- Francois Bertrand
The last InterNations event was just great: I had some very nice chats with fellow expats (even Canadians like me) in Mexico City.
Living in Chetumal
Chetumal is the capital of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo and situated on the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. It resides on the western side of Chetumal Bay near the mouth of Rio Hondo. Expatriates will find a city surrounded by gorgeous, mangrove scattered shores and exotic jungle. Chetumal has long been occupied place where people lived, originally the indigenous Maya people in pre-Columbian times. Later, Chetumal was established as a Mexican port town in 1898. Originally known as Payo Obispo, the name only changed to Chetumal in 1936. It is a relatively quiet city not yet overly affected by foreigners, be they tourists or expats. For this reason, however, you might also find it difficult to get in touch with the local, international community and this is where InterNations can help you. By joining our global network of expatriates in and from around the world, you look for and get in touch with members who are similarly expats in Chetumal or other parts of Mexico.
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Moving to Chetumal
A warm and welcoming place, the fact that Chetumal shares a border with nearby English speaking Belize makes it an excellent destination not particularly for English speaking expatriates moving to Chetumal. It is only a five hour drive to Cancun, making it the central gateway between South America and Central America. The great thing about living in Chetumal is its tropical location. The climate offers warm weather all year round with the cold season taking place between December and February, dipping to a scorching average of 29 degrees Celsius. Around the city of Chetumal, you’ll also find a few restaurants and a wide variety of nightclubs that provide brilliant evening entertainment. A popular activity for locals in the evening is to take a stroll along the bay, nicknamed ‘el boulevard’. Living in Chetumal as an expatriate, it is in this area of the city where you can take in the sunset, the fresh Caribbean Sea breeze and vibrant street entertainment. This part of Chetumal is always undulating with music and dancing, and offers a rhythmic energy to life. And if you do not want to experience these pleasures alone, why don’t you try to get in touch with other expatriates and global minds living in Chetumal via InterNations?
Working in Chetumal
An active yet calm city, Chetumal is an important port in Mexico, and is the main trading outlet to neighboring countries such as Belize and Honduras. In particular, Chetumal is famed for exporting hardwoods such as Cedar and Mahogany. The recent development in excavation of Mayan sites has boosted the wealth of the area, as the tourism side of the economy continues to grow. Expatriates in the city will find plenty of opportunities for working in Chetumal in these sectors. Chetumal is also a popular destination for expatriates due to the fact that the cost of living is much lower than in many other countries. It is popular with those wanting a quieter life than that of neighboring Belize, which just a hop over the border. Due to its relative quietness and history, Chetumal is a great place to take in the culture and really experience a new way of life. And should you nevertheless struggle with life abroad at one point another, take a look at our Expat Magazine, a collection of expatriation-related articles covering a range of topics from culture shock to international finance.