Anybody here homesteading in the caribbean?

[woodsrunner]

Pelenaka and I just returned from Puerto Rico. We were there visiting her family up in the hills near Arecibo. They have a small homestead there. Actually it used to be a pretty good sized farm. We're kinda tossing around the idea of a eventual relocation there.

That couple acres fed 12 people for 4 days with no apparent dent in it's production. Had a little tangle with fire ants that wasn't too pleasant otherwise saw all kinds of pros to living in the region. Wondering what the cons are from people living there.

[TedH71]

High crime and lots of bs in politics. I have a friend who has family still living there. They have told him not to go back because he's deaf and at a huge disadvantage of getting stabbed, robbed, beat up, etc. They're immigrating out of PR for safer grounds. Keep in mind, PR had the option of being voted into the US as the 51st or 52nd state and chose not to because they knew they would lose big time and be forced to learn to speak English. Lots of corrupt cops, etc.

[bill not in oh]

I can't speak to any specific conditions in Puerto Rico because I don't have any personal experience living there. But most countries (Caribbean and others) are not a great deal different than the US in that there are 'safe' and 'unsafe' areas to live in. In the US you probably wouldn't want to live in the Watts district of LA, but rural Idaho might be OK for you. One significant difference is the type of crime that you might encounter - petty crime vs violent crime. The justice systems in most Caribbean/Central/South American countries view violent crimes as unacceptable and petty crimes as 'survival' crimes. So getting your pocket picked might be viewed as 'don't do that again' whereas rape or assault could result in 'go straight to jail, do not pass GO or collect $200 for the next 30 years. therefore that type of crime is less prevalent. The objective research is readily available and opinions are a dime a dozen. The only way to make a rational decision about moving to another country/culture is to go spend some time (6-12 months) there and see if you are comfortable with the idea of assimilating into their culture. Do not under any circumstance rely on the advice of someone living 1000 miles away in an entirely different culture that probably can't find any given country on a map and spewing third- or fourth- hand misinformation about the living conditions there - go and VISIT and make your own informed decision.

[5webbkids]

Heat, Humidity and Hurricanes come to mind. Are you prepared for the big climate change, hot is nice for a bit, but unmitigated HEAT and steamy sweat beading on your skin 24/7 humidity is different than a week in the "fall". My BFF's in-laws still live there and they try to visit PR every couple of years. When there is a major storm power is intermitent at best and contact with DS can take up to a month. He relies on extended family telling him if something serious happened. And the economy is fairly depressed from my understanding, might or might not matter to you in the grander scheme of things....and not being a native can have greater disadvantages. I have heard from military recruiters that PR is an awesome duty station, so many young people want to get out of what seems dead end that they have to turn people away.....could be all exaggeration as it's coming from recruiters! Also just the general "outsider" atmosphere might be uncomfortable for a while. And the whole scorpion things eeeeeks me out, checking your shoes before putting them on and your bed....nope, I am a sissy when it comes to that!
The "REAL" cons are free medical care, a laid back atmosphere, unbelievable food, good weather most of the time, almost unlimited growing season, cheap saffron, close to the ocean (relatively) and I don't doubt a nice niche market from tourists....surely not a place people would want to move to!

[shellyr44]

My husband is from PR and I have lived there. We homestead here in the states, his family down in PR think we are nuts. PR went through a lot of hard times and political corruption in the early years (1950s-1970s). Unless you have a good technical skill it's hard to find work. Many families we know down there raised their food and a few animals because they had too, not because they wanted too. When you have a large family and no job that was the only thing they could do. My inlaws look for all the easy ways to do things which includes all the modern conviences. I've seen farmers rediculed and treated like dirt because they still choose to farm. The island is very beautiful and I love the countryside. I say try it for a while. Don't give up anything you might have established here yet. Contact the Cornell C0-operative Extention and see if they have any extension offices down there or if they know of any one who could give you information. Cornell has the big satillite dish in Arecibo and other land holdings down there. They might have an extension office or know who might have climate and growing conditions info. Read what you can about the island. Read about it's history and ask lots of questions. I wish you luck and go in with your eyes wide open.

[AJ Williams]

Originally Posted by bill in oh

I can't speak to any specific conditions in Puerto Rico because I don't have any personal experience living there. But most countries (Caribbean and others) are not a great deal different than the US in that there are 'safe' and 'unsafe' areas to live in. In the US you probably wouldn't want to live in the Watts district of LA, but rural Idaho might be OK for you. One significant difference is the type of crime that you might encounter - petty crime vs violent crime. The justice systems in most Caribbean/Central/South American countries view violent crimes as unacceptable and petty crimes as 'survival' crimes. So getting your pocket picked might be viewed as 'don't do that again' whereas rape or assault could result in 'go straight to jail, do not pass GO or collect $200 for the next 30 years. therefore that type of crime is less prevalent. The objective research is readily available and opinions are a dime a dozen. The only way to make a rational decision about moving to another country/culture is to go spend some time (6-12 months) there and see if you are comfortable with the idea of assimilating into their culture. Do not under any circumstance rely on the advice of someone living 1000 miles away in an entirely different culture that probably can't find any given country on a map and spewing third- or fourth- hand misinformation about the living conditions there - go and VISIT and make your own informed decision.

Straight to the point and right. Go there yourself and don't count on second hand advice. All countries in this world have good and bad places.

[pixelphotograph]

I think shellyr hit on a good point most people in PR raise their own food and animals because THEY HAVE TO not because they want to.
hurricanes are a major downfall in my book when my entire home can be wiped out. I moved back to Georgia from Florida where I moved to because of that.
Govt problems and alot of crime ALOT of crime. And did I forget to mention the CRIME in Pr. LOL Its a poor country and if you leave things out at night I guarantee they will not be there the next day. Its just not worth it to me. It may look like Paradise but there is something else hiding under a cloak the tourist dont see. This is the way many Carribean countryies are. Not just Puerto Rico. I'm not just picking on them. I have known of Americans loosing everything due to govt corruption, govt overthrows, CRIME, you refused to PAY for PROTECTION. The list goes on.
Not a pretty thing.

[Jan Doling]

My PR friends only go back to visit....they feel safer and have more opportunities in Fla.

[palani]

Deepest trench in the Atlantic runs along the northern shore of Puerto Rico. Have been waiting for years to hear the whole island has slid into this canyon.

(ps) If this happens I don't believe I would care to be in Florida either!!!

[ibcnya]

Puerto Rico is like many spanish colonial countries. There is the rich and there is the poor. There is nothing in between. Either you have and you are born into it or you have not and that is usually the way it stays. All of South America and the Carribean and all the way around the world to include the Philippines. Catholisized and colonised and nothing changes in their crooked political system.
Great places to visit but don't stay long. You will become a target for thievery and robbery. More protection in the cities than in the country in these places. Unless you have in-laws or local family there. Even then, you become a welfare magnet for them.
How do I know all this? Because I have traveled to many of these places for free courtesy of the U.S. Marines for 20 years and am married to a wonderful girl from one of these places.
If you do homestead, do not look rich or be haughty, you will be brought down to their level quickly.

[ldc]

Two years ago I was hired to teach English to baseball players from PR, here in the States at a Community College. The guys thought they had hit the big time by coming here, and their families were counting on them to provide everyone with a new better life. It didn't work out that way. Anyway, they told me about crime and murder there, til I decided I'd never visit. They all had dead (murdered) uncles or older brothers, not all of whom had done drugs, or who were connected to the drug selling world. I'm sure some of the other posters are right - that there are bad neighborhoods and areas in all countries. ldc