Episode Summary
In this episode of The Expat Files, Johnny Mueller explores the daily life of expats in Latin America, covering a range of topics from the peculiarities of toilet paper quality to the cultural significance of fridge water dispensers. He begins by introducing the show, which focuses on life in Latin America, including the good, bad, ugly, and great aspects of living, working, playing, and retiring there. Johnny discusses observations from Cal Kelvin, a long-time resident of Guatemala and El Salvador, about the quality of toilet paper available in local markets, the prevalence of cheap, see-through toilet paper in homes, and the tendency of expats and gringos to opt for higher-quality brands. Cal also comments on the common presence of fridge water and ice dispensers in upscale homes, which are often unreliable and associated with wealth. Johnny agrees with Cal's observations and expands on the cultural perception of wealth in Latin America, noting that appliances like garbage disposals and dishwashers are seen as indicators of affluence. He also highlights the general lack of maintenance and awareness regarding household appliances and tools, including the common use of silicone caulk for repairs, which can complicate maintenance.
Johnny then recounts a frustrating experience with a plumbing repair in Latin America, highlighting the challenges of dealing with outdated practices and the overuse of silicone caulk. He describes the difficulty of removing and replacing a drain assembly, the confusion caused by instructions in Italian, and the realization that silicone caulk should not be used on silicone o-rings. He criticizes the local tendency to ignore instructions and rely on traditional methods, which often leads to leaks and poor maintenance. He also discusses the issue of reverse osmosis (RO) systems in residential buildings, emphasizing the importance of regular filter maintenance, which is often neglected.
In the next segment, Johnny discusses the state of housing and lighting in Latin American countries like Guatemala and El Salvador, based on emails from Kelvin and Calvin. He highlights the common issues with housing, such as lack of maintenance and poor lighting, and explains the technical aspects of light bulbs, including Kelvin ratings. He also touches on the use of artificial intelligence in generating product reviews online, warning listeners about the potential for AI-generated reviews to be misleading.
The segment then shifts to a discussion about the growing issue of AI-generated product reviews, highlighting how they can be misleading and manipulated. Johnny explains that AI can be programmed to generate reviews with specific ratings, such as fewer three-star and four-star reviews, and even avoid mentioning deal-breakers. He warns listeners not to trust product reviews at all, especially as AI becomes more prevalent. Johnny also mentions that this trend is a double-edged sword, as it can benefit sellers who can use AI to create fake reviews. However, he emphasizes that this practice is unethical and unfair. The segment then moves to a discussion about the use of cheap, pressboard furniture in Latin America, which Johnny criticizes as low-quality and unsuitable for the humid climate. He warns that such furniture will deteriorate over time, causing issues like delamination and swelling, and suggests that real wood or anodized aluminum is a better alternative. Johnny also discusses the challenges of maintaining white window frames in the region due to the effects of humidity and dust, and recommends dark-colored anodized aluminum windows as a more durable option.
Finally, Johnny discusses common issues expats face with residential buildings and kitchens in Latin America. He highlights the importance of following condominium laws when replacing windows to maintain the building's external integrity. He then shifts focus to kitchens, noting that many new apartments and houses use pre-made kitchens from places like IKEA, often made from cheap materials like melamine or composite board, which can lead to problems like swelling and difficulty closing cabinets. Johnny advises against using such materials and recommends solid or real wood cabinets instead. He also mentions that while these kitchens might last longer in the U.S. due to different conditions, they are generally a bad idea. The segment then moves to an email from Steven, a former teacher, who shares his experiences with the education system, the growing bureaucracy in schools, and his eventual decision to quit teaching. Steven also mentions finding an old 1960s poster about weed, which Johnny acknowledges as a classic. The segment ends with Johnny sharing a survey result about hidden cameras in vacation rentals, advising listeners to use detection devices if they're concerned about privacy.
