Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from PixabayAs you all know, we have had many different retirement dreams. Some were quite fleeting; an idea came to one of us and we spent several minutes discussing it and then discounted it. Others lasted for days, months, or even years, and were researched with many hours spent on the internet or watching YouTube videos. We have talked to expats and spent time in various locations. We have joined Facebook groups from all over Central America and other places we have considered retiring to, asking questions and learning as much as we can from home. We often joke about this research and dreaming as being one of our favorite hobbies. Since we currently live out of the city, we spend a lot of time driving. Many kilometers have sped by the window of the truck while we talk and dream about our future and living somewhere hot. J is a dreamer; T is a pragmatist. We balance and moderate each other. We have been trying very hard, especially in the last few years, to ensure that we are living in the moment and doing everything we can to fully appreciate each day. But we are also doing what we can to direct our lives towards our dream.
We have finally made the decision as to what our immediate retirement plan will look like; we are moving to Belize! We will start with a six-to-nine-month trial this fall, come home in late spring to sell our home and finalize a few details, and then hopefully move to Belize for good. With much planning and a little luck, when we drive down for the second time, it may be to a home we own.
Many people don’t know a lot about Belize. When we are surprised by this, we remember that just a few years ago, we didn’t know much either. Belize shares its northern border with Mexico and its western and southern borders with Guatemala. Its entire east side is the Caribbean Sea. The area now known as Belize was originally part of the Mayan empire and was “discovered” by Europeans very early in the 1500’s. It was part of the disputed territory between Spain and Britain. It became a Crown colony in 1862 and was then known as British Honduras. It was renamed Belize in June of 1973 and gained full independence in September of 1981. As a former Crown colony, Belize is a democracy and has a political system that is similar to what we enjoy in Canada. The country is relatively small, both in size and population. It is only about 290 km long and 110 km wide with a population of around 411,000 people, making it the least densely populated country in Central America.
Photo of Central America map in Fodor's Belize guide book
So, why did we choose Belize? Our decision was based on many factors. We wanted a place that wasn't too difficult for friends and family to travel to. We needed access to the ocean as water soothes our souls! We had to consider the cost of living since we have retired early. And we wanted a location where we would feel safe living outside of a gated community so we could experience the culture. Its hard to explain why Belize was also a gut decision. It just feels right for us. We want to explain a bit more in depth four of our top reasons:
LANGUAGE
Belize is the only Central American country where English is the official language, although Belizean Creole and Spanish are widely spoken. Belize is a medley of cultures and languages. In addition to the above languages, you may hear one of three Mayan languages (Q’eqchi, Mopan, Yucatec), Garifuna, or German (there is a large Mennonite presence). However, we can tell you that almost everyone we encountered in Belize spoke exceptional English. Moving to another country and culture will be much easier without the language barrier, but we are hoping to settle in the northern part of the country where Spanish is prevalent, thus helping us on our journey to become somewhat bilingual!
BIODIVERSITY
The northern part of Belize is mostly lowlands with many wet coastal plains. Much of the area is heavily forested. The south has a low mountain range, and a great deal of the coast is quite rugged and remote. Belize is very biodiverse having an abundance of plants and animals in both the sea and on land. Its location between North and South America, the range of climates, and the low human population all contribute to the abundance of plants and animals. Belize has emerged as a world leader in the protection of biodiversity and natural resources with over a third of their land mass falling under some form of official protection. In the Belize territorial waters, just a short distance off the coast, lays the Belize Barrier Reef. It is a UNESCO-recognized World Heritage Site and is the second-largest barrier reef in the world, behind Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Many people from around the world come to Belize to explore the reef and often stay on one on of the cayes; a short water taxi ride from the mainland. Two of these islands, Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker, are very popular with tourists and expats. Although we are not divers, we both enjoy snorkelling, kayaking, paddle boarding, swimming, hiking, and biking. The bounty of nature we encounter while enjoying these activities in Belize, is one of the main reasons we chose this beautiful county.
