I still remember November 1997 – my first time on a plane. As we descended into Belize, the jungle canopy stretched as far as the eye could see. Disembarking onto the tarmac at Philip S.W. Goldson Airport. my first views from the plane door, completely surrounded by jungle at the same moment becoming enveloped in the tropical humidity. I can’t explain it, but at that moment, I knew I was home.
Belizean jungle as far as the eyes can see
Would you believe my decision to move to Belize was based on an unexpected 30 minute conversation in response to a question that I didn’t even care about the answer? I was 24, and I asked a guy why he’d been making numerous trips to Belize. My question was not a question out of curiosity, but a question in order to distract myself from boredom.
For about 30 minutes, this guy described life in the jungle – the creatures, the culture, his plans, and the daily lifestyle of a Canadian living in Belize. At 24, my life revolved around life in the somewhat rundown city of Hamilton, Ontario, and materialism. As strange as it sounds, I had no idea there was an actual place where monkeys, parrots, boa constrictors, and tarantulas lived in your backyard.
For better or worse, that one question would change my life. In that moment, I told him I was now moving to Belize.
The Belize River from my place
For the purposes of this story, I need to jump from 1997 to 2021, as my official three years of living here didn’t officially begin until November 21, 2021. Between 1997 and 2021, I purchased my home and land, and made many vacation trips along with a few failed attempts at living here. As any expat who has successfully moved to Belize, can attest that the journey to finally call this place home can be a heck of a journey—one that often takes much longer than expected.
What a life – living with boa constrictors
A Life of Adventure, Challenge, and Disillusionment
I hesitate to continue with my story. In a world that demands political correctness and niceness over truth, I know how to be neither in the face of reality. During my first two years in Belize, I became deeply disillusioned with the country. I will attempt to articulate some of my challenges as honestly as my experiences have been.
What has given me the strength to continue is the mental resilience I’ve gained from consistently choosing the difficult path in life. That, and the fact that life here is a daily adventure, with every sense completely saturated with nature daily. I cannot overemphasize how each day in Belize is an adventure and the profoundly nature feeds the soul. For me, the definition of home is simple: It’s where I can hear the roar of a Black Howler Monkey out my front door.
Living with Black Howler Monkeys
Life Before Belize
I had been a long-haul truck driver for six and a half years when it was finally time to make the move to Belize, but I still had one huge dream to accomplish. The opportunity for this dream to happen was coming to a close very quickly but because it was still there, I had to take it or forever regret not going for it.
Life before Belize
Since 2011 I had dreamed about biking from the Canadian Arctic to the bottom of Argentina.
On November 12, 2019, I set off from St. John’s Newfoundland, and headed west biking through the 2019-20 Canadian winter. On March 19, 2020, I got caught up in the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic initially stopped me for two months and ultimately prevented me from reaching the Canadian Arctic due to travel restrictions. But I would cross Canada covering 12,340 kilometres over eleven months.
Biking through Nova Scotia during the 2019- 2021 Canadian winter
From there, I spent the next eight months (minus two months in Las Vegas) biking 7,857 kilometres through the U.S. Pacific and Southwest. On June 9, 2021, I would enter Mexico biking 6,251 kilometres from Mexicali to Chetumal, finally crossing into Belize in November 2021. In total I had biked 26,000 kilometres over the course of two years.
When I arrived at my home on November 25, I faced an important decision. I was two years into a three year commitment realizing at the pace I was traveling, I would need another three years to reach the bottom of Argentina.
One look around my farm made the choice clear: I could either complete the bike ride and lose everything I had worked for here in Belize, or call it quits on that dream to pursue this one. My opportunity had officially closed.
All my bike ride blogs can be found HERE
Celebrating 26,000 kilometres pedaled with my friend Verna Mae
My Dream for Belize
My dream for Belize was to start a tree farm and grow tens of thousands of mahogany seedlings to support the reforestation of rainforests and jungles.
And Then Life Got Really Difficult
Arriving home on the 25th and surveying the farm and the commitments required it was obvious that continuing my bike ride was not realistic. My property managers weren’t keeping up with work and our relationship was becoming strained.
