Episode Summary
In this episode of The Expat Files, Johnny Mueller discusses his upcoming expat wisdom seminar, which he plans to hold in January. He mentions that he has received many emails asking about the next seminar and that he is considering holding it in January, as it is a low-key month with fewer crowds and easier reservations. He also outlines the structure of the seminar, which will be a five-day event, and mentions the cost, which ranges around $2000 per person. Johnny acknowledges the high demand for previous seminars and the need to limit the number of attendees to 25 due to logistical constraints. He also notes that the cost includes hotel accommodations but not meals, and that airfare and some additional expenses are the responsibility of the attendees.
In this segment, Johnny Mueller discusses a new seminar he is planning, offering a split payment option to make it more accessible for listeners. He also mentions a slideshow from a previous seminar, highlighting the experiences of his friends Dean and Heather. He then shifts to a story about expat Eddie and his girlfriend visiting a central market in Salvador, describing the market as a valuable resource for expats. Johnny warns about the challenges of navigating the area, including the chaotic chicken bus traffic and the risks of driving a car there. He explains the behavior of chicken bus drivers, who are paid by passengers and often stop abruptly, making travel difficult for others.
In this segment, Johnny Mueller discusses the dangers of driving a chicken bus, highlighting the high risk of violence and extortion faced by drivers in Latin America, particularly in Guatemala. He provides statistics on the number of drivers killed annually and compares the risk to that of bus drivers in the United States. Johnny also addresses the perception of danger in Latin America, noting that while it may seem dangerous, the actual crime rates are low, using the example of the central market where theft is rare despite the chaotic environment.
Johnny Mueller discusses the culture and safety of Central American markets, highlighting the self-policing nature of these communities. He mentions that parking lot attendants are strict about who can use their facilities, and that while theft is rare, there are instances of theft from vendors, which are swiftly dealt with by the community. Johnny also references recent news stories about crimes in markets and the traditional Mayan-style punishments that are enforced by locals rather than the police. He concludes by noting that the police are often seen as ineffective and are not involved in these community-driven justice processes.
Johnny Mueller recounts an incident at a central market in Salvador where he and his friend Eddie, along with Eddie's girlfriend, encounter a situation where the girlfriend's attire is inappropriate for the market environment. Johnny comments on the cultural norms and fashion trends in Latin America, particularly the prevalence of junk food and its impact on obesity. He also discusses the fashion statement of showing off flat stomachs, which is becoming rare, and the social dynamics around it. Johnny expresses his opinion on the importance of dressing appropriately for such environments and the cultural context of the market.
In this segment, Johnny Mueller discusses the social dynamics and stereotypes surrounding Latin American women and their relationships with gringo (foreign) men. He recounts a personal anecdote about Eddie and his girlfriend, highlighting how the girlfriend has distanced herself from the central market, which she views as socially degrading. Johnny explains that this reflects a broader societal norm in Latin America, where middle-class women aspire to certain standards of living and social status, including owning a car, living in a decent home, and marrying a man with a stable job. He emphasizes that physical abuse is common in Latin America, and many women seek gringo partners for perceived kindness and stability. Johnny acknowledges that while not all gringos are perfect, they are generally seen as better partners than many Latin men, who often lack the same standards of respect and behavior toward women.
This segment marks the conclusion of a podcast episode, with Johnny Mueller indicating that he is nearing the end of the show. He mentions that he will finish the current topic and return to a story about Eddie and his girlfriend in the next episode. The segment also includes a call to action for listeners to tune in for future episodes and provides contact information for the podcast. The closing remarks include a sign-off and a reference to the podcast's website.
