Episode Summary
In this episode, Johnny Mueller delves into the cultural dynamics of clothing and language in Latin America, particularly focusing on the contrast between gringos and Latinos in terms of fashion and social norms. He highlights the differences in how clothing is perceived and used as a form of expression, especially regarding t-shirts with English sayings. Johnny also addresses the topic of pain medication availability in Latin America, specifically in Guatemala, and provides advice on accessing prescription drugs in the region.
He then discusses the varying regulations on prescription drugs in Latin America, highlighting that while some countries have recently implemented laws restricting the sale of certain drugs without a prescription, smaller, local pharmacies often bypass these rules. He touches on cultural aspects, such as the celebration of April Fool's Day in a different form in Latin America, and delves into the complex and dangerous situation in Mexico, where drug cartels are highly organized and have significant influence over local authorities and communities.
Johnny also explores the cognitive dissonance experienced by expats in Mexico, comparing the country's situation to other Latin American nations. He critiques the portrayal of Mexico as a safe and desirable place by expat websites and shares a testimonial from an expat who moved to Guatemala and found a more peaceful and welcoming environment. He emphasizes that expats should consider alternative locations rather than clinging to the belief that conditions in Mexico will improve.
In this segment, Johnny Mueller discusses his experiences living in Mexico, including his interactions with locals and expats. He mentions meeting up with a friend named Joe Kano, who has had success with a crypto course and is now in a government position in Guatemala. Johnny also talks about the advantages of being a 'gringo' in Latin America, sharing anecdotes about how expats are often welcomed and how they can easily form connections. He highlights the community and support network among expats, emphasizing that they can rely on each other for advice and assistance with daily tasks.
Finally, Johnny discusses the cultural and economic attitudes between Mexicans and Guatemalans, explaining why few Mexicans live in Guatemala. He attributes this to a belief among Mexicans that their country is culturally and economically superior to Guatemala, which is often viewed as a backward, indigenous country. He also touches on broader Latin American cultural comparisons, noting that countries like Argentina, Costa Rica, and Chile also have similar 'superiority' attitudes among their residents. He concludes by discussing Argentina's European heritage and its historical context, which contributes to its perceived cultural superiority.
Episode Notes
In this episode of The Expat Files, Johnny Mueller explores the cultural dynamics of clothing and language in Latin America, the availability of prescription medications, and the complex situation in Mexico with its drug cartels. He also shares insights from expats who have moved to Guatemala and discusses the broader cultural attitudes among Latin American countries.
For more episodes, seminar information, resources, and the full archive, visit ExpatPlanB.com.
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Related guides: Moving to Guatemala · Healthcare in Latin America · Cost of Living in Latin America · Residency in Latin America · Renting and Buying Property
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Topics
Cultural dynamics of clothing and language in Latin America, Social norms and fashion in Latin America, Availability of prescription medications in Latin America, Access to healthcare and pharmaceutical services for expats, Drug regulations in Latin America, Cultural practices in Latin America, Drug cartels and their influence in Mexico, Expats' perspectives on living in Mexico, Cognitive dissonance among expats in Mexico, Comparison of Mexico's violence to other Latin American countries, Critique of expat websites promoting Mexico, Testimonial from an expat who moved to Guatemala
Chapters
00:00:00 Opening 00:00:31 Cultural Contrast in Clothing and Language 00:03:14 Availability of Prescription Medications in Latin America 00:05:33 Drug Regulations in Latin America 00:07:11 April Fool's Day in Latin America 00:07:46 Drug Cartels in Mexico 00:11:27 Introduction to the topic of Mexico's violence and expats' cognitive dissonance 00:11:58 Comparison of Mexico's violence to other Latin American countries 00:12:30 Highlighting the unique nature of Mexico's violence and civilian casualties 00:13:00 Johnny's opinion on the control of cartels in Mexico 00:13:29 Johnny's long-standing view on Mexico and his decision to stop discussing it 00:14:21 Johnny's reflection on the initial positive experiences of expats in Latin America 00:15:11 Joe Kano's testimonial about his positive experience in Guatemala 00:16:42 Joe Kano's appreciation for Johnny's advice and the expat community 00:17:15 Meeting Up with a Friend in Oscar Minor 00:17:18 Recommendation for a Crypto Course 00:17:22 Success with a Crypto Course 00:17:27 Turning a Modest Sum into a Large Amount 00:17:31 Arguing Over Which Coin Will Make More Money 00:17:38 Encouragement to Get Into Crypto 00:17:43 Advantages of Living in Latin America 00:17:48 The Gringo Advantage 00:23:37 Why Few Mexicans Live in Guatemala: Cultural and Economic Superiority Beliefs 00:26:13 Cultural Prejudices Among Latin American Countries 00:26:53 Argentina's European Heritage and Immigration Policies
Transcript
Automatically transcribed from the original recording; names and wording may contain errors.
