Hmmmm? Been there...done that....so here's both sides of the coin.
What did I miss from the states when I lived in Belize?
1)Walmart...no such thing as "one-stop" shopping in Belize.
2)Home Depot...and the endless supply of home improvement and gardening supplies!
3)Family
4)Good, cheap communications...phone, internet, etc.
5)Grocery stores...specifically cheap deals on food and variety...esp. the meat departments. By the way....a good size Turkey in Belize will cost you about $60 BZ. I'm used to $.12 a pound....LOL
6)A good place to get cheap clothes and shoes...bring enuff with you to last a while...or until you think you will be able to make a trip back for more. Remember to plan your trip back in the summer so you can get stuff you need on the island. Don't forget good towels and sheets too...hard to come by there.
7)Square footage.....they don't believe in square footage for housing in Belize. We Americans are spoiled in that aspect. Most Belizeans all live together under one roof...the whole family!...and usually in the space of a few rooms. Obviously...privacy is not high on the priority list...LOL You can have space...but it will cost you.
8)Good, competent medical care....Debbie is right....you will never know how important this is...until you are put in that position...God forbid.
9)Good emergency services....Police, fire, Coast Guard and Emergency Management for natural disasters. Somehow they make do...by the grace of God...but you definately notice the difference.
10)Last but not least....LOL...Arby's Beef and Cheddar..and the occaisional Meat Lover's pizza from Pizza Hut....YUM!
What I didn't miss from the states....
1)Punching a clock
2)Traffic
3)Endless taxation
4)Politicians
5)Driving a car
6)T.V....except HGTV...LOL
What do I miss about Ambergris Caye now?
1)Waking up without an alarm clock at 6am every morning. and knowing when it got dark....it was 6pm...every day...365 days a year. Keeps your biological clock stable.
2)Sitting on my porch in the morning with my cup of coffee...watching the sunrise and all the colors coming to life. What a gentle way to start the day!
3)The water..the color..the salt air.
4)Being able to go to lunch when I wanted...and not watching a clock to go back to work. Having a beer at lunch if I wanted to...and no body wanted to drug test me....LOL
5)The Palapa on Sundays.
6)Seeing Barefoot Skinny when I want to...miss you buddy
7)Jade Garden
8)Friends I made there.
9)San Pedrano grocery store
10)Diving I didn't get to do while there....grrrr.
11)Milport cigarettes....@ $3.00 BZ a pack.
12)Getting medicines over the counter.
13)Nurse Natalie...San Pedro's guardian angel.
14)Those yummy hamburgers and hot dogs in the park late at night...and the smells that come from them cooking.
15)The view at Basil Jones Beach.
Things I don't miss on Ambergris Caye....
1)BTL
2)Dusty, pothole streets
3)Not being able to find things I wanted.
4)High prices
5)My water being off at really odd times with no warning.
6)Traffic.....taxi's, large construction vehicles.
7)Watching the lounge lizards do their routine on un-suspecting tourist females...GOD!....LOL....sick!
8)Animals not taken care of....and the mentality that goes with it....it's a cultural thing that needs to change...maybe in time...with Saga's help. Don't forget Saga when you're making donations at tax time!
9)Trash...from those that don't care about the island...that too is a cultural thing...and poor home training. OUCH! (it's the truth though)
10)Pests...mosquitoes, no see-ums and doctor flies.
No matter where you live in the world....you have likes and dis-likes. Hard to find a happy medium in the world. There is no perfect place on Earth...if there was..it wouldn't be perfect for long because we would all want to live there.
Belize is a good place to learn the difference between your WANTS....and your NEEDS.
I can honestly say I'm glad I experienced it....and I wouldn't take anything in the world for it. I learned a lot....and met the most fascinating people!
If circumstances had been different...maybe I'd still be there....but life changes...there is always a curve ball waiting around the corner to jump out in our path...and you go with the flow I guess.
Who knows...maybe one day....I'll go back....someday.
Cheers!