Episode Summary
In this episode, Johnny Mueller explores a wide range of topics related to expat life in Latin America. He begins by discussing the complexities of obtaining and maintaining visas in the region, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of bureaucratic procedures and the impact of U.S. policies on Latin American countries. He highlights the challenges expats face due to inconsistent rules, frequent changes, and the difficulty of navigating immigration systems. Johnny also addresses a specific inquiry from Mr. K about potential changes to Nicaragua's immigration policy, suggesting that there may be new requirements for visa applications. He provides context about Nicaragua's political climate and the influence of U.S. policies on local governance, while also noting that expats generally focus on living freely rather than engaging with local politics.
Next, Johnny discusses a new immigration measure in Nicaragua that requires foreigners to file an entry form at least seven days before arriving. The form includes personal information, travel details, and even a request for an invitation to visit the traveler. The measure has raised concerns among the tourism sector, which fears a negative impact on tourism. Johnny notes that the rule is unique to Nicaragua and highlights the potential for delays and bureaucratic challenges. He suggests that expats and tourists can avoid these issues by either skipping Nicaragua or obtaining residency.
In another segment, Johnny critiques a book titled 'Ethics of Tourism: A Critical and Applied Perspective,' which claims that romance and sexual encounters are key factors in world travel. He questions the book's findings, suggesting that the idea is not new and that the book's conclusions are somewhat trivial. Johnny also questions the list of top 10 world destinations for sex tourism, pointing out that countries like Spain and Costa Rica are included in ways that may not be accurate. He highlights the cultural context of prostitution in Latin America, noting that it is often legal and considered a rite of passage in some countries. Johnny also comments on the experiences of expats and gringos in Latin America, particularly in Colombia, where he suggests that many expats may be taken advantage of by local women seeking to bring them back to the United States.
The segment then shifts to a discussion about the cultural and legal aspects of prostitution in Latin America, highlighting the differences from Hollywood portrayals. Johnny notes that in many Latin American countries, prostitution is legal and not stigmatized, which can lead to issues for expats and gringos. He shares anecdotes about gringos being tricked by women who appear to have 'hearts of gold' but are actually manipulative. He also references Albert Einstein's complicated love life as an example of how even the smartest people can struggle with relationships. The segment then shifts to a discussion about Ecuador's attempts to regulate digital currencies, including the failure of a government-led digital money system and the subsequent shift to private sector management. Johnny also provides practical advice on water safety, emphasizing the importance of using glass bottles and avoiding ice from unfiltered sources.
Finally, Johnny discusses a study highlighting the antibacterial properties of whiskey, particularly its effectiveness in killing bacteria found in ice cubes. The study, published in the Journal of Microbiology, found that whiskey's acidity (around pH 4.2) makes it more effective at killing bacteria than other alcohols like vodka (pH 6-7). The research tested ice cubes from restaurants and bars, finding them to be germier than those from industrial facilities. When contaminated ice was used in various drinks, whiskey was the only beverage that killed all four strains of bacteria tested. Johnny also notes that tequila, with a pH of 3.9 to 4.5, is even more acidic than whiskey and is popular in Latin America. He concludes by advising listeners to be cautious about using restaurant ice and to consider the potential for bacteria in garnishes and other additions to drinks.