Episode Notes
In this episode of The Expat Files, Johnny Mueller dives into the everyday experiences of expats living in Latin America, from the peculiarities of toilet paper quality to the cultural significance of fridge water dispensers. He also discusses the challenges of DIY repairs, the state of housing and lighting, and the growing issue of AI-generated product reviews. With insights from long-time residents and personal anecdotes, Johnny provides a comprehensive look at the good, bad, and ugly of life in the region.
For more episodes, seminar information, resources, and the full archive, visit ExpatPlanB.com.
Keep exploring
Related guides: Moving to Guatemala · Residency in Latin America · Renting and Buying Property
Search the full episode archiveBrowse practical guidesExplore the Expat Insider SeminarAsk about a consultation
Topics
Toilet paper quality and availability in Latin America, Fridge water and ice dispensers in upscale homes, Cultural perceptions of wealth in Latin America, Maintenance and awareness of household appliances, Use of silicone caulk for repairs, Plumbing maintenance in Latin America, Reverse osmosis systems and maintenance, Cultural and practical challenges in DIY repairs, Housing conditions in Latin America, Lighting and Kelvin ratings, Artificial intelligence and product reviews, AI-generated product reviews and their implications for consumers
Chapters
00:00:00 Opening 00:00:26 Overview of the Show's Content and Purpose 00:00:32 Observations from Cal Kelvin on Toilet Paper and Appliance Trends 00:02:08 Discussion on Fridge Water and Ice Dispensers and Cultural Perceptions of Wealth 00:03:42 Johnny's Commentary on Maintenance and Awareness of Household Appliances 00:05:50 The Frustrations of DIY Plumbing Repairs 00:07:18 The Confusion Over Silicone Cauk and Instructions 00:10:25 The Issues with Reverse Osmosis Systems in Latin America 00:11:42 Observation on Attention to Housing Issues in Latin America 00:12:17 Housing and Upkeep in Latin America 00:13:39 Lighting Issues in Latin American Homes 00:14:58 LED Bulbs and Kelvin Ratings 00:17:09 AI and Product Reviews 00:17:38 AI-Generated Product Reviews and Their Impact on Consumer Trust 00:19:37 The Dangers of Cheap Pressboard Furniture in Latin America 00:23:09 Residential Building Laws and Window Replacement 00:23:28 Kitchens and the Use of Cheap Materials 00:24:37 Steven's Email and His Teaching Experience 00:26:49 Hidden Cameras in Vacation Rentals
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 up to play and now as I wonder Hello there all you ex-pad 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 Let's start with some observations from Cal Kelvin who's been living in Guatemala and El Salvador for the past three years He says Johnny I've noticed that all Latino supermarkets seem to have good toilet paper and bad
[00:47] You know the stuff you can almost see through but no one buys the good stuff except us gringles and expats and of course International hotel chains. Oh And of course the odd cheap taconio gringo will have the cheap stuff in his house Seems the triple ply stuff in Central America anyway is So valuable it's worth stealing as for that see-through stuff. You see in restaurant John's and everyone's home. That stuff's okay It's serviceable. You just double up on it My parents had six kids and a mom always bought the cheapest teepees you could find So I get it. She always had a good roll of Charmin though stashed away when she knew company was coming For festive occasions when people would just drop in like Christmas and Easter
[01:34] All right, Cal. I know exactly what you mean My parents had six kids too But to tell you the truth back in the 60s and 70s all they had was the name brand stuff like Charmin and Scott I can't seem to remember my mind had any of that see-through stuff. It just wasn't available or she'd have bought it Though I do remember that Catholic school John's all had that see-through stuff in the big institutional roles You know the stuff that could have doubled as sandpaper But Cal down here in Latin America, you got that right? You're right. All stories have the good stuff, but almost no one buys it Anyway Calvin goes on to say in his email another thing I've noticed Johnny is when you go to upscale homes gringles and expat homes Many of them seem to have a fridge with a water and ice dispenser unit in front
