#189 – The Expat Files Episode 189: The New Five Flags, Expat Seminars, and Propane Issues

Automatically transcribed from the original recording; names and wording may contain errors.

[00:03] Hi everybody, I'm Johnny Mueller and you're listening to the expat files living in Latin America. The show that tells you what it's really like to live, work, play and or retire in Latin America. I tell it just like it is, not the version they give you in those glossy travel magazines or the picture they paint for you in those international traveler websites where they're only trying to sell you something. What's it really like for expats living in Latin America? Well if you stick around a while you'll find out. So, let's get started. Today I'm starting out with a little bit of a handicap. It's the first time I've had a cold, or what they call gripe here, the flu, gripe, in over six years. In fact, I haven't been sick at all except for the occasional migraine, which is my cross to bear and the bane of all the women in my family.

[00:50] Go figure. Anyway, today I'm operating slightly under 70 percent, so do bear with me if my voice cracks or poops out, okay? Now here's something I never thought I'd have to talk about on my show, but here goes. As it turns out, I was never one for marketing or advertising at all. In fact, I believe I'm one of the world's worst salesman. It takes the talent that I just haven't got, I guess. So as for what I'm gonna tell you right now, don't think of it as a sales pitch, okay? Anyway, it just so happens that over the last few days I've received a lot of emails and even some personal calls from listeners asking me about this brand new video program, not audio, video program, that I put together called The New Five Flags. Somehow the word got out that I'd done a six-hour video program talking about things I don't

[01:41] usually talk about on the radio or on my PRN podcasts. And it's not that I wanted to keep it a secret from you guys, my regular listeners, but it's just that the publisher of the program and the people who own the rights to it wanted to keep the initial offer very exclusive, so they only released it to their own private list of subscribers for quite a bit of money. And through a side agreement we made, they allowed me to release it to my own private list of subscribers on expatwisdom.com. And I might add at a fraction of the cost of the original publishers offering to their special group. So all of you who regularly check in at expatwisdom.com, I'm sure you know about this already. Anyway, a lot of you already got the program at basically the cost of what it took to produce

[02:29] it, and that's at a small fraction of the price that the publisher offered when they first opened it up to their special market. Like I said, it's a video program more than six hours long that comes with a workbook and worksheets and all kinds of neat little add-ons. And the nice thing about it is that it's a six part video series. Basically it's in the form of an audio program mixed with video images. And I'll give you a hint about the content. Most of the things I talk about on this video are things that I just can't go into a lot of detail about on my regular show. And well, you'll understand once you check it out, believe me. So anyway, a few weeks ago, the offer was released to our private list of subscribers on expatwisdom.com. And believe it or not, it sold out not once, but twice.

[03:16] Don't ask me how it could do that, but it did. Probably because I'm practically giving it away. Now that's a worn out marketing cliche if I ever heard one. God, I don't believe I said that. I told you I'm no good at this. Anyway, there's some good news and some bad news about this. And I'll give you the bad news first. If you missed out on getting the course because you weren't signed up on the expatwisdom website, you missed the five one hour long live coaching calls, the bonus that the original subscribers had when they signed up. The good news is that the program, which originally sold for nearly $500, which was the price the publishers first offered to their special group, but now you can get the exact same video program, which is more than six hours long, and get the very same workbook and outline

[04:04] materials for a lot less, less than 20% of the original offering. We're talking like less than 100 bucks. And if you decide to sign up for this program, which I call the new five flags, I'll still give you a copy of all of those coaching sessions, those coaching calls, which were about one hour each. I'll make them available as part of the package, but I have to give you a little heads up here. You see, I don't control the price of the program, the publisher does. And since they're always testing price points and stuff, they're the marketing guys. I have absolutely nothing to do with that, and I don't want to. Anyway, I'm just saying at any time they could jump the price back up again, and I don't have any control over that. But right now, it's very cheap. And by the way, for your information, if I would have run across a program like this

[04:51] some years back, I would have kicked in the original $500 price because you see, it does come with a money back guarantee. So what do you got to lose, right? Especially now, when it's under $100 bucks. So bottom line, to get the full details, head over to expatwisdom.com. That way, you won't be disappointed or get pissed off at me if the price goes up and you have to pay more. Anyway, I just had to give you a heads up on that, because I guess you can't keep a secret forever. Oh, and I forgot to tell you, if you go to expatwisdom.com, you'll see there are three free videos, each about 20 minutes long, explaining exactly what the program is about. So why not check those out, they're free. And they'll give you some idea why I can't talk about a lot of that stuff on the radio.

