Episode Summary
In this episode of The Expat Files, Johnny Mueller explores several key topics that highlight the complexities of expat life in Latin America. He begins by discussing the 'gringo advantage,' where expats are often perceived as more affluent and respected compared to locals. This is illustrated through examples like McDonald's and Starbucks, where locals may prefer the former for business meetings, while expats are often invited to more upscale locations like Starbucks. Johnny also notes that these franchises can operate with minimal staff due to low wages, and the presence of bodyguards at Starbucks is a sign of the gringo advantage. The segment ends with a transition to a story about a major airport shutdown in Panama, which he attributes to a less dramatic cause than terrorism or technology failure.
The podcast then shifts to a bizarre incident at an international airport in Panama where tens of thousands of crickets (mistakenly referred to as cockroaches) invaded the facility, causing chaos and leading to its closure and evacuation. The airport spokesperson downplayed the danger, stating that no one was in immediate risk. Johnny then discusses Panama's growing issues with Airbnb and the government's attempts to crack down on unregistered rentals to increase tax revenue. He highlights the lack of enforcement and the potential legal consequences for both hosts and guests, suggesting that Panama may not be an ideal expat destination due to these issues and other factors like high cost of living and cultural challenges.
The segment continues with a discussion on the real estate bubble and fraud in Panama, particularly focusing on the collapse of RG Hotels Panama and its impact on foreign investors. Johnny highlights the risks of real estate investments in Latin America, emphasizing the prevalence of fraud and the importance of being physically present to monitor investments. He also touches on the economic instability in Argentina, noting the rejection of the Argentine peso by airlines and the political changes following the election of a new president. The segment concludes with a brief mention of the Latin American tradition of 'Dia del Diablo' (Devil's Day), where people burn paper mache devils to symbolically eliminate their sins.
In the final segment, Johnny discusses the concept of 'burning the devil' as a metaphor for cleansing sins, which he finds illogical because it provides the devil with the environment it thrives in. He then shifts to talking about chicken buses in Latin America, describing them as dangerous, often driven by reckless drivers, and noting that a black bow on the bus signifies a recent driver's death. He also highlights the 'gringo advantage' in supermarkets, where American-style products are marketed to Latin Americans who aspire to adopt Western lifestyles, even though they are technically Americans themselves. The segment ends with a discussion on how American-style products are often misinterpreted or mislabeled in Latin America.
Finally, Johnny discusses the differences in how traffic violations are handled in Latin America compared to the United States. He highlights that in Latin America, individuals can receive significant discounts on traffic fines if they pay them after a certain period, which is a stark contrast to the U.S., where unpaid violations can result in legal consequences such as fines and warrants. He also notes that in some Latin American cities, traffic violations are linked to car license renewals, making it mandatory to pay fines before renewal. However, in smaller towns, this system is less centralized, allowing for more leniency. He concludes by mentioning his upcoming Latin Insider Seminar and encourages listeners to visit his website and YouTube channel for more information.
Topics
Gringo Advantage, Business Culture in Latin America, Economic Aspects of Franchises, Bodyguards and Security, Airport Shutdown in Panama, Insect invasion at Panama airport, Panama's Airbnb crackdown, Taxation and expat considerations, Cost of living and language barriers in Panama, Real estate bubble in Panama, Fraud and scams in real estate investments, Economic instability in Argentina
Chapters
