My husband and I want to escape with our kids and I love the idea of Belize (warts and all). I teach English in the States. Not ESL, but literature and grammar. I'm wondering how hard it would be to get a teaching job there? I don't have to teach, though. I have experience waitressing and bartending. I've also owned a "Batural Parenting" kind of maternity and baby store. My husband owns a cigar shop here but wants out. How hard/easy is it for Americans to find work suitable for supporting a family?

Also, we have three kids and will have a fourth wee one around the time we are looking to leave. What do people do for childcare? The oldest two will be school aged (5 and 8), the third will be four, and a baby. I'm thinking maybe we can just work alternate schedules? What is the general situation there for families with young kids?

Have you been to Belize? In general wages are low and it is difficult to get a work permit. I have heard but do not know for sure that Belizians are prefered for teaching positions. You probably could not live on what a teacher makes. Your expenses are not going to be low if you want to live on Ambergris caye. If you have a good size nest egg and want to start a business, it seems to work out. With your own business you can get around the work permit issue. There is Bookstore for sale, at what seems like a reasonable price. Just an idea.
The other consideration is you will not have the level of medical care in Belize that you are use to. All that said I love Belize and so do most the folks who post here, but most boarders make their money in the States or Canada and spend it in Belize. Don't dive till you test the water.

On the medical side, you may not be able to get what you get in the States but what you can get is very good and costs a miniscule amount of what it would in the US. Would you believe surgery and an overnight stay in hospital for $200BZ (not kidding.)

and at a very nice dentist office just like in the US xrays, root canal, and a crown for $415 US.

Is that at the new dentist office in San Pedro?

DR. ARDEN WAYNE USHER in Belize City.
227-4999. I HIGHLY recommend him. He is excellent, walked me through everything he was doing keeping me as cool as I could be.

Thanks KE, I may need a dentist. What happened to Topelo?

Cindy accepted an offer on the bookstore yesterday btw... I had emailed her about it.

Ke, what do you do on the island? In other words how do you make a living?
(I was just curious of how transplants are able to stay).

Indy, glad I could help. By the way, I go by my new name now. Feel free if to pm me if you have other questions...