A month later, I received an email to say that they declared “war” against me. (Their words not mine). I guess this was their thanks for financially supporting them for the last 20 years. They stole my Airbnb license for my house. For logistical and tax reasons, the business license had in the wife’s name. They attempted to extort money from me in return for my license. I refused – I will not be extorted at any cost.
This theft triggered a series of significant, anxiety-inducing problems, particularly with my work permit plans and Belize Immigration, ultimately causing me to close my Airbnb. The level of stress caused by my dealings with Immigration and the Labor Department had me overwhelmed, leaving me in constant fear of being deported out of the country any day. I was yelled at and accused by the Labor Department on one occasion and multiple times by the Belize City Immigration Supervisor. At the same time, the lawyer supposedly trying to help with everything who also held the title of Justice of the Peace was screwing me around the whole time.
Waiting to get yelled at – this is what stress at immigration looks like
There would also be a ripple effect with my land deeds for my land (not my house), to the point I wonder if I will ever get my land deeds in my lifetime.
Can you imagine waking up at 6 AM, seven days a week, to do hard physical work on your farm, all while living with the constant fear that every 30 days you might be kicked out of the country and lose everything? I even have it handwritten on my passport – do not give this person any more extensions. One time I even left all my important papers with the only person I trust in this country on my passport extension stamp day. That’s how much I thought I was being deported for good.
In an attempt to keep my Airbnb open, I hired a local heavy equipment company to repair the two mile government road leading to my property. The company ended up scamming me out of $3,000 USD. Between that, the constant issues with the Labor Department and immigration I realized most of my problems would simply disappear if I just closed my Airbnb – so I did. The instability was exhausting. If I recall I went one month with no sleep.
My road
My next biggest challenges in Belize were to get a reliable internet connection and build a greenhouse to achieve some level of self-sufficiency. It was apparent to me that without proper internet access, I couldn’t implement a long-term, sustainable plan for the farm. I was basically jerked around for 18 months first by DigiCell and then a local company until I finally had to spend $3,000 USD on my own 60 foot tower. Within hours of officially being connected, my second Belizean extortion attempt was attempted for the installation of my tower. Once again, I refused, thinking after 18 months I was going to now lose my connection only hours after getting it. Thankfully, this didn’t happen.
My own 60 foot internet tower
During this same period, my efforts to hire workers to help build my greenhouse were sabotaged by my ex-property managers. The locals who had happily taken thousands and thousands of dollars for labor in the past were now unwilling to help me. Between this and after the second extortion attempt, my disillusionment of the country became complete.
I was invited to a Christmas gathering in the village during Christmas 2023, I don’t think I was there five minutes when some guy (I don’t know) asked in a loud voice for all the other 30+ guests to hear “When are you going to marry my sister so we can all get our Green cards to Canada?” I can never trust the motives of a friendly greeting in this country. I live in the only country where the locals warn you about the locals. In contrast, where no Canadian has to warn you about doing business with other Canadians.
Baby Morelets Crocodile found on my road
Partway through building the greenhouse, I lost all interest in having a greenhouse and raising mahogany seedlings for reforestation. While Belize has a reputation for being progressive in its environmental practices, I have never met anyone in my village who wouldn’t burn, kill, or cut down anything for $1. Every year during the Dry Season, thousands of fires are set and allowed to burn out of control for no good reason, other than it’s a part of the culture to do such a thing. Thousands of acres of forest burned annually for no go reason.
During my first visit to San Pedro, a visit to ACES Wildlife Rescue, I learned that the entire island of Ambergris Caye is slated for development, with all mangroves set to be destroyed. Even ACES abandoned its own mangrove reforestation project. What does it tell you about a country when a conservation organization gives up on its own reforestation project? It tells me, there’s no hope.
I really enjoyed San Pedro – Nurse sharks and an American Crocodile
Looking ahead with optimism
Living two miles outside of the village, life improved significantly after closing my Airbnb, getting my internet connection, being alone, and avoiding any unnecessary contact with people life got pretty good.
For my immigration passport stamps, I began traveling all the way to Belmopan. Each trip wastes half a day, but I have zero anxiety. They don’t ask me stupid questions, accuse me of anything, demand photocopies of my bank statements, or yell at me. Generally, I am in and out in less than 30 minutes and they are always polite.
