Episode Summary
In this episode of The Expat Files, Johnny Mueller begins by introducing the show, which focuses on the experiences of living, working, playing, and retiring in Latin America. He acknowledges that his voice is strained due to a recent series of calls and webinars, humorously suggesting that he might sound like Angus Young if he continues to overuse his voice. Johnny then addresses the topic of English pronunciation among bilingual speakers in Latin America, noting that even those who have studied English extensively often struggle with the nuances of the language. He explains that many corporations in Latin America require bilingual applicants to take the TOEFL test, but the test does not fully capture the subtleties of English. Johnny also discusses the salary differences for bilingual professionals in Latin America compared to the United States, suggesting that expats might not find the financial rewards worth the effort. He concludes by reflecting on the decline in English language proficiency among American students and the challenges of teaching English in the current educational system.
In the next segment, Johnny critiques the state of English education in the U.S., particularly in public schools, and contrasts it with the opportunities for English teachers in Latin America. He criticizes the lack of English proficiency among students and government workers, suggesting that even Shakespeare would be shocked by the level of English used in public institutions. He notes that in Latin America, particularly in private bilingual schools, English teachers can be hired without formal qualifications or teaching certificates. The segment also discusses the political corruption in Brazil, where the president and members of Congress were found to have mismanaged public funds through overvalued oil contracts. The protests in Brazil are described as the largest in the country's history, with citizens demanding the resignation of the president and members of Congress. The segment ends with a mention of the ongoing situation in Nicaragua as a point of interest.
In the third segment, Johnny discusses the economic conditions in Nicaragua and its neighboring countries, particularly Costa Rica, highlighting the disparity in minimum wages and the resulting labor market dynamics. He notes that Nicaragua has one of the lowest minimum wages in Latin America, at around $175.50 a month, which is significantly lower than the wages in Costa Rica and Panama. This wage gap has led to a steady exodus of Nicaraguans to neighboring countries where they can earn more, often illegally, due to the lack of labor protections and the presence of informal labor markets. Johnny also explains how Costa Rican employers often prefer to hire Nicaraguan workers because they can avoid paying social security, health insurance, and other benefits, which are required for Costa Rican workers. He warns expats about the risks of hiring Nicaraguan workers in Costa Rica, as it is illegal and can result in fines. The segment concludes with a discussion on the broader implications of such wage disparities and the resulting class system in the region.
In the fourth segment, Johnny discusses a situation where a Canadian expat, Marcos, encountered issues with his Canadian bank card being disabled at an ATM in Mexico, despite being able to withdraw pesos from other Mexican ATMs. Johnny attributes this problem to the Canadian bank's reluctance to serve expats, suggesting that they prefer to keep Canadians in Canada. He then shifts to a discussion about the social dynamics in Latin America, particularly the relationship between skin color and social class. Johnny explains that lighter skin is associated with higher social status, and that many Latin Americans avoid the sun to maintain their lighter skin tone. He also touches on the cultural obsession with Miami among Latin Americans, noting that it's seen as a symbol of wealth and success, with many Latin Americans owning property there and producing telenovelas in Miami.
In the final segment, Johnny discusses the cultural and linguistic influences in Miami and the Philippines. He mentions that Miami is a hub for soap operas, which has led to a significant Spanish-speaking population. He then shifts to discussing the Philippines, noting its Spanish colonial history and the blend of Spanish and local languages. Johnny expresses concerns about the Philippines as a destination for expats due to its political and religious tensions, particularly between Christian, Catholic, and Muslim communities. He also promotes his expat wisdom seminar and mentions flight deals through Miami.