00:00:00 Opening 00:00:32 Gringo Advantage and McDonald's as a Business Meeting Spot 00:01:55 Starbucks as a Symbol of Gringo Respectability 00:03:40 Bodyguards at Starbucks and the Gringo Advantage 00:05:23 Transition to the Panama Airport Shutdown Story 00:05:48 Insect Invasion at Panama Airport: The Bizarre Incident 00:06:54 Criticism of Airport Spokesperson's Statements 00:07:32 Panama's Crackdown on Airbnb and Taxation 00:09:52 Weak Enforcement of Airbnb Regulations in Panama 00:11:27 Cost of Living and Language Barriers in Panama 00:12:28 The Collapse of RG Hotels Panama and Its Impact on Investors 00:15:35 Real Estate Advice for Expats in Latin America 00:17:05 Argentina's Economic and Political Instability 00:18:21 The Tradition of Dia del Diablo in Latin America 00:18:34 The Devil and Fire: A Metaphorical Discussion 00:19:26 Chicken Buses: A Dangerous Mode of Transport 00:21:18 The Gringo Advantage in Supermarkets 00:22:38 Language and Cultural Identity in Latin America 00:23:38 American-Style Products and Marketing in Latin America 00:24:30 Gringo Advantage and Traffic Violations in Latin America 00:24:37 Concerns About Traffic Tickets for Expats 00:24:42 Reading from a Latin American Newspaper 00:24:47 Traffic Violations and Payment Deadlines 00:25:11 Implications of Traffic Violations and Discounts 00:25:34 Legal Consequences of Unpaid Violations in the U.S. 00:25:57 Car License Renewal and Traffic Fines 00:26:15 Differences in Traffic Enforcement Between Cities
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 Now here's a little offbeat proof that the gringo advantage really does exist McDonald's has flooded the market here in Latin America It's everywhere and you know in the business areas of Latin cities where there are McDonald's like I said
[00:47] They're everywhere. You can walk in and often see little business meetings going on I guess it's a place where a lot of people with scruffy offices would rather meet Though in the mornings, especially you will see small gatherings of guys and white shirts and ties and ladies in their business outfits briefcases laptops and all Nope, not a likely scenario at your local McDonald's up in Cleveland in the States If you had a high-powered business meeting in McDonald's, well people would laugh at you But such is the gringo advantage even McDonald's has a certain level of respectability as a business meeting place And here's the point down here well off the gringo tourist trail Those people having those little meetings in McDonald's are all Latinas and Latinas Of course, not a gringo to be found But get this if you as a gringo down here are involved in some kind of business deal and you need to call a meeting
[01:37] Guess what when the meetings to be held outside of a professional office like your lawyer's office or an architect's office Because you're at gringo. They won't settle on McDonald's No, they'll pick what they consider a much fancier high-end location And if there's a Starbucks within 10 miles, that's where you'll probably end up going nope Not your choice theirs so to impress the lone gringo It'll be Starbucks or maybe even I hop I kid you not but more on that later So again, it's let's impress the gringo. Let's go to Starbucks and show them We're thoroughly gringo eyes, too So if you want to eavesdrop on some high-end business deals going down Just go to the nearest Starbucks on a weekday in the a.m And by the way, just the other day I was at such a meeting and there were two of us gringos present
[02:24] Where do you think the other guy's lawyer wanted to have the meeting? Starbucks and by the way right across the street was a local Latin coffee spot kind of like a Starbucks clone though Lacking in certain details as our most Latin establishments anyway at the sweets and pastry counter at Starbucks I noticed they had brownies for five dollars each in the local funny money, of course Whereas at the coffee shop across the street. They had the very same brownies for two bucks That's why when gringo say Johnny How can those Starbucks in Latin America pay the rent much less the help when the place is never filled not even half filled Or a quarter filled sometimes there's only four maybe six people in the whole place for hours Well, that's easy figure it out all they got to do is sell three of those brownies at five bucks apiece and that 15 bucks will cover a whole day's salary for
[03:16] a Starbucks worker being that in 17 out of the 20 Latin American countries The average minimum wage for the day is between 12 and 15 bucks So there you have it sell three brownies at Starbucks And you can have a full-time employee on a shift and in some Latin countries just have a couple of bucks Leftover to stuff your own pocket Oh, and by the way for those of you tourists and fresh gringo expats coming down to Latin America If you want to see those bodyguard brigades that I'm always talking about Just go to a Starbucks and check out the parking lot So while the pretentious asses they're supposed to be guarding are in the Starbucks showing off Rolexes Nike joggers and iPhones the bodyguards with their sunglasses broken earbuds and badly tailored seers suits are standing outside