[02:21] You know what I'm talking about. I won't drink from those things or use the ice He says those things have the most useless add-ons after a couple of months almost none of them work But again, you see them all over the place in appliance stores. All right, Cal me Johnny here another good point I'm with you a hundred percent those fridge water and ice dispensers are totally useless and loaded with nano plastics If you don't believe me, just pull out your fridge and look at the back all plastic tangle of tubes discolored Yellowing tubes. So what's that all about? They're Teary rating degrading outgassing plastic, of course. Oh, and did you know that if you have an ice and water dispenser? There's a filter you're supposed to change every six months No one changes filters on stuff like that here in Latin America. They don't even know they're supposed to do it
[03:07] Most don't know they even exist. Oh, and I forgot to mention having a refrigerator with a water and ice dispenser here in Latin America Signifies to Latin Americans. Anyway that the owner of the house is a rich guy It's fun to see how Latinos classify a person as rich by certain possessions here She might have stuffs that you and I would never consider Like for example, if someone's got a garbage disposal or an automatic dishwasher, they're considered wealthy Meanwhile, it's considered kind of normal to have a full-time cleaning lady down here Whereas up in the States man, people would say you're probably rich Oh, and by the way, speaking of appliances, you've heard me say a thousand times No one ever reads the instruction manual. Hell, most Latinos rarely change their oil filters
[03:55] And I've yet to meet a person who even knows there's an air filter in the car That's supposed to be routinely cleaned or changed that goes for the air conditioning filter That's behind your dash behind that glove compartment. That's supposed to be changed or cleaned every six months, too So bottom line if you're in a Latin Americans home or anyone's home and they've got a fridge with a water and ice dispenser You're really better off not going for it. There is a good chance that filters never been changed By the way, speaking of vow down here No one ever reads the instruction for that matter They rarely check out the product videos on YouTube and those things can really help Case in point a few days ago. I was visiting a gringo friend of mine living in a high-rise apartment a pretty new apartment I'd say only two and a half years old something like that and knowing that I can usually fix things
[04:42] He said Johnny, would you take a look under my sink? He said a few weeks back the sink drain was leaking so he called a plumber a plumber record bended by the building administration and his landlord a Guy who'd been working in that building supposedly knew what he was doing He said the guy came over and put it in a new drain Changed the p-trap and all that under the sink The guy left everything was a okay And then he said a couple days later, he noticed it was a couple of drips on the floor It was leaking again Now I almost always have a basic toolbox in the back of my car just for quick fix it I've got wire strippers players various screwdrivers exacto knife basic stuff, you know vice grips hammer small pipe wrench So I hauled my toolbox up to his apartment had a look at his drain
[05:28] Well, I disconnected it but I had a hard time taking it apart It was loaded with that messy silicone caulk that everyone uses for everything down here By the way, the equivalent Latin American toolbox if they had one would be chicken wire duct tape Silicone caulk and a bent screwdriver, but I digress man. They use silicone caulk for everything down here I just hate that stuff What I really hate about that stuff is when you have to take something apart You have to take an exacto knife for a really sharp braid and scrape and scrape and scrape and still you almost never get it All off even after you peel it off There's a little residue stuck to the porcelain or stainless steel surface of whatever I was attached to you got to clean the old stuff off really good before you replace any part a Real pain in the ass. Anyway, I took apart the drain assembly went down to the hardware store. It was only two blocks away