Topics
Visa procedures in Latin America, U.S. influence on Latin American immigration policies, Expatriate experiences in Latin America, Political climate in Nicaragua, Immigration policy, Tourism industry, Bureaucratic challenges, Residency options, Sex tourism, Ethics of tourism, Prostitution laws in Latin America, Cultural context of sexual behavior
Chapters
00:00:00 Opening 00:00:32 Introduction to Visa Challenges in Latin America 00:01:32 U.S. Influence on Latin American Immigration Policies 00:02:39 Mr. K's Inquiry About Nicaragua's Visa Policy 00:05:44 Potential Changes to Nicaragua's Immigration Policy 00:06:29 New Immigration Rule in Nicaragua 00:11:07 Impact on Tourism Industry 00:12:06 Avoiding Bureaucratic Challenges 00:12:13 Transition to Discussion on Tourism 00:12:16 Introduction to the Book on Tourism Ethics 00:12:20 Overview of the Book's Findings 00:12:26 Key Findings on Sexual Encounters in Travel 00:12:36 General Agreement on Sexual Encounters in Travel 00:12:38 Perceptions of Sexual Activity Enhancing Travel Experiences 00:12:45 Critique of the Book's Conclusions 00:17:56 Prostitution in Latin America and Hollywood Portrayals 00:18:19 Legal and Cultural Attitudes Toward Prostitution 00:19:09 Einstein's Love Life as a Relatable Example 00:19:52 Ecuador's Digital Currency Policy and Private Sector Management 00:22:52 Water Safety and Filtration Tips for Expats 00:24:13 Whiskey's Antibacterial Properties 00:24:51 Whiskey as a Germ Killer 00:26:24 Whiskey's Superior Bacterial Killing Ability
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 out to play and now as I wander 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 Here's something I've been meaning to get to for a while I get questions all the time from people asking me about certain Latin government requirements regarding entry and exit visas Time periods required government paperwork necessary, etc, etc
[00:46] But you know, no one can know all that off the top of their heads Even though with all 20 Latin American countries about 90% of the time the procedures are pretty much exactly the same It's that 10% that'll screw you up every time and you know with all Latin countries The right hand never knows what the left hand is doing So there might be rules that are not being followed by one group of bureaucrats and strictly followed by another It's crazy not to mention the idiot bureaucrats are changing the rules all the time and they never let you know about it Which could mean last month's tried-and-true method of getting a visa is not quite the same this month so sometimes when you're traveling and you hit the border or the airport you find out the hard way and It's certainly true that things aren't getting any easier
[01:32] Due to pressure from the US because the US authorities especially this tax authorities don't want this sheep leaving the barn Well, I take that back at least for now. They'll let you leave the barn, but they don't want your assets leaving the barn That's for sure So basically every year uncle Sam gives out gigantic handouts to most every Latin country Except the few that are absolutely not playing ball then that way when the u.s. Says jump the Latin political pus bags say how high so Traveling to foreign countries is definitely not getting any easier Nor is getting foreign residency whether it's permanent or temporary Oh and it used to be so easy and now well you got all kinds of hoops jump through and sometimes hoops You never even knew were there suddenly appear Which is why it's absolutely imperative that you get that plan be going now
[02:19] The world is not gonna follow your timeline It doesn't care about when you get your social security or whether your pension will kick in in one year or ten years Unfortunately, no one's crystal ball works all that well Therefore the tipping points will fall when they want to fall not when you want them to fall which brings me to the email I got just yesterday. This one comes from mr. K. It says dear Johnny Do you know anything about a change to the Nicaraguan immigration policy that now is supposed to require me or anyone else? To apply for a visa at least a week ahead of time to be able to get into the country You see Johnny a Canadian friend of mine insists I have to fill out some paperwork and submit it or I can't get into Nicaragua
[03:07] Never heard of that one before I've always gone in and out of Nicaragua With no problems and no paperwork just splashed my u.s. Passport and they let me right in so Johnny What's the scoop if things changed is that true or is that just a rumor sign mr. K? Well, mr. K We all know what Nicaragua has been a very inexpensive expat destination for some time now In fact all that tourists don't pile an end plus the Chinese coming in and spreading do around thinking they're gonna get that Nicaraguan answer to the Panama Canal, which we all know will never get off the ground Well, all that dough has lined the pockets of that tiny pizza-faced tyrant Daniel Ortega Oh, yeah, he and his family and all his friends and cronies are living like sultans So he's one socialist tin pot dictator who's been completely bought off with capitalist dough
[03:57] Which is why he's fixed the elections and constitutions so that he never goes out of power Now the fact is 99% of all gringles and expats who move or work or play here in Latin America Don't really give a damn who's in power in a given Latin country These aren't our country so we don't vote and we don't politic and we don't schmooze Of course down here in Latin America. You've always got US contractors and embassy suckasses, but we don't count ourselves in that group So in the end we come down here for more freedom and we want to be left alone And that's pretty much the way it is except in a few odd places like Venezuela and Cuba And if you choose one of those places for your plan B, good luck to you You're gonna need it. By the way I've been assured by a few people I know living in Nicaragua on both locals and gringles
