The four of us, Doug and Twyla, and Dianna and myself, made another trek to Belmopan to continue with our quest to obtain residency here in Belize (the US equivalent would be getting a green card).
We left bright and early yesterday morning at about 7:30 AM, in a pretty good drizzle, complete with rolling thunder. We made good time down the Northern Highway to the Burrell Boom Cutoff, which we took over to the Western Highway to Belmopan. All pretty non-eventful.
As we turned onto the Western Highway, the sun began to break through in spots, so it actually became quite nice.
I felt guilty about reneging on driving and leaving that all to Doug for the second or third time. I was quite sore from boating on Wednesday (you don't realize how many extra muscles you use keeping your balance on a moving boat and climbing up and down ladders, etc.). That was my excuse and I'm keeping to it.
We pulled in to Belmopan around 10:00 AM and headed directly for the Immigration Department office. Along the way, we passed the Chinese bakery that is supposed to be just excellent. We figured we'd stop on the way back so we weren't tortured too much by the smell of fresh-baked bread.
As we walked into Immigration and "bellied up to the bar", so to speak, Doug mentioned to the girl who motioned for us that we had come to do the next phase of our residency application. "Mr. Rider?" She said, looking right at me.
"Yes, that's me." I answered. It's always an ominous sign when someone you've never met before knows who you are.
Right away, I was wondering, Oh Lordy, what's wrong with our applications? I could just picture them passing our applications around the office, trying to hold back tears from laughing so hard. "Look what they put down as an answer for Number 4! Ah, Ha, Ha, Ha... It's priceless! They expect to get approval for that?!
I guess we actually we did better than that with our apps. She just wanted updated copies of our passports, and to give us the Security Bond forms that we have to fill out along with a Belizean citizen who will vouch for us that they will pay for a one-way air ticket to get us from Belize to the US (or wherever you might be from) in the event that sometime in the coming three years we turn into absolute deadbeats.
I'm going to check with a couple of folks we know here over the next few days, to see if they would be willing to sign the form for us. They would become, in effect, our sponsors, in US-style terminology. The form has to be signed in front of a Justice of the Peace, so, it's really a binding agreement. Something the Government of Belize will be sure that whoever signs it really does know you and is willing to vouch for you.
Once that's done, we return to Belmopan with the form and our passports. They keep the passports for a couple of weeks (giving us a receipt for the passports) while the Director evaluates the application packages. Then we return to Belmopan once the Director approves everything, pay them the required money (for US applicants, it's $1,000 per person) and we get our residency stamp in our passport. Then we head to Chetumal, Mexico for dinner and a movie to celebrate!
On with the tale of our trip. After we got done at Immigration, we left Belmopan and drove another 20 minutes or so over to Spanish Lookout to have lunch and scope out a hardware store I was interested in.
As we got into Spanish Lookout, we were all impressed with how clean the surrounding environment was and how spacious the layout of the town was. Almost, a store per block it seemed, really roomy.
We stopped at the Golden Corral Restaurant (http://www.spanishlookout.bz/goldencorral.htm) for a nice lunch, then we hopped over to the Midwest Steel and Agro (http://www.midweststeel.bz/) as I wanted to look at weed whackers. What's cool with them is you can order from their catalog on line too.
After a couple other stops at hardware stores, it was a short return to Belmopan to the Chun Fu bakery. Some folks say it's the best bakery in Belize. I don't think so. For my money, the selection and quality at the Panifacadora La Popular bakery in Orange Walk, is far better. Still, we all bought about 2 loaves each of Cheese bread and cinnamon bread from them. It is tasty stuff.
By then, we're beginning to run out of energy, and anyway, we wanted to get back to Corozal before dark to avoid the vampires and whatnot. So, Doug pointed their Isuzu down the highway and away we went.
Of course, the further we went, the more drizzle we ran into. On one stretch, we got to exercise our adrenalin muscles. It was on one of those white marl-topped sections of the highway. There was a piece of "yellow gear", a hughe loader of some sort, in front of us on the highway. He slowed down for a speed bump, as you do here in Belize. Doug began to brake as well. Only we didn't slow down directly. He broke traction on the white marl surface, and we slid quite a long ways... right at the massive back pusher bar of this piece of yellow gear. Doug managed to bring it to a halt about three feet before we would have plowed into his pusher bar. I doubt if the guy driving it would have even noticed that we clobbered him good. Well, thankfully, we didn't, and shortly thereafter, we managed to get around him and on our way.