[00:00] South of the border down Mexico way That's where I fell in love when the stars above came out to play and now as I wonder Hello there all you ex-pat wannabes I'm Johnny Mueller and you're listening to the expat files living in Latin America The show that tells you just what it's like to live work play and or retire down here in Latin America It's a mix of the good the bad the ugly and the great and it's all right here. So let's get started Hey, you know you're way off the gringo tourist trail when Latinos are wearing t-shirts and Sweatshirts with sayings on them you would cringe or be extremely embarrassed to wear yourself or maybe not because you just want to shock people But most of us gringo is an express are not of that disposition. We don't like to be stared at
[00:49] We don't like to be the center of attention. We want to remain as anonymous as possible That's my goal anyway, and it should be yours, too That means you know if you're wearing a t-shirt and it's got Spanish lettering or Spanish saying on it You ought to know what it means But as for Latinos especially way off the gringo tourist trail They'll wear any piece of clothing that's got English writing or English sayings on because in Latin America That makes you cool makes you hip with a trip. Why else what a Latino a Latin guy wear a t-shirt that says on it quote Assholes are people too unquote or how about this t-shirt? Worn by a Latino male in what we know is a very macho society It says in English of course, I'm not gay, but 20 bucks is 20 bucks unquote man I'll tell you macho Latino males are so gay phobic
[01:36] They would never in a million years go for a t-shirt like that if they knew what it actually meant But just to clarify things it's a macho society and Latino guys are gay phobic But they're no longer into insulting or torturing gays some years ago Yeah, that was prevalent, but not anymore They may be intolerant, but they keep it to themselves The fact is you almost never hear of gays being hassled anymore Then again the majority of gays down here are not a hundred percent open about it though It's true tons of them have come out of the closet, but they rarely flaunt it or throw it in your face What I mean is you'll be able to spot gays here and there, but there are very few flamers Well, not in public places anyway, and how about this t-shirt? I just saw a Latin guy wearing you know those I love New York t-shirts are everywhere right well
[02:23] This one says with the heart no I love fucking New York unquote now You might feel that way too But that's definitely not the kind of t-shirt the average gringo anyway would want to wear and mixed or polite society Or when strolling through the park with your grandma though I guess it does depend which trailer court you were brought up in anyway I've got a nice collection of photos I've taken of various Latin American t-shirts that I'm absolutely 100% sure that the wearer has no idea of the Translation that is what they really mean, but you know things like that make the living experience here in Latin America all the more fun And interesting the question is would you wear a t-shirt that said assholes are people too well I think not on a first date anyway Though it would certainly fit at a woke rally wouldn't it but I digress and in the first minute and a half of the show
[03:12] That must be a record all right Let's take an email on a subject that a huge percentage of expat gone to bees and wannabes are concerned with you'd be surprised How many gringos and expats pull me aside and ask me this very question? It's not one many people like to talk about in the open because it does have some stigmas attached to it anyway, mr. Jw says Johnny. I'm wondering what's the availability in Latin America specifically Guatemala of pain medications such as Oxycodone and morphine he says I personally have a prescription in the states for those drugs But we'll definitely need refills if I plan to stay a month or more Are there any go-to pharmacies that can supply my medical prescription needs? Thanks for any advice you can give me sign. Mr. JW. Okay JW good question The fact is down here in Latin America all the major pharmacies carry the usual proprietary drugs along with the generic brands, too
[04:05] Though the generic brands aren't usually coming from China or India They're generally produced by Latin American pharmaceutical companies So they will be brands you've never heard of often at 25% or less than the name brand drug and yes Pharmacies will fill prescriptions from a US doctor. So fill any doctor's prescription and you know over the years I've taken many expats male and female with prescriptions in hand written by a US doctor We've gone to a local pharmacy to get those things filled most all the medium and large pharmacies They'll have whatever you need as long as it's in general use They'll even have most of the brand-new drugs you see on TV You know the new drugs that big farmers come up with to cure diseases that didn't exist a couple of years ago Hmm. Don't you hate that?