[04:44] That if there wasn't a sudden tourist boom and that Chinese wouldn't have spread millions around that tin pot Dictator Ortega would have turned that nice little country into a cross between Venezuela and Cuba In fact, I've been told many times that you never want to say anything or complain against him or his family people who do Seem to have a lot of bad luck. Sometimes they even disappear now We're not talking about gringles and expats here. They don't kick up there make a fuss about the local government In fact, most gringles and expats remain completely ignorant of the politics of the country They live in the fact is they need us a lot more than we need them. In fact, we don't need them much at all But you see in most Latin countries you'll find the locals they all agree their governments and their leaders are totally corrupt But then again, they all want to work for government because they pay twice as much as in the private sector
[05:33] Go figure, huh? And in that regard, it's much worse in Nicaragua than it is in many other Latin countries You can tell locals get a bit nervous if anyone starts dissing Noriega Anyway in regards to mr. K's inquiry, I'm afraid to say there is trouble brewing on the Nicaraguan immigration front So beware I'll fill you in by reading this article that's been translated into English Here goes Nicaraguan immigration authorities have introduced a new and inexplicable measure that requires foreigners who intend to enter the country to file a quote notice of entry statement at least seven days in advance of their arrival and obviously the Nicaraguan business and tourism sector have expressed concerns and are calling on the Nicaraguan government to analyze the impact of the
[06:23] Migratory restrictions imposed and certainly it's negative effect on the tourism industry And here's how the new rule reads in English. It says Immigration services say that foreigners now must fill out an entry form at least seven days in advance of their visit some of the information required will be travel document numbers ticket and reservation numbers a Statement whether the trip is personal family or a group visit if it's to participate in tourism Cultural religious sports business or any other activities including your visits Itinerary. All right. I'm at the Nicaraguan Embassy website now and I'm clicking on the form you have to fill out. Oh And that's great. It's all in Spanish. Of course, and we know only about three percent of gringos can read Spanish big help, huh?
[07:12] Anyway, if you want to copy this thing, just send me an email the expat files at gmail.com and I'll shoot it over to you But basically what they're asking for is your legal name Passport information all that that's usual right after that it gets intrusive and tricky It says which border or frontier are you entering the country from and which one will you be leaving from and what are the dates? Then it says what are the places dates and descriptions of your activities in the country asking for your telephone numbers and emails? Then it's got a line that says something strange It says you can visit me at the following direction or directions that me is Meaning you not the government me nice of them to include that first-person Invitation to visit you wherever you are in Nicaragua
[07:58] Just in case they have to ask you some questions face to face, huh? Nice sounds a bit Orwellian Don't you think however the article does say that so far since the rules have been Implemented in late August there have been no reports in the English or Spanish language media and social media such as Facebook or Twitter Of any foreign visitor being actually denied entry based on not filling out those requirements However government rules and regulations throughout Latin America are always very slow to be implemented For example throughout Latin America car driver's licenses are supposed to be paid and renewed by January 1st of each year Yet nearly everyone waits till June July or even August to pay the license quota It's that manana time thing which is what Nicaraguan Chamber of Commerce officials are saying too in some months
[08:50] This will be implemented with a much stronger hand Then we have a statement from Lucy Valente president of the Nicaraguan National Chamber of Tourism She says when word of this gets out internationally It will have a definite negative effect on the tourism industry And then it says the country of El Salvador was the first to capitalize on the fact that Nicaragua was making it more difficult to visit there as a tourist the Salvadorian tourism board and tourist agents Placing various messages on Facebook and Twitter saying that there's a travel alarm for El Salvadorians who might want to go to Nicaragua Then they say they don't recommend travel to Nicaragua unless you absolutely have to make the journey Which sort of indicates tourism can be a cutthroat industry. It's not a nice game
[09:39] Then Lucy Valente president of the National Chamber of Tourism for Nicaragua says we have been getting complaints from people who have come by land From Honduras and Costa Rica tour operators from Costa Rica specifically are complaining about having to send a list seven days in advance Which is a real problem when their tourist groups often change travel itineraries from one day to the next What happens then what if you change your itinerary and the paperwork you submitted does not reflect those spur of the moment changes What kind of trouble might you be in would there be a fine? No one knows then she says this new law seems to be causing great damage to our public image Saying the Nicaraguan business sector particularly companies working in the tourism industry regret the government's decision to implement this measure
[10:26] The only thing it does is to discourage the entry of foreigners who in their vast majority come to the country to take part in tourist activities Complaints have now arisen from Costa Rica Honduras El Salvador and other nations about the difficulties of this new measure Especially from tour operators and tourist companies that manage trips back and forth from Nicaragua to neighboring countries Then she says Nicaragua is the only place in latin america that has implemented this kind of rule In fact, she says I don't even know of anywhere else in the world or something like that's implemented And finally the article says this will definitely have an impact on tourism which last year in 2016 brought in 1.5 million visitors So then what does this mean for the average gringo and expat tourists?