Topics
Expat Wisdom Seminar, Upcoming Event, Logistical Constraints, Cost and Expenses, Low-Key Month, Attendee Demand, Seminar details and payment options, Slideshow from a previous seminar, Central market in Salvador, Chicken bus traffic and driver behavior, Chicken bus dangers, Extortion and violence in Latin America
Chapters
00:00:00 Opening 00:00:36 Emails About the Next Seminar 00:01:19 The Wannabes Up North 00:01:47 Why January is a Good Month 00:04:35 Seminar Payment Options and Announcement 00:05:50 Central Market Experience and Challenges 00:09:11 Chicken Bus Driving as One of the Most Dangerous Jobs 00:09:19 High Death Toll Among Chicken Bus Drivers in Guatemala 00:10:59 Why Do Tourists Still Ride Chicken Buses Despite the Risks? 00:13:27 Parking Lot Rules and Etiquette in Central American Markets 00:14:13 The Self-Policing Nature of Central American Markets 00:15:08 Community Justice and Traditional Punishments in Central America 00:18:43 The Inappropriate Attire at the Market 00:19:05 Dressing Appropriately for the Market 00:20:21 The Obesity Problem and Junk Food 00:23:11 Anecdote about Eddie and his girlfriend's social status 00:23:33 Middle-class aspirations of Latin women 00:25:04 Physical abuse in Latin America and the appeal of gringo men 00:27:23 Approaching the End of the Show 00:27:27 Returning to a Previous Story 00:27:29 Encouraging Listeners to Tune In 00:27:36 Acknowledging the Podcast Name 00:27:38 Highlighting the Podcast's Focus 00:27:39 Promoting the Podcast's Schedule 00:27:43 Providing Contact Information 00:27:44 Sharing the Podcast's Email Address
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 that I wonder Hello there all you expat 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 Before we get into the meat and potatoes today I've been getting a lot of emails from people asking me if and when I'm going to do another expat wisdom seminar Now as you regular listeners know I did one about two months ago in Central America again
[00:47] And as far as doing another one I keep saying maybe I will and maybe I won't And you know the attendees will tell you after we're done with a week of intensive boots on the ground And the daily lecture and classroom stuff Not to mention up to three or four stops that we make each day Motoring around, jumping in and out of vans and sticking our noses into something or another By the time five or six o'clock comes around everyone's totally exhausted And some people don't even make it to dinner And I'm not exaggerating And then when the seminar's over inevitably I say to myself I don't want to do that again It just takes too much out of me Then soon enough the wannabes up north start sending me emails asking me when the next one's going to be And after a month or two once I've settled back into my lazy ass expat mode I start thinking sure it was kind of like going through a meat grinder But in the end it was worth it and really a lot of fun
[01:35] So again I'm already getting inquiries about whether or not I'm going to do another one And there's a good chance this time I'll pick January About four months or so from now I did one last January too and it turned out quite nice In fact January's a pretty low key month here Especially since after the Christmas holidays everything kind of falls back into low gear And reservations are easy There's no crowds at all when visiting places We're in the middle of the dry season so we don't get drenched Little advantages like that Anyway this is my tentative plan for next January This time a five day seminar I'm trying to include the two weekend days in that So you don't have to take a whole week off of work In other words it'll be a Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday Something on that order anyway Now I'm not going to give you a definite date just yet
[02:20] But just to say that I'm shooting for the second or third week in January So that said here's what I want you to do If you're really interested send me an email at Theexpatfilesatgmail.com And I'll put you on my personal mailing list for all the updates and seminar messages And here's another thing For previous seminars I got a lot of emails from people Asking me to put them on the waiting list Many more people than I could possibly handle at a seminar Because I limit it to about 25 people if you recall And I do that because the boots on the ground part of the seminar Which basically is every afternoon After each morning class and lecture period Anyway some of the places I take my group can only accommodate about 25 people Or it gets out of hand Besides a lot of these people are my personal friends
[03:06] If I brought any bigger group through their factories or places of business I'd be pushing it if you know what I mean Well let's just say I don't want to piss off my friends and wear out the welcome Anyway the last few seminars have been in the $2000 per person range With a big discount if you came as a couple Because then you'd be sharing double accommodation in the hotels And of course the cost for the seminar includes all of the hotel accommodations Including the night before the seminar Because most people arrived the day before And including the night of the last seminar day too So basically the only additional costs are the airfare And maybe $100 a piece in bribes that we have to pay the officials and the police Just kidding I'll bet some of you bid on that right? Anyway about the airfare In January you're just coming into low season airfare rates