[04:52] Anyway with brand name drugs often when you go into a pharmacy down here when they check it on the computer It'll be a different name than what you're used to because it's been translated into Spanish or another company makes the same thing And the name has been latinized so to speak, but you don't have to worry about that They've got all the drugs cross listed The only thing you do have to worry about is if they could read your doctor's writing or not, you know, it's funny It's kind of a universal sickness with all doctors Pathologic penmanship scribble itis so I always recommend you take a photo of the label on your pill bottle because that's always nicely typed up by the Pharmacists back home though, of course on the other hand, you don't really need to have a prescription for anything here in Latin America However, some Latin American countries have rules about that. They've recently passed a few laws
[05:39] Restricting the sale of certain drugs without a prescription, but that's only true in a few Latin countries For example in Ecuador Panama and Costa Rica if you go into a really big pharmacy chain Asking for a specific antibiotic or oxycodone or even Cialis or Viagra That's what I've heard. Anyway, they just might tell you you need a prescription because recently there have been some slightly restrictive laws passed However, if you just walk down the street to a much smaller pharmacy a local neighborhood place That's not a chain a mom-and-pop pharmacy They'll always give you the drug even the most powerful ones like oxycodone morphine Yep, and Cialis and Viagra, you know, I gotta tell you gringos are always asking about Cialis and Viagra Then again, maybe it's their wives and girlfriends who are insisting on it. Hmm
[06:27] So then why would smaller drugstores not give a rip about you having a prescription or not because they're a mom-and-pop outfit They're not gonna turn down a sale and no one's checking. Anyway, they've got no drugstore. Dea FDA or pharmacy police even if they've got that so-called prescription law for painkillers and antibiotics if you phoned up the cops and say Hey, there's a pharmacy break in the law selling Viagra Oxycodone and penicillin without a prescription. Well, I'm again it This is a citizen's arrest and you got to do something about it. You know what will happen There'll be a pregnant pause at the end of the line and maybe some laughter and if it's around this time of year They'll think it's an April Fool's joke. Nope. It ain't gonna happen Oh and speak of April Fool's Day in Latin America They celebrate it on a different day and it's not called April Fool's
[07:15] It's called Dia de los innocentes the day of the innocence In other words, it's the day to pull the wool over the eyes of innocent dupes and it's not April 1st It's December 28th So if you try to pull a fast one on your buddy on April 1st in Latin America, it won't work You'll get blank stares or maybe you'll get disappeared depending on how many neck tattoos your buddy has Just kidding. Then again if you're living in Mexico, especially if you're living in certain districts or states Like for example, Jalisco. Well, the drug cartels Absolutely run the place and they own all the politicians and cops, too I know I know a lot of you guys and gals out there have a vested interest in Mexico You bought land or you've been going back and forth on vacation for many years and are thinking of retiring there or are retired there already
[08:04] Now I just wondered all you defenders of Mexico What goes through your head when you hear the kind of news that's coming out all the time like for example just recently when? 26 bodies were found wrapped in plastic and buried not too deeply and a dog Just happened to be running around with a human forearm in its mouth. That's how authorities found this particular site So I'm wondering what all the pro Mexico gringos and expats are thinking when they read that kind of news those aren't Isolated incidences either not when you've got dozens of human rights Activist groups saying that Mexico's the 21st century version of the killing fields I'm wondering what all those pro Mexico gringos and expats say when Mexico's number one security specialist
[08:50] Eduardo Guerrero is quoted in the International press as saying that Mexican cartels are so organized and have such huge amounts of money that they've got their own paramilitary style armies Completely outfitted along with all the necessary vehicles and armaments this guy the number one security Specialist said on the record they represent such a severe challenge to the Mexican government that when they encountered resistance political or otherwise in small or medium-sized Mexican cities they'll detach their own sort of narco swat team a paramilitary platoon of at least 50 operatives that can easily defeat any local police force and I wonder about the cognitive dissonance that must be kicking in when gringo is an expats living in Mexico hear about a guy named L
