Hi All,
I am in conversation with a school in Guatemala - the interview was great, lots of positives. Everything I've read on the reviews here are positive. I am wondering if anyone has lived in Guatemala. Pros? Cons? It's not a place I would have imagined myself living, but I'm also open to trying something new and unexpected. I am 36, single female, so also not sure what dating in Guatemala is like.
Thanks if you have any insight.
Guatemala
Re: Guatemala
Oh and the school is in Guatemala City
Response
@erbear28
What are your goals/objectives priorities? Are you wanting to move up the hierarchy on the IE circuit? Are you focused in your career in CSA. Is IE transitory for you (you just want to spend a few years then return to to DS)?
The main reason is that salaries are very, very low in Guatemala compared to global scale economics. You will likely be able to do fine, even lead a high quality of life as long as you stay on the economy, but if you plan on traveling and more importantly leaving at some point, then you have to go for the experience, as even a frugal saver ends up with mediocre savings that dont go very far once you leave. The salary just isnt there.
CSA has the best dating opportunities for expat IT woman. Foreign woman tend to be attracted to them and the locals have no issue dating expat woman. Its places like Asia that the social pool for foreign woman is abysmal. All the expat guys want Asian gfs and the locals are either a mess or they can just never marry you.
In CSA you have two major issues: 1) You have to be very comfortable with misogyny, its old school gender and dating roles, not a very welcoming culture if your an independent modern woman. 2) CSA men dont really internalize the concept of monogamy. Its just accepted that guys will always be looking for something on the side. Fidelity and love just arent innately intertwined. When he tells you ''I love you and youre the only woman in my heart, my soul con not bear to be apart from yours''. He means it but that meaning is different than many western woman interpret it as. He means:
1) He loves you, but not exclusively you.
2) He cant live without you, but he cant live without the other woman you dont know about either.
3) His heart and his pants are not the same organ, his heart and pants have different needs.
4) He has a very big soul with plenty of room for different loves in it.
5) Hes saying this as a response to 'something' from you, and its not a fair question, so he doesnt really owe you a fair response. Your essentially asking him to lie to you, and hes going to oblige. CSA guys are the type that you could catch them inside someone else and not deny it but say "let me explain."
6) Your naive for believing what you believe.
What are your goals/objectives priorities? Are you wanting to move up the hierarchy on the IE circuit? Are you focused in your career in CSA. Is IE transitory for you (you just want to spend a few years then return to to DS)?
The main reason is that salaries are very, very low in Guatemala compared to global scale economics. You will likely be able to do fine, even lead a high quality of life as long as you stay on the economy, but if you plan on traveling and more importantly leaving at some point, then you have to go for the experience, as even a frugal saver ends up with mediocre savings that dont go very far once you leave. The salary just isnt there.
CSA has the best dating opportunities for expat IT woman. Foreign woman tend to be attracted to them and the locals have no issue dating expat woman. Its places like Asia that the social pool for foreign woman is abysmal. All the expat guys want Asian gfs and the locals are either a mess or they can just never marry you.
In CSA you have two major issues: 1) You have to be very comfortable with misogyny, its old school gender and dating roles, not a very welcoming culture if your an independent modern woman. 2) CSA men dont really internalize the concept of monogamy. Its just accepted that guys will always be looking for something on the side. Fidelity and love just arent innately intertwined. When he tells you ''I love you and youre the only woman in my heart, my soul con not bear to be apart from yours''. He means it but that meaning is different than many western woman interpret it as. He means:
1) He loves you, but not exclusively you.
2) He cant live without you, but he cant live without the other woman you dont know about either.
3) His heart and his pants are not the same organ, his heart and pants have different needs.
4) He has a very big soul with plenty of room for different loves in it.
5) Hes saying this as a response to 'something' from you, and its not a fair question, so he doesnt really owe you a fair response. Your essentially asking him to lie to you, and hes going to oblige. CSA guys are the type that you could catch them inside someone else and not deny it but say "let me explain."
6) Your naive for believing what you believe.
-
nightheron
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2015 12:38 am
Re: Guatemala
I love Guatemala and have spent a lot of time there over the years as a single woman (most recently for several months in 2011), although mostly in the mountains and Quetzaltenango (Xela). I personally wouldn't want to spend a lot of time in Guatemala City. It is unsafe in a way the rest of the country isn't. Definitely ask lots of questions of your school about safety and lifestyle. Even in Xela I avoided being outside alone after dark.
Guatemalans are friendly and I have friends who dated/married local men. There is a culture of machismo but certainly not everyone. It helps if you speak Spanish to meet people. As far as dating other expats there are lots of people but more in Xela/Lago Atitlan/Antigua. Also a good place to learn Spanish as the accent tends to be slow and clear.
It is beautiful outside of Guate. You will be able to live well on whatever they pay you, but traveling outside of CA and southern Mexico will be difficult on the money.
Guatemalans are friendly and I have friends who dated/married local men. There is a culture of machismo but certainly not everyone. It helps if you speak Spanish to meet people. As far as dating other expats there are lots of people but more in Xela/Lago Atitlan/Antigua. Also a good place to learn Spanish as the accent tends to be slow and clear.
It is beautiful outside of Guate. You will be able to live well on whatever they pay you, but traveling outside of CA and southern Mexico will be difficult on the money.
Re: Guatemala
These responses are really helpful - thank you!
-
nightheron
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2015 12:38 am
Re: Guatemala
let us know what you decide! I see a position posted in Guatemala that I'd be qualified for. I'm so tempted because I love the country, but I don't want to live in Guatemala City.