[03:55] And that always helps And of course you'll have to pay for your own meals Lunch and dinner that is because Breakfasts are included by the hotels Anyway like I said for my past seminars The price ranged around $2000 a person And the airfare from the states was coming in anywhere around 5 to 700 bucks That's what I heard from seminar attendees last time Who were flying out of big cities in the US Anyway in the past I had a waiting list Well over the 25 people I could accommodate And as the seminar got closer and closer I started getting a few emails here and there From people saying they really wanted to come But the cost was a bit beyond their reach Since they had to fork up 2 grand or so for the seminar And 6 or 700 for the flight Which I know is a big chunk to come up with at one crack So this time we'll try to make it a little easier
[04:41] By splitting the seminar fee into 3 separate payments That might make it a little easier for some of you guys and gals So if I officially announce a January seminar In let's say October We could split it in 3 equal payments One in October, November and December A month or so apart And for those of you who can pay all at once I can offer a bit of a discount So anyway if you're interested in getting in on another one of my seminars Just send me an email at the expatfiles at gmail.com And of course I'll keep you posted And if you're interested in seeing a 10 minute slideshow Of some of the boots on the ground portion of the last seminar With a little audio introduction by yours truly Just go to expatwisdom.com and click on the slideshow And of course that great little slideshow came courtesy of Dean and Heather
[05:28] Two of my newest friends who came down 2 months ago for the last event And they stayed on a couple of weeks longer So you'll see some of their own very cool encounters in their audio slideshow too And by the way it seems a lot of people have gone to expatwisdom And clicked on that slideshow link already And I'm getting some very excellent feedback on it So have a look if you want to see what it's really like down here in Central America Off the tourist trail Now last week I wasn't able to finish the latest expat Eddie story Since I was rudely interrupted by the clock The program is only a half an hour so Sometimes when I get to Babylon I just get carried away and That's what happened last week So anyway I left off talking about going to the big central market in Salvador With expat Eddie and his girlfriend And I mentioned that those big open central markets are
[06:14] Fantastic resources for expats and gringos Where you could get the absolute freshest fruits, vegetables and All other things edible in either tiny or vast quantities if you like But that's not all At some of the really big markets you can get just about anything Animal, mineral or vegetable And that includes all things cloned, pirated and Technically illegal in the first world too And I mentioned in the last show That there are very few police to be seen in the whole area In fact you'll see maybe thousands of people and Almost zero police Except for the occasional transit cop Directing chicken bus traffic Which is a persistent problem Since those big central markets are always located Where the chicken bus terminals are So basically it's not a good idea at all
[07:00] To drive a decent car into that central market area Even though they have a certain number of secured parking lots Scattered every few blocks in the thick of things The problem for you will be How to get to and from those parking lots Without getting your car scratched, dinged and banged Because the masses of people will be sliding alongside your car Rubbing against it with their wheel barrels, push carts And overloaded sacks and baskets And you'll be weaving through that mass of humanity at about 2 miles an hour Just hoping that you don't get directly behind A smoke belching chicken bus Because if you do you could be stuck Plastered up against his rear end In a cloud of smoke for a half an hour or so But the worst thing is that chicken bus drivers will have no mercy The driver will just stop
[07:45] Anywhere he feels like And I mean anywhere Even in the middle of an intersection No matter if you're in front, back or alongside the guy In fact I've been stuck alongside those things myself Where the chicken bus just stopped For no parent reason About 6 inches from my door so I couldn't get in Or out of my car Or worse yet You could get flanked by a couple of chicken buses And get stuck in one place for a half an hour Till one of them decides to move And believe me, no amount of horn blasting Or rude finger gesturing Is gonna get these guys rolling along Till they feel like it Because you're in the big chicken bus terminal And it is their domain They own it They make the rules up as they go along And there's nothing you can do about it And it's not that the drivers themselves are bad guys
