Episode Summary
In this episode, Johnny Mueller dives into the complexities of learning Spanish, the cultural nuances of Latin American music, and the media landscape in Latin America. He reflects on the initial satisfaction of understanding Spanish news broadcasts and the subsequent disillusionment when encountering everyday conversations and music. Johnny critiques Latin pop and reggaeton, comparing them to American rap and hip-hop, and highlights the lack of socially valuable messages in these genres. He also shares a personal anecdote about a 14-year-old half-Latin, half-gringo boy named Alex who found a song with positive messages, offering a rare exception to the trend.
Johnny then discusses the experience of watching Hollywood movies dubbed into Spanish, highlighting the loss of original actor's vocal performance and the challenges of translation. He notes that while translations have improved over time, the dubbing process still results in a loss of the original actor's vocal and visual style. Johnny also mentions the recent trend of older Hollywood movies being dubbed into Spanish in Latin America, providing examples such as 'Scarface' being dubbed as 'Corta Cara' instead of a more accurate translation.
He further explores the dubbing of first-world movies into Spanish in Latin America, highlighting the cultural and entertainment landscape. Johnny mentions the Spanish title of 'A Clockwork Orange' as 'Narangha Mechanica,' noting the irony of the title and the dubbing industry in Mexico. He also talks about the prevalence of dubbed movies in cinemas and the local production of low-quality films that are popular among Latin audiences. Johnny reflects on the cultural differences in entertainment preferences and the ease with which Latin people are pleased with their media, even if it's of lower quality.
Johnny then discusses the popularity of narco-themed telenovelas in Latin America, particularly in Mexico, and the backlash from officials and academics. These shows, such as 'El Señor de los Cielos' and 'La Reina del Sur,' depict the glamorous and luxurious lifestyles of drug traffickers, which appeals to viewers but is criticized for glamorizing drug cartels and failing to address the real issues of organized crime. Mexican officials are taking action against these shows, citing their negative impact on society, especially on young viewers. Academics argue that these telenovelas distract from real issues in Mexico and provide a false narrative about the drug trade, which can influence viewers' perceptions and behaviors.
Finally, Johnny discusses the negative impact of Spanish TV networks broadcasting telenovelas that portray Mexico in a negative light, especially in Latin America. He notes that these telenovelas are becoming a form of bad public relations for Mexico and that Latin governments generally do nothing about it. Johnny believes in zero censorship and thinks the shows should be allowed to continue. He also mentions that these telenovelas are so pervasive in Latin countries that they are unavoidable, even in public places like banks and government buildings. He humorously compares the idea of calling American soap operas 'narco soap operas' and suggests that the telenovelas are a form of armchair sociology for expats living in Latin America. He also shares a personal anecdote about his friend who downloads pirated versions of movies his wife wants to see, allowing him to enjoy the experience without resistance.
Topics
Learning Spanish, Cultural nuances of Latin American music, Critique of Latin pop and reggaeton, Personal anecdote about a 14-year-old boy, Dubbing in Spanish, Translation challenges, Cultural adaptation of Hollywood films, Expatriate experience with media, Dubbing of Hollywood movies in Latin America, Cultural differences in entertainment preferences, Local film production in Latin America, Audience reception of dubbed and local films
Chapters
00:00:00 Opening 00:00:33 The Initial Satisfaction of Understanding Spanish News Broadcasts 00:01:36 The Learning Process of Spanish Communication 00:01:56 The Disappointment with Spanish Songs 00:06:01 Introduction to Dubbing Issues in Spanish Movies 00:08:43 Recent Trends in Dubbing Hollywood Movies in Latin America 00:11:05 Translation Challenges and Examples 00:11:46 Introduction to the Dubbing Industry in Mexico 00:12:51 Future of Dubbed Movies in Latin America 00:17:30 Local Production and Popularity of Latin Films 00:18:02 The Fantasy of Wealth and Power Through Illegal Means 00:18:10 Official Backlash Against Narco-Themed Telenovelas 00:19:44 Academic Critique of Narco-Themed Telenovelas 00:21:20 Narrative of Power and Corruption in 'El Señor de los Cielos' 00:22:37 The Story of 'La Reina del Sur' and Its Reflection of Narco Reality 00:23:53 Introduction to the issue of negative portrayal of Mexico in telenovelas 00:23:58 Explanation of the role of Spanish TV networks in broadcasting telenovelas 00:24:02 Discussion of the negative impact of telenovelas on Mexico's public image 00:24:10 Analysis of the pervasiveness of telenovelas in Latin countries 00:24:16 Johnny's opinion on the lack of government action and his stance on censorship 00:24:22 Humorous comparison of telenovelas to American soap operas 00:24:28 Johnny's personal anecdote about his friend and pirated movies