Beach view from the Hopkins main dock
Pasture and mountains on the way from Dangriga to Belmopan
Victoria Peak in the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary and Jaguar Preserve
Image by taylorklekamp from Pixabay
WEATHER
The weather in Belize is high on the list of the country’s abundant charms, with the average yearly temperature being 29 C. While it can get quite hot, especially during the summer months, relief can be found in the sea breeze, cooling off in the water, or by heading inland to the mountains. The humidity remains around 85 percent, with the temperature remaining relatively constant year-round. Belize has two seasons rather than four: the dry season and wet season. The dry season is usually from January to May, with significantly less rain than in the wet season. When rain does fall throughout the dry season it is usually mild and comes in short bursts. Wet season is generally June through December with some parts of the country receiving as much as 450 cm of rain annually. The heaviest rainfall amounts are usually in the south of Belize and lessen to the north. During the wet season, Belize is also susceptible to hurricanes. Just recently, Belize was preparing for Hurricane Beryl before the storm changed its course to the north. While Belize does not attract many major hurricanes it does get a significant amount of severe tropical weather with high winds and heavy rain. Although we will have a lot to learn about weathering these tropical storm conditions, we are willing to trade the risks they present, for the frigid winters and snowstorms. We are both heat seekers and seem to thrive in the hot conditions that many or our friends and family cannot tolerate. We would be very happy to never shovel snow again, or even wear socks!
VALUES
One of the reasons we both love Central America so much is the people’s attitude towards their way of life. We understand that there are exceptions, but it seems that overall, there is a focus on quality time versus materialism, and that family and community are at the center of peoples’ attention. It appears that the expression “it takes a village to raise a child” is still believed and practiced in Belize and the result shows through, not just with the children but in the entire community. It is not uncommon to find when an issue has arisen within a community or someone has fallen on hard times, that friends, neighbors, and even strangers come together and work to overcome the problem. When a restaurant burned down in Hopkins, where we visited in January of 2023, the site was cleared and was being rebuilt by members of the entire community the very next day! We found the people very welcoming, warm and friendly. They were interested in hearing where we came from and what it was like in Canada, and equally willing to tell us about themselves and help us if we had questions. The laid-back way of life in Belize seems to allow people more time. The Belizeans we met never seemed to be worried about what time it was or when they had to be where. This can be somewhat frustrating for those not used to it, but it does seem to afford them time to pay attention to the world around them and make more personal connections. For T, who has been very driven his entire professional career, this is very appealing. No more emergencies, deadlines, or high-pressure decisions. Perhaps, some of this easygoing lifestyle has come as a result of the more consistent nice weather. There isn’t pressure to get out and make the most of the day; get the lawn mowed, go for a hike, or get out on the ocean because it is so nice out. If you get side tracked, and cannot get it done today, tomorrow will be just as beautiful and it will get done then! Having lived on the Canadian Prairies our entire lives, it is pretty nice to think about living somewhere that much of the time it is a beautiful, hot sunny day.
View from Semiti Giffiti, a Garifuna restaurant
It is easy to get caught up in the excitement of our upcoming adventure. We are trying hard to ensure we are moving into this journey in a practical and realistic way. If all goes well, we could be living in Belize well into our 70’s, which would mean for over twenty years. If we stay in one place, that will exceed our previous record for the longest we have lived anywhere by about fifteen years! We both understand that there will be many hurdles as this will be the biggest adventure we have undertaken yet. It will be hard not to live as if this is just a long holiday with nothing to do but float in the ocean and think about where we want to go for lunch, but our goal is that this is not what the reality will be. We aim to really live there and not be tourists. We hope to become long-term residents and integrate well into the community. We do not want to recreate our Canadian lifestyle in Belize. We both want to experience and live the culture and learn a different way of life. This will not be without significant challenges. We have an idea of what some may be, but no amount of research can fully prepare us for what to expect. Belize is a developing country. There is poverty in many places and segments of the population are still marginalized. There is limited access to some services and goods and substantial tariffs on importing products. The healthcare system is good with many doctors trained in the United States and several modern and up to date hospitals, but many rural areas still have rudimentary facilities and services. We understand that our own preconceived ideas and expectations will need to be overcome and we will have to work to adjust to the relaxed attitude. We are both willing and even looking forward to these challenges as part of the adventure. It will all be part of the experience and in the end, whether we are successful in making the move to Belize and living there long term, or come crawling home admitting defeat, we will have had a great experience and shared it together.
Travelling around Belize on the local bus
“Don’t stop Belizing”