The rest of the trip was uneventful, other than the four of us saying over and over how excited we were that we were nearing the end of our quest for residency. It really was an uplifting feeling to know we're near the end.
I must say that I have a much better appreciation for the work involved and the hassle folks must endure who come to the US looking for the "green card". I never fully appreciated just how hard it must be. I suspect getting a green card in the US is even harder than the residency program we're going through in Belize.
Only a couple or so weeks more to go. There really is light at the end of the tunnel!
Showing posts with label Spanish Lookout. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spanish Lookout. Show all posts
10 July, 2009
22 June, 2007
Buying a House, Belize Style
So you want to build a semi-custom home for oh, say, $25,000US...
"Oh", you exclaim, "is this 1962"?
No, my dear. This is 2007, and we're buying a 20' x 30' Mennonite, wood-framed house to be built and erected on our property. We'll be living in it for the next few months as we design and build the "big house" as we've taken to calling it.
The Mennonite house will be ready for occupancy before 1 November, when Tony and Nelly, our landlords here at Casa Ranchito, come back from the Low Lands. We're putting it close to the road, so that the big house will occupy the land closer to the canal, and once we move into the big house, the Mennonite one will become a separate guest house.
"Oh", you exclaim, "is this 1962"?
No, my dear. This is 2007, and we're buying a 20' x 30' Mennonite, wood-framed house to be built and erected on our property. We'll be living in it for the next few months as we design and build the "big house" as we've taken to calling it.
The Mennonite house will be ready for occupancy before 1 November, when Tony and Nelly, our landlords here at Casa Ranchito, come back from the Low Lands. We're putting it close to the road, so that the big house will occupy the land closer to the canal, and once we move into the big house, the Mennonite one will become a separate guest house.
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Initial Drawing for the Mennonite House
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The plans above are what I drew up to give to Franz Wiebe, the builder. He's located in Shipyard, Belize, but is spending a significant portion of his time up in the "Free Zone" at the border, building a hotel extension for the Las Vegas Casino.
We've met two times now with Franz to nail down what we want, what he will do, etc. to deliver us a house. The first meeting was scheduled for 6 PM. He showed up at about 9:30 PM. We forgot, Belize time... Duh.
For our second meeting, we agreed over the phone to meet at the same time. Well, we weren't sure if that meant 6 or 9:30. So, we had a delicious spaghetti dinner with sauce that Dianna had made and simmered for a day-and-a-half in our new crock pot at about 5 PM. We did that so we could be ready from 6 PM on. Franz arrived right on time - at 9:30, and we got to work.
To give you an idea about business here in Belize, we asked about a contract. Franz' answer, was "Well, sure if you want to write one up, we can have a contract". Which is what we did - just for our peace of mind. It is disconcerting, but also refreshing to deal with people in a land where a handshake seals a deal. A man's word is his bond - literally. That is taken very seriously here.
We made a production out of reading the agreement out loud, penciling in changes and re-printing the thing in two copies. Then, when we had all agreed on what it said, all of us signed it, with Elsie also signing as the witness.
When it gets down to it, what was important was the verbal agreement and handshake. The paper doesn't mean a thing.
The way the payment works is this: half down up front, then when it is framed up, another quarter is paid, and upon delivery and setup, the final quarter is paid. We wrote a check to Franz for half last night, and the ball is rolling.
So far, the whole process has consisted of two or three brief phone calls, and two evening meetings here at the house. And writing a check. That's it. If it wasn't for our Gringo need for detail and paper, we really didn't need a drawing or even the agreement. That's strictly for us. Oh, sure. Franz will use the drawing, but if we hadn't had one, that would not have impeded the deal.
You might be curious how we found Franz. There are three Mennonite house builders on the Internet in Belize - Plett's Home Builders (http://www.mauricefield.net/belize/plett.shtml); Linda Vista Lumber and Homes (http://www.waterskibelize.com/images/Linda%20Vist%20Lumber%20Yard%20Home%20Prices.jpg); and Midwest Lumber Mill (http://www.midwestlumbermill.com/). All three are located in Spanish Lookout, Belize. Franz' company is not one of those, and he's located in Shipyard, Belize.
We liked the looks of Mae and Craig's Mennonite house. They used Franz to build theirs, so we contacted him by phone and here we are.