I still remember my first time using the Belmopan office. The lady was friendly with a smile. Her kindness, with no ulterior motive, was such a shock to my soul after everything I had experienced in Belize that I nearly broke down right in front of her.
Also, in an attempt to balance the scales, I’ve been able to find a new small group of locals who have been very instrumental in the progress on the farm. Some of them supply me with lumber, helped build fences, and the greenhouse, helped put me in contact with other allies, and even been a friend to me. My sincere thanks go out to people like Jamie, Nelson, Nery, Orlando, Saul, and Verna Mae.
I love finding boa constrictors on my property
Reevaluating My Situation
For the first two years, I lived completely alone and I never felt lonely. However, enduring all the lies, deceit, thievery, and betrayal completely by myself I felt so “alone” that I couldn’t tell left from right or up from down anymore. It’s hard to explain what it feels like to take on all that stress, anxiety, and uncertainty about an unknown future all by yourself inside your own head.
But I can tell you, the old saying “What doesn’t kill, makes you stronger.” is definitely true. As I was able to distance myself further from people, I did feel even stronger for what I went through. Between my life experiences before arriving in Belize and those first two years here, I feel like the worst news or thing that could happen to a person would barely elicit a shrug out of me today.
Still, a new reality was revealing itself. I loved living in the jungle. It was the complete saturation of nature and wildlife that kept me sane through it all. Yet, I had become literally trapped in paradise. For security reasons, there was nowhere I could go. Other than brief trips to the city for supplies, I couldn’t leave the farm for any significant amount of time.
Over those first two years, I took a few short trips – three or four days at most to Caye Caulker, Hopkins, Tikal, and San Pedro. But I do so under the cover of dark to not let anyone know the farm was left unattended. But this was not sustainable long term, and not to mention, technically I am getting older.
Putting my head underwater for the first time in 20 years in San Pedro
While I had become disillusioned with everything and everyone and had completely embraced an isolated lifestyle I realized the only way to still be here in ten years or more was if I could convince a few like-minded Canadian or American people to also live here on the farm with me.
The first job was to get my greenhouse (mostly) finished. I knew it would be huge in influencing the first person to agree to live here. The greenhouse was about 1,000 square feet and the plan was to make the floor with about 1,000 handmade patio stones. Every morning, five days a week for over four months, I mixed a half bag of cement and with the help of molds made 12 patio stones every morning. Then, it took almost two more months to lay the floor. The floor was finally completed at the end of September 2023.
That’s a lot of patio stones
But it was worth the work – notice the tiny apartment in the back
Two months later, hosting another Canadian who arrived from Canada by motorcycle jumped on the chance to live on the farm. He planned to start a hot sauce company using the greenhouse to grow hot peppers.
Andy making hot sauce in my kitchen
Reflecting on the last year that Andy has been on the farm, this year has been a much better year than the first two years.
If you think you are adventurous enough to live in the jungles of Belize and are interested in living on my farm,
check out this blog post HERE.
A Day in the Life on the Farm
I am probably one of the only expats in the country who has to grab a city bus to get groceries and supplies other than what I can get from the village grocery store and hardware store. Unless there’s a tourist with a backpack, I’ve never seen another white person on the bus. Everything I purchase from the city then has to get biked two miles down the road to my farm. Fortunately, when I buy lumber, cement, chicken food, etc., from the village hardware store, I pay them to deliver on their three-wheel cargo motorbike.
Groceries, supplies even lumber comes down my road on my bike
Taking the bus to the city – often standing room only in beat-up school bus – no fun
When I first arrived in Belize by bike, it was apparent that the priority job (besides getting internet) was to push back the jungle and gain some control of it. I live on 42 acres of mostly regrown jungle, but with about a three acre coconut field and another two acres with two large fish ponds. Both these areas were extremely overgrown with bush, vines, and weeds. Every morning for over six months, I systematically started clearing and cleaning these areas with a machete.
