Interview with Cory Gearhart, Author of the Blog “Monday (or something)”

article from August 29, 2011

by Julie R Butler

The blog, Monday (or something) is an ingeniously useful resource for anyone who is trying to make plans for relocation to Central America. There, you will find detailed outlines of expat destinations, from the point of view of Cory and “The Girlfriend” as they conduct an experiment in renting a place to stay for about one month while trying to keep within a set budget in different locations. Along with observations geared toward understanding the ins and outs of living in these places, you will find lovely photos as well as amazingly detailed spreadsheets of all costs incurred during their stays in towns and cities all over the region. The following is a short interview I conducted with Cory.

JRB: The idea of sharing the information that you are gathering– cost of living based on longer term rental, as well as conditions such as infrastructure, available activities, crime, and a feel for what the expat communities are like– is just marvelous. Was the blog a part of your original exploratory travel plan, or did it come up as you were traveling?

CORY: It was part of our original plan. I have a bit of history vacationing and backpacking in Latin America and have soft plans to retire here. As I was researching cost of living info I found a lot of people with the same question (Do I have enough money?) and very few answers. I ran across PaddyinBA who put up tables of prices with kind of a "basket of goods" approach and that got me thinking, why not a full on "month in the life" approach instead?

The Girlfriend has traveled in South America with me, but never Central, so I already had a list of places that I wanted to show her. If we combined that with a bit of structured fact finding and kept our expenses low we could just barely justify the spending. So we came up with a loose list of towns and regions to investigate, put together a pack list and set out.

The blog is a combination of my notes (costs and observations), a weekly update that I had been sending out, off and on, for years to friends and family and pictures along the way. I realized early on that writing my notes for strangers was the best way to make sure they were reasonably comprehensive. Otherwise there's just too much temptation to say "I'm sure I'll remember this forever", which is so seldom true. We're always surprised to go back and see what our rent was in a previous city, even if it was only a few months ago.

JRB: What is it that draws you to Central America other than the low cost of living?

CORY: Proximity, for one. Both The Girlfriend and I want to be close to our parents back in The States while we still have them.

The diversity of terrain is wonderful, too. In The US we could drive for 9 hours and still be in the Midwest. In Panama, for instance, we're in the Caribbean now and the Pacific is about 4 hours by car. There are places in this country where you can see both coasts from the same spot. In between are highland mountains (we just spent 2 months in Boquete, which is a pleasant highland climate with fog and evergreens). I have to hop planes in the states to see any one of those, let alone all three. I prefer living without a car so the high availability of public transportation down here is a big plus. I don't even have to plan a trip; I can usually just show up at the bus station and trust that within an hour a bus will leave going my way, and that's not just local transit but regional and international.

And I won't try to encapsulate my impressions of a Central American approach to life or philosophy or anything, but let's just say that, assuming one exists, I'm a fan.

JRB: Do you think that it is important for people who are considering moving to the places you are checking out (in Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama, so far) to speak some amount of Spanish, or will they do fine without it?

CORY: Some places, like Honduras's Bay Islands and all of Belize, are mostly English speaking. Other places, like Esteli, Nicaragua are almost entirely Spanish. But if you're going to learn Spanish formally and have your eye on the region, then you're probably going to be taking those classes down here anyway.

For years I took trips in Nicaragua and Panama with absolutely no Spanish; I had a note in my wallet that ordered me a rum and coke, and that was it. It's frustrating and sometimes terrifying and you really have to make do with what you get, like in restaurants, but it's doable. My Spanish is still terrible. For example, I can only speak in the present tense.

JRB: When you interact with expats in different places, are you able to connect with people who have a range of experiences?

CORY: Yeah, the expats are a big part of the draw for me. The further you get out, the more interesting the stories are. There are some places where large organization are doing everything they can to funnel expats into specific towns, but there are other places where you really have to mean to end up there. I'm in Bocas del Toro [Panama] now, which is an interesting mix of both.

JRB: Do you feel that, in general, the expat communities are helpful and supportive?

CORY: Absolutely. Some places people are a little more guarded, usually in towns with more tourist traffic. But after they've seen you around for a couple of weeks or so they warm up to you, realizing that you're not just on vacation. Other places you're part of the family from day one. Some have been around so long they don't remember what it was like to adjust. They're great for stories and social info. Others have only been in town for 2 years and empathize with your practical concerns (cheap eats? laundry?) immediately. Some get really excited about the spreadsheets that I'm putting together, too, because they moved directly to a specific Central American town and are now thinking about looking elsewhere (this is especially true of expats in Costa Rica these days, due to price increases).

