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How a 10 Year Plan Became 5 Years With a 6 Month Trial

by tacogirl 14/09/2015
written by tacogirl 14/09/2015
Moving to Belize

Best Laid Plans

Have you ever had one of those moments where you start peeling a sticker off something and immediately realize that you should not have started that project? I had that happen to me on a few occasions. Thankfully for my silver Exacto knife, one of the VIP things I brought with me from Canada I was able to scrape it off. I wish I had brought more tools with me, specifically my hot glue gun and my dad’s staple gun. For some reason, Paul did not think a glue gun would go over well with customs. My thinking I was already packing everything but the kitchen sink in our 4 suitcases and a bag of kites so what was one more crazy thing? 🙂 In the end, I let him win that packing battle.

As many of you know the decision to move here for us came after one two week visit and it took us two years to “get our shit together” before I put my foot down and one day I said “we are buying tickets for six months out and that is all the time we will have to make it happen” and we did.

This past weekend at the Cancer Society Blood drive, Thierry and Gail stopped by to say hi and meet me in person after several emails back and forth before their move.  It was nice to finally meet in person and hear a bit about their trip with a dog in tow, how pleased they were with Tropic staff through that process. It made me smile to hear them talk about things that 90% of people who move here go through such as the realization that they brought things they did not need and left behind things they now wished they had not.

While the happy couple are both enjoying their new island life, they are still experiencing an ;adjustment process and adapting to the idea of not really having a timetable or schedule.

I asked Thierry if he would share their story with you and he was more than willing on behalf of the two of them.

Thierry (and Gayle) Duhamel’s account of moving to Belize

Our adventure to the tropics started as a research project. We had a 10-year plan for retirement. After working in Houston for six months and realizing that the rat race was not for me our plan was revised to a 5-year plan. The choice of Belize was made after exploring a few other islands, English is spoken, stable economy, cost of living, the number of expats already here and everyone is so damn nice. As everyone knows the economy is the driving force for everything and it was also for us. I was found to be redundant in my employment and this changed our plans to a 6-week plan. The preparations for this change of life were hectic at best but with good preparations, it can and did go smoothly. We followed every blog concerning expatriates in Belize and more specifically San Pedro. The information we could get from them was invaluable to our preparations.

Everything started by us setting up a “drop dead” date for our adventure to begin. Once that was done everything was planned accordingly. The selling of all vehicles and furnishings is a humbling experience at best. It was hard to see our hard earned material possessions being basically auctioned off to the highest bidder. If you can convince yourself that these are just material things and do not define you, it makes the process a little easier. All our furnishings and vehicles were sold successfully. We kept our personal items like art and photos in a storage locker until we can bring them here.

To everyone thinking of bringing a dog it is very doable, you just have to start early to have it completed in time. The pet will need every vaccination you can think plus a couple we had never heard of before. Our vet in Katy, TX was great and enlightened us just in time since we apparently needed a form stamped from a USDA vet. Of course, the closest USDA office is in Austin. You will also need an import permit from Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA). This should be your first step as this took us three weeks to get. To be more specific it took 2 weeks to get hold of someone and 1 week to get the import permit. Once you get the whole lot of paperwork everything goes smoothly, at least it did for us. As I’m sure everyone has read somewhere there are 2 airlines flying into San Pedro, Maya Air and Tropic Air. We chose Tropic Air and it was the right decision for us. They were very accommodating and helpful in getting our dog from customs, through check-in and then onto the plane.

Our arrival was pretty much uneventful, which is not a bad thing as everything went according to plan. We arrived on September 1st, probably the hottest month of the year. I’m anxious as to our electrical bill as I’ve heard it is very expensive here. We’re trying to keep the A/C to a minimum with a general temperature of approximately 78 degrees F. We shall see next month. This is all part of the expat experience which you have to expect. Groceries were another eye-opening experience. We are quickly adapting to buying local products which if I may say so are quite good. It is just a matter of finding a store that you like. Since this is the low season it does give us a more sedate pace to adapt to the island life and meet up with other expats and locals. I’m sure it will be quite hectic once the tourist season starts.

This was an experience that my wife and I had not planned on so early but it is turning out much better than we had anticipated. The people are friendly and helpful, there is everything you might need here for a quieter pace of life. Sure not everything is rosy but compared to where we came from it is paradise. The one big thing we’ve tried to instill in each other is that we are here to live and not vacation and this means a different mindset. We’re ready to face our new lives here. We gave ourselves six months to make a decision as to whether this is a place for us and at least for me I doubt it will take that long at all.

Americans living in Belize

Thierry at Playa Secreto taken by Gayle

Living in Belize

First parade since moving to the island by Thierry and Gayle

Related

tacogirl

Laurie Norton grew up dyslexic and was very challenged by the school. She never dreamed she would move to Belize and become a writer. A year after her move to Ambergris Caye, Laurie became an entrepreneur and professional writer starting tacogirl blog in 2007. Since then she has helped many people plan their vacations or move. She also has been published in Great Destinations Belize Guidebook, Moon Guide to Living in Belize, Insight Guides, Island Magazine several times and USA Today. Currently Laurie resides in downtown San Pedro and enjoys being a "city girl" on a tropical island.