[09:39] Mencho a Former police officer who is now the DEA's top Mexican target You got to wonder what gringos and expats are thinking when they hear that the DEA Has a price on this guy's head of 10 million bucks Is it that they just don't pay attention to the stories or the news articles? Is it just that they don't care as long as the clandestine burial sites aren't in their neighborhoods? And I wonder what gringos and expats who love Mexico I wonder what they think when they find out that the last time Mexican troops tried to capture that guy L-mencho who's been a fugitive for a dozen years now by the way. He's even been spotted in the US hmm How'd that happen anyway the last time the Mexican military tried to capture the guy his own personal
[10:24] paramilitary guard shot down an army helicopter with a rocket launcher hmm Tell me would that bother you and I wonder what Mexico Loving gringos and expats are thinking what's going through their heads when they find out that the mountain range directly west of Guadalajara Oh by the way the city of Guadalajara Mexico being Mexico's number one university town In fact, they've got a very excellent medical school there and some of the specialty programs have worldwide recognition The question is what do gringos and expats living in Mexico think what really goes on in their minds when they find out There are large paramilitary style training camps and secret laboratories that produce vast quantities of synthetic drugs All that just a half hour away from Guadalajara
[11:10] And I wonder what all those Mexican loving gringos and expats are thinking when they hear how cartel gunman in black combat gear with the cartel groups initials stamped in their bulletproof vests Just what are those gringos and expats thinking when they hear about them Sweeping through the streets in high-end four by fours with mounted machine guns You know, it just makes me wonder if all those gringos and expats living in Mexico There are over a million of them, you know, it makes me wonder about their cognitive dissonance you know, that's typically the acceptance on some level of contradictory beliefs ideas and values and you know psychiatrists say that with cognitive dissonance instead of Actively trying to resolve the conflict the brain just flips into avoidance or acceptance mode now
[11:58] Let's for a second compare Mexico's so-called killing fields to other Latin countries Well, you can look up this stuff all day on the net and you'll not find a single instance in any other Latin American country Where such mass graves are found on a routine base now That's not to say mass graves haven't been found in other Latin countries that has happened But only during civil wars and revolutions never in the 21st century as that happened in any other Latin country Sure, you'll hear about narcoes popping off other narcoes that happens all the time But it's only in Mexico where large groups of civilians end up in mass graves Including such innocence as teachers and school kids, but you knew that earlier, right? Well, some of you did anyway meanwhile, if you go on the net you'll see rags like international living
[12:46] Aarp Conde naz traveler and dozens of other expat sites telling you how great it is to go down to Mexico Get your residency retire on the cheap and live happily ever after the question is if it's as bad as it is right now And most all Mexican politicians and people in the know are saying the cartels own the police and the government I don't get it. How can any ostensibly smart astute and well-informed gringle believe the conditions are gonna get better or maybe They're just temporary and regional narcoes are criminals and criminals will never give up control They'll just grab more of it But gringos and expats from Canada and the states who always lived under the rule of law We're always thinking the good and righteous will overcome, right? Now you longtime listeners know I've been singing the same tune for a long time and often I'll even say I'm never gonna talk about
[13:36] Mexico again, I'm done. You know my point of view. I've given you the stats It's just not worth harping on anymore. People are gonna do what they're gonna do Confirmation bias is a powerful thing in the end, of course concerning Mexico. Anyway, I know you don't want to hear this But the good guys will not prevail. We're not living in a Disney movie. Narcos are in control They've got too much money and power and they're not gonna give it up However, if you're clairvoyant and your conscience tells you differently your confirmation bias is acting up again And you've got a strong case of cognitive dissonance. Well, go right ahead Good you're gonna live in Mexico anyway in the end living in Mexico You might not get the life you were hoping for but you'll get the life you voted for I know what it's like I know the reality is when you first land in Latin America