At the same time, I began planting any fruit tree seeds that I came across, regularly planting a few hundred seeds every few months. Initially, I had about 300 young coconut trees planted in my coconut field and about 50 mature coconut trees at my ponds. Mostly over the first two years, I planted another 100 coconut trees plus over 300 assorted fruit trees in between the coconut trees. At the ponds, I planted almost 250 assorted fruit trees. During this time, I also made four attempts at planting about 80 papaya plants at the ponds. The first three attempts failed miserably, but I am hopeful with this last attempt as the plants are mostly looking good.
Raising fruit trees from seed
Altogether, I now have about 1,000 fruit trees that need to be maintained by chopping (with a machete) around them and unwrapping vines around their branches. If I had to guess, each tree is cleaned about six or seven times a year. It’s a lot of work, and with no irrigation system, the Dry Season can take a heavy toll on them. I have replaced many.
Deadly baby Fer de Lance snakes – common around the hosue
This is mostly what I worked on for the first two years, along with building a greenhouse, multiple chicken coops, raising chickens, house maintenance, and grass cutting. I set my alarm for 6 AM and worked until dark (6 PM), initially seven days a week. Always washing, always cleaning, always maintaining. The jungle wants to destroy and reclaim everything. When I started to experience burnout, I realized that no matter how much I worked, I would never be able to keep up with everything, so I adopted a Sabbath and have been pretty good at keeping it.
After getting the internet, I was able to start working on my blogging and social media growth. When Andy arrived on the farm, along with all my other responsibilities, I now had to start thinking three steps ahead of his needs for his hot sauce business. The first priority was finishing the greenhouse. All the framing needed four coats of paint. As part of the greenhouse, I had incorporated an unfinished 100 square foot tiny apartment. Andy was sleeping in the apartment, but we had to share the bathroom and kitchen in my house. Slowly over the year, I completed the apartment, and so Andy is now virtually independent of me, except when he works on his hot sauce recipes in my kitchen. We also now needed a driveway to accommodate his motorcycle during the Rainy Season, which meant another 300 patio stones had to be made by hand.
Love catching Black-tail Cribo snakes
Recently, I have started expanding the greenhouse floor, this time using 4” cement blocks laid on their sides instead of patio stones. Generally, I handle all the construction and maintenance around the farm, in the interest of not distracting Andy from starting his hot sauce business. The only responsibilities I have put on him are electrical wiring, small engine repair, and dealing with water pump issues. These are generally the smallest time requirements but my biggest headaches on the farm, as I am completely unqualified to deal with them.
As I write this, the Dry Season is near, and next year’s plans are almost overwhelming. Last week in an effort to get more done in the day, I started going to bed even earlier (8:30 PM) and now set my alarm for 5 AM. I am not a morning person but I am adapting.
Facing My Attitudes and Disillusionments about Belize
I don’t like the overall attitude I have about Belize. Andy and I often joke that we’re not sure Belize is even a real place. That said, I love my farm and my life within its boundaries. However, I’m not particularly fond of leaving my farm and do it as little as possible. Every day on the farm feels like an adventure, and the nature around me gives me daily strength.
Over a year ago, I decided that I wanted to systematically bike tour all of Belize, including the back roads and villages. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about bike touring, it’s that you will meet the best in a person when you are on bike tour. Unfortunately, I did not get to do any bike tours this year. Instead, I did a six day, 300 kilometre canoe trip from San Ignacio to Belize City with a neighbor. It was one of the greatest experiences I’ve had in Belize. Along the way, we saw lots of crocodiles, six tapirs, and even had a manatee explode past us just to name a few of the experiences.
300 kilometers down the Belize River baby
This year also included a three week trip to Mexico and Canada. I spent a week traveling by bus and visit Monterrey Mexico, and then flew to Canada for two weeks.
If you want to read about my 300 kilometre canoe trip you can do it HERE.
Recently reflecting on a much better third year in Belize, I wondered if I shouldn’t revisit my original idea of starting a tree farm to raise mahogany tree seedlings. Recently, I visited with the local conservation organization working in the area – The Community Baboon Sanctuary and our conversation sounded very promising. Inspired by this, I am expanding the greenhouse even larger than originally planned to accommodate this new project.
