· Avoid Facebook expat groups — they create a dependency bubble full of know-it-alls, sellers, and political ranting.
· WhatsApp is essential in Latin America; without it you’re basically cut off from daily life.
· Machetes are common and rarely used for crime except crimes of passion.
· Cleaning staff often salvage useful items from your trash and may open their purses for inspection when leaving.
· Most toilets are cemented rather than properly bolted to the floor to save time and money.
· Cheap steel screws rust rapidly in the tropics; stainless steel is rarely used by local contractors.
· Peruvian flute bands mysteriously appear in every tourist-heavy park around the world selling CDs no one will ever play.
· Boa constrictors almost never kill people, but venomous snakes still cause several hundred deaths a year in Latin America, especially in rural areas.
Be sure to pick up my newly updated, “2026 – LATIN AMERICAN HEALTHCARE REPORT”:
The new edition for 2026 (and beyond) is available now, including the latest “Stem Cell Clinic” info and data and my top picks for the best treatment centers for expats and gringos. Just go to www.ExpatPlanB.com
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