JRB: Many thanks to Cory and The Girlfriend for going out there, paying it forward, and offering up so much insight here in this interview and on Monday (or Something). It leaves me wondering what the connection is between people whose highest priority is getting drunk and the desire to help out one’s fellow expat by posting cost spreadsheets on the Internet... Hmmm.

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

Interview with Expat Blogger Katie Metz de Martinez, author of "Seashells and Sunflowers"

article from July 13, 2011

by Julie R Butler

Katie’s blog, Seashells and Sunflowers, has recently celebrated its third year. She began when she was planning to move to Necochea, Argentina, and has kept it up beautifully, giving us a window not only into her life, but into many different aspects of Argentine culture as well as the ins and outs of being an expat in Argentina. She thoughtfully and thoroughly answered a few questions that I sent her:

JRB: Let me start by saying that I just love your blog. You do such a great job of balancing different topics of interest: personal stories, important information, the recipes, observations about culture – and with so much affection. So congratulations on three years of excellent blogging! I believe that blogging is a great coping aid for expats in many different respects. How do you feel that blogging about your experience has benefited you?

KMM: Blogging has opened so many doors for me, both personally and professionally. Initially, Seashells and Sunflowers served as a tool for journaling my experiences and keeping friends and family updated on my life here in Argentina; however, I soon discovered that my blog was a powerful way to meet and connect with other expats. Since I live in a small city with virtually no foreigners —a fact which makes me something of a novelty here in Necochea— the blog became my lifeline to the expat community in Argentina. I've made numerous contacts through my site, and I'm delighted to say that many of the virtual friendships I've made have transformed into real-life ones.

In the course of researching topics for my blog, I've learned an incredible amount about my adopted country, and the posts often open up a dialogue with friends and family about Argentine culture. I take pleasure in knowing that I'm informing and (hopefully) entertaining my readers with my stories.

I also occasionally use the blog as a place to vent my frustrations and struggles (the topic of Argentine bureaucracy comes up often!), and I find that connecting with online friends in similar situations can be very therapeutic. As well intentioned as those back home may be, they're not living the expat reality and facing the day-to-day struggles of adapting to a new culture and language.

Lastly, my site has helped me make a number of connections with local people right here in Necochea who've stumbled upon my blog. For example, I offer private English classes in my home, and virtually all of my students have come to me through word of mouth or my blog. Every once in a while, I'll even get stopped on the street by someone who recognizes me from my photo on Seashells and Sunflowers!

JRB: In your professional life, you are a translator. What motivated you to become educated in Spanish language and translating?

KMM: I've always had a passion for foreign languages, and I studied both French and Spanish in high school. I continued with Spanish courses briefly in college, but ultimately, my studies took me in another direction. After graduation, I worked in the medical field for several years, and I later parlayed my fluency in Spanish and work experience into a career in medical translation. I'm something of a word nerd, so translation has been a natural fit for me. In addition, as a location-independent business, translation offers me the flexibility to work anywhere on the planet, as long as I have reliable Internet access.

JRB: How did you become interested in Argentina?

KMM: Admittedly, my initial interest wasn't so much in Argentina itself but rather in a certain Argentine, a man I'm now proud to call my husband. Of course, in a desire to understand him and his culture better, I began reading about Argentina on the Internet, and we would chat at length about the customs, food, politics, and language of his country. I later traveled to Argentina on a number of occasions, eventually moving here permanently in 2009 to begin a life here with him.

JRB: Was it difficult for you to get used to Argentine Spanish (or castellano, as they say here), even after learning the language?

KMM: The most challenging aspect of Argentine Spanish for me has been the incredible variety of slang used here. Argentina employs its very own slang vocabulary known as Lunfardo, and it definitely threw me at first! Now I can sling Argentine slang with the best of them. The Argentine accent is also quite unique among Spanish speakers, and it took me a while to grow accustomed to it.

JRB: Do you have any advice for people who are working on their Spanish, either before moving abroad or after their arrival – any favorite Internet resources or other aids?

KMM: Arriving with the basics of Spanish under your belt will certainly help, but the best advice I can offer to those working on their castellano is to avoid the "expat bubble." When you're truly immersed in the language and forced to use it on a day-to-day basis, your skills will undoubtedly improve.

Unfortunately, many expats surround themselves with a circle of English-speaking friends, patronize businesses catering to English speakers, and speak English at home with their partners. We all appreciate the sense of comfort that comes with communicating in our mother tongue, but unless you step out of your comfort zone and make a concerted effort to use Spanish daily, your progress with the language will be slow at best. I've found Argentines to be very patient with non-native speakers, so don't be afraid to practice on them!