Exciting Plans for 2025
Earlier this year, I realized that it would be essential to build a cabana for the next person who might join the farm. With everything going on, the workload is getting to be too much. Before the Rainy Season, I managed to get the footings in the ground and the hole dug for a septic tank. Unfortunately, the septic tank arrived after the Rainy Season started, which caused one of this year’s biggest headaches. Nevertheless, the tank is now in the ground. I also secured all the building materials and had them delivered down our road. Now, I’m just waiting for things to dry out a little bit before starting construction.
In the new year, once the road is dry enough to support heavy equipment, I plan to have the two mile section of road widened by a bulldozer. This will allow an excavator to access and prepare the ¾ acre piece of land between my house and the Belize River. The goal is to create more livable space for additional cabanas in the future.
Red Rump Tarantulas – beautiful and common
At the same time, I’ll also prepare a section of the coconut field (100+ feet by 100+ feet) for future greenhouse expansion for hot peppers and a location for a new kitchen building for Andy. I also need to build some kind of structure for composting and soil preparation. Additionally, Andy will need to purchase a pickup truck, and that will require a new driveway to accommodate four-wheel vehicles.
On top of these projects, I still have ongoing responsibilities: maintaining my fruit trees, keeping up with house maintenance, cutting the grass, and starting the new tree farm.
This is why, just last week, I started setting my alarm for 5 AM every morning.
Every day in Belize is an adventure. As mentioned, I hope to bike tour the country systematically. Since last year’s canoe trip, I would drop anything to go on my next canoe adventure in Belize. If you have a canoe and need a partner, please reach out to me today.
One adventure I am determined to take on in 2025 is I am determined to hike up Victoria Peak in Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, the premier site for jaguar preservation in the world.
Biking down my road
For the Love of It
It’s hard to believe there are people in this world who do not appreciate the roar of the Black Howler Monkey. For me, their call symbolizes nature, adventure, contentment, and home. From the very first time I experienced their screams echoing through the jungle, I knew there was nowhere else I could truly call home but the Community Baboon Sanctuary.
Black Howler Monkeys
I was the kid who loved reptiles, amphibians, and tarantulas growing up and unlike most people, I never outgrew it. Whenever I step outside my house, I never drop my guard and am always on alert for a boa constrictor, tree frog, tarantula, or turtle crossing my path. On my two-mile stretch of dirt road, you can encounter virtually every animal you’d hope to see in Belize—from jaguars and mountain lions to tapirs.
It’s the anticipation of the unexpected—knowing that at any moment, an incredible wildlife experience could happen right in front of me that motivates me to get out of bed every morning.
Screenshots from a jaguar sighting I had on my road
Suggestions for Anyone Considering Moving to Belize
Most expats move to the Cayes, or some of the popular mainland areas such as Hopkins, Placencia, or San Ignacio. They’re generally married and independently wealthy. I am neither. To the best of my knowledge, I’m attempting the impossible. I’m only still here because of pure stubbornness and hard work as a result of either choosing the hard way in life or finding my way on that hard path by accident.
I am always the first to admit – you don’t want my life. Many people come to Belize, but many people also go home.
If you are interested in living in Belize, I strongly suggest that you
- Know that being a tourist has absolutely nothing to do with being an expat
- Live here for about one year before you buy
- Whenever possible rely on expat referrals
- Come during the rainy season and also buy during the rainy season
- Check out my very in-depth blog post on Embracing the Jungle Lifestyle in Belize: A Comprehensive Guide to Living in a Rainforest
- Pray
Closing Thoughts
Any closing thoughts would simply echo the story I’ve just shared. Everyone who moves to Belize has a story – one that friends and family back home can’t relate to or appreciate.
Do you want to change your life forever? Move to Belize.
I should also add, that this has been a good year.
P.S. I am pretty excited about starting my tree farm.
Call to Action
- I post about life in Belize on social media virtually every day. Follow me on your platform of choice or all platforms.
Facebook – YouTube – Instagram – TikTok
- On my website, I blog about my day and what I am working on the farm. Slowly I am creating more jungle lifestyle content like this post.
- If you are planning to move to Belize and have anxieties, reach out, I can probably squeeze you in for a video call.
A year ago these two pups showed up out of the jungle starved and malnourished
Embracing the Jungle Lifestyle in Belize: A Comprehensive Guide to Living in a Rainforest