[11:14] Well more paperwork more hoops to jump through it's certainly not well publicized But as the old cliche goes ignorance of the law is no excuse So expect a lot of fallout from this and soon enough when the implementation of this gets kicked in the high gear You're going to expect a lot of delays at land borders and airports Now the real question is how long before other latin countries or other countries in general implement the same stupid rules Then again, maybe the government will get enough heat. They drop it all together Well, all I can say is governments Especially latin governments are all about shuffling paperwork and adding to their lard ass malignant bureaucracies So i'm guessing other latin countries will pick up on it, but we'll just have to see so how can you avoid all that?
[12:00] Well, there's two ways one Skip nicaragua altogether or get your residency in nicaragua Because you see as a permanent or temporary resident you got permission to go in and out at will Oh, and by the way speaking of tourism Here's some news. That's enlightening and pretty risque at that According to a recently published book ethics of tourism a critical and applied perspective The conclusion is romance and sexual encounters are a key factor in world travel Hmm, and that's supposed to be a new revelation All right I'm sure most of us can agree on that Then it states some people regard frequent sexual activity while traveling as a way of enhancing their travel experiences Oh another brilliant conclusion you think then it continues
[12:50] According to recent studies which can be disputed by the way Since these days anyway for every expert there's an equal and opposite expert Here we have in this report the top 10 world destinations for sex tourism number one Thailand number two brazil number three spain for indonesia number five Columbia number six the philippines number seven. Kenya number eight netherlands number nine Cambodia and number 10 the dominican republic Hmm two things aren't quite right about that list Who'd have thunk spain i've been there a bunch of times and well doesn't seem like a sex capital And two where the hell's costa rica on that list? I'm thinking there was some pressure to omit costa rica
[13:39] Why well i'll tell you first of all, I lived there for a couple of years So I kind of know the place In fact, all you have to do is take a walk around the central park in san jose costa rica Especially when it starts getting dark and tell me what you see I'll give you a hint tons of old balding potbellied gringos With twice as many young costa rican ladies Not too far removed from adolescence all made up decked out in heels vying for attention But you knew that already or did you so anyway? We've got four spanish speaking countries in that top 10 list. It should be five if you include costa rica Kind of lopsided don't you think then the article goes on to say Social problems arise when particular countries or cities acquire a reputation as a destination or become attractive for sex tourism
[14:27] Now you heard columbia mentioned on that list and believe me it really belongs there Which is why it's important to point out to single gringos and expats Looking not only for love but maybe a permanent mating dating relationship leading to marriage that the ladies in columbia At least the majority of them according to reports Really know how to manipulate a clueless gringo into a situation Now it might say stupid gringos who get themselves in that position deserve it and they probably do I can't tell you how many times i've heard from gringos and expats in columbia saying The worst thing you could ever do is hook up with a columbian girl and bring her back to the united states Relationships like that almost never work out though. It's much different if you meet a columbian girl and stay in columbia
[15:13] Especially if she's an educated girl with a career But the vast majority of them especially the ones on mating and dating sites and there are thousands of sites like that They want a gringo to save them and bring them back to the states Specifically if they had their druthers might jammy, but as you probably know rationality intelligence and love rarely mix Or as expatty once put it you're in big trouble if you're one of those guys who was a sucker for a pretty face It works the other way too. If you're a gringo and you're a sucker for the suave latin lover type Either way, you're looking at trouble, but I digress as usual though. Not much Let's see. Where are we? Oh, yeah back to that book Then it says a word on prostitution in general in some countries such as cambodia and thailand
[16:03] Having sex with prostitutes is considered so commonplace That men who do not engage in commercial sex may be considered unusual or even abnormal by their peers And in most cases even if a man is married his wife will tolerate a certain amount of that behavior Not to mention however, I did mention this in an earlier show Studies indicate that in latin countries including italy and spain Sex with prostitutes is considered a rite of passage or an expression of individuality And since prostitution is legal in most all latin countries Often a father or older male adult relative will initiate young boys in the family once they've reached the ripe old age of 15 quinceaños To a night or more generally a few minutes in a brothel. In fact, the article says in some latin countries