[05:38] You see, we all got this certain uncle named Sam, who doesn't like a lot of this kind of information to get out. And once again, I do want you to remember I'm not trying to give you a hard sell on this at all. It's just that I don't want you to get pissed off at me either. I don't want you to find out that I've got some other good material out there that you don't have access to. Well, anyway, now you do. And the real reason for this announcement today is the fact that I get so many emails from people asking me if I have any other information out there, like books, blogs or articles. So, in the interest of full disclosure, I've just given you the latest. Okay enough said about that. And now I've got another special surprise for you. Remember last week I was telling you how many emails I've been getting from people asking

[06:27] me what my seminar was about? Everyone wants more details. And I just don't want to drone on about it myself. That would be as if a guy named Marriott was telling you how great his hotels were. Of course he'd be biased. So instead I decided to interview a number of people who actually attended to get their personal opinions and comments and how it turned out for them. That way, you don't have to listen to me blowing my own horn about it because I'm not very good at that actually. Now one of the things you might have picked up on already is that we had a very eclectic international group of people who came down for the seminar. In all, we had people from five different countries attend. In the interview that follows, I'm going to introduce a guy named Tony who's quite a renaissance man himself. Though I think you might have to pay close attention when you hear him speak.

[07:16] Because he doesn't speak American quite the way we do. And when I call Tony a renaissance man, I'm not just blowing smoke. You should see this guy's resume. It's as if he's lived two or three more lives than we have. Anyway, without further ado, I'd like to introduce Tony. And by the way, he was just one of those people that helped make the seminar such a success just by being there. So let's take it away. Hey, Johnny. Oh, glad to be here. Thanks for asking me on. Well, my name's Tony. I'm 51. I'm married. I'm originally from England, and I bet you wouldn't be able to guess. I've been living in Washington, D.C. for the last 15 years. And my background is in mechanical engineering and music and medicine. I'm a registered nurse, and I currently work in drug safety monitoring.

[08:04] That's to say, monitoring the safety and effectiveness of drugs and clinical trials. So, Tony, what made you look into Latin America as a possible place to relocate, retire, have a second home, or start a new business? Latin America was never really a place I thought I would want to go until quite recently. I've always dreamed of having my own business. I've been subscribing to a number of websites and magazines. I'm living, investing abroad. And I started looking into Latin America after visiting Costa Rica. When I found your show on Gary's Progressive Radio Network, I started listening to it. I guess it's a combination of having been down there and then discovering some more detailed information about what it's really like down in Latin America from listening to your show. Coming to Guatemala for the conference also was a bit of an eye-opener for me.

[08:54] There is a difference in visiting a place. And I'd never only considered Latin America rather than the place to vacation. So, Tony, besides Costa Rica, what kind of experiences have you had with world travel? I mentioned music before as one of the things I've done. I'm a sax player and played professionally for many years. I've been all over Europe, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Holland, and I've also lived extensively in France and Germany. I've been to the Caribbean, Alaska, Arizona, California. A couple of years ago, I actually took a second trip to Costa Rica, which my wife arranged for me for my birthday. And I also took her to Peru for her birthday. You know, I almost went to a seminar last year in Panama run by one of the big companies

[09:41] who specialize in that sort of thing. But when I heard on your show that you were putting together a seminar in Latin America, I instantly thought, I've just got to check this one out. So, you made the decision right away, but were there negative opinions from others when they found out you were coming down to Latin America? A place we all know gets a lot of bad press. As far as family and friends and colleagues go, the reaction was pretty well unanimous. They kind of looked at me like, you look at somebody who's just stopped taking their medication, you know? I do understand the reaction, though. It's got to be down to the stereotypes of what Latin America is supposed to be like. I'm thinking of a cross between jungle, guerrilla warfare, and Scarface, and, you know, Fidel Castro or something. I realized that the big warnings we get about going to South America

[10:29] don't really gel with the situation on the ground from hanging out there and seeing that it really wasn't like that. I read the U.S. State Department's website and, man, you know, I was scared to death. I thought I'd need two really big guys named Dave with bulges under their jackets and dark glasses to walk around with me and make sure I was okay, but it wasn't like that at all. I'm not saying you don't have to be careful in strange cities, you know? You do have to take the sensible precautions. You don't want to be wearing a big girl watch. You don't want to have $100 bills sticking out of your back pocket. But your show gives really good tips on staying inconspicuous, by the way. And there wasn't any doubt in my mind that it was okay to go and it was safe to go. And I was really keen to get to the conference and see a new country.