[14:21] You're a happy camper at first. Everyone is after all we all arrive with rose-colored glasses Hey, it happened to me too when I first landed in Costa Rica, which is still a hell of a lot better than Mexico Costa Rica is much safer. They've really got few organized gangs No, narco state just a lot of petty crime, but that's another thing Fact is it took me about two years or so to realize that International living in Conde Nast Traveler were lying to me about Costa Rica All right, and now an email from Joe Kano not his real name So who's Joe Kano an expat insider seminar attendee who came down a couple years ago with his dad So since then he's finally got that plan B action going and he's living in Guatemala now So he's just sent me this email entitled my four-month progress
[15:10] He says hey Johnny It's been four months since I sold or gave everything away and moved on down to Guatemala and oh boy has it been an adventure I don't really even know where to start. I do know however that I've never been happier and more relaxed in my entire life I'm only in my 30s, but I've had a pretty rough past decade And all that stress is just gone now It took three weeks for reality to set in and for me to really relax But it happened and now I couldn't be more pleased with my decision to move down The funny part is I put a lot of stress on myself Trying to make enough money to get down here and now that I'm here I realize I didn't need to get stressed out about money I can laugh about it now, but I hope that people take that to heart stop waiting and procrastinating
[15:57] Okay with that out of the way now. I'll get to the fun stuff. I can tell you for the four months I've been down here not once have I felt unsafe in this country. You know me Johnny I'm a little adventurous, and I like to go different places even places I'm not necessarily supposed to go like those red zones though I'm not recommending people do all that but in any event practically everywhere I go I found most everyone in this country to be happy helpful polite thoughtful and very Accommodating even with my horrible Spanish. I'm able to get around quite easily even in the scruffier zones Heck I've been running around so much lately that I've taken Lawyer Jose to a few places he didn't even know existed and he was born here in fact He says I've acclimated faster than anyone. He's ever seen in that short period of time
[16:46] That's not me bragging mind you I've been listening to your podcast since it was new and just applied a lot of what you told Us which is spot-on by the way between the podcast a seminar and the wonderful network of people. I met here Yes, even Captain Mango this almost seems easier than moving to another town in the US and speaking of Captain Mango What a guy it's been so much fun seeing him again and hanging out We've gotten up to some shenanigans and have a few others plan to in fact I'm meeting up with him in Oscar minor late this afternoon Also, I can't recommend Captain Mango's crypto course enough I spoke with him about a year ago, and he really got me up to speed very quickly on crypto I was able to turn a very modest sum into a rather Embarrassingly large amount of money and now we just argue over and over again. Which coin is gonna make us more money, haha
[17:38] I say to everyone it's not too late to get into this crypto thing. It's still just the very beginning I'd bet the farm on it. Then he says another reason it's so damn easy living down Here is that old gringo advantage you talk about you're not kidding. They love us gringos I could probably write a short book on just my experiences with it, or maybe a series of email Maybe I'll call it Joe Kay's favorite gringo moments For example one Latin lawyer that I ended up not renting a house from though We really got along so naturally we kept in touch Well, we went out for a beer recently and we're talking when his phone rang He didn't want to be rude and answer in front of me But I told him to pick it up anyway, so he spoke for a minute then hung up and said well
[18:23] Now we have to celebrate. I'm changing jobs on Monday I said wow what kind of job did you get thinking isn't lawyering enough to which he replied to me I just got confirmed for a cabinet position in the government I'll be working with the president of Guatemala directly now So immediately I was thinking who gets to be part of the movers and shakers in the government in the US Only the mega wealthy and the connected have that kind of access to power Needless to say I made sure he put me on the invite list for the parties I know you don't like politicians Johnny. I don't either but maybe I can have some fun at their expense for a change I know Johnny for you. This has been a crazy long email, so I'll cut it short here