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 You know not long ago I was talking about how when you finally learn enough Spanish that you can follow a TV program or a news broadcast Then you feel like you're really getting somewhere you get this amazing lift by the way You can always follow the newscasters first because like in the States
[00:48] They have your middle of the road accent kind of like the equivalent of an American, Nebraska Accent like Johnny Carson had so there will come a time when you're down here long enough that you'll actually Start understanding the newscasters and you'll think man. I got this thing down. This is cool I can understand and speak Spanish Well, maybe just understand it now I can play the seemingly clueless gringo act and actually know what they're saying behind my back or in front of it, too That is until you listen to your cleaning lady talking to one of her friends or her kids then once again Your confidence is squashed Then you're surely thinking hmm. Am I going into reverse or what? No Well, it's just because the average Latin person on the street like the average gringo up in the States does not speak in nice
[01:34] Well enunciated evenly spaced word bytes So in the Spanish learning and communication process it will be two steps forward and one step back sometimes two steps back And for whatever highs even lows that you get when you realize you can actually start communicating with the lens Most all gringos who get to that point will agree There are two or three disappointing things about that supposedly enlightened process Your first disappointment will be when you finally start understanding some of the words to the Spanish songs now How can I put this nicely? Well, they're dumb stupid redundant and idiotic at best Worse yet since rag-a-thon music if you want to call it music is the favorite of the under 30 and adolescent crowd Well, when you first start realizing what those words and themes are all about soon enough
[02:22] You realize they copied all the worst misogynist sexist vulgar crap that rap and hip-hop in the States have been Specializing in for a couple of decades now, which is why when you start understanding what they're actually saying in rag-a-thon music You have to wonder why in hell do the Latin women put up with this crap? Well, why do women up at the States put up with rap and hip-hop? I mean, come on no matter what negative lip service So called enlightened American women give to it rap crap bling and hip-hop garbage still dominate the Grammys every year Don't they at least down here? They have an excuse. It's a macho society to the core then of course There's the more pop Latin music nothing more than reheated bits and pieces They copied from first world US hits combined with a typical Latin dance beat nothing wrong with that if you like to dance
[03:10] But as far as any of these Latin songs bands or artists trying to convey an actual message Other than love sex drugs rock and roll bling and well money for nothing forget about it Hmm. God, I can't believe how much I sound like my dad So there's Latin pop and Latin rock which to us is tropical airy and pleasant at first But after a while because it's just so repetitive it does get on your nerves But thankfully like music you can tune it out But then there's raggaeton Which is nothing more than a bad bad droning copy of tasteless and talentless us rap and hip-hop Like us rap and hip-hop it probes deeply into all the philosophical and existential themes Money guns sex hoes guns booty and bling only Latin style now some might say odd Johnny layoff
[04:02] So what rap hip-hop and raggaeton have no socially valuable or redeeming qualities Since when did the pulp media culture or the average common mind give a rat's ass about that? So then if I had the power would I pull the plug? No, cuz I don't believe in censorship. However, if I was a parent I certainly wouldn't let my kids download or listen to that crap The point is when you start learning your Spanish well enough to understand what they're saying in the music You'll have a definite moment of sadness when you realize the days of the happy fun-loving Macarena rhythms are over Face it. La Bamba, La Cucaracha, or a Como Vada. Just not writing them like that anymore By the way, I had this very same conversation with a smart little precocious 14-year-old half Latin half gringo kid
[04:50] His dad's a gringo friend of mine who's doing quite well down here and he sends his kid to an expensive private helicopter school Anyway, not so long ago. We were sitting around having this discussion the theme being the dumbing down of education pop culture and modern music Anyway, this smart little half Latin half gringo kid disagreed with me said I was wrong And then I said prove it and by the look in his eyes, I could tell the wheels were turning Alright, so that was that then just a week or two later. He actually phoned me up and said hey, Johnny You have to listen to this song So unbeknownst to me, I forgot about the whole incident This smart little kid Alex took what I had said to heart and searched through his archives and came up with a song that had a