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2 comments

Buck 16/09/2015 - 10:33 am

Enjoy your newsletter very much.
Did you ever answer me re: my email about what type fish will I catch
off the piers. We are staying at Caribe Island Resorts and they say they
have a pier. I am bringing a fishing rod but kinda needed to know what
lures/flies to bring. We are coming March 5 – 12, 2016.

Reply
tacogirl 16/09/2015 - 10:42 am

I never got an email from you Buck, did a search and nothing turned up. You need to check with Caribe Island if they allow fishing off their pier as not all places do. Snapper is what you will likely catch.

Reply

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I just returned from my trip to Belize in mid-June 2022. I had been planning the trip weeks / months in advance and... Laurie (taco girl) wasextremely helpful in preparation for my trip. Her intimate knowledge as an expat who was ONCE a tourist, really helps because she is able to share first hand knowledge of how a tourist can explore Ambergis Caye like a "temporary local". An example of this, was she recommended 2 yoga classes for my wife to enjoy while on vacation that we would not have known about otherwise and the class was far better than a class arranged by a hotel, as you get the local experience not a staged one. In addition, she was helpful in providing recommendations for dinner and sharing some discounts she has arranged with local retailers. Reviewing the taco girl blog and reaching out to Laurie is like having a tour guide, but more important a tour guide that KNOWS Belize.read more
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From the perspective of a couple preparing for a permanent move to Belize, Laurie has been enthusiastically helpful in... both answering our questions and connecting us with local resources for our move. Highly recommend you contact her and make use of her valuable services!!!read more
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Laurie was super helpful in providing places to eat, things to do and best yet had ongoing blogs that allowed us to... look back on other places that she pointed out. A fantastic resource for both first time and return visitors of Ambergris Caye!read more
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Fantastic service .I needed to find a place where I could buy a local sim card as my UK sim doesnt work in belize and... Tacogirl put me on the right path .Decided to walk across town and discovered so much more in beautiful San Pedro.Many thanks.BWread more
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We have been using TacoGirl for what feels like decades when planning our trips to Belize! It has only been a few... years but she is the first place we stop to see what is happening in our favorite vacation spot. She knows all the best spots to get away and do so many fun things - whether it is relaxing or exploring! We are planning our next trip with our twins and she was the first person I reached out to. Knowing we have a resource like her, makes trip planning a breeze!read more
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Found tacogirl while doing some research on an upcoming trip to Belize. This is the place for all the information you... need to plan your vacation. Incredibly helpful and responsive. I sent an email with lots of questions and received a very quick and detailed response that helped us finalize our plans.read more
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We have been following TacoGirl for years now and before booking any trip to San Pedro we check to see what is... currently happening. We love the emails to let us know when a new blog has been posted. Keep up the great work Laurie, we feel like we know you.read more
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I first got my Passport in 2012 and Taco Girl was my first connection back then Great then and Marvelous Now! She's... blossomed and developed into a wonderful contact for any and all information Belize. She goes above & beyond to respond with information that you need whether visiting Belize or relocating! I wasn't able to fund the move then but now that I have much more equity I am doing it.This time she was the 1st person I reached out to! Now I am selling and moving to Belize. She responds immediately! Like I do in my Pet Sitting Business! I was so impressed I followed her all this time. And was not disappointed!Pamela Nixonread more
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Wanted to give a shout-out to tacogirl belize for helping us! She is a plethora of knowledge and was super helpful and... responsive in helping us find longer term stay on the island. Thank you so much for your help!read more
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I've spent the last month exploring Belize. I'm retired & seriously considering moving down to Belize permanently from... the US. I contacted the local San Pedro expert "Taco Girl" to help me get started in finding an apartment to rent. With her help, I've located several places that meet my needs & budget requirements. Thank you Laurie!read more
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I am so grateful for the time and energy Laurie has taken to share about her experiences traveling to and living in... Belize as well as provide thorough recommendations for planning a trip there. I was so thankful (and honestly surprised) that Laurie took the time to respond to several of my questions via email. I highly recommend reading Laurie's blogs and helping to support her business. Thank you Laurie!!read more
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tacogirl was very nice to share her knowledge with us and assisted with planning our trip to Belize; thank you for the... help and info, it was helpful and allowed us to plan utilize our time accordingly while both on the mainland and islands of this great country.read more
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As a Canadian—tired of long winters—I cannot wait to spend some time in Belize. I haven't set foot yet, but I am... yearning for lots of Caribbean adventure. Thanks so much to tacogirl for her endless enthusiasm and generosity of spirit. She is a constant stream of up-to-date information. Her knowledge and love of the area is priceless, and I will need her expertise for future endeavours!read more
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We started coming to Ambergis Caye in 2014 and stumble on to Tacogirls blog, so glad we did! We used her 15% discount... at The Premier Duty-Free shop in the airport! It worked great all we did was let them know we read it on her blog . She has great information awesome pictures, we have tried several places she has recommended, all were amazing. Highly recommend reading her blog. Kathleenread more
