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As I tend to get things done informally and in a style that may look a little out of the ordinary, my classes do not really resemble a post office or a concentration camp. Every now and then we get a little off the topic when students reckon that it is a little more interesting to chat about South Africa and New Zealand or my life there. My humble self takes those chats as welcome opportunities to help them realise that the world is a little bigger than Colima and Mexico. Check into this sort of chat every now and then a website worth recommending – ranging from “The Economist” to “Escape Artist” – and we appear to be slowly succeeding in expanding their horizons. The purpose of the exercise is primarily to encourage students to spend some time abroad, not just as a tourist in a shopping mall, rather as an exchange student or working abroad after graduating. It will help them gain valuable skills and useful experience. They may also develop some useful international contacts. When they return they may be able to use these contacts and skills effectively at home. At the same time, the more time I spend in Latin America the more I tend to the assumption that the subcontinent does have a bunch on offer in terms of both lifestyle and opportunities. Lifestyle In Latin America Much of Latin America is a bunch less developed than North America and Western Europe. On the whole, the región does not suffer a lot from pollution. There are exceptions like Mexico City and Sao Paulo. But they are exceptions to the rule. When you live in an environment that tends to be less industrialised and cleaner than regions in the developed world, you feel more at ease after a while. Please do not get me wrong. I am not saying that the less developed a country is the more you feel at ease there and the more quality of life it offers. I am not saying that countries like Sudan and Somalia offer quality of life and a choice lifestyle. Instead, in the course of time yours truly has learned to appreciate the quality of life in countries that show characteristics of both the developing and the developed world. Countries like South Africa and Mexico. There are loads of those countries in Latin America. To illustrate
all this with an example, when you live in the right neighbourhood in Latin
America the environment there is often surrounded by unspoiled nature.
In a less developed región nature may contribute to your quality
of life. During the night when I sleep I tend to leave the door to my roof
terrace wide open. When I fall asleep I hear the sound of animals. When
I wake up in the morning the first things I see are a bright blue sky,
palm trees and the Sierra Madre de Occidental (the Western Central Highlands
of Mexico – a mountain range) in the background. In my humble opinion,
these things contribute significantly to my quality of life. No TV–set,
no alcohol, no nothing can replace that experience.
Teopan Island Knowing a few spots all over the globe to which you can withdraw to enjoy an upmarket and quiet lifestyle at the same time makes life very pleasant as well. Spots like Waiheke Island in New Zealand and the Channel Islands in the English Channel. Or Teopan Island in Latin America. A little more precisely, Teopan Island is located in El Salvador, a little less than an hour from the country’s capital San Salvador. Teopan Island may be described as an exclusive resort that tends to attract high net worth local as well as international folks. The beautiful resort is situated in a volcanic crater. In case you are into things like unspoiled nature, it may be your cup of tea. You find there all sorts of birds, fish and other animals. The climate deserves to be called virtually perfect throughout the year. The entire región was originally founded by Mayan Indians. Whilst enjoying an upmarket and quiet lifestyle in unspoiled nature a bunch of outdoor activities are available there ranging from tennis and swimming to diving and hiking. About forty minutes from the resort you can enjoy a cloud forest with choice views of the lake. The cloud forest is called El Cerro Verde. The entire resort was virtually masterminded by Sea Pines Co., which is the outfit that created Hilton Head Island in South Carolina as well as Palmas del Mar in Puerto Rico. You may be interested in purchasing real estate in a spot like this. It is possible indeed to purchase real estate there. There are various sorts of lots at various prices available. As far as I understand the situation there, prices for lots start at US$ 36.000,-- and US$ 50.000,---. In case needed or desired, financing may be obtained. Teopan Island
resort falls into the category of those places that are hidden treasures.
The resort is virtually a secret and almost unknown. Lots have been sold
already. The residents there so far tend to be well heeled movers and shakers
from El Salvador and Central America in general. In a nutshell, Teopan
Island resort attracts folks who value nature, privacy and exclusivity.
Latin America’s high net worth individuals represent three percent of the world’s high net worth individuals. But they hold about thirteen percent of that group’s wealth. Do you reckon that these figures contain a message about Latin America’s potential? To quote David Stevens, president of XL Capital Assurance, a New York based financial guarantee insurance company:”….in the longer run the countries of Latin America will be significant economic players.” That is pretty much what my attitude boils down to as well. Take a long term view and look at the wider picture. There were splendid opportunities in the nineteenth century in the United States. But settlers and investors there also had to put up with who knows how many troubles, including a civil war. Latin America today still offers vast opportunities. But the stomach for a little risk and the patience to invest for the long haul may be helpful. To illustrate all this with an example, loads of Latin American economies depend to a large extent on raw materials and commodities. In the short term, the market of raw materials and commodities tends to be quite volatile. In the long term, raw materials and commodities may turn out to be the next big investment theme. It has just not dawned yet on the thundering herd. Why Globalisation Works Martin Wolf is chief economics commentator and associate editor of the Financial Times. He is also a visiting fellow of Nuffield College, Oxford and a special professor at the University of Nottingham. Martin has recently published the book “Why Globalisation Works”. “Why Globalisation Works” covers a bunch of topics ranging from the forces driving economic integration to the various shapes of anti globalist trends. The most interesting and controversial part of the book may be Part IV, in which Martin disects and disproves critiques of free trade and the role of multinational corporations as well as capital mobility. “The Economist” reckons that “Why Globalisation Works” is the most sophisticated treatment of the case for globalisation. There is one point, however, in which yours truly tends to disagree with Martin. In his book Martin calls for more aid to help the poorest of the poor. Even though the idea is not yet fine tuned, how about this alternative – cancel all debts of developing countries on the condition that they will never again receive any foreign aid whatsoever? Martin could have challenged in the book the claim made by anti – globalists that Latin America disproves globalisation, which it does not do in my humble opinion. In fact, various countries in Latin America have borrowed a little too much and are thus vulnerable to financial crises. Again, my alternative approach to tackle poverty and development issues may have some merits. The following is a list of articles written by Jurgen for the magazine:
To contact
Jurgen Click Here
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Some
Thoughts On Living In Latin America ~ 
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