[06:19] We got another p-trap and chrome drain assembly and the replacement part the replacement p-trap the whole assembly I noticed came from Italy It said that on the package and of course down here instructions are always in English Spanish and sometimes like in this case Italian So never having seen a p-trap made in Italy before I looked at the instructions to see if there was anything particularly different about this one Compared to the usual suspects that are coming from China or Mexico Then the little guy selling the part to us said you need anything else. Do you have enough silicone caulk? I said what then he grabbed the chrome part of the drain flipped it upside down Pointed to the big silicone o-ring that seats right under it and said be sure to run a big thick bead of
[07:08] Silicone caulk around this o-ring along the edge. Then you screw down this big nut Wait an hour or two. So the silicone sets and you're good to go I said wait a minute. Wait a minute. You're telling me to put silicone caulk on the silicone o-ring Then I held up the instructions to his face and said look at this What's it say right here in Spanish? Do not use silicone caulk That's why you have a silicone o-ring it deforms when you screw down the nut Fills in all the tiny gaps and thus no leaks Then I said to the guy in front of my gringo buddy who wasn't understanding any of this because it was all in Spanish now Remember I'm talking to a guy who works in the plumbing department at a hardware store I said look if you guys would bother to read the instructions which you never do
[07:57] You'd find out that all the instructions that come with the newer valves drains and faucets Specifically state do not use silicone caulk or silicone grease But you guys insist on using it for everything because you watch what all the other guys are doing and you don't read the Instructions. Oh and by the way, there are probably four or five other guys standing around Waiting to get their plumbing supplies and whatever I looked at them and it made my point very clear that they should not use silicone caulk Even though I knew I can never change their minds. They'll use that stuff until they die In fact, I said to the guy working behind the counter. I said look in the rest of the world You know silicone caulk is kind of a last resort after you've tried everything else
[08:44] And you still have a leak when you want to make something that's falling apart last just a little bit longer Maybe get another month or two of use out of it. It's an ugly messy solution and only used as a last resort. I Said to the guy behind the counter ever wonder why all the sinks and drains here in Latin America end up leaking and looking like shit It's basically because they're held together with large globs of silicone caulk Seems if you inspect any plumbing job under a sink here in Latin America You can only come to one conclusion that a one-eyed eight-year-old did the job Anyway, those are the kinds of things I was telling that guy who was working behind the plumbing counter by then I had everyone's attention everyone in the plumbing department now I didn't want to sound like an angry frustrated gringo
[09:31] So I thought I'd lighten the atmosphere a little bit and I said you guys here in Latin America I use more silicone caulk for more different things than the rest of the world combined. I Said I bet even the proctologist down here use it to patch up coolos That got a big laugh and calm things a bit Anyway, I knew none of what I said would really sink in but the real point I was trying to make Was that they should not just do what it's always been done with the other guys are always doing but to read the damn Instructions because things do change they get modernized they get better everything you buy these days comes with instructions and YouTube's you could watch over and over again to get things right But alas that day I felt as if my whole spiel at the hardware store fell on deaf ears
[10:17] And I'm sure when I walked out of there They all looked at each other and said there goes another crazy ass gringo. Oh And about changing filters here in Latin America. That's why I don't trust most of the reverse osmosis systems I'm seeing here installed in individual homes here in Latin America not that the systems don't work In fact, most of them are pretty great The problem is you don't just set those systems and leave them and he'd maintenance every six months You have to change at least the filter the first one at the front end that pre filters Everything before it gets to the reverse osmosis membrane So what I'm saying is a new reverse osmosis system here in Latin America works fine for the first six months The problem is after that first six months lapses The question is was the maintenance done where they changed?