[11:17] So I was cool to go, but it was a surprise not so much of the type of reaction, you know, from friends and co-workers and colleagues, but by the intensity of it, I heard more than once, why would you do that? And even when I got back, you know, why did you go there? Yeah, that's pretty typical. But those opinions are from people who don't know what we know, right, Tony? Now, let's get back to the seminar a second. How would you compare what my seminar offered to some of the other seminar offerings out there? Like, for example, Doug Casey or Sovereign Man or International Living. I know they all give seminars now and again because I see them advertised everywhere. I've never been to one personally, but I have a general idea what they're like. I had mentioned that I almost went to a seminar in Panama last year.

[12:03] That said, from what I've seen, these sites are targeted at people who have quite considerable assets in the hundreds of thousands of dollars range. I think the expat seminar really could help anybody, regardless of how much they had in the bank. You really don't need that much money to start afresh. In fact, two of the people who were at the conference have already moved there and they were six-figure owners by any means. I must say I haven't been to any of the other seminars, but I will say, though, that there's a lot to be said for a close-knit group of people versus a large conference hall with, you know, perhaps hundreds of people. There's much more scope for a one-on-one discussion with the presenters and the people attending in a small group. And I think that alone makes your seminar different. All the attendees are looking for information and nothing beats a one-on-one conversation for that.

[12:50] After all, we all had dinner together every night in very nice restaurants, might I say, where we could personally chat with yourself and other presenters. A big thing for me was that during the seminar, there was plenty of time set aside to get to personally interact with all the presenters and all of the attendees, and I just don't see that happening in the same manner in a room full of 200-plus people. Then for you, Tony, what was the best thing about my Expat Wisdom seminar? The best thing about the seminar was just the energy there. It was fantastic. This seminar really did exceed my expectations. Everybody there brought a real enthusiasm to the table. I'm not just talking about the presenters. I'm talking about the business owners as well as the attendees. Everybody was there with a purpose, and you have to know that enthusiasm is infectious.

[13:39] Hanging around with a bunch of people with driver motivation really gets your game going. Of course, part of the energy of the seminar was the information. I mean, the presentations were very detailed and packaged with everything you need to know to get started. That's really energizing, having right information you need to get going. That's huge. Confusion stops action dead, after all. Also, the focus isn't necessarily on Guatemala. If you were dead set sail on Panama as a destination, the Expat Wisdom team can hook you up with lawyers and contacts in whatever country to get you residency, set up a business or whatever. In fact, they're networked throughout Latin America, so they can help you get set in any country down there. So Tony, what was the next best thing about it for you? I've got to say, the attendees were just amazingly interesting.

[14:28] Just as an aside, let me throw this one out to anybody who's listening. When did you last sit down and have a conversation with a physicist, a natural health practitioner, a farmer, a musician, an engineer, an investment banker and a zen Buddhist at one table, you know? Everybody there came away with a new set of tools and ready-made personal network. Just as an example, if I wanted to get an internet-based business going now, I know exactly who to call. The people attending were really looking for change, and I'd say they were really guided by the people who were presenting and the business owners who talked to us, as people who've already made changes, big changes in one way or another. Speaking of those Expat business owners that we met, can you tell us a little something about them?

[15:15] Basically, what was your take on those businesses that we visited? The fact that every one of the lecturers and business owners were more than willing to answer questions and were obviously committed to helping us as much as possible and more. So if you're thinking of relocation, there's nothing like having a guy, a successful guy who owns his own business at his desk in his own factory, honestly answer your questions about what it's like down there and how he did it. In fact, he said, ask me anything. I've got to say, the business owners were very generous with their time. In fact, one of them stayed a day late instead of going to his beach house. He stayed another day just to talk to us and give us some of his time. And when you interact with someone like that who's already made a real transition to a brand new life,

[16:03] it really opens up the possibility that you can do it too. For me, it felt like bumping into a bunch of friends I'd known for years. It was a lot of fun as well. Really enjoyed it. So you're saying the seminar experience offered up a few surprises. Yeah, a number of things surprised me. I was surprised by the level of sophistication and education of the professionals we encountered. And I was also surprised at the level of competence of the companies and businesses that we visited. Yeah, Tony, and now we're talking about those land owned and operated high tech businesses that we visited, right? We're talking about that IT center and business incubator. Any more comments about those young guys and their businesses? These people weren't looking for some kind of handout from the first world.