Topics
Introduction to The Expat Files, Johnny's voice issues, English pronunciation among bilingual speakers in Latin America, TOEFL test and its limitations, Salary differences for bilingual professionals, Decline in English language proficiency among American students, English education in the U.S., Opportunities for English teachers in Latin America, Political corruption in Brazil, Protests in Brazil, Economic conditions in Nicaragua, Minimum wage disparities in Latin America
Chapters
00:00:00 Opening 00:00:14 Introduction to The Expat Files 00:00:20 Description of the Show's Focus 00:00:26 Overview of the Show's Content 00:00:32 Johnny's Voice Issues 00:01:30 English Pronunciation Among Bilingual Speakers 00:02:06 TOEFL Test and Its Limitations 00:03:55 Salary Differences for Bilingual Professionals 00:06:12 Decline in English Language Proficiency 00:06:17 The Cost of Leaving 00:06:36 The Battle Has Been Lost 00:07:19 English Proficiency in Government 00:08:58 Protests in Brazil 00:12:44 Introduction to the topic of Nicaragua's economy and labor market dynamics 00:13:06 Discussion of the proposed canal in Nicaragua and its implications 00:13:16 Introduction to the minimum wage in Nicaragua and its impact on labor migration 00:19:05 The ATM Problem 00:19:32 The Canadian Bank Issue 00:20:23 The Social Hierarchy in Latin America 00:24:39 The Miami Obsession 00:25:05 Miami as a Soap Opera Hub and Its Linguistic Impact 00:26:12 Philippines' Spanish Colonial Influence and Challenges for Expats 00:27:04 Promotion of Expat Wisdom Seminar and Flight Deals
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 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 Alright everybody today. I'll start up by saying that my voice is kind of blown out again So I'll be speaking in softer tones I hope why because I had pretty much a full week of blathering with Consult calls and webinars and all that stuff who knows maybe if I really destroy my voice
[00:49] I can sound like Angus young and be famous you all know who Angus young is don't you well if you don't look him up I'm not telling you. Well, you know, it was inevitable It had to happen after a show I did about a week ago when I just happened to throw in some of those top 10 mispronounced English words Naturally, I got some emails from first-world English teachers giving me all kinds of grief in a nice way of course, and I also got emails from Latin American English teacher wannabes asking me if bilingual English speakers down here in Latin America Who's first language is Spanish and who learned their English exclusively down here in Latin America if when speaking English Do they also screw up the pronunciation of certain words like nuclear or Chicago?
[01:37] Etc. Well, the truth is no matter how well a native Spanish speaker learns their English down here in Latin America You can always tell that English was not their first language and even those who study for years to take that TOEFL test That's T-O-F-E-L test. Remember I mentioned that in a past show anyway That's an internationally accepted test that shows a person knows English as a foreign language and note that many many trans national corporations in Latin America Insists that job applicants who say they are a hundred percent bilingual take that test and prove it and of course Colleges and universities up in the states insist foreign students pass that test to to gain entrance That's it. If you took anyone that passed that TOEFL test and had him or her write a business letter
[02:26] 99% of the time you'll be able to detect that there's something not quite right about the form and the flow of the letter as it turns Out you really have to be a native English speaker to know all the little nuances and phrasing that go into a letter Versus the spoken word so that TOEFL test is good and people who pass it know their English pretty well In fact, they can be 95% proficient or more, but they never quite know it perfectly That's why when you're down here walking around through a shopping center Let's say you'll see the occasional sign or letters or phrasing in English, but something's not quite right Oh, you get the meaning alright, but it's not the way you or I would have phrased it That's because the bilingual person in the front office of that company who is responsible for that sign
[03:14] Never lived in the US now note that nearly all of the time medium small and large Corporations recruit a certain number of necessary bilingual speakers from their own local population and labor pool In other words native Latin speakers who learned English from an English program or school locally So then why don't they recruit gringos like us who know English and its various subtleties and innuendos like a native Now that makes sense and would be the best case scenario But you and I would never work for the kind of lame dough that they're offering Because if you remember even professionals down here get about a fourth to a sixth of the salary That a person working that job up in the states would get for example down here
[04:00] You could get a job at a big corporation as a CPA if you were bilingual for a cool ten or twelve thousand bucks a year Sure, you can live a kind of a middle-class life down here But I ask you is that why all you expat wannabes and gonna bees up there in seattle and cleveland? You want to come down here and work a nine to five at the local price water house division for 10 or 12k a year Come on. I doubt it, but I digress as usual now. What was I talking about? Oh, yeah English teachers up in the states sending me emails In response to that show a week or so ago when I was talking about common mispronunciations of english words up in the first world So I got some emails and samone up in east st. Louis man. That's a tough town, huh?