[08:30] Or they're trying to make life on the road bad for you or me It's just that, you see, they get paid by the passengers So they'll do anything to pick up a few more fares Including running you off the road if that's what it takes Because you see, they know you're gonna move for them They don't have to move for you And all you have to do is take a look at any chicken bus None of them are without massive dings and bangs in them So they're not afraid to sideswipe people if necessary And if you dare play chicken with a chicken bus You're gonna lose Oh, and by the way, if this news hasn't reached you up north yet It's only because it's Latin American People up north don't give a damn about what happens down here Anyway, one of the five most dangerous jobs in the entire world Is driving a chicken bus The occupational hazard list is out and they're up at the top
[09:16] And to give you just a little example of that Let's talk about Guatemala Last year, over 100 chicken bus drivers were killed in action Some of them by passing on a curve and driving their buses off a cliff But the majority of them were shot and killed Because they refused to pay the extortionist man That comes around every month asking for his money You know, it's basically the Latin American version of the mafia protection racket And when a guy doesn't cough up or he comes up short Oftentimes the extortionist will just shoot him dead right in the bus And of course, this never happens in the nice areas of town Or places where gringles and expats live and hang out So don't think there's just mass chaos and murder on the chicken bus routes It's just like, for example, in New York or Chicago or Atlanta
[10:02] There are certain public bus routes that you and I would never dream of taking We'd never be caught dead in neighborhoods like that either Did you catch that? Never be caught dead? Bad pun, huh? But the buses must run and move the people and all that So that's where the crime and extortion rackets are all concentrated So anyway, in Guatemala there's an estimated 6,000 chicken bus drivers With about 100 of them dying on the job each year So it's a job where your chances of being killed on the job each year is about 1 in 60 Whereas, for example, if you're a bus driver in New York like Ralph Cramdon Your chances of dying on the job are about 1 in 200,000 And even at that you won't die by gunfire You'll probably die choking on a pastrami sandwich or something Now, of course, these statistics make Latin America sound like a terribly dangerous place
[10:49] And by the way, those tremendously high odds of dying as a chicken bus driver are not just in Guatemala Those figures are just about the same for half of all of Latin American countries Which begs the question, why in the world do stupid gringo tourists still ride chicken buses? And don't tell me it's because it's 25 cents a throw If you're riding those buses because you're such a terrible cheapskate Well, you're on your own, gringo So anyway, newbie expats, expat wannabes, and gringo tourists Always ask me how safe it might be to go shopping in one of those markets Since they're so obviously chaotic and anything goes Not to mention there are no cops around if something did happen And to us with our first world sensibilities We seem to see unsavory characters around every corner Or at least in our eyes it's a place that would be apparently loaded with people that we might consider trailer trash
[11:39] But if you remember from my last show It's a place where almost no robberies at all ever take place Even though everything that's for sale is out in the open for you to touch and squeeze and lift and try out if you want So there's plenty of opportunity for someone with sticky fingers Especially since there's no cameras or floor walkers There's no organized aisles or shelves or anything behind display cases at all Everything's there with an easy reach and you'd think easy to pilfer and pocket Especially with all the hundreds of scruffy looking people wandering in and out of the place But still there's virtually no crime in the central market No stealing from the sellers or vendors that is And all the vendors will tell you that In fact sometimes you'll walk up to a table that's just loaded with stuff for sale
[12:28] Not just fruit and vegetables either I'm talking about radios and clocks and watches and CDs Some of it pretty high buck stuff like plasma TVs and smartphones for instance And sometimes get this The goods will be right out in the open for you to touch and grab if you like But there'll be nobody there to attend you Or sometimes there'll be a seven or eight year old kid Or even a ten year old girl holding down the fort and or attending you Yet with all that stuff right out there in the open Sometimes there's just no one there at all Now maybe the owner of that little kiosk decided to go out and have a sandwich or take a pee Who knows and by the way if you have to take a pee or something a little more involved You will not find a reasonable place to do your business So know that ladies However if you're in one of the guarded parking lots