[16:48] They spoke perfect English and they really seem to have vision for the businesses and they've got great technology. I saw the latest Mac computers and one starter, but a business incubator we visited. They all seem to display a real entrepreneurial spirit. One of the factories that we visited had a computerized production machinery that wouldn't look at a place in Germany. It's far from the image one might have of a so-called third world country, whether just looking for a handout or trying to get a donation. These people really mean it. Frankly, I was pretty inspired by their attitude. So Tony, after all you saw and heard down here, does that mean if I offer another seminar, you'd recommend it to your friends or colleagues? Glad you asked that. I've already recommended the seminar to a couple of people who happen to be in my industry.

[17:36] And I had no idea that they might be interested in something like this. Obviously something's on the air. So it sounds to me there's a lot more interest in becoming an expat than any of us might have thought. So what other impressions did you take away from the experience? And what would you tell someone back home who might ask you what the seminar was about? On the practical level, here's the moment where I just have to give a shout out to the seminar support staff. It was very well run. The hotels, transportation, restaurants and logistics were very professionally taken care of. The hotels and restaurants were fabulous. You'd consider them four or five stars up in the US. Also, we had half a dozen translators accompanying us who'd help us at any time with questions. There was one translator for every four people, so you could always get a question answered.

[18:24] And they would help us in any way, and they were just great. They were all native Guatemalans, and they all spoke perfect English. And they were very forthcoming and honest in answering questions about the culture there and life in Guatemala in general. They were a great source of information about the country. And as we went around the city of the night, they really looked down for us. They knew where to go. At no time did I feel lost down there. I'm just saying that the day-to-day practical support was first rate. Oh, yeah, back to the point. Yeah. What was the seminar about? Well, I can only speak for myself here. And I would say this. Every single person who attended was looking to change something, change something in their lives. Maybe it's relocating, maybe it's starting a business, or maybe just curiosity about doing something different.

[19:10] I'd say the seminar was about people coming together with a desire to change and being given abilities and tools to make those changes and being given the sense that it's possible. I found the atmosphere of the seminar was really welcoming. You might not know exactly where you're going. What the hell are you doing in Guatemala? But you'll meet people who are really sympathetic to your situation and will help you on your way and give you fresh ideas. You'll also get a lot of support and encouragement, which you probably won't get back on. The seminar was about giving those attending a way to shift from thinking about doing something and interacting and making it happen. If anyone listens considering this, if you're looking to change what you're doing, the expat wisdom seminar will definitely give you some new tools and some new contacts and some new enthusiasm.

[19:57] I mean, it's all very well to know that you can find a house in Panama for like $150,000 or you can move to Ecuador, but having that sort of information doesn't give you a direction. Taking a step to go to the expat wisdom seminar in Guatemala just shifted things for me. I have a much clearer idea now of how to go about what I might want to do. I've already identified a few potential opportunities. I didn't think I'd have come across those opportunities without having gone to the seminar. I think that's because my thinking has changed since I went. If you're going to do anything, you need a starting point. I'm talking about a real starting point when information has to get through decision into some kind of action. And I felt like as soon as I booked my place at the seminar, I'd really taken a step to move things on.

[20:46] The information is really powerful and practical. And the enthusiasm of everybody involved really helped cut through the sort of indecision that you get from information overload. I could also say that the seminar is about changing the game by giving the people attending a sense of clarity. You have to do something with this information once you have it. I said to you before, Jonny, that coming to Guatemala for the expat wisdom seminar was the best thing I've done for myself in ages. So if you ever do another one, I'll definitely do my best to come down. You should think about it. I've already got a couple of people who are interested in coming. However it works out, I can't wait to go to Guatemala again. The place is beautiful, people are great, and it's a fantastic place. Thanks, Jonny. Thanks for having me on.

[21:33] Well, Tony, me and the rest of the seminar attendees are so glad that you came down because you were a great addition to the group. But next time, you have to promise to bring your saxophone, okay? Now again, because I'm getting so many emails and inquiries from people who want me to do another seminar, I do want all the people who are interested in attending to send an email to me at the expat files at gmail.com. Again, like the last seminar, it's only going to be for 24 people. And you might wonder, why 24 people? Why did I pick that number? Well, it's not because it's any kind of magic number. It's just that there's this particularly nice boutique hotel that only has 27 rooms, and I want to book every room for this event. So 24 rooms plus a few for me and my staff, that pretty much fills the entire hotel.

