Welcome to Gringolandia

article from January 18, 2011

by Julie R Butler

An honest list of dangers and annoyances faced by expats should include, unfortunately, other expats – not all other expats, but enough of them to merit attention. The problem is, I think, unique to expat living, particularly in Latin America, because no matter how removed from the “scene” anyone attempts to be, we are all connected to some degree in an interrelated Diaspora, where rumors can fly and drama tends to become augmented by... I don’t know – something in the water, it seems.

At the level of annoyances, we can look at some perceptions of expats that paint a picture that is not exactly pretty. Take, for example, this article: Dear Miss Move Abroad: Are all expats losers? The author does a great job of taking on the question with honesty and bit of humor. Short answer: No! A slightly longer answer: Of course not. As with any group of people, a few are more obnoxious than the vast majority of others who are living quieter – and better-behaved – lives. But the actions of those few will nonetheless reflect badly on the entire community and adversely affect the way the natives will decide to interact with the foreigners moving into their communities in increasing numbers. Everyone is affected.

This is not just a matter of perception, though. The fact is that there are those expats who move to Latin America for all the wrong reasons, often to prey on other expats. Yes, con artists and opportunists do exist everywhere in the world, but they thrive in developing nations where regulations and/or enforcement are meek, with vibrant underground economies and institutionalized corruption thrown in for good measure. For expats who move to a foreign country, who do not speak the native language well or at all, who may be intimidated by the complicated bureaucratic procedures, who perhaps fear being taken advantage of by the native people in a culture they do not understand, and who thus turn to other expats to help themselves get settled in, these land sharks can pose a significant threat.

What’s worse is that the whole issue of who to trust becomes muddled and confused.

My point is illustrated by the following tale. It is a tale that is set in the two gringo havens of Mérida, on Mexico´s Yucatán Peninsula, and Costa Rica. Although there is some entertainment value to this tale, this is a serious issue, and ultimately, the entire expat community is tainted by it.

My tale begins with several articles I had seen recently at Insidecostarica.com that had titles such as “What’s an Ugly American” and “Gringo Terrorists in Costa Rica.” The author of these articles is lamenting the fact that his real estate business is being undercut by others who he accuses of being less-than ethical or professional. Then came this: Gringos Gone Wild in Costa Rica.

At the end of this article, the author refers to another article that was easily Googleable (hey – did I just coin a new world?) that he had recently read, using the over-the-top scenario painted in that story as a comparison to show how much better Costa Rica is than Mexico for expats. I read the article, A New Challenge for Mexico: Expats Gone Wild with growing alarm as the claims made in it grew crazier and crazier. But then there were the comments, which, after following the links posted at the bottom, brought relief but at the same time distress about the whole affair. It appears that this article was the work of someone with a previous record in the States of harassment, intimidation, and defamation.

Although this case is more sensational than most, I have to say that this kind of bizarre expat-word melodrama is not unique.

Welcome to Gringolandia.

Julie R Butler is a writer, journalist, editor, and author of several books, including Nine Months in Uruguay and No Stranger To Strange Lands (click here for more info). She is a contributor to Speakout at Truthout.org, and her current blog is Connectively Speaking.

email: julierbutler [at] yahoo [dot] com, Twitter: @JulieRButler