Expat Files – 05.13.16

#1- SUPPOSE YOU FIND YOURSELF IN A LATIN AMERICAN JAIL OR PRISON? TODAY WE HAVE CERTAIN LATIN JAILHOUSE FACTS AND TIPS THAT YOU’LL LIKELY NEVER NEED, BUT NEVERTHELESS STILL VERY GOOD TO KNOW… ERR..JUST IN CASE..

#2–WHAT’S THE WORST THAT COULD HAPPEN IF A CLUELESS (OR NOT SO CLUELESS) GRINGO OVER STAYS HIS OR HER TOURIST VISA?

#3- A NEW POLITICAL SURVEY OF 20,000 LATIN ADULTS LIVING IN THE USA REVEALS HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT CANDIDATES CLINTON, TRUMP…

#4 – HOW DO YOU THINK LATINS LIVING IN THE USA MIGHT VOTE IF BOZO THE CLOWN, OR RONALD McDONALD WERE PLACED ON THE BALLOT?

#5 – AN UNSETTLING REPORT ON PANAMA’S ALL NEW HIGHLY INTRUSIVE, AIRPORT IMMIGRATION SCANNING PROCEDURE(COMING SOON TO COSTA RICA)

#6-TODAY AN AMAZING FIRST-HAND LATIN MEGA-CORRUPTION STORY I’VE BEEN HOLDING BACK FOR THREE LONG YEARS

#7- BE SURE TO CHECK OUT “THE EXPAT FILES” YOU TUBE CHANNEL: become a subscriber (it’s free!)

#8- CONSULT WITH JOHNNY- SCHEDULE A CELL OR SKYPE CALL: Set up a time to talk and sort out your own specific Latin American “PLAN- B”. Just write “CONSULT” in the subject line with a short list of questions/talking points to: theexpatfiles@gmail.com

#9- VISIT ME JOHNNY(AND EXPAT SUPER BLOGGER JOHN GALT) at www.TheNewExpat.com where you get real “boots on the ground” info, experienced expat blogs and terrific one-of-kind reports.

SIGNUP FOR JOHNNY’S JULY 2016 LATIN AMERICAN “INSIDER” SEMINAR
Held in and around Guatemala, Central America- “off the Gringo tourist trail”, Saturday July 9th thru Thursday July 14th. Click the link on top of the www.TheNewExpat.com main-page or email: theexpatfiles@gmail.com or, or click on the link below (or paste it in your browser)
http://thenewexpat.com/johnnys-july-2016-latin-american-insider-seminar/

Matt Taibbi – Why Is the Obama Administration Trying to Keep 11,000 Documents Sealed?

It’s not quite the Panama papers, but one hell of a big pile of carefully guarded secrets may soon be made public. For years now, the federal government has been quietly fighting to keep a lid on an 11,000-document cache of government communications relating to financial policy. The sheer breadth of the effort to keep this material secret may not …

Expat Files – 04.01.16

-CANADIANS WHO LOVE LIVING IN LATIN AMERICA ARE BEING PUNISHED BY THE CANADAN GOVT FOR DOING SO:
For many Canadians their legendary National Healthcare system is sacrosanct, but for snowbirds to take advantage of it they must live in Canada for at least 5 months a year. As you’ll see on today’s show, many Canadians would rather suffer the wrath and consequences of socialism, extreme Big Brother and killer taxes other than give up their so-called “free” Canadian medicine. It’s not hard to see why so many Canadians are making a big mistake by trying to hang on to this benefit, thus missing the chance to get out of Dodge while they still can…

-MORE THAN A MILLION AND HALF GRINGOS AND EXPATS NOW LIVE IN MEXICO. COULD THAT BE A GOOD THING?:
Though it might sound good at first, in the long run it’s not. Bottom line: when gringos come in hoards (like they’ve done in Costa Rica) it’s only a matter of time before the locals come to resent it. Though we bring details and order, we also bring high expectations, punctuality and an ever higher cost of living. So, if you live in Mexico, little by little you’ll be waving goodbye to that famous “Gringo Advantage”…

-TODAY WE TALK ABOUT A BRAND NEW LATIN AMERICAN “CONCIERGE SERVICE” FOR GRINGOS AND EXPATS. DESIGNED TO HELP NEW ARRIVALS, AND THOSE PLANNING THEIR EVENTUAL RELOCATION TO LATIN AMERICA, THE CONCIERGE LADIES WILL HANDHOLD YOU THROUGH MOST ANYTHING TO BE DONE ON YOUR “TO DO” LIST….

Expat Files – 01.31.16

– Today we have emails from a few Canadians, one who felt slighted by a recent E.F. broadcast…

– When Gringos/ Expats team up with a Latin business partner(called a “socio”):
Often when a great new Latin business idea suddenly presents itself, we gringos feel it important to have a Latin business partner. We think one may be necessary for things to go smoothly, especially to negotiate those early encounters with stifling Latin bureaucracy. Somehow we’re under the impression only a Latin person can jump the hoops since we don’t know the system and our Spanish skills mostly suck (at first). However, chances are great that your Latin “socio” will need you far more than you’ll ever need him. Sooner or later you just might find that he/she will be a constant drain on you.