[05:36] positive special message and Lordy-lordy it actually had words that rhymed and a couple of those words just a couple had more than two syllables Nope, it wasn't about money guns sex hoes cars booty or bling So my hats off to Alex who found one of the exceptions to the rule By the way, most gringos and expats who finally master enough Spanish to be able to understand what's going on They're always in for a big disappointment I mean always when they go to a movie and it's been translated into Spanish I'm talking about a big first world production Hollywood movie that was filmed in English and not just because the translations are bad Though they've been getting a lot better in the past. They were absolutely terrible However, I've noticed after watching quite a few of these things myself
[06:21] There is a subtle trick in trying to fit the Spanish phrases and words in While the English speaker usually American moves his or her lips Luckily in both English and Spanish there are a lot of different ways to say the exact same thing So the person doing the translation to Spanish in the studio can make it work out But you've got two problems there One is you're not hearing the real actors voice and that's part of the artistry and training of a good or even great Actor, that's how they got to be popular enough to get on the screen in the first place because they have their own visual and vocal styles So by wiping out their original audio expressions and inflections and having some person in the studio Thousands of miles away do a voiceover in Spanish original actors will admit a good part of the performance
[07:11] They worked so hard to achieve was lost in translation For example, if you're watching the movie with George Clooney, you're not gonna hear his real voice You're gonna hear somebody else's voice So if you're used to hearing his real voice The new voice will throw you or at least grade on you So instead you've got this other guy speaking in Spanish superimposing his vocal ideas and inflection over Clooney's You get the idea and that's why you'll never fully enjoy watching a first world movie with actors You're familiar with when dubbed into Spanish for me and so many other expat gringos who speak pretty good Spanish It's never more than a somewhat hollow experience And as for me, I can't tell you how over the years so many times i've been dragged to the movies They have big cinema houses here and they're always playing first-round American and European movies
[08:00] And if you're with any Latinos or native Spanish speakers by far They prefer to see the dubbed version and of course, we always prefer the original version in English Which will always have Spanish subtitles, but we don't care about that In fact, if you know your Spanish, it's a way to figure out how badly they've done the translation Now oftentimes when they have a really popular movie Let's say guardians of the galaxy or girl on a train or let's say 50 shades of gray Which I thought was complete crap Nevertheless when it's a big popular movie like that It'll generally come to the big cinemas of Latin American two versions The original version in English with Spanish subtitles and on another screen in the same theater a dubbed in Spanish version Which is how all the locals want to see it. Of course now. I have to admit
[08:47] This is pretty much a very recent thing only five or ten years ago All the big international movies that came out of the states in europe, etc Came here to latin america with subtitles In other words, they weren't dubbed in spanish and because latin's love anything first world gringo They flock to see them. That's why they have no qualms about seeing something with subtitles And of course if it's dubbed in spanish, that's infinitely better. However, like I said, that's only a recent phenomena But there's more something else has happened in the last five or six years concerning latin cinema All those older big box office movies that were once just subtitled are now being translated into spanish So all of a sudden there's a barrage of dubbed first world movies hitting all the tv stations day and night
[09:37] Most all of them were popular 5 10 or 15 years ago up in the states And when they ran down here at the big cinemas, they came in english with spanish subtitles, but now that's all changing All right. Here's an example the other day. I was standing in line in the office of a big insurance company car insurance company Renewing my liability coverage, which by the way costs me a cool 150 bucks a year Including what you would call full triple a coverage, too Anyway, when I finally got to the waiting room where they had chairs There's a big tv screen there and guess what was playing one of the favorite narco movies of all time with alpachino Scarface How could you forget that one, right? Well now the funny thing is last time I saw that flick must have been 10 or 15 years ago
