Expat Files - 11/14/14

-Speaking of earthquakes, during the recording of last week’s show there was a 5.2 and I certainly felt it. 

-It’s time to pick on the backpackers again, this time in regards to earthquakes. Expat Eddie has one of the wildest theories yet (though faintly scientific) as to why so many friendly, blissfully odoriferous backpackers report many small earth tremors that most of us expats and locals rarely pick up on. Only Eddie could come up with this one…   

    

-Speaking of Latin culture quirks and Latin sociology, every expat and gringo ought to take a trip to a Latin American traveling carnival. That’s one place you can get a very good idea of the marginally uncomfortable mixing of the lower, middle and wealthy classes. You can also see many teenage Latin girls down on the carnival midway displaying their fashion/coolness statements (mostly to outdo the other adolescent girls). It’s a very good place to show off their style (and those new shoes). And as young adolescent Latin boys will admit, the two best places to check out the young girls is not at the local McDonalds or a mall but at a carnival(its second only to the Sunday mass "fashion" show ). 

-Ever wonder what it’s like to be the only gringo in a crowd of 1000 or even 2000 people? Yes, that’s often what it’s like when you live “off the gringo tourist trail”. It’s an experience you’re not likely to forget. And if you’re like me, after a while you get so used to being sort of a “B” grade VIP it’s hard to go back to being a nondescript slug.   

  

- Some hard learned tips and suggestions for gringos regarding machetes (you’ll surely have one or two in the garden shed)

-Now for some weird things you never knew about coconuts: if you’re into drinking coconut water( as you should be) you’ll like these tips on the types of available coconuts as well as the care, handling and manipulation of said giant seeds

- What’s your exit plan? Do you have a "Plan B"? The clock is ticking….

Be sure to check out my latest off-the-tourist-trail, boots-on-the-ground, fast-track experience in Central America. Come to my January 2015 seminar and formulate your own “Plan B”. Find out how to live an extraordinarily good life in Latin America on a measly Social Security check. For complete details, go to www.ExpatWisdom.com, and click on the Latin American Seminar link at the top of the main page. 

 -Do follow the link on the main page at www.ExpatWisdom.com to schedule a private phone, Skype or Mumble consult with me. If you want to discuss the details of living, working, playing, doing business and/or retiring in Latin America, we can talk about your situation one on one.