[04:50] She says as an english teacher up here in the states used to be 20 or 30 years ago. The most mispronounced word was regardless Often pronounced irregardless by people not in the know then some years later maybe 10 or 15 years ago The science teacher at my school said the word most mispronounced in his classes was Chromosome it's supposed to have two m's but some people pronounce it with an m and then an n like chromosone But that was then johnny now these days Unfortunately, all hell has broken loose in language phonics sentence structure And pronunciation these days perhaps only one native born american in a thousand even has the word chromosome or nuclear in his vocabulary at all whether pronounced correctly or not
[05:39] And when it comes to immigrants and non-native born americans It's not even in their dreams. And you know funny thing. I remember about 10 or 15 years ago I used to correct my students all the time when they'd see things like I ain't got it I ain't got none or she's not here now, but I seen her yesterday You know johnny those things used to drive me nuts, but it's just not worth pondering anymore pondering That's another word not found in any high school kids vocabulary these days makes me want to cry sometimes Why do you think I listen to shows like yours? I just have to get out of this system So then why am I still here pension? Of course, I gotta put in my time or I just won't have the money to leave two more years The sad thing is I could write a book on the dumbing down of the american student population
[06:30] But unfortunately, no one would be able to read it not the students graduating from my high school. Anyway What i'm telling you johnny is that the battle has been lost especially up here in east st. Louis Oh, the kids might have a chance in an expensive private school, but in a public school Forget about it And she puts in parentheses not forget about it like you always say johnny Then she says I hate to admit it, but correct english except for maybe the upper Two percent of the u.s. Population is in the dumpster and has been for a long long time And everyone seems to like it that way I don't hear anybody complaining about it. Do you And i'm not just picking on rock and roll or rapping hip-hop here
[07:15] The usual suspects that are the easiest targets All i'm saying is take a walk into any us government office social security unemployment, whatever Even in the administration office of my high school And within two minutes of talking to a government worker or receptionist you'll hear every english language rule broken a dozen times Shakespeare would fall on his sword Which kind of gives me the feeling that any native born north american who breathes and has a pulse can go down to latin america Get a job as an english teacher in one of those helicopter schools you talk about or as you point out Just as a freelance private tutor and be accepted down there as the authority on said subject So anyway johnny two years more and i'm out of here by the way
[08:05] Hope to sign up for your next seminar Just about talked a friend into going with me so we can get that couple's discount sign simone Please don't use my last name. Well, thanks for that simone and yes I may try to do a little highbrow blow v8 and okay But not today and you're right in many places in latin america, especially off the gringo tourist trail You don't need an english degree or a teaching certificate or anything To get a job as an english teacher or science history or geography teacher You name it in one of those private bilingual k through 12 schools You don't even have to know any spanish in some cases. You just have to be a warm body 100 Homegrown gringo and as it turns out it's a favorite starter job for first world backpackers
[08:51] But do arrive at the interview with a clean shirt and a tie and don't forget the biotido Now changing gears a bit a lot of you listeners may or may not be wondering why they're having so many protests down in brazil There are hundreds of thousands of people in the streets right now Protesting guess what surprise surprise corruption at the highest levels the presidential and congressional levels So we're talking institutionalized corruption in politics. What else is new? Well, here's what's new about it There have really never been such organized massive marches in brazil before Calling for both the president and the congress to step down Because you see the press and the media really got the goods on them this time now
[09:38] We all know there's massive corruption in all politics and in south america. It's always been done and passively accepted However, this time the president of brazil dilma rusev's popularity is at the lowest level of any president ever in brazil's history at only 13 approval guess even obama's got that beat, huh? And here's what the media uncovered now brazil has a national oil company and owns all the national oil reserves And it's been discovered irrefutably that oil refinery and infrastructure contracts handed out during the present administration Were given by the president and congress to their own friends family cronies and buddies Which of course is not unusual it happens all the time in the first and third world