[10:24] Who knows it was on tv down here in latin america with subtitles, of course But the one I was seeing in the insurance office same movie Was dubbed in spanish and by the way alpachino's voice in spanish was rather wimpy Not a very convincing narco kingpin voice to me Anyway, so that's what's happening these days all the older big hit movies that we all remember from our childhood and such Are coming down here latin america dubbed not subtitled by the way It always makes me laugh how these translators and the people who do the subtitles Name these movies because it almost never comes out exactly right in translation. For example scarface What do you think they call it in spanish? It's called Corta cara, which means literally translated in english
[11:10] Coshface now for those of you who know even just a little bit of spanish. You might remember The word scar is called cicatrice in spanish Cicatrice that means scar. So why didn't they just say? Cara cicatrice. I don't know That's the perfect translation scarface, but no It has to be Corta cara cut face. Hey, I quit trying to figure out latin logic a long time ago Oh, and if you think that's just an oddball example the other day. I was at somebody's house and lo and behold You know what was on tv the movie? Well, I won't tell you what it is in english I'll let you guess by the spanish title. Now. The spanish title is Narangha mechanica Mechanica is mechanical. That's easy enough Orange
[11:57] Otherwise known to stanley kubrick and the world as a clockwork orange in spanish. Narangha Mechanica the mechanical orange go figure, huh? So why didn't they call it something like maybe el mechanismo? The orange mechanical clock maybe the point being last time I saw that film must have been 20 25 years ago. It had spanish subtitles and the other day when it was on local latin tv It was dubbed in spanish. No subtitles. So it looks like some busy bees are at work in mexico dubbing old first world movies into spanish by the ton And it seems just a couple of studios in mexico have the contract to do all the dubbing And how do I know that because if you wait till the very end of the credits on each movie
[12:45] It always says what studio did the dubbing so it's a sure thing that soon enough All first world movies will arrive here in latin america already dubbed in spanish with no subtitles Which brings us full circle back to the beginning of the show where I mentioned if you ever end up at the cinema with your latin Friends, by the way, the theaters themselves are not bad at all In fact, they've got 3d and in the larger cities even imax However, be prepared to be mildly or even more than mildly disappointed When you're hoping to see a popular first world blockbuster on the screen only to find it's been dubbed in spanish And badly translated at that now one of my gringo buddies at the urging of his latin wife Constantly almost every weekend gets pulled into the cinema. He said for a long time
[13:34] It was quite a chore and he just did it, you know to keep peace in the family besides down here It's only around five bucks or less a hit. Well, wouldn't you know it? He's kind of an it guy and he came up with a rather interesting solution And now he doesn't mind at all going to the movies with his wife By the way, when you go to the big cinema houses here where they've got six eight ten twelve screens You'll find nine out of ten of those screens are running first world usually hollywood movies And maybe just one out of those ten screens running a movie that was made and produced in a latin country You know, of course latin america has its own b and c grade copies of the hollywood studios Just as india has its ridiculous bollywood Which actually puts out more movies and makes more money than hollywood if you can believe that Now normally the movies that come out of latin production companies using latin actors are laughable and amateurish and basically crap
[14:26] But let's not forget that nine out of ten hollywood pictures are crap, too Now occasionally like one out of a hundred times a latin production company will put out a pretty decent movie Even then that movie will almost never make it to us screens You know how americans just can't sit still for subtitles or dubbed movies much less black and white pictures Except of course for that one or two percent of americans that go in for art house flicks In fact, I went through that phase myself when I was at university and here's what I learned Nope, I can't stand subtitles either Now the whole thing is kind of funny because like I said nine out of ten screens here in latin america are running first world Usually hollywood movies dubbed at least that's been the case recently
[15:12] Whereas when you watch latin tv and they've got you know a couple hundred channels like you do up in the states They're always running corny and hokey films produced and filmed in latin america They're all over the tv channels, but never hit the big cinemas and believe me 99 percent of them are laughable pieces of crap But all the latin viewing public they know these movies and these stars and all the stupid plot lines And these bad actors and actresses show up over and over again in these movies So they've become these household named superstars in latin america, but nowhere else By the way one thing i've learned when you're in someone's house and they have one of these stupid movies playing a long time ago I learned not to laugh at discredit or disparage those movies or say things like come on Do we have to watch this piece of mirada?