[04:02] Sucking in their guts each trying to look more important than the other bodyguards in the parking lot So if you're anything like me and you're interested in the occasionally ridiculous There are a number of transplanted gringo franchises where you're bound to see bodyguards strutting around those parking lots but to me and a lot of expats one of the most surprising effects of the gringo advantage is that wealthy Latins with bodyguards have Turned the I hop in to some kind of exclusive hangout. Yep You heard me the I hop yes down here at the International House of pinheads You'll get a glimpse of the local hoi polloi and of course their bodyguards And you know what that's when the reality of the gringo advantage will really sink in Those gringo hallelujah moments come when you see things like that
[04:49] And that's why you have to get your boots on the ground in fact I think the guy who first brought the I hop franchise down to Latin America had no idea It would ever rise above its reputation in the US as a kind of a highway truck stop breakfast dive Anyway, if you get boots on the ground and you see what's happening with I hops down here, by the way They're only seen in expensive neighborhoods and very high-end malls That's when you just might consider bringing that first white castle or Denny's franchise town Nope, you can't make this stuff up. Okay changing gears a bit I'd like to thank Jane Galtz for cluing me into this next story now It hasn't been widely reported at all But on December 5th last Saturday the busiest airport in Latin America that would be to come on airport in Panama
[05:37] Stopped its operations for a couple hours halted all flights, etc And the people were all evacuated and why do you think they would pull such a drastic measure? Had to be something extremely serious, right? Was it terrorism? No Technology failure. No a disabled plane coming in for emergency landing No earthquake hurricane a power outage. Maybe nope if you can guess why you're truly clairvoyant The article says suddenly without warning in the main control tower and other areas of to command international airport There was a surprise invasion of tens of thousands of crickets Beatles and yes That would be cockroaches Yuck Not only that the report says all classes of insects began to drop from the ceilings and the vents in the installation
[06:29] People at their computers and terminals were in shock as suddenly they were covered in insects And so the airport was closed down and evacuated to bring in fumigation specialists Meanwhile, the airport spokesperson said at no time were airport personnel or visitors in danger Nor were aircraft taking off or landing at risk. He said his airport personnel acted with complete professionalism at all times Yeah, right. It's me again. Sounds like his Professional maintenance guys were acting in their highest capacity too, huh? Then it goes not to say according to the airport director Alfredo Fonseca Mora The insects had infested dead-end spaces and air conditioning ducks Okay, so what that basically means for us expats and gringos is the next time you're passing through to command airport in Panama
[07:19] Skip the food court bring a sack lunch Okay, and speaking of Panama lots of people want to know about Panama because they think well that just might be the place They want to become expats. Well, here's some news that just might dissuade you of that notion Now you've all heard of Airbnb, right? That's when you get on the internet and you hook up with someone who's got an apartment or a room to rent at your final Destination seems to work out pretty good for a lot of people. I've known many who've done it However, because that's a personal deal between you and the person who owns the apartment or the rental that rightly cuts the government Tax people out of the equation and the Weasley government parasites know that so they're trying to crack down on such things And guess what Panama is right there in the lead Why because it's a tourist destination and the government feels it's losing a lot of tax revenue on Airbnb's that aren't registered
[08:10] Now, you know what? Most tourist destinations in the world have a tourism tax and Panama calls it a lodging tax Which now is 10% but it's supposed to go up to get this 14% if Congress has their way next year and that's above and beyond the 7% VAT or sales tax on everything So if you use Airbnb in Panama, the government gets cut out for that amount Yep, you gotta love those private Airbnb folks anyway, because Panama's government is growing like a cancer and the hotel sector is vastly overbuilt and losing money hand over fist That means the government's 10% so-called lodging tax revenues are way down So who do they want to go after the mom and pop Airbnb people, of course, what are they proposed on doing about it?