Who can we thank for the “lag time” effect:
-Imagine a world where you will hear not a single awesome or dude -even from flighty, TV, junk-food addicted teenagers! So what does that mean? It means all those annoying English slang, filler words and empty phrases like “awesome and dude” are not yet falling like guano from the tongues of Latins.
However, many gringos and pretentious upscale Latins will “dude” you- and certain annoying entitled Latins hopping back and forth to Mijami do try to impress by spitting out tired gringo slang like polished turds.
So how about the future? How long can it last? Expect Costa Ricans to start “dude-ing” their fantasy Facebook friends soon.

-New tips on finding short and long term Latin rentals- while sitting comfortably in your kitchen way up in the 1st world..

-An update on that very inexpensive, locally famous, “Decameron” chain of all-inclusive Latin beach resorts. Why haven’t gringos up north heard of it? Because its 100% Latin owned and operated so the whole experience is in 100% Spanish. In other words, start learnin’

Expat Files – 01.24.16

– I’ve lived all over Latin America both on and off the gringo tourist trail and much prefer the latter. Why not live off the trail where the locals truly like Americans and thus where the “gringo advantage” is alive and well? That said, some expats(especially the new, fresh, green lightly traveled variety) just love tourist trail locations. That’s why today we list 10 good and positive reasons why some might prefer to live with other gringos “ON the tourist trail”.

-Some of the so called “expert” expat retirement mags and rags as well as expat living blogs now tout “up and coming” Colombia as the “next” Costa Rica. After hearing today’s rant, you’ll still want to visit the place but probably won’t want to live or invest there. However, with Sofia Vergara as Colombia’s unofficial cultural ambassador (with every lonely heat gringo convinced she’s the Colombian girl next door) you can bet the gringos will come, no matter what the underlying facts might be.

Expat Files – 01.03.16

-Some Expat auto owners weigh in with amusing stories describing what happens when Latin cops tried to shake them down for dough.
BTW: the car/vehicle paperwork shakedown situation is common around Christmas time (when most Latins are beyond dead broke).

-Latin cops love bribes (mordida). But they love free gifts too. That why long term Expats sometimes tuck certain special cheap giveaway items in their cars just to hand to cops pressuring for handouts. In the event you get pulled over, some key cheap items can work like a charm!

-In every Latin country there is a small group of 20 to 50 very wealthy “old money” families that own huge tracts of land along with many of the basic industries. Their last names and are well known to the rest of the working population- who generally revere them like minor royals. Often their snotty kids are unruly, abusive jerks. Even so, cops try to maintain a “hands off” policy. It’s sort of their Latin version of our “Gringo Advantage”…. though thankfully, few of us gringos come off like them in the pretentious jerk department.

-The parking situation in Latin America can be complicated. Today we compare Latin parking options to what you are used to up in Hartford and Cleveland. Some of what you are about to hear will sound a bit nutty, but that’s life in Latin America.

Interview with Peter Henry from Consider Bardwell Farm – 11.19.15

Peter Henry is the sales and Marketing Manager for Consider Bardwell Farm, a three hundred acre dairy farm in West Pawlet, Vermont. Peter is responsible for running and staffing nine weekly farmers market stands, as well as the distribution of their artisanal cheeses throughout the country.

Consider Bardwell Farm is committed to sustainability and delicious raw milk, handcrafted cow and goat cheeses. Consider Bardwell was also a man, who founded Vermont’s first dairy coop along with a cheesemaking operation on the same spot in 1864. The farm chose to keep the name and continue the tradition!

Peter is also a veteran of Blue Hill in New York City, along with more restaurants than he cares to remember.

Expat Files – 11.15.15

-Answers to many questions that Expat Gringa gonnabees and wannabees have been asking over the years regarding beauty treatments, beauty salons, first world cosmetics, pricing and cosmetology in general as well as possible business opportunities for Expats in the field. YOU’LL SEE THAT THIS IS NOT FLUFF!!

-How “lag time” affects the Latin fashion and beauty industry.

-More lies and misinformation coming out of yet another Costa Rican government agency. Did you know that the Costa Rican public is now poised to pay the highest electric (kwh) rates of all the 20 Latin American countries? How is that possible when the CR government’s been bragging in the last year the country is totally energy self-sufficient and now operating 100% on “clean” renewable energy? Yes, you’ll find it’s the same old thing again… government corruption, nepotism, cronyism and extreme mismanagement.

-Visit me Johnny (and Expat super-blogger John Galt) at our new joint website www.TheNewExpat.com . Its where you’ll get real “boots on the ground” info, experienced expat blogs and reports. It’s a work in progress so please be patient. We’re continually improving and expanding the format.