[15:59] Yes, I learned you don't want to be insensitive not when you're sitting in someone else's house In fact, I remember years ago. I was at a family house and they were watching a very bad canton floss movie You probably don't know that guy, but he was a latin comic icon kind of latin jerry lewis with much less talent if that's possible Then I think I must have had a migraine because I said in spanish. Do we have to watch this Well everyone shut up for a second And you know, I got the kind of a look from the lady of the house was as if I just called the pope a child molester Hmm. Wait a minute. I think that pope was one. Oh, well, remember we're talking about a society here who've set the entertainment bar Very low I mean look They'll fork out a week's wages even more to see the likes of air supply kenny g and lion ritchie
[16:49] When on a latin tour and the average gringo wouldn't pay any one of those guys five bucks to reiki's lawn Now it might sound like i'm being way too harsh here Maybe I am but you see the upside is that in general latin people are so easy to please And even though they have less and have a much tougher life making ends meet They're certainly much happier and more content than we are And really if you think i'm being too harsh, you know coming through latin america on tour and i'm sure he's gonna sell out Barry manlow in chicago. We used to call him barely manly Oh, man, you take the good with the bad, huh So latin america has its own bad copies of hollywood production in film studios Most movies tv shows and soap operas. They grind out of that machine become immensely popular here
[17:36] And what's mega hot right now? I have brand new development called the narco Telling develop you guys said they're all about the glam and the hype of the narco world Yep, every episode is chock full of planes helicopters bodyguards beautiful and handsome gun toting girls and guys Not to mention endless suitcases full of cash and drugs. Yep It's the latin version of lifestyles of the rich and famous who just happen to be narcos So it's the fantasy of what the common uneducated guy or gal can have by breaking the law that makes these shows so very popular That said listen to this article that just came out from one of the biggest newspapers in all latin america. It says Mexican officials are dedicated to cracking down on tv shows that glamorize drug cartels starting with the most popular telenovelo or soap opera of all time
[18:28] That's running right now called el señor de los cielos. It says here the mexican secretary of interior Claims this particular telenovela series is an unapologetic portrayal of drug dealers and drug running And unfortunately, he says it just happens to be the most popular telenovela That's soap opera that the network telemundo has ever produced He says mexican officials will be taking action against these narco series since such programs Do not depict drug violence and drug activities in a negative way Instead they glorify the practice Violating the provisions of mexico's federal Telecommunication and broadcasting law claiming that these narco series have a real and permanent effect of the wrong kind
[19:16] On viewers, especially young viewers then in an op-ed piece on this same hot topic It says the growing backlash against mexican soap operas revolving around the drug trade and its principal players known as narco Telenovelas is based largely on their perceived harm to the country's social fabric Then the article goes on to say let's talk about the two most famous narco telenovelas that are running right now on tv It says according to miguel cabana's associate professor at get this michigan state university in the us who studies popular cultural Representation of drug trafficking in latin america. Hey, wouldn't you like to have had that grant? I'm sure you're paying for it Anyway, he says the problem is these are not just television programs about the narco culture
[20:06] It's a means of drawing attention away from the real problems of latin's mostly in mexico where the stories are based And he says when young people view it on television and see the high style of luxury the drug culture affords They don't leave their impressions in the tv room. They bring it with them to the streets Then he says these shows do not offer a satisfying explanation As to what's really happening with mexico's organized crime dynamic and offers no solutions however, he says in that sense these narco telenovelas are a means of Widening and satisfying the populations need to understand what's going on around them However in a false and glorified sense as depicted by television screenwriters
[20:51] Most of these shows he says do not have an implicit criticism of that narco lifestyle And then he talks about the two most famous of these telenovelas by the way I've seen a few of these episodes the first one as mentioned before El señor de los cielos He says this telimundo production enjoys a huge popularity not only in mexico But among all hispanic audiences in general the series tells a story of a fictional leader of the Juarez cartel Who died while undergoing plastic surgery in one of the episodes? However, as these things go he didn't really die and instead he expands his international drug market combines with colombian cartels Does sneaky deals with the usdea pays off politicians has a number of affairs with beautiful women