[08:57] Well, they're drafting a law right now, which aims to create tougher sanctions for those renting homes to tourists Why because almost no one in the Airbnb business pays that 10% tax Why should they write whether they pay it or not? They get nothing from the government in return same old story, right? according to article 21 of law 80, there's a fine of between 5,000 to $50,000 if you fail to report a tenant in pay that tax and in actuality that law has been in effect since 2012 but since Latin American countries are very good at passing laws and very bad at enforcement in all that time That's what four years now only 49 cases were open against so-called clandestine accommodation services
[09:44] I e Airbnb's and as for how many mom-and-pop B&Bs have actually paid a fine so far get this Zero, which is why the latest legislation creates a Nazi big brother Airbnb Enforcement Bureau now according to the spokesperson for the Panama Tourism Authority He says we are finally creating more energetic Mechanisms to spot and sanction offenders. He says in the past the process was ambiguous But now that we have methods to find unregistered persons in such apartments We can immediately start the legal process against the owner Wow, that's me saying Wow I guess what that means is if you're caught in an Airbnb one That's not registered with the government or not consistently paying that 10% lodging tax
[10:33] They'll grab the renter haul him into court as proof that the law was evaded that should make for an interesting Adventurous vacation, huh under the threat of what might be house arrest Just hope they have English translators in Panama bed and breakfast court now remember down here in Latin America If you bring a case to court, it takes months Sometimes years wonder how they'll handle that when they start nabbing Airbnb tourists Oh, and by the way, how do you know your Airbnb is paying that 10% lodging tax? Even if the owner shows you an official plaque on the wall that he's registered with the government How do you know for sure if you don't speak Spanish that said? Panama like Costa Rica is not looking too good as a permanent expat destination now, is it so if you're thinking about Panama
[11:20] What might your reasons be maybe it's that generous pension auto program you've heard about but guess what? Most other Latin American pension auto programs are similar in that respect. So then you might say well, they use the US dollar Yeah, that's true But it's funny money just the same and remember with so many gringo tourists and businessmen spending those dollars The cost of living is much higher than adjacent Latin countries except of course Costa Rica then there's people who say hey Well, if you're in Panama City or Cologne a lot of people speak English probably one out of every five Well, you know, that's probably because one out of five people in the big city are tourists So what does that really mean for starters too many gringo is trying to turn it into a tropical suburb of Cleveland And while we're talking about Panama, you remember in a last show or two
[12:09] I spoke about a huge hotel bubble how you can book online for a hundred hundred twenty five hundred fifty hundred seventy five Dollars and come down walk right in to the same four-star hotels and pay 50 bucks at the desk Guess what? There's more news on the exploding Panama Hotel real estate bubble This time we have a rather big hotel conglomerate called RG hotels Panama who in October 2015 filed for bankruptcy and now Many many people including thousands of absentee gringos have been left holding the bag It says holders of properties and security issues of SG hotel investments Panama who bought Apartments to live in or as investments have found themselves in a legal catch-22 as a result of a large-scale failure of a
[12:58] residential tourism project of huge proportions on Panama's Pacific Coast The article goes on to say Antonio Bonilla the visible face of the foreign investors group behind RG hotels and his lawyers said yesterday that the company they bought was a house of cards with false Information in its financial statements and extremely overvalued properties This according to the owners of the hotel group who have voluntarily filed for bankruptcy will also affect Adjacent properties down the Pacific coastline then it says this complex process of bankruptcy on the part of RG hotels And Casa de Campo Faryon has uncovered a massive web of frauds and scams and get this it says
[13:44] Investors mostly North Americans who bought bonds and negotiable commercial titles have entered into a minefield Not to mention it says owners of apartments on the beach condo hotel called pearls developed by Archie hotels Revealed that after years of occupying their properties that some 800 people some have not yet received their deeds Confirming ownership of their properties. The apartments were bought at the original cost of between 200 and $800,000 nearly all of them by North Americans and it goes not to say since the company has entered bankruptcy proceedings None of the utilities work including electricity Meaning presently the units are uninhabitable and fast deteriorating and then it says one holiday real estate company called blue
[14:33] Vacations has sold at least 800 holiday packages that now can never be redeemed Okay, so there's a lesson on why you should stay away from real estate deals in Latin America Not only because there's a huge real estate bubble looming but worse yet There's a lot of slick fraudsters out there ready and willing to rip off a first world gringo Looking for that little piece of paradise and believe it or not Slick fraudsters are gringos who bend down a while and know exactly how to rope in a gringo Not to mention when you're an absentee owner Which most of these people are counting on a management company to rent and maintain those places often does not end well Over the years. I can't count how many stories I've heard like this and most of them involve