ksniegoc1
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It was my first time visiting Belize and San Pedro so naturally I had a ton of questions when it came time to planning... the travel. Taco Gril's blog was an invaluable source of information for all the travel questions in Ambergris Caye. I was able to learn a lot of basic information, as well as many tips and tricks. In addition when I reached out to Taco Girl for advice on finding a local photographer and a restaurant recommendation, she was very quick to respond and gave me many helpful suggestions. She also provided a lot more information from a local's point of view, which was much for valuable than than a typical guidebook. Thanks to her helpful suggestions we were able to celebrate my daughter's birthday at a nice restaurant, and had a great photo family session with a local photographer. I'm very thankful for all her resources and knowledge.read more
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I started coming to San Pedro Belize in 2007 and that is when I met the online presence of Taco Girl. Her blogs on the... island and area are very personable and informative. She gives out promo codes from time to time so watch out for those. You cannot go wrong with someone who was a tourist and now lives here for quality info. Thanks Taco Girl for helping make my trips memorable!read more
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I take the seniors from our academy to Belize every year for their senior trip. One of the first people I contact when... I start planning the trip is Laurie with TacoGirl Belize. She knows the island of San Pedro better than anyone else out there. Trust me, I have looked. If you are looking for the best restaurants, hang outs and shops then Laurie help plan your vacation.read more
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Carol Taylor
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Love Taco Girl Blog @LaurieNorton!I've been reading this blog since I started visiting Ambergris Caye in Belize almost... 10 years ago. It is filled with helpful up-to-date information and recommendations that I wouldn't necessarily find on my own. Laurie Norton's knowledge and extensive network on the island provides her with the ability to share perks/discounts/coupons with her readers, which come in handy year after year. Things on the island change daily - new businesses pop up constantly and LaurieNortonstays on top of these developments. Whenever I plan my return trip to the island, I always check her blog first - and I recommend you do the same. Trip Advisor ain't got nuttin' on Taco Girl!read more
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Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and local information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s always nice... to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. There is so much information it's amazing! Thank you Laurie!!!read more
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I am considering a move to Belize and I have serendipitously found tacogirl.....what a treasure! She is full of great... advice, helpful hints.....knows everybody on Ambergris Caye and has a thousand useful recommendations and suggestions. Whether you are planning a vacation or relocating, you should make use of the many services she has to offer…..read more
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I’m so pleased to see tacogirl's blog on Google. Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and local... information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s always nice to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. I especially enjoy her guest articles, providing a different perspective of all things San Pedro. Her tipping quide is a classic, and don’t forget her Tropic Air flight code and on-island discounts. You’re not up-to-date with what’s going on in San Pedro if you’re not regularly reading tacogirl's blog.read more
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I have known Laurie (Taco Girl) for several years. She has been a wealth of good information for me in all of my... pursuits in Belize. I highly recommend her for any services you may require.read more
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Do yourself a favor. Read this BEFORE any trip to San Pedro - Ambergris Caye or Belize in general. Not saying “do what... everyone else says”, but Laurie has frank and honest info which will make your stay in country a little more fun, a little more informative, and often at a great cost savings. Best thing: it’s unbiased, honest, and factual. Personal note: thank you for your personal tailored help in answering mine (and my wife’s) questions.read more
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Taco Girl (Laurie) is amazing. She has so much knowledge about Belize and has great connections with many of the... businesses in Belize. Because of her connections she is able to offer many perks and discounts that you wouldn't have been able to find otherwise. She is super responsive and I always go to her for all my travel needs. From golf cart rentals, to spas, to places to eat. She's got the inside scoop on all!read more
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20:22 21 Apr 19
Since 2003, my wife and I have been to Ambergris at least once a year to experience the fantastic diving. About twelve... years ago we me Tacogirl on a blog giving us discounts on golf carts, local airfares, and restaurants. Over the years we have grown a friendship and I look forward to her weekly blogs about he changes on my favorite home away from home. The island changes every year, and she always shows you what to see, do, and eat.read more
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Belize Blog Est. 2007

belize travel specialist

ABOUT ME

I took the plunge and moved to San Pedro Town on the Island of Ambergris Caye, off the coast of Belize, Central America. Originally from Canada, I made the life-changing move to escape winter for good (in 2006) after one three week vacation. If you have any questions or want Belize help planning and booking, please feel free to contact me.

SPARKING MY DESIRE

A few childhood memories that shaped my desire to move to Belize from a young age. Sailing in the Virgin Islands, seeing a rainbow out the window of an island hopper as we flew from Virgin Islands to Puerto Rico, Christmas in Hawaii and many trips to Florida.

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