[19:08] But I've got a ton of cool things I can talk about even just being here four months I've got stories about the travel the cops the business opportunities the people the crazy things you see driving along the road The mating and dating which is very easy by the way guys It can be as easy as making eye contact and saying hi. I'm serious I'm no weightlifting Jim boy model either just a gringo with that gringo advantage So I supposed to make a long story even less long You're not lying to us Johnny you really are giving it to us straight the good the bad the ugly and the great Thanks again for everything mr. Joe Kano PS I've been bugging attorney Jose about making me a driver for the next seminar, and I apparently got the job
[19:55] I'm looking forward to sharing more with the people that come down to the next one Oh, and I forgot to mention that my dad is down here too now Needless to say we are happy and excited to be here, too All right, thanks for that Joe glad you're having a good time, but you know I couldn't help But notice you only gave me the good and the great someday I hope you fill me in on the bad the ugly if there's any of that I'll mention that here on the show too But the very cool thing is when people come down to my seminar they get to meet the crowd That's already living down here all the best kind of like-minded people you'll ever want to meet too We've got a great network down here, so you'll never be at a loss if you've got a question or problem There's always someone close by that you've met at the seminar or through the seminar that can get you over any question or hump even if your
[20:40] Spanish absolutely sucks especially if your Spanish absolutely sucks a good example being what bank should you open an account at or Which is the best internet provider for you? How about when you're trying to hire a cleaning lady or maintenance guy whether it's buying health insurance finding a dentist a plumber Whatever you'll never have to resort to an internet search or be forced to walk into an expat bar to ask advice from people You don't even know you'll never feel like a totally clueless green gringo That won't happen to you if you come down to the seminar after that You'll have a nice network of expats in the know to lean on but you knew that already right okay now Allow me to be a hypocrite for a minute what just for a minute. That's all I just said I was over with Mexico Right well, I've got an email that talks a bit about Mexicans and other Latin Americans, too
[21:26] It comes from Adam. He says hey Johnny a few weeks ago You spoke about after 15 minutes of wearing a mask there are something like 740 viruses and bacteria Incubating on those things and can be tested well since then I've been called a liar and a bullshitter for stating this and We'd like to make these people eat their words. Can you give me a source so I can throw it in their faces many? Thanks. Yeah, Adam. I'll dig that stuff up for you and more okay all right Here's the Mexico party says by the way the wife and I are escaping in Porta Vallarta, Mexico All right me Johnny here again That's a place by the way that has my favorite stem cell clinic a nice beach town vacation resort area though It is Mexico as mentioned anyway He says I'm down here in Porta Vallarta, Mexico for the moment giving it a few months to see if we could live here
[22:14] Now I know how you feel about Mexico Johnny, and I agree with what you say But my wife who is Mexican would never consider Guatemala as her plan B destination And she said no way not Guatemala so Porto Vallarta was the best I could manage but it is way better than the first world I'll tell you then he says by the way Johnny many. Thanks. I've listened to every show of yours I love it, and it always puts a smile on my face. It's why I'm in the third world right now by the way I only wish you had an extensive reference network here in Mexico, man Would that be a help I can't seem to get anything done here when it comes to paperwork? Oh, but how I laughed to myself the other day when I watched a group of gringos lose it in the bank They lost their cool when they saw how inefficient things are and in the moment