[16:52] That's how most young males have their first sexual experience again as far as legality Here's the breakdown of prostitution laws across the americas in north america Prostitution is illegal in canada in the us except in vegas. We're actually right outside vegas in mexico It's legal in central america. It's legal. That'd be costa rica. Nicaragua, honduras el salbert or guadamal in belize With panama having the most liberal prostitution laws of all prostitution is completely legal throughout south america, too Now, you know living down here in latin america for a long long time I've had the occasion to run into and meet many single and not so single gringle men who have come down for various reasons Sometimes for jobs teaching backpacking, whatever and unfortunately It seems many of them probably most of them end up spending a lot of free times in what they call
[17:40] nightclubs down here Those are strip clubs and of course down here in latin america a strip club or a nightclub is Also a brothel now that doesn't mean that every guy going in there is looking for that But that's also a place where a lot of business deals are being done In fact, just like I see in a lot of hollywood tv series and movies Guys will meet up in a strip club sit at a table talk business have a few drinks and a sandwich and leave Same thing down here in latin america though. The prostitution angle is always there In fact, there's a very different attitude about it down here too because it's legal and there's really no fear of being busted or disgraced because again It's legal. However, this could be quite a problem for single and not too single gringos coming down
[18:25] In fact, i've heard many sad and wild and crazy stories In fact, I know a few gringos who as the old cliche goes fell in love with the hooker with a heart of gold Or they were on a mission to save the hooker with a heart of gold. Oops Only somewhere down the line they found out they'd been had and the heart was gold plated Let's just say a lot of clueless single gringos get tricked in that department Some even as far as getting married and bringing them back home to the states Man, talk about a fatal mistake Someday if we have the time or by popular requests I'll tell you some stories to that effect that'll curl your toes Suffice it to say i've met a lot of very smart gringos here in latin america who were very stupid in matters of love But I guess that's true everywhere, huh? All you have to do is look at albert einstein
[19:15] Actually the letters written by albert einstein to his wives and mistresses. Yep. I said wives It's not rumor those letters exist, you know Einstein's genius did not extend to his love life, which was full of messy affairs bumpy marriages bitter endings I guess news like that doesn't bode well for us mere mortals then does it? In fact, it's been reported that he said working out the theory of relativity was much easier than working out his personal relationships All right, switching gears a bit. Remember a couple of shows ago I mentioned a few countries and a few latin countries that have outlawed cryptocurrencies like bitcoin So when I saw this article, I thought you'd be interested. The title is president lennon moraino. Love that name lennon, huh? You can be sure he wasn't named after the dead beetle
[20:04] Who said that? anyway, it says president lennon moraino of ecuador scores a big win as national assembly votes to let private banks manage their digital money system Like I said ecuador made every kind of digital currency illegal except the one their national bank created and that's the one nobody wants Figures, huh? Well as it turns out on december 28 2017 just a couple days ago The legislature voted to let the digital currency system be run by the private sector instead of the idiot slugs in government Now this part you'll find interesting And kind of explains why only privately created open source Decentralized digital currencies will ever be embraced by the public like bitcoin and ethereum etc
[20:51] It says here according to assemblywoman gabriella latigui of ecuador The change was necessary and overdue because the digital money plan we started three years ago with president korea has been a disaster It she said was an attempt by the government to control the money supply and force people to accept more government control of money Well, the people didn't trust it. They don't trust the government and the program completely flopped However died in the will socialist legislator paul manose has been quoted as saying Taking the monetary system out of government control is a mistake We cannot trust the private financial system to fairly run the program What a poop for brains moron what he failed to mention was that in 1998 the ecuadorian financial system completely collapsed