[11:04] I've noticed a lot of brand new residential towers have reverse osmosis units installed in Each apartment installed by the builder as part of the initial sales pitch. I That had RO systems installed in the kitchen when they were built great idea But who knows if the filters were ever changed though I did notice when I was in the elevator there was a flyer stuck to the wall It said please call the following number if you need maintenance or filters changed in your RO system So at least the installer was trying to make people aware that they have to change their filters But still I just don't think anyone's paying attention Except maybe gringos and expats, but not all of them of course, but I digress as usual by the way
[11:51] There's more to Kelvin's email. He says Johnny. You're right Never have I ever been Latino home or apartment where there's no noticeable damage or repairs needed to the house There's always something in disrepair like for example cracks and chips in the walls Broken or loose doorknobs and latches damage to the floors damage to the furniture old windows That don't latch or completely closed etc etc Seems down here in Guatemala and El Salvador anyway having a house and being able to afford upkeep for a house are two separate things He says Johnny in three years. I've never been in a Latin American house That was pristine even model homes on display the best examples of what an apartment our house could look like have obvious defects He says he has a friend who bought a brand new house in a gated guarded community even though
[12:41] He was the very first occupant. He said that he spent an entire day before moving in with a razor blade and a paint scraper Cleaning up the paint spatters on the windows the floorboards the tile the light fixtures and he's not really the anal type He just said that if he hadn't done that before he moved all his stuff in He said he just wouldn't feel right if company came over gringo company head is thinking maybe he was the slob He was the one-eyed painter who globbed it on like an eight-year-old And finally Calvin says in his email Johnny Don't get me started on the lighting in Latin American homes He says I've been in some very nice Latin American homes you walk into a room and there's no real light fixture Just a stark naked bulb Screwed into an overhead socket where there should be a light fixture or a ceiling fan
[13:30] He says I've been in houses with beautiful ceramic tile beautiful hardwood floors doors and window trim and when you visit a place at night It's lit like a hospital waiting room. Doesn't anyone know how to mix and match the proper lighting here? Doesn't anyone know the difference between a warm? Yellow daylight bulb and one of those harsh white institutional bulbs So Johnny for what it's worth. Those are a few of my observations having lived in both Guatemala and El Salvador for the past three years Alright Kelvin. Thanks for that You know when you go into a big hardware store here in Latin America and some grocery stores, too You go to the area that sells individual light bulb. You'll see they offer a lot of different types with different Kelvin ratings
[14:17] Do you know what a Kelvin rating is? The abbreviation in science or physics is just a capital K Kelvin is a temperature rating. It also indicates the color of the light you're gonna get from your light bulb now before halogen and LED bulbs in Candescent bulbs, you know, the old filament bulbs were all considered warm daylight bulbs around 3,000 Kelvin was their temperature rating then about 20 years ago came those convoluted halogen bulb Sometimes you'll still see them in light fixtures because they last a long time Well, those things had a temperature rating of around 6,000 Kelvin a bright ugly institutional kind of light and now of course We have LED bulbs all over the place and you can get them in all kinds of Kelvin ranges
[15:03] In fact, I just bought some recessed lighting where you can switch the Kelvin ratings from 2,000 to 6,000 and of course I set them all at around 3,000 because that's warm yellow daylight rain It's a most pleasant. Look they're a match for those soft warm old incandescent bulbs Now here's the thing you can go into any decent Latin American hardware store and buy a soft white almost yellow 3,000 Kelvin bulb. They're the same price as the 6,000 Kelvin ugly institutional bright white light bulbs Thing is most Latin Americans don't even know that 3,000 Kelvin ones exist. They're very new in the market down here I know they've been around the states for a long time down here They're just starting to show up and man what a difference in the soft yellow quality of light they put out
[15:50] There's so much kinder to you eyes and give all your furniture and surroundings a much softer nicer Look problem is those LED bulbs last a long long time And so it's gonna be years before most Latino houses catch on and change them out So I'm not expecting to see warm gentle light in Latino's houses anytime soon Oh and one more thing when you go to the hardware store or whatever and you're looking to change the light bulb and you see one that says 2,700 Kelvin's well, that's a warm daylight bulb to just as good as the 3,000 Kelvin and most people can't tell the difference By the way, I've got some not well known at all artificial intelligence news to tell you just talk to some of my geeky friends You know my engineering buddies One of them told me to watch out for those reviews on Amazon or eBay Home Depot, etc