[10:24] But the kicker is the greed factor this time was on steroids Those contracts were given out but overvalued by about a billion dollars That's 1000 million dollars a billion dollars and all that extra dough Went into the pockets of nearly all the congressman and the president and here's how it went A congressman would hand out. Uh, let's say 20 million dollar Oil pipeline project to be built not a phantom or false project a project that was absolutely necessary However, the congressman would then hand out that contract to a family member his buddies or his cronies Even if his brother-in-law or friend never built a pipeline in his life How that works is said brother-in-law sets up an sa corporation. Let's say it's called s f g pipe contractors
[11:16] Looks and sounds quite legitimate, huh? They get the 20 million dollar contract Then they subcontract out the project to a real pipeline construction company for let's say 10 million bucks The job gets done And the brother-in-law pockets the 10 and splits it with his congressman brother-in-law who got him the deal in the first place The pipeline gets done, but at twice the actual competitive bid price and note these are inside deals There are no competitive bids So anyway, the big outrage in brazil right now is not just a couple of congressman during the usual skimming But nearly the entire party in control of congress including the president getting caught red-handed stealing about a billion dollars in public funds
[12:02] So that's just to clarify things a bit if you happen to see shots of brazil In the media with hundreds of thousands of people in the streets. Nope. It's not carnival There we have some very angry people demanding the heads of the congress and the president For example in today's news from brazilia. Let me translate this. It says diverse groups today demanded the destitution of president dilma rusof and All of her associated party members in office and their allies in rio de gennaro today One of the largest marches in history Was emblematic of an angry population. That's become furious with the scandal and the corruption In the petroleum industry owned and run by the state
[12:48] Enough said about that and also the big news in latin. America is of course, Nicaragua Where everybody it seems is up in arms about that proposed canal. That's actually broken ground But hasn't gotten anywhere yet. Not really and like I said in past shows odds are it'll never fly But there's also some big news out of nikarago. That's not about the canal So take note all you listener expat wannabes and gonabes if you're thinking about nikarago as your choice for plan b Now note that nikarago has one of the lowest minimum wages in all of latin america right now It's at about a hundred seventy five dollars and fifty cents a month. Whereas in neighboring Salvador and nikarago It's more like 300 bucks and of course in the more gringoized countries like panama and costa rica It's more like five or six hundred bucks a month. That is which is why for many many years
[13:39] There've been a steady exodus of nikaraguans into places like panama and costa rica They can work there for cash and send some money home to nikarago every month remisses sound familiar And even if the costa rickens for example who hire them only pay them 300 bucks a month It's almost double what they would have made in nikarago Of course, it's illegal in costa rica to have workers off the books and pay them in cash But it's done all the time that should sound familiar too, huh? And here's how it works suppose you're going to build a house or a bodega a warehouse in costa rica You'll hire a contractor and you'll come to a set price Which you'll always go over because well we are talking about costa rica And that's the place where gringos are most taken advantage of anyway
[14:27] You come to a price agreement with your contractor and who shows up at work About 10 guys with toolboxes and shovels and picks and drills etc And half of those guys probably most of them will be illegal nikaraguans making about 300 bucks a month and i'll be totally happy with that because in nikarago, they'd only be making about 175 bucks a month now your contractor the costa rica contractor always prefers to hire nikaraguans Because he does not have to pay the minimum wage nor does he have to pay social security health insurance tax withholdings Vacation days and other government mandated expenses that he would have to pay for each costa rica employee Which works out to about 10 on top of their regular pay?
