7 Great Retirement Towns You’ve Never Heard Of…
Learn More about subscribing to International Living Magazine
People often ask why I chose Placencia, Belize, to live and work, instead of all the other places in the Caribbean and Central America. When you first start to look at all the options, it can be overwhelming to find the right fit for you, or even to know how to start looking.
Placencia Village sits at the southern tip of a 14-mile peninsula. With rustic wood cabañas and cottages painted in every color of the rainbow, along with the “smallest main street in the world”, Placencia maintains its authentic Caribbean charm.
Placencia Village sits at the southern tip of a 14-mile peninsula. With rustic wood cabañas and cottages painted in every color of the rainbow, along with the “smallest main street in the world”, Placencia maintains its authentic Caribbean charm.
Fifty-year-old Sue Vasquez grew up in the harsh winters of the Midwest. She wanted nothing more than a life where she could spend more time with her husband, Carlos, enjoying sun and warmth.
When I'm back home in the States, I'm often asked why I moved to Belize. It's not a difficult question to answer...but with all the things I love about living here, the answer can be a long one.
Sue and Carlos Vasquez grew up in the harsh winters of Chicago and Wisconsin…and, eventually, they had enough of them. When their son reached adulthood, and the economy went south in the U.S., they decided to head south themselves. That was five years ago and they have no regrets about making their new home in Belize.
When my husband Dave and I first visited Belize we were blown away by the island lifestyle and culture. We loved seeing swaying palm trees and white-sand beaches everywhere we looked. We loved seeing people actually enjoying their day, walking to get their groceries, the lack of materialism, and the fact that we could be outside 12 months a year.
Life here is busy, but it’s a good kind of busy. We have less driving and commuting than when we lived in Ohio…and we don’t miss traffic jams, shoveling snow, and de-icing the car in the morning, which used to take up so much time. Here, grocery shopping or paying bills involves a bike ride or a walk in sunny weather, where you can hear birds and see the beach.
Exactly one year ago, I was sitting on my couch in snowy Cleveland. At that time, I hadn't left Northern Ohio for more than three weeks at a time. I was spending my time watching International House Hunter shows and researching on every travel blog and forum I could...trying to find out if living in Central America was a realistic dream for my husband, Dave, and I.