[21:41] The country effectively went bankrupt. There was a huge sovereign debt and currency crisis caused by surprise surprise the government So they eliminated their own funny money and went to the us dollar funny money All right Then the article says the digital cash system which operates by cell phone has been a resulting failure with the public Attracting less than 10 percent of its predicted users. And of course who predicted that number of users overestimating the true number of users by 900 percent why of course those amazing geniuses in the ecuadorian government In fact, it says when the digital currency was announced the central bank of ecuador estimated the system would have 600,000 users by the beginning of 2017 instead it had only 52,000 the majority of those accounts unused and inactive
[22:30] So according to a private analyst It's not attracted less than 10 percent of the government predicted users But less than 2 percent and most all of those users surprise surprise government employees Who were forced into this system initially? All right Just a little update on cryptos and lard s government pinheads here in latin america. All right on to more practical things You know, I always carry a very portable water filter when i'm traveling And at my principal place of residence, I have an under counter water filter system multiple stage sediment Ceramic and carbon block and when i'm out and about and I want something other than water I'll always ask for a beverage in a glass bottle What's nice about latin america is that many many common beverages still come in glass bottles
[23:17] However, so called pure water, which is never pure always comes in plastic Which is why I always have a glass bottle or two with pure water that I made with my system in my car Now the mistake I see a lot of gringles and expats and a lot of backpackers make is they'll carry one of those high tech little bottlers straw purifiers for water a very good thing But they'll get a glass with ice when they go to a bar or restaurant. Now, that's a big mistake I've been in a lot of latin kitchens and restaurants where they've had ice machines and man They do not change the filters and sometimes they don't even have it filtered at all I know I did a segment on that a long time ago a couple years back But today we have an update part of it comes from a good friend of the program Jack He sent me this little blurb about holiday drinking and ice cubes. Tis the season, huh?
[24:08] I'll paraphrase this article a bit starts out Not that anyone needs another reason to drink whiskey But it turns out your hot toddy this season might be even better for you than you ever thought Yep whiskey actually has significant antibacterial properties, man. Ain't that great news at the holidays? The secret is in its acidity while other alcohols have a more neutral ph Like vodka, for example, which has a ph of 6 to 7 whiskey comes in at about 4.2 Which is pretty acidic and according to researchers who recently published a study in the analyst of microbiology It states the most common forms of bacteria cannot survive with that much acidity So in other words whiskey is not only the basis for great drinks
[24:55] It doubles as a germ killer So then how did scientists in that study conclude whiskey would be the next big cold and flu fighter? Well, they started by looking into the bacteria served up on the rocks. That is bacteria in your ice So testing 60 samples of ice cubes in the u.s Produced by so-called sanitary restaurant ice cube makers and ice made at industrial ice cube facilities They found on average more than 52 strains of bacteria Some of which can cause many infections in humans and the worst part Restaurants and bars had the germiest ice of all Then to see how effective ice cubes can actually transfer those pathogens to unknowing consumers
[25:43] The scientists contaminated the ice cubes with four of the strains. They found to be the most prevalent They dropped those ice cubes in vodka whiskey martinis peach tea tonic water and coca-cola And tested the remaining live bacterial levels The results were that the bacterial levels were reduced a bit across the board But not all the drinks killed the same amount of bacteria For example, all four strains of bacteria survived nicely in the vodka and peach tea Two of the four strains remained in martinis and coca-cola And get this in the tonic water one of the strains liked it so much it survived and grew and grew Yeah Now as for the whiskey, it was a superstar killed all four strains of bacteria
[26:29] All right, it's me again, johnny, but here's what they failed to mention in this report They failed to mention tequila which has an average ph of 3.9 to 4.5 Some of them even more acidic than whiskey and which two potent Alcoholic beverages are most famously served in latin america. Well, that would be tequila and whiskey though Not in the same glass. That would be nuts and look out for the ice Nope, a latin american party would not be complete without tequila and johnny walker whiskey in particular who would have thunk many years ago johnny walker was Johnny on the spot the first whiskey label on the scene here in latin america the xerox or kleenex of whiskies Making it the favorite by far. So what can we learn from all this? Well, if you insist on restaurant or hotel ice cubes
[27:17] You're testing fate and as far as the whiskey and tequila Well, you be the judge and note the more celery fruit garnish and another crud you add to any drink Just remember there's a lot of bacteria hitching a ride there, but you knew that already, right? 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 at 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