[15:15] And by the way almost every costa rican who hires a gardener or a maintenance guy Made or cleaning lady hires a nikaraguan too Illegally, of course because they're not supposed to be in costa rica working, you know But as you might already know the border between costa rica and nikaragua is infinitely porous However, if you're a gringo in costa rica and you hire a maintenance guy or a cleaning lady You better not hire a nikaraguan or a costa rican who hears about it is bound to call an 800 number And report you and then you'll pay a big fine So as it turns out, it's all right for costa ricans to use illegal grunt work labor from nikarago But for gringos nope, we got to hire a costa rican at costa rican wages
[16:04] You see minimum wage there being again around five to six hundred bucks a month So can you see what's happening there and why costa rica is not a good destination at all for expats? There's a thousand reasons. Why so anyway, whether you know it or not the minimum wage in nikaraguas 175.50 a month according to government economists That only provides the average nikaraguan family with about 39 percent of its basic monthly expenditures That monthly figure for a family of four being 450 bucks a month Now don't think we're talking about people living a middle class life first world style We're talking about people living for that 450 bucks a month way below our definition of poverty
[16:49] In other words, no car no central heating no central hot water No health insurance. No insurance of any kind no internet. No computer No dryer and probably no washer So as I've pointed out all along people in the lower middle classes and middle classes Making the average wage of 175 bucks a month in this case in nikaragua The whole family has to chip in to make ends meet and they do That's why throughout latin america in general Even though the minimum wage is always well below that basic basket of food and utilities, etc Families still get by because everyone chips in just like up in the states. Yeah, right However, do note when a country like nikaragu with a very low basic minimum wage
[17:34] Shares a border with a country like costa rica whose minimum wage is triple nikaraguas that will always produce vast dislocations in labor markets immigration and it also produces a lopsided class system sound familiar That said let's have another email this time from p t marcos p t meaning perpetual tourists Now he sends emails usually from mexico and in this particular email He complains how difficult it's getting to be doing Simple banking in mexico as a canadian gringo and yes Canadians are gringos too what you might call kinder gentler versions of ugly americans So let me paraphrase this a bit Dear johnny, you might be interested to know that yesterday. I needed to get some american dollars
[18:25] So I went to a bank here in mexico. That's the same bank. I use in canada Easy enough you'd think right? I am a client of the bank Anyway, needless to say I thought that would be a pretty good bet I showed the teller my bank card and my passport and he asked me to wait a few minutes while he went to get the dollars from downstairs But when he came back to complete the transaction The computer refused my card even though it was from the very same bank his excuse He said their bank in mexico was on a different computer system than their sister bank up in canada But he did have a solution All I had to do was make a withdrawal in pesos from the bank machine the atm
[19:14] Then he would exchange those pesos for us dollars immediately Easy enough sounds logical So I went to the bank atm machine went through all the steps hit all the buttons and at the end it said Your card has been disabled So in the end I could get no american dollars This was in spite of my being able to get pesos from most mexican bank atm machines without problems So obviously I was a client in good standing you think turns out it was my own Canadian bank that refused my card and i'm not having much luck with my backup canadian bank either Don't you get the feeling that they want canadians to stay at home All right marcos. It's me again
[20:00] Now I know that there are a couple canadian branches down in the rest of latin america like for example scotiabank And i've heard a number of complaints from canadians using that bank down here in central america Same problems same crap my advice. You got to get off the damn first world grid Quit using first world banks completely The fact is as long as you're a client of a bank or banks down here in latin america Ones that do not have branches up in the first world. You'll have none of those problems But let me get on to the rest of his email Anyway, then he says here's what I really want to discuss something interesting happened the other day And i'd like your take on it first a bit of background I've noticed that here in mexico the locals tend to avoid the sun even more so
[20:50] Then we overly health conscious gringos who worry about skin cancer Even though people have been working and playing in the sun since the dawn of man You think they had ye olde copper tone in ancient greece? Did columbus use spf 50 on his nose and hawaiian tropic on his bald spot? Who knows but like you johnny I digress In the local market you will see the mexican locals all crowded into shady benches leaving the sunny benches empty Even if there is a bit of sun on the end of the bench No one will sit there now for a long time I've been thinking these mexicans must be as health conscious as we gringos as they sip their coca-cola in the shade But recently I was sitting in a park in the sun with a latina friend and after 10 minutes or so She said oh, no, my skin is already getting dark. Let's go in the shade her skin getting darker