[13:14] That's the usual stand-in for the bathroom And you'll know it as soon as you get out of your car So watch where you walk and check your feet before you get back in the car And another thing don't get the idea that People just walk into the parking lot whip it out and do their business The parking lot attendant will not let you do that Unless of course you've got your car parked there and you're a paying customer But he'll never let just any old guy off the street walk in and pee on his gravel You have to be a client in good standing you know And thank Buddha that guys who do relieve themselves are polite enough to find a dark corner And face the wall far from the maddening crowds And you know so many times us gringos just want to go right up to these guys and punch him in the face Man wouldn't that feel good But alas that wouldn't help these guys are just natural born scumbags from birth
[14:00] That's why you never want to sample the fruit or vegetables in the market without taking the stuff home and washing it first And of course I worked out a nice simple easy sanitary method for that But I'll talk about that in the future so stay tuned Anyway I was talking about the fact that some of these kiosks loaded with goods don't have anyone around To even sell you anything or wait on you Now most of the time of course there's another kiosker to jammed right up against this guy So they'll either help you out or give you a price or tell you to just wait a few minutes and the guy will be back But just as likely the guy next door with the abutting kiosks won't be there either But still as far as I've been told even the biggest markets are quite safe And there's very little theft going on now that isn't to say they won't pick a gringos pocket or take your watch
[14:47] You're wearing a lot of bling bling and some lowlife guy in the crowd spots it and tries a number on you And if that happens well that's your tough luck because you shouldn't be wearing that stuff and you should be dressing down Like I've mentioned so many times before But as far as products being stolen from individual vendors themselves Well that just doesn't happen And why is that? That's because these little communities are self policing If somebody gets caught stealing that person generally gets the crap kicked out of him Or worse and he's banned from the place forever Which can be a fate worse than death for some of the lowlives around there Because like I said in the last show In those big markets at the end of the day There's just tons of vegetables and produce that are ready to spoil And won't be good enough to be put up for sale the next day
[15:34] So no one hanging around when they're closing up shop ever goes hungry But if you're a regular there and you're excommunicated from the place for stealing You're so well and have to find a new gig and fast cause you gotta eat And speaking of thieves and delinquents Just this week there was an article in the Salvador newspaper and one in Guatemala Highlighting two separate instances of delinquency And how the locals take care of it in their own way In one case in El Salvador A young kid got caught stealing something from the big market And in the other case in Guatemala A young kid about 16 years old was caught trying to rape one of the little girls in the market there And in both cases the crowd tied these kids hands behind their backs And they were whipped senseless
[16:20] In the case in the market in Honduras The kid was whipped by the guy he stole from And in the other case the attempted rape He was whipped by the girls father and her uncles And get this That guy also got a whipping from the mayor of the town The mayor Now in Central America they call that punishment by Mayan law Because you see with 25 or so indigenous tribes throughout Central America All claiming that they're descendants from the original Mayans Which may or may not be true but mostly isn't But that's a story I'll say for another time Anyway because most of these Mayan tribes observe ancient old rituals That have been handed down for hundreds of years A punishment like that An orderly public whipping in front of a large crowd
[17:06] Is just part of the law and order process Since they consider the cops totally useless and always have been And in the small latin towns Especially the ones out in the boonies That is their system of law and order And it's that self policing that keeps those small towns so very safe And by the way in my next show I'll be talking quite a bit about safety, law and order And crime and delinquency down here so stay tuned for that So anyway you get caught stealing or as a delinquent in a small town Or in one of the central markets The locals and the people doing business there Have a formula for setting things straight And generally the cops do not turn out for those things They just sit on their dead asses in the precinct house And don't come out till it's all over and the crowd is dispersed Because the public looks at the cops as a pimple on the ass of society