[23:03] I had to laugh because I thought of how you mentioned that very thing on your show. Thanks again for everything Johnny signed Adam All right, Adam. Thanks for that, but I really have to explain to you listeners out there Why Adam's wife would never consider living in Guatemala believe me? I know many Mexicans and I've spoken to many of them about this. It's a strange fact I have lived in many Latin American countries in the 30 plus years. I've been down here I lived more than 10 years in Guatemala and of all the Latinos. I've met in Guatemala I don't think I've met two who were from Mexico nope not two and after all I began to wonder Why is that why are there so few Mexicans living in Guatemala? I mean look, they're adjacent countries with a practically wide open border. That's hundreds of miles long Well, guess what? You can boil it down to the fact that Mexicans believe they are culturally and economically superior to Guatemalans
[23:54] They refer to them as haces kind of backwards country cousin roofs. Hey, I pretty much heard it put like that Exactly by countless Mexicans. I've met and of course, they're right about being economically superior Mexico has got a giant economy It's got almost ten times Guatemala's population and thus ten times the economic activity The thing is though Mexicans are brought up to believe that Guatemala is a second-rate backwards country It's a classist even racist kind of attitude since most Mexicans have never been to Guatemala They think it's pretty much entirely indigenous, you know short dark people with funny clothes that live in dirt Poor shacks cook with wood and have driveway chickens running around everywhere Now that may be partly true in many of the small towns way in the boonies in Guatemala
[24:42] But in the big and medium-sized cities, they're very cosmopolitan with Walmart's Costco's goals gyms IMAX Starbucks even Maserati dealerships, but still the old stereotypes prevail and even 20 or 30 years ago Mexicans would tell me that Mexico by virtue of the fact It's got a border with the US that they're head and shoulders above other Latin countries because they've absorbed American culture that they're automatically cut above the rest of the Latin American countries that have no border with the US and they believe And I've heard this over and over again that people from other Latin American countries are not up to speed like they are in Regards to the rest of Latinos. They've got a better than thou attitude, especially when it comes to Guatemala So Adam, I completely understand why your wife would never want to move to Guatemala
[25:28] The fact is I've traveled throughout most all Latin American countries and I rarely run into Mexicans in any of those places either Though I'm forever running into people from Colombia, Venezuela, Panama, Argentina, etc So for many reasons and those reasons just stated you just don't see Mexicans going south though I have to tell you there are three other Latino countries whose residents think they're above all other Latins to that be Costa Rica the Argentinos and the Chilenos now, that's not to say they're comparing themselves with gringos They're not but they certainly compare themselves against other Latinos In other words, if you could get a guy from Mexico, Argentina, Costa Rica and Chile in the same room together Eventually, even if they did become friends those cultural prejudices would bubble up
[26:13] So in the end who would win the my shit don't stink award? Well for my money It'd be the Argentina simply because they're forever letting anyone with an ear shot No, they are the Latin country that has the most European blood, which is true Even the Mexicans will reluctantly concede just based on that fact if you ever take a trip to Buenos Aires You'll see a good percentage of the population tall fair haired fair-skinned Even quite a few natural redheads. They even have a Spanish name for them Pele Rojo and the architecture in many parts of the city pure European So then why so much European blood in Argentina? Well, it was mostly because of government policy They had a huge influx of Germans and Italians between 1900 and 1950
[26:59] In fact, there was a time they were offering free land and other benefits for immigrants of pure European blood Now I don't know if you've ever been to Argentina But there are some towns and villages that if you didn't know you were in Argentina You'd think there were quaint little villages in the Austrian Alps and the people there speak both Spanish and German It's in some ways the oddest thing you've ever seen, but it was a double-edged sword, too Why do you think so many Nazi war criminals ended up in Argentina? Because they knew it was the one place far far away that they could blend right in You've been listening to the expat files living in Latin America If you need some help with your own plan B We can schedule a one-on-one phone or Skype consult Just send me an email the expat files at gmail.com
[27:44] And if you want to get on the waiting list for my next week-long expat insider seminar in Central America Where you're guaranteed to get a two to five year head start on your plan B Send me an email the expat files at gmail.com Nos vamos