[21:40] What's wrong with that? Could it be related to what you discussed in past shows about that certain feeling in latin america? The darker a latino's skin the lower his or her social class Is that why mexicans want to stay out of the sun? I'd be interested in your take on this if you have a moment because as a canadian I was just too kind gentle and polite to pursue the matter with her can't help it. We're born that way, eh? Okay me again my take on that Absolutely, right There is a rock solid cast system here and the lighter you are the more doors open for you Which is why so many latinas tint their hair lighter? They never go darker, you know And that's why there are at least five different shades of skin that latin's refer to when they're talking about a person
[22:28] Let's talk about females then a black lady Negrita a bit lighter skinned black lady White slightly tan would be Concha white blanca and there are even more grades of skin color in between Now as you know up in the states, you're either black or you're white or you're latino pretty much. That's it But here a person's social status is instantly meted out by skin color along with height hair and eye color However, when you're talking about upper middle and wealthy classes people who are generally light skinned I've seen for myself when they go on a sun and fun vacation, for example disneyland or miami Some of them will make a little effort to get just slightly tan because that's proof that you've been on a sun and fun
[23:20] Vacation, isn't it? Oh, and by the way, you can always tell when a latin person is trying to impress you Not just gringos, but fellow latin people and how does that work? Well, I can't tell you how many times i've encountered a latin person someplace at a grocery store or a party whatever And I said well, how's it going? What's new? And the answer will be something like this Well, I just heard from my cousin in miami Or my brother's got a job in miami with an extra special emphasis on miami Like it was the be all and end all mecca of destinations to latin's miami is mecca Second only to disneyland believe me whenever they can pretentious latins will slip in something
[24:07] About some relative no matter how distant who's coming from going to or even in jail in miami Oh johnny, didn't you know? My son's in a theater group and next month he's going to miami And you know, the thing is they never go anywhere in miami where people speak english Does anybody speak english in miami anymore? And you know, i've heard so many pretentious latins giving me that miami crap that I just want to slap him in the face But I don't the fact is you're never going to divest any latin person from the idea that miami is the promised land And why do you think that is? Well when latin's become filthy rich They always buy property or a house or a condo in miami And it's become their bollywood by extension You see almost all big latin american tv and cable tv networks as well as soap opera production companies
[24:58] Those telenovelas have now set up production companies and facilities in miami So that's where all the famous actor and actress soap opera stars go too. Of course duas gringos They're no talent nobodies, but down here they're superstars But miami's where they end up too because that's where they shoot a lot of these soap operas now And probably a big reason why so few people speak english in miami anymore And finally marco says in his email i'm wondering about your take on the philippines Although technically not a latin country. It seems to me As close to asian latin as you can get They have a history of spanish colonization and their language is a hybrid of spanish The many philippino people who i've encountered in canada are as friendly and happy as latin's and their accents sound spanish when they're speaking english
[25:46] You mentioned that you spent a couple of years traveling around the world before you settled in latin america So i'm wondering what's your take on the philippines compared to latin america? As always keep up the great work. I'm looking forward to that little e-book on learning spanish The more spanish I learn the more I realize that spanish schools have been a liability just as much as a help Thanks, pt marcos. All right, pt my take on the philippines. You're right It's loaded with spanish influence because it was a spanish colony for some time But here's the problem and why I would never recommend it for expats They've got all the typical problems of a third world very poor country Along with the fact that it's a devastating fact that about 40 of the population is Muslim so you got christian spanish
[26:34] Catholic and muslim living in the same country and they're always fighting it out. They're always clubbing each other murdering each other It's really just no place you want to be of course You'll always find islands of tranquility everywhere But just look it up on the internet for yourself and you'll see what I mean And yes because of that they've got muslim terrorists too and beheadings and all that so Although it's rarely reported in the first world news that stuff happens there every day That said we're getting towards the end of the show now And I just like to remind you once again that my expat wisdom seminar in july 2015 is getting underway in about two months for complete info Just go to expatwisdom.com click on the seminar link and get in on the fun and the boots on the ground action
[27:20] Again, go to expatwisdom.com click on the latin seminar link sign up. You won't regret it Oh, and don't forget you could get some very good flight deals if you book through miami south of the border 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 the expat files 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 Ah