What's the crime rate against Americans and other expats in Chapala and Ajijic, Mexico?
Chris Gruenwald - Biencom Real Estate
There are about 45,000 expats in Chapala and Ajijic consistently and the murder rate would be one every 2 years so you could calculate that to be 2 per 100,000. Usually it is because of some sort or romantic involvement. The crime rate here is low, definitely lower than in Southern California and most cities in the US.
Putting aside petty theft, expats are not singled out for crimes here in Chapala and Ajijic. They are less likely to be targeted for...
There are about 45,000 expats in Chapala and Ajijic consistently and the murder rate would be one every 2 years so you could calculate that to be 2 per 100,000. Usually it is because of some sort or romantic involvement. The crime rate here is low, definitely lower than in Southern California and most cities in the US.
Putting aside petty theft, expats are not singled out for crimes here in Chapala and Ajijic. They are less likely to be targeted for crimes than the general Mexican population. Also, being that the Lakeside has an older crowd, they is less likely to be involved in things that attract negative attention such as drug dealing.
If you leave your windows open and you have a brand new flat screen TV, you may attract a little bit of attention and thieves are opportunistic here as they are anywhere. Personally, I feel safer walking by myself in Chapala and Ajijic than if I were in San Diego. My kids are in the States for summer and I am more concerned about their safety there than here. Even in Guadalajara, which is a big city, you can walk around in the middle of the night downtown and not feel threatened whereas I wouldn’t walk around San Diego, which is America’s safest city supposedly. We do it all the time here. Even my friends who look like gringos walk around town at night without feeling threatened.
In general, how does the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) affect me if I move overseas?
Terry Bradford
The US government feels that there are people who have left the country who have not paid the lawful taxes owed to them. That obviously does not affect me or my husband, because we do not owe taxes to the US government, but I am sure that there are people over the years who have left the US owing everything from child support to taxes. The US government wants their taxes. So in order to oversee that, you need to file a Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) form and if...
The US government feels that there are people who have left the country who have not paid the lawful taxes owed to them. That obviously does not affect me or my husband, because we do not owe taxes to the US government, but I am sure that there are people over the years who have left the US owing everything from child support to taxes. The US government wants their taxes. So in order to oversee that, you need to file a Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) form and if you do not do it, the bank does it for you. So if you have a bank here in Panama, the bank will fill out the FATCA form and has to turn it into the US government.
That has taken place as of July 15th but it is still not effective to this point yet. It became a law in March 2010, but has not been put in place yet. We spoke with our banker two or three weeks ago and they told us that they have filled out the form, so now the bank will know if you own a house and if there is any mortgage on it, so the US government can go after assets in another country in the event that money is owed in the United States.
Because of the problem with that, the expats who feel that they do not want to disclose this information to the US government can go to places other than Panama and open up accounts that do not comply with FATCA. But at this point, in Panama, they have not filled out the paperwork on our bank accounts For people who have offshore assets, any of the countries that comply with FATCA will have to comply with United States law.
What are the outdoor activities in and around Boquete, Panama?
Georgina Chanapi - Lucero Homes Golf & Country Club
Right now that I am pregnant, I don’t do a lot of outdoor activities. But a lot of people here in Boquete love to go rafting. People go to the Caldera River here in Boquete. There is a part of the Caldera River where you can go river rafting and there are rafting tours here in Boquete. They would provide a guide for you and they would tell you where you can go.
People also love to go coffee-tasting. Most retirees who come to Boquete for the first...
Right now that I am pregnant, I don’t do a lot of outdoor activities. But a lot of people here in Boquete love to go rafting. People go to the Caldera River here in Boquete. There is a part of the Caldera River where you can go river rafting and there are rafting tours here in Boquete. They would provide a guide for you and they would tell you where you can go.
People also love to go coffee-tasting. Most retirees who come to Boquete for the first time love to do coffee-tasting. The younger people however, prefer to go backpacking. They stay in cheap hostels and then go to the hot springs in the Caldera River or to the Los Cangilones de Gualaca in Chiriquí. Los Cangilones de Gualaca is a river that cuts through huge rocks so it is like a natural swimming pool with very clear waters. It is best to go to the rivers during summer but it’s dangerous to go to the rivers during winter. It is not recommended to go to the rivers or even the beaches in Panama during the rainy season because we can have what is called cabeza de agua, which is a very huge amount of rushing water from heavy rains coming from the rivers that carries debris such as logs and rocks with it.
There is also hiking here in Boquete and there are companies that offer hiking tours here in Boquete. They will take you to the most beautiful views in Boquete where you will see the Volcan Baru, which is the highest peak here in Panama. You can also go to Quetzales, which is a trail between Cerro Punta and Boquete.
There are plenty of outdoor activities that you can do here in Boquete and your choices would only depend on your interests and your age.
(Caldera hot springs near Boquete, Panama, pictured.)