[22:19] And as far as the dates, it looks like it's going to be in January 2013. You know, just a few days after the Mayan end of the world prophecy, which is December 2012, right? Anyway, we're looking at the dates January 15th through the 21st, which is about four months away. And already people are saying, Jonny, why such a long ways away? Why not November or December? Well, yeah, we could do it in November or December, but then we'd have to split up the group between two hotels. I don't want to do that. I want everybody together like we did last time. So basically, as it turns out, our little boutique hotel wasn't even available till that week in January. So there you have it. Anyway, if you're interested in going, just send me an email at the expat files at gmail.com. And I'll put you on my special list and send you all the details.

[23:07] And you know, after blathering on about 23 or 24 minutes into the show, I realized my voice really sucks. That's what a good case of the flu will give you, I guess, after not having it for about six years or so. After that long, you almost forget what it's like. Too bad, because now I can't brag about being a perfectly healthy specimen in Latin America anymore. Oh, well. Now, I'd like to mention just one new thing that's come to my attention. Well, it's not exactly new because I've known about it five or six years, but it's something that's just now being examined and investigated by the mainstream press down here in Latin America, even though all of us gringos have known about this for so long. It's such old news to us that it's got cobwebs on it. But here's the scoop. For any of you loyal listeners who tuned in way back when when I first started this program,

[23:52] you'll know that I did a program or two specifically about how companies like Shell and Chevron and Texaco, big transnational companies, how they intentionally rip off their customers every time they buy the product. And that goes for local and regional companies that sell propane and bottled water, too. And they do that by screwing around with the metering of their products as they're sold. In other words, they're always shorting you, whether it's at the gas pump or in a tank of propane. And they've been doing that for so many dozens of years because there's no government oversight at all. Up till now, anyway, there was no way the consumer knew if a gas pump was actually putting out a gallon when it said it was, or when you bought a hundred pound tank of propane gas, it actually had a hundred pounds in it. And like I mentioned in a recent past show, at least half of the pumps tested in any big city in Latin America read short, way short.

[24:45] And these pumps were from companies you should trust, big international companies like Shell and Texaco. Never does the consumer win. He always loses. Now in the first world, of course, they've got government bureaus that check pumps periodically to see how accurate they are, to make sure they remain within a certain standard. Now, to us libertarians, that might be one of the few legitimate roles of government. Because obviously someone has to protect the consumer. I mean, the average guy who buys propane gas or gasoline doesn't have the means or the tools to check out the accuracy of the pumps. It's obvious that someone has to do it. As long as it's not the gas or the propane companies themselves, right? Anyway, like I said in one of my very early shows, me and almost every other gringo I know uses propane gas down here for their stoves and gas dryers.

[25:30] And some of us use it for central water heating too. And normally, if it's a two person household, let's say, a tank like that will last three months. And right now, a hundred pound tank in exchange for an empty one goes for about forty five or fifty dollars. So you're cooking heat, your hot water, your stove and your clothes dryer all together will cost you about fifteen dollars a month in fuel. Not a great deal, but not bad either. But still, we're getting ripped off every time we buy a tank. I found that out five and a half years ago when I started weighing my propane tanks. No matter what company I bought it from, and there's four or five down here. And no matter what country you're in, it's the same. When you get a hundred pound tank, I always get about ninety to ninety three pounds instead of a hundred. So they're always screwing you out of seven to ten percent of your purchase.

[26:16] And every time I'd call the company and talk to one of the executives and tell them about it, they'd just lie to me right in my face. Even when I'd show the delivery guy on a tank right off the truck, he would just shake his head and say, you know, I just deliver the tanks. It's not my responsibility. What's in them? And I even called a few of the big newspapers back then and they never did a thing about it. And that goes back, like I said, five and a half years. But guess what? Just this week in the papers all throughout Latin America, the big front page story is this. The top propane gas companies in Latin America have been consistently shorting their customers by guess what? Surprise, surprise. Seven to ten percent on every tank bought. And you wonder why all this old news has just come to light now.

[27:04] Well, it's because just recently Latin governments have set up departments with some manpower to check the weights and measurements of things that are sold to the public. And you might ask the question why if so many of us gringos knew we were being shorted for so many years and we actually reported that fact to the newspaper, yet there was never a single line of news about it. Well, that's easy. The gas and the propane companies are some of the paper's biggest advertisers. Now it makes sense, doesn't it? South of the border, down Mexico way. You've been listening to The Expat Files, living in Latin America, coming to you each week from somewhere south of the border. And don't forget you can email me on anything at all about Latin America, The Expat Files at gmail.com.

[27:52] Once again, The Expat Files at gmail.com. See you next time. Nos vemos.