[16:39] Any online store or retailer you should never trust the critical reviews on something you're about to buy Well, you probably knew that already that there's always some ringers in there in that people are paid to give good product reviews Turns out there are companies you can hire to just pile on the good reviews Well, you may have known that or suspected that but here's what you didn't know Guess what all those online stores like Amazon are doing now. They're having artificial intelligence, you know, grok and open AI, etc chat GPT They're letting AI write all the product reviews the four-star reviews down to the zero star reviews They'll instruct the AI platform to write for example 127 four-star reviews on so-and-so item Let's say a piece of luggage a TV a computer whatever well the AI platform will write
[17:29] hundreds of four-star reviews all of them quite different and impossible to tell they've been written by an AI virtually indistinguishable from a human response But that's not all they'll get the AI to write all the three star two star and one star reviews as well Only they'll tell the AI to scale it down. So there are fewer three star reviews and four stars Fewer still two star reviews and just a handful of one star reviews and even so the one star and two star reviews Won't highlight any deal breakers. Like for example, it won't say the unit overheats and gets way too hot to the touch Therefore I gave it one star instead It might say something completely different like the color is not as depicted in the picture So I gave it two stars or for example, it's too large to fit on my countertop. So I returned the item now
[18:18] Are you getting this you shouldn't be trusting any kind of product reviews at all? And especially not within a year or so when everyone's on board with product reviews written by AI Hmm, that's pretty discouraging, isn't it? But it's a double-edged sword, you know Cuz there's actually some good news if you have a product to sell like for example if you get a Shopify account now Selling whatever let's say arts and crafts or handy works that you're buying from Guatemala That means you too can set up some fake reviews written by artificial intelligence AI Have it write all your four three and two star reviews with no humans ever having bought the product at all Of course, that's cheating I understand it's not fair But just to clue you in as to what to look forward to whether you're a producer of products or just a consumer
[19:05] like the song says the future is uncertain and the end is always near and To think just a year or so ago. Everyone was so optimistic about AI Gonna make life so much easier for everyone seems it just makes life all that much more confusing and complicated Then again, if you put yourself in the shoes of an AI, maybe that's the point Alright moving on but on somewhat of a related point. We were talking about houses and apartments here in Latin America I know we've discussed this before but I'd like to give you a warning about cheap IKEA type furniture should never be used here in Latin America. It's trash Not only is that trashy junk found in IKEA But all the department stores and big supermarkets sell that pressboard shit, too
[19:50] It's all coming from China and all of it much cheaper than solid wood furniture And that's why people buy it though. It does look perfectly fine when you first buy it and set it up in your house But I repeat it's trash. It should not be used in your Latin American home in a year or two I guarantee it'll start delaminating and worse It's quite fragile the cleaning lady will bang the edges trash the corners Little chips will break off at the edges and where it meets the floor and being then it's composition board It'll swell up with humidity in Latin America here man six months of the year. It's humid Why do you think they call it the rainy season? Of course real wood when you expose it to a lot of water will swell But we're not looking to expose this stuff directly to water We're just talking about humidity now six months of the rainy season real wood will swell a little
[20:38] But Jill mostly not notice it except for one big thing in practically every Latin American house I've ever been in and most of the houses older houses. Anyway, don't have composite doors They have metal or wood doors mostly wood solid wood anyway, the fact is in Practically every Latin American home that's over three years old. It'll have doors and cabinets that don't close right anymore there'll be some doors and cabinets that won't close at all and There's always a door or two that swelled a bit and it scrapes against the floor You can see a mark on the floor where it's been Opened and closed a hundred times and no one's done a single thing about it It just keeps scraping the floor and it's tolerated as if it's normal because everyone's got a door or two like that
[21:23] Oh and don't get me started on windows with wooden frames. Same thing Eventually after a couple of years, they don't close right either. That's why it's for me Even though I love the look of real wood frame windows. I've learned to prefer Anodized aluminum window, they don't deteriorate rust rot And they open and close the same rain or shine dry or humid Of course when you buy a new house and are selecting windows Or if you're replacing bad broken or swelling windows on an older house You're able to choose from three different kinds good better and best which means cheap Average and expensive and with windows, especially man, you get what you pay for Oh and some people use polyvinyl plastic windows, too But they haven't been down here ages and ages