I don't have a picture yet of Franz. He's a little shorter than I am, and very solidly built. Blond, curly hair, freckles, and Ben Franklin-style glasses, he looks Nordic. As soon as he starts to talk you know. With the Germanic and Kreol (local spelling) mingling of accents, there is no doubt. English as spoken by a Belizean. Franz is of Mennonite extraction - Germany to Canada to Mexico to Belize is the trail his family took over the past years.
Anyway, he's a busy, no-nonsense builder. He doesn't dress as a typical Mennonite - no denim coveralls, no blue shirt, no light straw cowboy hat. Blue jeans, work boots and short-sleeved work shirt. He drinks beer and whiskey (although he'll tipple rum if need be). He uses a cell phone and carries a sort of brief case affair with all his papers and tools of the trade.
So, there you have it. The deal was sealed at our kitchen table. No real estate agents, no attorneys, no bankers, no financiers, no nothing except us. A great way to work.
Oh, and by the way, we'll be talking to Franz about building the big house, the property fencing, the well, septic system, etc., etc. He can either do it or he has a cousin who can. One stop shopping.
We've met two times now with Franz to nail down what we want, what he will do, etc. to deliver us a house. The first meeting was scheduled for 6 PM. He showed up at about 9:30 PM. We forgot, Belize time... Duh.
For our second meeting, we agreed over the phone to meet at the same time. Well, we weren't sure if that meant 6 or 9:30. So, we had a delicious spaghetti dinner with sauce that Dianna had made and simmered for a day-and-a-half in our new crock pot at about 5 PM. We did that so we could be ready from 6 PM on. Franz arrived right on time - at 9:30, and we got to work.
To give you an idea about business here in Belize, we asked about a contract. Franz' answer, was "Well, sure if you want to write one up, we can have a contract". Which is what we did - just for our peace of mind. It is disconcerting, but also refreshing to deal with people in a land where a handshake seals a deal. A man's word is his bond - literally. That is taken very seriously here.
We made a production out of reading the agreement out loud, penciling in changes and re-printing the thing in two copies. Then, when we had all agreed on what it said, all of us signed it, with Elsie also signing as the witness.
When it gets down to it, what was important was the verbal agreement and handshake. The paper doesn't mean a thing.
The way the payment works is this: half down up front, then when it is framed up, another quarter is paid, and upon delivery and setup, the final quarter is paid. We wrote a check to Franz for half last night, and the ball is rolling.
So far, the whole process has consisted of two or three brief phone calls, and two evening meetings here at the house. And writing a check. That's it. If it wasn't for our Gringo need for detail and paper, we really didn't need a drawing or even the agreement. That's strictly for us. Oh, sure. Franz will use the drawing, but if we hadn't had one, that would not have impeded the deal.
You might be curious how we found Franz. There are three Mennonite house builders on the Internet in Belize - Plett's Home Builders (http://www.mauricefield.net/belize/plett.shtml); Linda Vista Lumber and Homes (http://www.waterskibelize.com/images/Linda%20Vist%20Lumber%20Yard%20Home%20Prices.jpg); and Midwest Lumber Mill (http://www.midwestlumbermill.com/). All three are located in Spanish Lookout, Belize. Franz' company is not one of those, and he's located in Shipyard, Belize.
We liked the looks of Mae and Craig's Mennonite house. They used Franz to build theirs, so we contacted him by phone and here we are.
I don't have a picture yet of Franz. He's a little shorter than I am, and very solidly built. Blond, curly hair, freckles, and Ben Franklin-style glasses, he looks Nordic. As soon as he starts to talk you know. With the Germanic and Kreol (local spelling) mingling of accents, there is no doubt. English as spoken by a Belizean. Franz is of Mennonite extraction - Germany to Canada to Mexico to Belize is the trail his family took over the past years.
Anyway, he's a busy, no-nonsense builder. He doesn't dress as a typical Mennonite - no denim coveralls, no blue shirt, no light straw cowboy hat. Blue jeans, work boots and short-sleeved work shirt. He drinks beer and whiskey (although he'll tipple rum if need be). He uses a cell phone and carries a sort of brief case affair with all his papers and tools of the trade.
So, there you have it. The deal was sealed at our kitchen table. No real estate agents, no attorneys, no bankers, no financiers, no nothing except us. A great way to work.
Oh, and by the way, we'll be talking to Franz about building the big house, the property fencing, the well, septic system, etc., etc. He can either do it or he has a cousin who can. One stop shopping.
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