I would like to get educated as much as I can on the subject short of going down there.
I was just 20 kilometers away from Belize last year, when we passed through Chetumal (Mexico). Unfortunately, our rental cocho wasn’t allowed to leave the country.
I know Belize is an old Pirates Nest. All the cool Caribean sea robbers used to hang out there, and supposedly, it still has a bit of that atmosphere left. Also, a lot of well-off retired English people live there, since it’s a former Crown colony. I think English and Spanish are the official languages, but I might be wrong.
Belize is one of those places that has a little magic to it (to me, at least). I’d put it in the same category as other small and slightly mysterious countries like Macau, Tuvalu, Trinidad & Tobago, and the Dominican Republic.
A friend went on Honeymoon there about 4 years ago. All I recall now is that the country is a mixture of developed areas (for the tourist industry) and the fairly primitive. Some anti-American sentiment and a lot of anti-American graffiti, etc. as many locals aren’t happy about ‘exploitative investments’ (heaven forbid!) but it didn’t (then) appear to manifest itself in anything more serious. I’d check the Government official recommendations re travelling there - I’d also take what they say with a large pinch of salt.
Beautiful, a lot of jungle, poor, still fairly influenced by the UK and if things do go pear shaped (unlikely) I believe the Royal Marines, etc. still use Belize for training so some help will be at hand.
Thanks for the links. I have already checked out a couple of them. I am more interested though in what fellow dopers “know” about the area, of know through freinds/family that have been there.
If anyone has anything else to add, please keep it coming!
I am mostly curious as to things like crime, stability. I know they have a border dispute with Guatamala. Is it a serious one? How about crime? Do you have to watch your back all the time? Does it just “feel” safe?
It would start in more than likely around 2 years time. I don’t know much about Belize and I would appreciate info from other dopers if you know anything about the area…like culture, crime, stability, etc.