[15:20] Absentee gringo owners and landlords. That's why you have to be down here with boots on the ground monitoring every aspect of whatever Deal you're about to get into but now is not the time to get into real estate unless you find a very desperate seller It's definitely a renter's market. So take advantage of that and wait it out. Be patient Hold on to your cash your time will come believe me There are no once-in-a-lifetime real estate deals that people are talking about at cocktail parties or gringo bars And by the way, why would you want to get in at the top of a huge real estate bubble? Anyway, yet believe it or not. I still see clueless gringos buying in I guess it's all about the fact that fresh gringos with the rose-colored glasses and paradise are so overly optimistic
[16:08] They're susceptible to all kinds of real estate pitches again. Don't get sucked in there are no deals out there Okay, now let's talk about Argentina for a second You know they elected a new president the outgoing president Christina Fernandez Kirchner who tripled government spending and doubled Government bureaucracy in her two terms in office You've surely seen her sulking in the press lately since her hand-picked guy for president lost in Argentina You can't be president for more than two consecutive terms. Thank God Meanwhile Argentina heads towards massive inflation and nobody wants the Argentine peso anymore In fact just this week air Canada and American Airlines stated They will no longer take the Argentine peso as payment for air travel
[16:54] they'll take dollars and euros and Chilean and Colombian pesos as well as Guatemalan kits aliz and Honduran lumpetas, but they will not take Argentine pesos Yes, Argentina is really a banana republic again now if you occasionally fly down to Latin America You probably have taken Copa Airlines COPA Copa is the Panama flagship airline And it almost got wiped out this last year by the collapse of the Venezuelan Bolivar. They lost 427 million dollars, so not wanting to get burned twice they refuse to accept Argentine pesos Okay time to change gears again December 7th. Just a couple days ago was Dia del Diablo So what's that all about? Well, you'll see as you drive down most any Latin American Street little kiosks that have just sprung up overnight
[17:44] They weren't there before selling paper mache doubles that you burn on the 7th of December The smallest ones about the size of a koala bear around two bucks Then you've got the big giant sized nasty ugly Devils about the size of old vomit and they run about five or six bucks then at 6 p.m. Sharp on December 7th everyone gathers with their devils outside their front door They light off every conceivable type of firework and light the Devils up, too So what's the purpose of all that well as the tradition goes when you burn your devil You've eliminated all the sins and dirty deeds committed in your household over the past year And now you're starting with a fresh light Which doesn't really make sense to me because when burning the devil you're giving them exactly the correct environment
[18:34] He thrives in fire the devil and fire like water and chocolate, right? And I've tried to explain that to a few Latins, but they just don't get it They give me the deer in the headlights look I guess traditions tradition now speaking of chicken buses I know I know you're wondering where'd that come from well It seems people are always talking about chicken buses They're everywhere newly arrived gringo say they want to take just one ride in one of those things because they want a photo op When you're driving behind one you're usually cursed because they're belching smoke and soot and laying on the horn I can tell you if it's never a pleasant experience driving next to or near one of them But you know every so often you'll be driving past a chicken bus and you'll notice a big black bow hanging from the side of it Or up in the windshield that means the most recent driver has been killed now your longtime listeners will know in a past show
[19:26] I mentioned that one of the most dangerous jobs in all of Latin America is a chicken bus driver Yes, it's true. They get held up regularly and are victims of extortion rings But the fact is chicken bus drivers are real dyed in the wool cowboys. They get drunk They get in fights. They get shot at they drive crazy They pass on blind curves and pull some incredibly dangerous stuff behind the wheel Which is why they go over bridges crash into power poles and flip regularly Which is why you'll occasionally see a big black bow on a chicken bus Oh, and by the way when you're driving your own car You don't want to get into a fender bender with a chicken bus Not that the chicken bus driver or his helpers or the people riding that bus will get mad at you They don't they're very cordial even when you get in an accident
[20:13] But you see a chicken bus is heavy metal So your car is gonna always get the worst of it and you'll never get financial compensation And it's true ninety nine point nine percent of the time It's the chicken bus driver's fault when there's an accident Which is why when a chicken bus gets in a serious accident when people are thrown out or killed Most often the chicken bus driver will just run from the accident never to be seen again But where was I? Oh, yeah black bow on a chicken bus dead previous driver So then how many times have I personally seen something like that? Well, I saw one just yesterday Oh and you know what else I saw yesterday I was in a big Latin supermarket and I noticed once again the gringo advantage alive and well Although some might say it's the gringo disadvantage this time now do note that almost all the big food
[21:02] Manufacturing companies up in the states are down here in Latin America They've got their branches down here cranking out ketchup and mustard and corn flakes. You name it They've moved their factories down here because well cheap labor and closer to point of sale So what's that got to do with the gringo advantage? Well next time you're in Latin America and you're in the supermarket go to the ketchup and mustard aisle. You'll see Hellman's get this American style mustard and Heinz and Hunt's American style ketchup not to mention American style soy sauce didn't even know there was such a thing Did you American style vinegar green beans American style? Well all kinds of things, you know for gringo wannabes everything American style is better