[22:09] So I have to see how those work out All I know is that if you're down here in Latin America and you pick window frames that are white Doesn't matter if they're wood Polyvinyl or anodized aluminum just from the dust and grime of the rainy season They're gonna get dull and crappy looking after a while. It's almost impossible to make them look new and fresh again Which is why I personally much prefer a dark color black or dark brown anodized aluminum frame windows Man, those things can look nice forever Just telling you my preferences. Anyway, if you like white go white Just be prepared that in a couple of years your house is not gonna be beautiful bright picket fence white It's gonna be dingy weather worn grayish white and you'll have to live with it because there'll be almost nothing you can do to change
[22:56] That except replace and install all new windows. By the way, most residential towers have white windows though slowly But surely you're seeing some black and anodized aluminum windows coming online problem is if you live in one of those residential towers and your windows start looking Distressed and sad you got to replace them with the same color Same type and style to maintain the external integrity of the building You'll find that paragraph somewhere in your building's condominium laws Oh and one more thing about kitchens and kitchen cabinet Turns out more and more new apartments and houses here in Latin America are buying pre-made kitchens from places like IKEA And there are many kitchen design centers too that'll make cabinets and install them for you It's an unfortunate thing too because I'd say at least 80 percent of all the kitchens
[23:45] That would be four out of five are made out of that cheap horrible melamine or composite board again They'll look good for a year or two Sooner or later, they'll start sucking up moisture like a sponge, especially the cabinets closest to the floor in a couple more years Some of the cabinets will not close properly and areas around the sink will swell Bottom line is just a bad idea to buy your kitchen cabinets from a place like IKEA or any kitchen Outfit that sells melamine or composite board cabinets Solid or laminated real wood is the way to go I admit though those IKEA and melamine kitchens can last a hell of a lot longer if you're up in the States First off you've got no rainy season and of course up in the States You haven't got a cleaning lady bashing her brooms and mops against the fragile corners of those horrible press board things
[24:34] Right enough said about that moving on Got this email from Steven. He says Johnny. I Said teachers have no right to complain about making a lot less money than they really should because they Selected that career they could have gone into something that made him a lot more money medicine Engineering computers dentistry lawyering. Well in some ways that seems logical But Johnny I taught high school math in a large urban school district for 20 something years and I loved it Still think it's the best job on the planet and the salary I know was never that great, but you survive, okay The students not to pay were the reason that job was great in the end though
[25:21] I quit I got out because of incompetent administrators and the ignorance of the public when it comes to education in general He says when I started teaching math in the public school 25 or so years ago in the office We had a principal two vice principals a couple of secretaries and three counselors About eight administrators and office staff for 50 teachers when I quit Johnny There was one administrator for every teacher every year a few more administrators like a cancer It kept on growing again I repeat the general public is ignorant when it comes to education if they knew anything about it They never would have let that happen unlike us regular teachers. The administrators have zero contact with the students
[26:08] They just create more and more rules restrictions and barriers Then he says by the way Johnny I'm downsizing and moving to a smaller place and I was digging through my attic the other night and I came across an old Poster from my teenage years in the late 60s The poster says quote weed will get you through times of no money Better than money will get you through times of no weed Man, those were the days Alright Steven. Thanks for that. Hang on to that poster. It's a classic I bet you found some Robert Crumb comics and some keep on trucking posters, too. Anyway, thanks for those comments Steven Oops, we're getting towards the end of the show now, so I'll leave you with this according to a survey of more than
[26:56] 10,000 properties by property investment firm IPX 103 one one in four travelers found an illegal hidden camera in their vacation rental or Airbnb in 2023 so at least one out of four vacation rentals has a hidden camera somewhere by the way speaking of Amazon again You can go there and buy some detection devices So you can scan the room and see if you're being watched though It's a pretty creepy feeling at least doesn't happen much at all in upscale and international chain hotels But when it comes to Airbnbs look out 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
[27:42] Just send me an email the expat files at gmail.com 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