The Belize Buzz

Belize, Belize, Belize has been an international buzz for a few years. You've heard about it, cheap rent, cheap land, close to the U.S. and an English speaking country. It's all true. I visited Belize for a month this year and learned quite a bit about the country and Central America in general.

Belize in May was the first international trip for my granddaughter. We enjoyed first the natural beauty of the country with the fascinating natural habitat zoo, the pristine waterfalls in the Mayan mountains, and the lush river front swims and of course the big beautiful ocean that seems to follow us everywhere.

Belize is very family friendly, calm, and peaceful. It reminds me of village life in Ghana. The cycle of the days and nights leave you with a sense of timelessness. No rush, just enjoying the fruits of the earth, the natural essence of the sun, and the flow that comes with the simple things in life.

I think the best way to get to know a country on a first visit is to do some tourist things to get to know the history of a place and Belize has at the core of its history the Mayan culture legacy. The pyramids of Central America are still a site to see even in their simplicity compared to Ancient Kemet. The spiritual energy of what took place in these temples, villages, arenas and homes is still prevalent. For the spiritually conscious you will be surprised.

The people of Belize are very welcoming and eager to make sure things go well for you during your stay. We visited several areas including San Ignacio, Bullet Tree Falls, Belmapon, Belize City, and Hopkins Bay. It was very easy to get around, but the private shuttles were way over priced for the service. As far as the most economical transportation, use the local taxis and the long distance buses. Both are great for seeing the country sides. You might even see some familiar faces as there are quite a few ex-patriots who are now calling Belize home.

We also looked at the land possibilities and found that there is a big difference in the lands around the city areas and the rural lands. Most land in the cities are real US dollar city prices, so if you go to Belize looking for inexpensive real estate you will have to move further south to the rural areas where you can still get several acres for a real deal.

If I had to rate my visit to Belize I would give it a 8 on a scale of 10 of places to consider living outside of the USA. It's definitely for those who want quiet country living to relax, grow your own food and just enjoy the beauty of nature. The general population is poor and the country still needs quite a bit of development. Another good thing is that your dollar will go a little further in Belize too. The current exchange rate is 2 BZE:1USD which makes the living easy.

I look forward to going again to continue to explore and relax in a beautiful place just two and a half hours flight from my home town! Yep that's another plus, Belize is close to where you're from.

Akua Gray

August 8, 2017

Houston, TX