[21:47] Why not put it on your food products? It's American style So hey the Latins will love it and here's one that takes the cake It's a bottle of hot sauce chili and it says New York style chili You New Yorkers up there you ever hear of that one. You have your own special chili up there Maybe New York style pizza or New York style cheesecake. Oh, but that goes for the processed meat aisle, too They've got American style hot dogs American style ham American style bacon bologna you name it It's American style and of course, these companies are not marketing the gringos. I'm usually the only gringo in the store I'm off the tourist trail, you know, they can't be marketing to me They're marketing to the gringo wannabes
[22:32] And by the way for those of you who are a bit confused when Latin's use the word American They of course are Latin Americans, but they use the word American to mean the US and Canada though Technically they are Americans too, even though when you look at a map, it says South America Central America Meso America So there is a conundrum there. In fact, often a Latin will say to me on the street Are you an American? Oh, and of course, they're really a American knows of a different sort though They don't see it that way. So there's no such thing as Central American style ketchup or South American style mustard It's simply American style meaning gringo style, which is why when you come down here to Latin America You'll find there's a big chain of little donut kiosks everywhere called
[23:20] American donuts. I always understood a donut is a donut, you know, they don't have South American Central American or Meso American donuts. So why would they call them simply American donuts to make gringo wannabes believe It's a transplanted US item, of course, though It's not only well targeted marketing when by the way, the Dunkin Donuts franchise has invaded down here, too And from what I understand the American donut franchise chain Which is a strictly Latin franchise is doing much better. Why? The word Dunkin means nothing to the average Latin person In fact, the average worker at Dunkin Donuts doesn't even know what the word Dunkin means And how do I know that why I'm the guy who asks all those stupid questions. That's my job, right?
[24:08] And the response I get is always no say which means I don't know now That's in contrast to when you speak to an employee of the American donuts franchise They do actually think they're selling a first world US product And of course they're not but who am I to dissuade them of that little fantasy bottom line for better or for worse? The gringo advantage rides again now on a completely different subject for those of you who are thinking of coming down here and buying A car or driving around and who might be worried about what could happen if you got a ticket Let me read from a little article on page 14 of a big Latin American newspaper It says attention if you have any moving or stationary traffic violations going back to the year
[24:55] 2012 pay them by January 1st 2016 and you will receive a 50% reduction Then it says if you have any traffic violations from 2013 or 14 pay them by January 1st and get a 25% Exoneration now think about that for a minute. What does that mean to you? If you get a ticket in Latin America chances are if you wait long enough Years even you'll get a nice discount on the fine The longer you wait the bigger the discount too very strange huh What's even more strange is that if you think about it a person who hasn't paid his moving or stationary? Violations in four years somehow can still be driving around legally now in the States You get a couple months behind on a moving violation fine, or how about six months or a year?
[25:46] Then you tell me what happens they'll not only nail you with a huge fine They'll probably put a warrant out on you now note in some big Latin cities over. Let's say a million population They have their local transit police department hooked into the computers so that when you renew your car License plate every year not your personal driver's license your car plate They won't let you renew it unless you pay up But that's only if you're living in a pretty big city and you get a ticket in that city However, if you get a ticket in a smaller town, and there could be 50 or 100 different municipalities They're generally not hooked up to the central database So if you get a ticket in another municipality it just won't show up when you renew your car license So outlying municipalities will run little discounts like this every once in a while to try to suck in some late payers
[26:36] So down here right now It's a lot like it was up in the states many years ago When you could get a ticket in one state and it would never show up on the books in another back Then there was no sharing of data. No reciprocity. Those were the days, huh? Well, it's still like that down here in Latin America off the gringo tourist trail anyway Oh, and by the way, if you get a ticket or a fine, it's about one-fifth the cost of what you pay up in the states That said we're getting to the end. So it's time to mention my Latin insider seminar coming up January 2016 just about a month away now You can still sign up just go to www the new expat dot com and click on the seminar link and don't forget to check out That website www the new expat com for all kinds of great information and blogs and don't forget my new youtube channel
[27:27] Where you can follow the photos that go along with the audio and don't forget to subscribe. It's free you 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 if you want me to help you sort out your own Latin American plans schedule a one-on-one consult with me Just send an email and let me know at the expat files at gmail.com. Those famous