Interview with an Expat in Belize: Armenia Village, Cayo

Welcome to our Interview with an Expat in Belize series. Our goal is to offer a look at expats who live in different regions of the country, and those who have lived in Belize for different periods of time, both relative newcomers and long timers here in Belize.

The interviews in our Interview with an Expat in Belize series are conducted by email, and we ask the same 10 questions to each interviewee so that those who are considering making the move to Belize can readily see that different people have very different experiences here, depending upon where they live, their interests, and the many choices that we all have made before, during, and after our move to Belize.

For the seventh interview in our series, we meet an expat couple who moved around to live in different parts of the Cayo district until they found their place. They decided to settle in Armenia Village, which is located along the nation’s Hummingbird Highway south of the capitol, Belmopan. Armenia is set in the foothills of the Mayan Mountain Range and is surrounded by jungle, caves, rivers and wildlife. Gina McCarthy and her husband are currently renting a place in Belmopan while building on their property in Armenia.

Gina McCarthy, Healthcare Consultant, finds home in a Cayo Village

Gina and her husband moved from El Dorado County in N. California to Belize in 2019. They are Permanent Residents of Belize with the ability to become citizens in 2025. They lived in many parts of Cayo until they found Armenia Village, and they knew that this was their village, where they found family. They have been in Armenia Village for over three years now, and they’re in the process of getting title to the property which they have purchased.

They have had both a Consulting and Medical Plant business in Belize since 2022, and they say that they dramatically changed their energy, weight, and their lives when they made the jump to Belize.

Gina also does healthcare consulting with her own business based in the USA, so she travels back and forth to the US when necessary for family or work. They moved to Belize when Gina’s husband was eligible to retire at end of 2018.

Interview with Gina McCarthy

Life before moving to Belize

Q1: Where were you living before moving to Belize? Also, please describe whether you were working, retired, or something in between prior to your move. In other words, what was your daily life like?

My husband and I moved from El Dorado County, Northern California. My husband retired from HP in December 2018, and I have owned a healthcare consulting firm since 2016. Our daily life prior to moving to Belize was long commutes, higher stress, and that USA go-go-go attitude.

Current Location in Belize

Q2: Where do you currently live in Belize? And prior to moving here, what were the primary reasons for which you chose this area?

We currently rent in Belmopan while we are building on property we bought in Armenia Village. Upon arrival in Belize, we knew it was best to live in many different locations before finding “HOME.” We have lived in Better in Belize, Unitedville, Black Man Eddy, Santa Familia, and then found Armenia Village three years ago, and this just felt like HOME! We waited to find the right lot to purchase. People and a support system are what is the most important to us, and we have found this in our village

Visits to Belize prior to making the move

Q3: How many times did you visit Belize before the move? Which areas did you visit, and how long was your longest stay in Belize prior to the move?

We had visited Belize three times before deciding to move. We visited all six districts and stayed in hotels, and local areas, met with businesses, and talked to so many people on our visits. Our longest stay was three months. After that final three-month visit, we knew Belize was where we would call home. We went back to the USA, took everything out of storage, sold our cars, had garage sales, and drove down through Mexico!

Own a home or rent in Belize

Q4: Do you own your current home in Belize or are you renting? Why did you choose either to buy or to rent? If you own a home, did you purchase an existing home or did you build here? What is your strongest piece of advice for someone looking either to buy or rent a place in Belize?  

We had been here five years before purchasing land to build. We rented in numerous places around the Cayo District before finding what felt like the best place for us. We moved to another country and did not want to always be surrounded by expats. The best advice is exactly this-find your people here that you truly connect with. This takes time and, for those who purchase either sight-unseen or with very little experience in Belize, there can be negative effects on your psyche.

The first year living in Belize

Q5: What were your greatest challenges or surprises during your first year living in Belize? What advice would you give to others to help the transition go smoothly?

Many expats are not who they think they are, and one needs to figure out why they moved to another country. It is great to have expats in our lives, and we have so many that are wonderful; however, in our first year, we were appalled at how many people we met who should have just moved to Florida or Arizona.

Come and travel the country; then come again and stay longer. There are so many rentals all over the country-do not feel you “Found a Great Deal,” and you “Must Buy.” Rent in various locations to find out if you like island life, jungle life, or something in between. Understand what Your Needs truly are, for example, what if it is 30 minutes to the nearest store, or an hour to local conveniences?

Belize Immigration Status

Q6: Describe your experience of acquiring long-term immigration status in Belize, whether that be as a QRP member, a Permanent Resident, a citizen, or as someone still waiting on residency. How long did the process take, and what challenges did you face?

We stayed in Belize without leaving for more than two weeks in our first year here, as this is a requirement to apply for Permanent Residency. As soon as our one year was over, we applied for Residency, and within seven months, we had our cards. Next year, we are eligible to apply for citizenship. We found our process to be very easy and smooth. I made sure I did all my research and that our Residency Application Packet had all the information, and more, so there was nothing else requested from Immigration.

Belize Lifestyle

Q7: What are your favorite things about the community in which you are living in Belize? Be specific about the types of activities you enjoy, the people, the environment, or anything else you care to mention.  

On Sundays, we enjoy hanging with our Belizean family, going to the village football matches, attending local events where you know so many people. Armenia Village is at the base of Sleeping Giant Mountains so that area is also so much cooler than other parts of Belize. Village life truly is “Go Soh” and enjoy every moment!

Current lifestyle challenges in Belize

Q8: What are the downsides to the community in which you currently live? Are there any aspects of daily life which you find to be challenging in this community?

Some people in the villages lack concern for keeping public areas clean, and this does sometimes bother us. We do our best to assist and volunteer with educating people about this. Also, the open burning of garbage is awful for the lungs!

Reality versus expectations of Belize

Q9: Do you think that your lifestyle in Belize is about what you had expected, very different from what you thought it would be, or somewhere in between? Tell us a bit about your expectations prior to moving to Belize and how daily life here differs from what you had expected. 

We had no expectations other than to slow down! I would say it has been times of expectations and others where we just look at each other and say, “New Adventure!!!”

What would you have done differently for your initial move to Belize?

Q10: Now that you are living in Belize, what are the one or two things which you would change about the way you made the initial move if you could go back and do it again? For example, would you ship more or fewer personal items, bring a car, rent instead of buying right away, or perhaps purchase instead of renting?

We would not change a thing! I listened to the expats that came before me, and then listened to the universe for guidance. Who we are today is because of the decisions we made. We love who we are and those that surround us!

Final thoughts on Interview with an Expat in Belize: Armenia Village, Cayo

First, a big thank you to Gina McCarthy for taking the time to answer our questions and sharing her story with us.

Most of the expats I have spoken to who have moved around in Belize in order to decide where they would like to live have moved between districts and stayed for extended periods in each district in order to find their place.

Gina’s story of moving around to different areas of a single district, Cayo, for five years before purchasing a property was interesting to me, as this is something that I rarely encounter.

I hope the Belize FAQs readers who are doing their research concerning a potential move to Belize will benefit from the differing perspectives we present here in our Interview with an Expat in Belize series.

Please sign up for our weekly updates to make sure that you don’t miss the next edition of the Interview with an Expat in Belize series or other new articles concerning living in Belize. Finally, for a full list of all of our previous articles, check out the Belize FAQs’ Blog page.