[17:51] Hmm, pimple on the ass of society Say that applies to cops and congressmen And presidents and cabinet members too now doesn't it Specifically democrats and republicans up north too Pimples on the ass of society I like it, maybe I'll have some t-shirts and bumper stickers made up But back to the story So Eddie, his girlfriend and I pull into one of the guarded parking lots at the big central market in Salvador And of course like every good expat I go to the central market every couple of weeks and really stock up So I've been to central markets all over Latin America Alone, which I don't recommend by the way except for the most seasoned expat who really knows what he's doing and speaks Spanish Anyway, I've been to those markets alone with other gringles and expats with locals and with Eddie
[18:39] But this is the very first time I can remember that he brought his girlfriend along And when Eddie parked the car in a lot and turned off the motor I looked at his girlfriend in the backseat of the car and she was not dressed for the market I mean she is a model, so she's always either dressed to kill, casually cool or when necessary, dressed down but in a chic kind of way, you know Which has its way of garnering attention too But unfortunately none of those three options works well in the market The best bet is always to look like a ragtag backpacker or an 8th grade history teacher on a camping trip And here she is in the backseat looking really sexy with a tight t-shirt and a little pair of shorts that she obviously poured herself into Oh and one thing you will notice when you're down here in Latin America They've got that creeping obesity and fatness problem going in a big way too
[19:26] Since down here cheap junk food is so easy to come by And just 5 or 10 years ago it wasn't like that at all Sure you could get the junk food but only the American brands like Dorito and Frito-Lay, J's, potato chips and Pringles in that junk And you'd pay the first world price for it So naturally poor locals could never afford that stuff And when they did it was a supreme treat on a birthday or in a special event But you see in the last 5 or 10 years local Latin food processing companies have popped up And they've learned how to copy first world junk food like Doritos and Cheetos and Pringles and Crackerjack and stuff So now there's a huge line of junk food down here that's locally made with their own brand names So these clones are always less than half the price of the common first world junk food brands
[20:13] And thus much more affordable for the Latin masses that crave the stuff Which is a big part of why there's such an obesity problem Anyway a lot of young city girls and guys who should by rights be slim and fit Are putting on weight in all the wrong places too And it usually starts with an expanding waist and a pot belly But there is that very small percentage of young girls who somehow have avoided so far the bad heating habits So therefore some have flat stomachs Not many but there are some like Eddie's girlfriend And because flat stomachs are becoming such a rarity down here Anyone who's got one just loves to do the bare midriff thing as a kind of a fashion statement to show it off And why not? It might not be there for long Which is always a nice touch but there are certain places you don't want to put yourself on exhibition like that
[21:03] Like you guessed it, the central market And by the way unfortunately down here just like up in the first world A lot of girls who've had way too many happy meals still like to do the bare midriff fashion statement I mean wouldn't you think someone close to you would tell you before you went out looking like that? And you know I do applaud the fact that some people have a very positive self image Even when the rest of the world disagrees It's like people who get up and do karaoke that are so awful you just want to slap them But ignorance is bliss and they don't know it Besides they're having fun right? Even though you're not And you can accuse me of lookism all you want But I think if you've got a big spare tire You shouldn't be exhibiting your symptoms to the world as a fashion statement But then there's people like Eddie's girlfriend who has a stomach like a trampoline
[21:52] And by rights she should show it to the world Except on chicken busses in church and at the central market On second thought it would sure take the tedium out of church now wouldn't it? Anyway so I said to her, someone had to You're not going into the market dressed like that are ya? And Eddie jumped in and answered for her He said, Johnny she never goes in the market She wouldn't be caught dead in a place like that Then Eddie looked at me and winked and said That's way too low class for her And he said it sarcastically of course Because Eddie knew that I knew That early on when he first met her She'd go to the central market all the time And of course she'd dress way down like All attractive girls must do when they go to the market