Is there racial tension, acceptance or diversity in Nicaragua?
David Smith - Nicaragua Sotheby's International Realty
There isn’t racial tension in Nicaragua. This was actually surprising and wonderful for me to discover that Nicaragua has one of the most tolerant societies I’ve been to for diversity and acceptance of differences of all kinds—race, creed, color, sexuality.
If you’re driving through Nicaragua on the main road from Managua to San Juan del Sur, there are probably 2 or 3 locations and I also see it going north where there is a giant billboard...
There isn’t racial tension in Nicaragua. This was actually surprising and wonderful for me to discover that Nicaragua has one of the most tolerant societies I’ve been to for diversity and acceptance of differences of all kinds—race, creed, color, sexuality.
If you’re driving through Nicaragua on the main road from Managua to San Juan del Sur, there are probably 2 or 3 locations and I also see it going north where there is a giant billboard written in the diversity colors and a multi-colored diversity flag colors that says something similar to, “Deserving of the right to equality, medical care, and to enjoy life.” This is part of a government sponsored program aimed at the transgendered community of Nicaragua but also focusing and broadening that to just be a diversity program, accepting all people as having equal rights for access to enjoyment of a healthy life, medical care and everything that’s needed. We see these giant billboards, which to me reflects the truth of the tolerance, acceptance, and generosity of the Nicaraguan people.
Yes, there is diving, scuba and snorkeling in Portugal.
We have this little Portuguese island about an hour flight from the mainland called Azores that was selected last year by National Geographic as being among the top five richest sea wildlife areas to dive in the world.
On the mainland of Portugal, there’s a wonderful place called Sesimbra about 40 to 50 minutes southeast of Lisbon. Sesimbra is a protected...
Yes, there is diving, scuba and snorkeling in Portugal.
We have this little Portuguese island about an hour flight from the mainland called Azores that was selected last year by National Geographic as being among the top five richest sea wildlife areas to dive in the world.
On the mainland of Portugal, there’s a wonderful place called Sesimbra about 40 to 50 minutes southeast of Lisbon. Sesimbra is a protected land that is surrounded by really beautiful green mountains. No building or construction is allowed over there and fishing is allowed only 4 or 5 miles off the coast. So that means the area in between the land and about give miles to sea is the perfect diving place for snorkeling, diving, and everything else.
We also have diving schools here in Cascais and Estoril in the Lisbon area, but the waters are a bit darker than in Sesimbra. The reason for that is because under the ocean when there are rocks the sea becomes darker and when there’s sand the sea becomes lighter. There’s a huge sandbank in Sesimbra, so therefore, the water is much more clear.
I’m 37 years old and I’ve lived always in front of the sea and I’ve been surfing since I was 10 or 11 years old. When I was young, I never felt the need to use a wetsuit, but as the years have been passing, I started to feel the water getting colder. Of course it’s not the water getting colder, it’s just me getting older. So in the winter, I use a 4/3-millimeter wetsuit for surfing or snorkeling or for when I go spear fishing. I use a 4/3-millimeter in winter and a 2/2-millimeter in the summer.
The best way to get around in Belize is by a private vehicle, because you get to see the beautiful nature on your own time and go where you need to go. The public transportation is horrible, especially in the evening and morning when people are trying to get to work and go home. Trust me! If you want to enjoy your trip and get where you want to go on time, rent a car or you can drive down in Belize on your own.
(Isolated property facing a canal in Stann...
The best way to get around in Belize is by a private vehicle, because you get to see the beautiful nature on your own time and go where you need to go. The public transportation is horrible, especially in the evening and morning when people are trying to get to work and go home. Trust me! If you want to enjoy your trip and get where you want to go on time, rent a car or you can drive down in Belize on your own.
(Isolated property facing a canal in Stann Creek, Belize, pictured.)
I grew up in the United States, most recently from Northern California, but now in my 70’s I live in a village in Guatemala, five miles away from Antigua, a popular tourist destination and NOT typical of Guatemalan life. One of the things I believe has dramatically changed quality of life for this very poor country is plastic. Another, similar, is disposable diapers. And thirdly, cell phones. Here is why:
I don't spend all of my time in Boquete, even though it is a very easy place to live with lots of good places to eat and the nice weather and cool temperatures there are times I need a little beach. Just two hours southwest of my home in the mountains is Limones, a little beach town that is home to Hooked on Panama, a gringo fishing resort that is finally getting the recognition it deserves and a few local fishermen and a few cowboys, and a couple of rice farmers. Having been born on Cape...
Many people have this idea that Panama is a backward place with grinding poverty, poor infrastructure, political instability and lots of risk for investors. In fact, while there is poverty there in relative terms, the people are happy, relaxed, friendly and open.
Much of the country is pretty much like parts of California or the American south, and was so, long before swarms of gringos arrived at the start of the current economic boom.