[21:40] Has this serious illness loses some loved ones always finds a way to overcome obstacles and returns stronger than ever In fact, it says in the last season. He has so much influence that he can appoint ministers and senators Even presidential appointees and his character's lifestyle is just chock full of luxury love affairs and power However, he says it does show that the mexican government is very corrupt easily bribed and paid off How they are part of the broader criminal dynamic and how they allow the drug trade to persist even grow As they enrich themselves Which is kind of a well-deserved black eye for mexico's corrupt government And it's suspected that it's one of the reasons the government's so adamant at going after these telenovela producers right now
[22:31] The second most popular narco telenovela is called la reina del sur Translation queen of the south this soap opera tells the story of tarissa mendoza A poor beautiful woman from the narco state of sinaloa mexico who grew up abused mistreated And surrounded by drug crime and the series starts out With the murder of her drug trafficker boyfriend who in the end turns out to be an undercover police officer Who is also corrupt but yet connected with the usdea She escapes changes her identity and starts dealing with smugglers and even the russian mafia She too goes through difficult situations. Sometimes she has money. Sometimes she's broke She loses loved ones to bullets is abused mistreated and then ends up at the top of the heap again
[23:19] Making this drug trafficking narco telenovela look not only acceptable but glamorous to the populace Though it does show the hard and difficult life of people involved in drug trafficking And although it does not deal with real cases La reina del sur that queen of the south is a reflection of the narco reality in mexico Showing that anyone through certain circumstances can get involved in the drug business make a killing or get killed However, it says as far as the public's concerned most of its deeper messages Can and do get lost in the glamour of it. Okay, so that's what's happening in mexico now. Why? Well because you see the spanish tv network telenovela is Broadcasting that thing in all 20 latin countries and those shows are firmly cementing a negative image of mexico
[24:10] Like it didn't have one before in the minds and hearts of people in all other latin countries So it's turning out to be very bad pr for the mexican government and mexico in general So how are they going to handle that one? Well probably by doing nothing because latin governments generally Do nothing as for me, I believe in zero censorship anyway So hey bring it on let it roll by the way Like I said, i've seen a few snippets of those narco telenovelas and you know, even the name is kind of funny Now up in the states soap operas are long-running daytime series, right in latin america They've got whole channels even networks solely devoted to soap operas or telenovelas and they run 24 7 day and night So even if you don't watch tv, it's nearly impossible to avoid those things
[24:59] When you walk into most latin's homes There's a tv on just like up in the states and it's usually sports if there are males at home and telenovelas when the females Are around they're on in the waiting room in the bank the doctor's offices car shops government buildings everywhere The funny thing is they're calling them Narco telenovelas or narco soap operas Imagine if up in the states they had similar shows and called them narco soap operas You think maybe that would become a fad who knows? Anyway today, I just thought you might like a little armchair latin sociology lesson After all this show's called the expat files living in latin america and believe me if you're living in latin america You just might want to be aware of the things that are going around with the general public
[25:44] I mean just a fact that if you go out to dinner at seven or eight o'clock at night Narco telenovelas will be blasting from the tv screen above the bar And it's on in millions of kitchens and living rooms too and everyone's rooting for the bad guy So how do all those millions of tv watchers process that but I digress in fact I digress so much I forgot to tell you what happened to my friend who's married to a latina that drags him to the movies every weekend Well, he said for the last few months. He's been going to a pirate movie site Downloading the movie that his wife's about to drag him to see at the big cinema. He's got his earbuds in He's got a pirated version in english of that very same movie So as he watches the action on the big screen
[26:29] He's listening to the soundtrack As it was originally recorded and the voices of the real actors in english as it was meant to be Yep, so now he doesn't resist or put up a fuss when his wife says let's go to the movies All right We're getting to the end of the show now like to remind you once again if you want to get on my early bird waiting list For my july 2017 expat insider seminar being held in and around guatemala central america again Just send me an email The expat files at gmail.com and i'll put you on my mailing list and again for those of you who are Procrastinating with your plan b just can't seem to get it off the ground or get it well organized You really owe it to yourself to go to expat plan b.com and sign up for my expat essentials course
[27:15] And you know since everyone's lifestyle and personal history is different when you do check out my expat essentials course You'll see how to line up your own ducks With your own particular set of circumstances, and that's what having a plan b is all about. That's expat plan b.com South of the border This is the expat files living in latin america If you want me to help you out with your own plan b just schedule a one-on-one consult Send me an email the expat files at gmail.com And if you want to learn how to move forward with your own plan b from right up there in the states go to www.expatplanb.com and check out my three videos. See ya nos vemos