[22:37] In fact even unattractive girls have to do it Lest they be harassed, whistled and hissed at By every guy they walked past Anyway I tried to goad her into coming I said, Eddie she's going to come with us She made it all the way to the parking lot, why not? Anyway Eddie's always prepared And has a couple of extra large old flannel shirts in the back of his car Just in case he does have to pop into one of these places Or is in a situation where he really has to dress down So he held one up to her and she wouldn't take it So I grabbed it instead Now the thing is just a few months ago When I was in that same market with Eddie We both ran into her mother and her sister buying stuff there Turns out it wasn't beneath them at all To go down to the market and save a few bucks But Eddie's girlfriend wanted nothing to do with the place
[23:24] Not anymore Then Eddie rolled his eyes and he gave me that look And I knew just what he meant Since we talked about this subject before In private of course It turns out because she's Eddie's girlfriend And they're engaged now She's so elevated herself socially By being with a gringo The gringo advantage you know That just stepping foot in the central market Is for her like taking a step backwards socially Latin America is you know a very classic society Now I don't want you to think that Eddie's turned her into a snob or anything Or that she's become unapproachable Or stuck up now that she's with a gringo It's just that like I mentioned in a past show One of the main goals of every middle class Latin woman And she came from the middle classes
[24:10] Anyway number one Never ride a chicken bus again Two Have your own car No matter how crappy And three Live in your own decent house that's not in the ghettos or the slums And four Marry a nice guy who has a decent job Who doesn't drink to excess on weekdays anyway Who isn't a womanizer and if he is Keeps his secret life very secret And finally every Latin woman wants a guy Who won't physically abuse her or slap her around And if he does which goes hand in hand with the drinking He's not too hard on her and leaves no marks or permanent damage And that would be the dream and the goal Of every middle class Latin woman And remember middle class in Latin America is defined as A family of four with an income of maybe
[24:55] Five hundred to fifteen hundred dollars a month With most everyone in the family chipping in to achieve that amount Now if you think some of what I've just mentioned is kind of a joke You're wrong Just take the physical abuse part for example The fact is I don't know any Latin American woman over thirty years old Who hasn't been beaten up by her boyfriend or husband Physical, family and spousal abuse are epidemic down here in Latin America And believe me it's not the women hitting the guys It's the drunk husband or boyfriend who's the abusive one So there's little wonder Why Latin women also dream of hooking up with a first world gringo Even though off the tourist trail anyway it's a one in ten thousand shot So it is like a lottery And don't fool yourself that it's just for the green card either
[25:41] Because you see there's this strong rumor going around down here That gringo guys are kinder and gentler than their Latin male counterparts They lie and womanize less They pretty much do what they say and they're good for their word If they have kids they don't abandon them they support them And they rarely beat their women And that's how Latin ladies stereotype gringo men And even though a lot of us don't deserve those accolades I have to admit we far surpass the average Latin guy When it comes to almost all of those points Of course I know a few gringos who are rotten to the core too Rotten as fathers, rotten as parents Bad to women, untrustworthy Rotten as family men We all know guys like that But the truth is I'd have to say that about 95% of all the Latin guys I know Are stand up guys when dealing with men
[26:28] But have a completely different set of standards when dealing with women The fact is in their eyes women are not considered equals And Latin women either accept that or get slapped around Because you see in a macho society like this If a woman stands her ground, demands her rights and talks back to a guy He just continues his macho ways and ignores her And he can't get away with that because generally He's the main financial support of the family There's little she can do about it She can't run home to mama because mama's more than likely living in the same house So anyway like I said we expats have our faults But the good news is Latin women have these very well established positive stereotypes about us Whether we deserve them or not And they firmly believe if they hook up with a gringo or a European
[27:13] Those minimum goals I just mentioned like Never riding the chicken bus anymore Getting a car and not getting slapped around etc. Will all be part of the package Uh oh I'm getting dangerously close to the end of the show now So I'll finish this off and get back to Eddie and his girlfriend In the next show so stay tuned You've been listening to The Expat Files Living in Latin America Coming to you twice a week from somewhere south of the border Email me Theexpatfiles at gmail.com And don't forget to check out expatwisdom.com To sign up for your free reports on Latin America See you next time. Nos vemos