Regarding helpful sites for learning Spanish, I wrote an article last year featuring 10 free online resources for Spanish language learners.

¡Suerte!

JRB: Here are my favorite articles on Katie’s blog:

You Might Be a Yanqui

Notes on the Argentine Approach to Cooking

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

Moving Abroad to Medellín: An Expat Interview

article from January 24, 2011

by Julie R Butler

Looking for some insight into moving to Latin America? I have been asking experienced expats if they could share some of their experiences and I found the responses of this gentleman to be particularly insightful, especially this bit of wisdom that most will agree sums up the Latin American character:

“I learned that no matter what, the family was the most important aspect of each of their lives.”

The location is Medellín. Despite the fearful reputation this city gained during the 80s and the 90s, there is much more to this second-largest city in Colombia that cocaine-cowboy violence. After the demise of Pablo Escobar in the mid-1990s, a renaissance has brought this important historical, cultural, and intellectual center back with a vengeance (so to speak).

Q: How much did you know about Medellín before you moved there?

A: I had traveled to Medellín about 8-10 times over a three-year period of time. I met many local citizens and became friends with a select few. Drivers, of course, who had their own cars, were a big plus so that taking a taxi was only used occasionally or for short trips around town. And the couple of drivers who I felt that I could trust were almost always available. Their English was much better than my español, thank God. Their knowledge of the intricacies of the culture and sharing that knowledge with me –"what to do and what not to do" – was invaluable.

Fortunately, my work in the USA allowed me to travel as often as I wanted. I would spend 3-5-7 days or so on each visit. And each time that I returned to the USA, as I landed in Miami, I immediately began thinking about when I would schedule my next trip. The tourist promo that the Colombia government uses, "the only danger is not wanting to leave" certainly applied to me.

Q: What was the hardest aspect of adjustment for you?

A: After the initial excitement had worn off, I think the hardest part for me was trying to stay mentally busy. I have often said that visiting Medellín as opposed to living there is like a kid visiting a candy store every now and then, and then when you live there, you are in the store every day, and the thrill is not the same.

[One of the hardest aspects of adjustment was] to understand that people living in a country such as Colombia think that all gringos are "rich" no matter what your economic status in the USA might be. For the most part, even if they had no money, they somehow seemed to be happy.

There were times when I was told that it was unsafe for me to travel to a certain part of town, or drive out into the countryside. That feeling bothered me for a while, but I soon learned that my friends were just looking out for me.

Q: What would you say is the most important thing that you wish you had
known or understood before moving?

A: That no matter how you try to blend into the culture, and no matter if you are accepted, you are always considered a gringo/visitor/foreigner. And that is OK, for the most part. I had to learn that I could not impose my cultural norms on the people who I came in contact with, and frankly should not even try to do so. If they wanted to do or behave the way they did, it was not my place to try to correct them or whatever.

I never felt in "danger" at any point in time during my visits, or for the time I lived there (2005-2008). I did have to learn to control my urge to make (loud) verbal comments to drivers on the street. And that jumping in line ahead of someone in the supermarket is a common occurrence that I had to learn to not become irritated over. My friends just told me it was not worth it, as you never know who that person might be.

On the other end of the spectrum, I was once in line at the concession stand at the movies, and had dropped some pesos on the floor. The person in line behind me made a special attempt to get my attention as I was leaving and returned the money to me.

The most important thing I wish I had learned is to be more patient with "when and if " things got done or not; being told one thing and it turns out to be not true or is incorrect; that lending money to a "friend" in dire need (or so they said) was never intended to be repaid even though they said it would be.

Q: What sources of info/advice have you found helpful (Internet, books,
neighbors, lawyers, bar tenders...)?

I tend to absorb info/advice from observing, and listening more than talking. I felt that if I could learn from anyone who I came in contact with, just one little thing about their culture, way of life, or how to do and not do things, in their culture, was a learning experience for me.

Q: Any tips on learning Spanish?

A: I picked up a little Spanish during my visits, but after I moved to Medellín, I enrolled in a Spanish class at a local university. But most importantly, becoming immersed in the culture , and listening. As many people in the culture were in the process of learning or improving their English, they often wanted to speak to me in English and for me to speak to them in English, as well. Many good learning tools , such as "Spanish for Gringos," CDs, and watching TV shows were also a big help. Making sure that I read the local newspaper on a daily basis was also good for me.

Many thanks to this thoughtful reader for sharing. If you are an expat who would like to contribute your thoughts, insights, experiences, please contact me at the email listed below.

[Image of Medellín via Wikipedia]

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