Does anyone know firsthand what guatemala is like to live there?

Question

My mother is thinking of moving down there with her boyfriend who is from there but not legal here. It is a big mess, but anyhow, my mother is going to sell her house and save up a good amount of money here and then move down there. Says she'll live like a rich person down there, just curious what it is like down there and if being a rich american down there would make her a target for theft or worse.

Answer 1

I'm from the states. I lived in Guatemala City for three years. (2004-2006) I helped a christian ministry.  Praise the Lord I was OK. But that does not mean I did not see any violence. American or not - poor or rich, it does not matter. If somebody thinks you have something they want, that's all that matters.  So she might be more of a target to be truthful.

God Bless,

Answer 2

Yes,I have both lived and worked there. I still travel there at least once a year to see friends. I think your mother might need a 'reality check'.She should certainly not sell her house until she has tried living there for awhile with this man and is absolutely sure that she can feel both safe and comfortable living there permanently.It's true that housing and other living expeses can be very inexpensive and it is a undeniably a beautiful country, but realistically it is also not a place without some serious issues.

Does she speak Spanish fluently? She needs to be able to ask questions and get answers from a neutral third party she trusts while she is there.

How long has she been with this person/boyfriend because he will definitely gain a huge advantage and influence over your mother if she sells her home and moves there with him...and unfortunately, she will  have few to no rights if she chooses to,live with this man in his country.My advice would be for her to keep her home just in case "things don't work out" and she has to come back. She should  try some kind  'trial run" first. If you have any other questions or concerns,feel free to email me through the link on my profile page.Good luck with your dilemma.

juan23

Answer 3

Hello, i am from guatemala. do not worry too much, it's a great and fun country, you should go with them to see how it is and so you wont be too worried. if they are retirede i think its the best time to go, but if they are not, they should plan out what they will do over there. there are alot of Aericans an Europeans there, foreign exchange students who sometimes just stay there to lve there too. most americans live in a place called Rio Dulce, beautiful houses and scenery, right by a Spanish castle. Do not worry if she gets stares when she just gets there, i am from there and i look diffenret from most people there, i am light skined with mostly european features and they stared but after a few days they treated me like i was family, and that goes for any person who is not from there. i saw many german and people from icland with many guetamalasn and tehy acted like they where family. be careful with the carribean coast, its the best and most beautiful part of guatemala, but there are alot of black carribean ppl who arent very nice to none-blacks, but as long as she has her husband who is guatemalan there she will be alright. the dolar is worth 7.50 down there, so yeah she can dine like a queen, i did lol. she will also see alot of people from around teh wrold, we had filipinos, whites, blacks, etc.

oh and about seling her house.. ummmm i dont know sounds fishy. just make sure he is not using her. but if they are doing that because they are goign to buy another house over there then.. yeah theyll live in like a HUGE house, lol. theres nothing wrong with guatemala, or guatemalan ppl but just make sure he is the right person for her or that e is who he says he is. theres bad ppl everywhere in every country, just like the US. if he is not legal here, there must be a reason why...and this is comming from an imigrant. its easy to get  permission to come if you have not done anything wrong, dont come here with bad intensions, or youre not dead broke. so there must be a reason why he is illegaly here. i would worry about him not guatemala

Answer 4

Don't worry, although we have a high rate of corruption and insecurity, if your mom wants to come here to live, she can buy a house in one of the new residential projects in road to El Salvador or the suburbs of Villa Nueva, those houses are highly secured and exclusive, also if she is not taking buses or cabs, don't have to worry for being assaulted or other bad things that can happen, the americans in Guatemala are welcome.

Central American product proudly made in Guatemala by my parents.

Producto centroamericano hecho en Guatemala por mis papás

http://www.gdiguatemala.ws/

Answer 5

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

well i bought a house in guatemala moved all my things there, sofa,tv,dvd player, nice stuff,every luxary you can have in a home, and my husband went on ahead to set up the house while i was getting my passport straith, i would have to wait a month, i got the passport and i went i had went to a empty house and the empty house i found out was not mine it was his brothers, so i said were are my things and my house, everyone was quiet in his family, come to find out he got another woman pregnate moved her and her 6 kids in the home i paid for,she had my clothes jewrley, dressers and they shower with my towels everything i owned she had, i heard she ripped up my baby pictures and would mop the floors of my home with my clothes,i walked in to my house my husband is at my table enjoying dinner. all her children on my sofa watching tv, i confornted him and he said there friends, i walk in there room and see my makeup and my vanity and pefumures set up, my blankets on my bed i was going to grab my dog and he said no her kids love the dog so much dont take the dog,i said to him what goes around comes around one day you will sell all my things just to eat, i will go back to usa , and get a better life stay here with your new family, i went back to that empty house with no lights and water i had no food when my family would send me money he would recive the money and talk to my family and i would not know it, he would give the money to this woman, i had no way to call home i made a friend this lady would give my what food she could, i lost i lost 48 pounds in a few months, i worked for this lady selling tortillias and saved money to call my mom i said mom send me some money , i never said why i brough a ticket, i didnot ask the consulate for help i was to ashamed, after i was home i told my mom what happend,my mother said why did you not you ask for help i felt ashamed the whole town there in guatemala saw how my husband did me and i didnot want to make anyone feel sorry for me i worked and i went home, i had no children by him thank god iam married now to a good man and we have 2 children he has a good job and we are happy, well my ex husband had to sell everything i owned to eat and the baby turned out to not be his but they stayed together, and he calls me begging for money, i just say what goes around comes around and hang up, and well she has a cheater for life and he is a cheater , iam happy that she took him, my ex husband came back in the us to sell drugs and went to my home asking for money and he told my new husband oh iam jennifers husband ,and my husband said so, she is my wife now, my mom said sure i will give you money, i had so many cousins at home i was scared they were going to jump him, she instead call he friend who is a special agent for the ins and he arrested him and deported him, on drug chareges, and a few months later , he can back to the usa,i say him back in the us illegaly selling, he say me and ran hahah

3 weeks ago