No Country for Old Men (or Single People)?

[Joseph Martin]

Hi Belizian expats!

I’m a freelance writer, in my late 50s, currently living in northern Colorado. I’ve been looking for a (preferably Caribbean) place to live outside the US from which to run my internet-based writing business. Problem is, I’m happily single, but also like to socialize.

Digging through online info, I’ve found that most destinations cater almost exclusively to what I’ve discovered is called “Couples Culture.” Can anybody tell me if the reality on the ground in Belize is more welcoming for singles than the advertising suggests? That is, for those of us who are not “on the prowl,” but like to be friendly with the neighbors. 🙂

Many thanks!
Joe Martin

[DAVID L.]

Joe,
I would suggest the San Pedro area on Ambergrist Caye. Ann would have more details on the social life since we live north of Corozal in Consejo..
David

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

Joe,

San Pedro is a good place for single expats. We have quite a few single friends who live here. There are more single women here than men, but you will find both here. Most singles are in their 60s, but some are in their 40s and 50s.

This is a very social island. It doesn’t really matter if you are part of a couple, or are single. We have single friends over for dinners, and they have us over. We all get together at Wine de Vine, and for potlucks at holidays. Some condo complexes have a lot of social activities. It really depends more on your personality and how social you are. As long as you are an outgoing, pleasant person, people go out of their way to help, and to include you.

The only negative is that most social activities do involve outings where everyone is imbibing. If you enjoy a cocktail or two, a beer, or a glass of wine, it will be easy to fit in. If you are a tea totaler, it is harder, although not impossible.

Placencia may also have a some singles, but I am not as sure about that area as it is much smaller and less populated I live in San Pedro, so am quite familiar with the social life here.

[Joseph Martin]

Ann and David,

Thank you for your quick responses!

I’m glad to hear that the San Pedro area is so friendly. And no, I’m not a tea totaler. I do tend to nurse my drink, but hey, if necessary, I can toss ’em back with the best of them! 🙂

I still haven’t decided if I want to take a recon trip during tourist season or wait until the off-season to see how I get along with the tropical heat. I’ll probably stay for a couple of weeks, so I guess I should start reading up on accommodations.

Thanks again for the info!
Joe

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

Sounds like a plan, Joe. No need to “toss ’em back”, as you say. My husband and I do not drink to excess, and yet we have a full social life. But it’s true that most get togethers on the island do involve liquor, whether in a bar/restaurant, or at a potluck get together. There are people here who are tea totalers and it is possible, just unusual.

You could overlap between the high and low season. April is lovely, and dry. May is considered the slow season. It’s quite hot then, but still nice, and the prices go down. Possibly you could come a week or two after Easter (it’s crazy busy then) and stay into May. That way you would experience both the intense tourism season and the heat of May. But it doesn’t yet rain much here in May, so the humidity isn’t extreme. August and September are the truly hot, humid months, with less breeze. I find them to be the most uncomfortable even though May is hot. We still have a nice breeze in May, which keeps you cooler.

[Joseph Martin]

Thanks again, Ann, for the info on weather and high/low seasons. More info for my research file.

I was mostly kidding about “tossing ’em back.” I could do it in the glory days of my youth, but I’d end up in the hospital if I tried something like that these days. 🙂

Having lived in northern Colorado for the last 27 years, it may be a hard transition to acclimate to tropical summer weather, but I’m willing to give it a shot. Maybe I’ll invest heavily in fans and air conditioners.

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

Joseph,

Yes, we use fans a lot to keep the air moving and prevent the mosquitoes from settling! Given how dry it is in Colorado, and cool at night, you probably will need to rent a place with a good air conditioner. It does take a while to get used to the humidity. It gets just as warm in Colorado in the summer as it does here on Ambergris Caye. But the humidity in the Denver area is very low, so it doesn’t feel nearly as warm as it does in Belize, in general.

We spend at least a month in a suburb of Denver each summer, visiting our daughter. I always look forward to the dry weather…

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