Beaches - Vacation & Travel

Why Latin America?

People often ask me what motivated me to leave the U.S. for Colombia. Most of the time, the askers are Colombians themselves, many of whom would do pretty much anything to get a visa to the U.S. or Canada and can’t understand why someone would willingly choose to move to the “disaster” (their words not mine) that is Latin America. And I do sometimes ask myself, what kind of person abandons the comforts and stability of the developed world for the relative chaos of the third world? Many of the Colombians and Latin Americans I’ve met along the way even look at me like I’m crazy when I tell them I actually like living here. But Latin America does have its perks, otherwise, why would hundreds of thousands of foreigners leave their old lives behind to come live down here? Below are some of the most common reasons expats have given me for deciding to move to Latin America.

A lower cost of living. The cost of living in Latin America is often a fraction of what it is in the United States, Canada and Europe. I hesitate to call this a positive because the price of this lower cost of living is often an exploited, underappreciated workforce, but it’s hard to deny that this is one of the top reasons foreigners decide to move south. Basically, you can have a higher quality of life here for less. You can live comfortably in most Latin American cities with $1,500-$3,000 a month. In Bogota, you can get your nails done for $3.50-$5, you can have a daily maid who cooks and cleans for the equivalent of $300 a month and a good meal at a high-end restaurant will rarely cost you more than $15 . Plus, you can rent yourself a decent two-bedroom apartment for $400 a month.

Nature. In one word, nature in Latin America is spectacular. Unlike the U.S. where you have to drive at least a few hundred miles to notice any significant temperature or geographical changes, climate and vegetation changes by altitude rather than latitude here. In two hours, you can go from freezing snowcapped mountains to sweltering, tropical lowlands. Whether you want beaches, jungles, plains or mountains, it’s usually just a short drive away.

A happening party scene. I don’t think I’m being subjective when I say Latin Americans know how to party. In fact, I’ve talked to a lot of expats who decided to move down here exclusively for the party life. Whether you’re into salsa, rock, techno, heavy metal or hip-hop, most mid-sized cities have something for everyone. And unlike the U.S. where 30 seems to be the cut-off age for all night partying and debauchery, grandma and grandpa like to get down just as much as the twenty-something crowd and they’re not opposed indulging

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Labels: America?, Latin

posted by Costa Rica Beaches @ 11:55 PM