Cruising on $500 per Month . . .

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by Brent Swain

If someone wanted me to do some welding for him in a foreign port, I would simply ask him to show me a receipt for a donation to the local women's shelter or transition house, as proof of payment.

That's a noble gesture, but hardly helpful if you're squeeking by on $500 per month and what you really need for your welding effort is a square meal or two.
Of course if you happen to be creeping into the women's shelter every night...

[atoll]

brent very noble,am assuming you can support your self,and have never been in a foreign port with no money.

[Brent Swain]

I have been, but my book sales, pension, and plans sales make that a thing of the past, as does my success at making money less relevant. I rarely pay people to put my food in cans anymore. .

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by atoll

normally what happens is you get dobbed in by a fellow foriegner yachty who is doing the same thing,and has been for a very long time,under the radar,and has been accepted by the locals,its called getting rid of the competition.

generally if you have somthing to offer,and are not overtly pc or capitalistic about it you will make enough to survive with out hurting anybodys feelings.

us/the workers have a common bond,no matter where you are in the world,as opposed to the monied opinionated few who have to justify their lazy luxury life styles,looking down on their fellow bretheren of the sea,and telling them they got it all wrong..................edit thx david old jersy you beat me toowit,though didnt want to name names

Seems to me that the first paragraph and last paragraph totally contradict each other, which is not unusual when 'we bruvva' rhetoric cuts loose.

Truth is, cruisers for the most part are the most supportive, socially integrated bunch I've ever come across. Meet up for a bbq on a beach and the plumber, doctor, musician, architect and electrician are all just cruisers... but maybe not in Cornwall.

[atoll]

we bruvvas do not come from cornwall,actually,old boy,been doing this for years,have seen how yachting has damaged many small country/island states,mainly by check book sailors,who have too much money,only there for a short time,pay pay pay ,no wonder the locals get greedy.
you are not part of the solution to third world problems,...............yes lovely bbqs yachty gatherings,rocket scientist,doctor,plumber,and then you leave........not really the real world is it, if you do a good deed donate to these people who i work for
www.shelterbox.org

[terabika]

Well, Just ask a person who has spent most of their young life in med school/internship to live on the pay scale that a doctor does in Mexico...also, the tort system there is far diferent. Making people pay for there own services , which would induce huge amounts of competition, is the best way to bring prices down. I went in for blood work and was told 132$, I siad I do not have that much cash on me. Response "Oh, over in merritt island there is a place for 29$" Until the end user shops for price...ofcourse, an emergency appendectomy... :-)

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by atoll

we bruvvas do not come from cornwall,actually,old boy,been doing this for years,have seen how yachting has damaged many small country/island states,mainly by check book sailors,who have too much money,only there for a short time,pay pay pay ,no wonder the locals get greedy.
you are not part of the solution to third world problems,...............yes lovely bbqs yachty gatherings,rocket scientist,doctor,plumber,and then you leave........not really the real world is it, if you do a good deed donate to these people who i work for
www.shelterbox.org

Fair comment.
I totally agree that idiots splashing their money around with no understanding or real appreciation of the local communities, have done a lot of damage.
I was more referring to the healthy integration of 'status' among cruisers themselves. And here I guess there is a distinction between people who are on their boats for a few weeks, as opposed to the cruisers who live on their boats for years at a time.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by atoll

we bruvvas do not come from cornwall,actually,old boy,been doing this for years,have seen how yachting has damaged many small country/island states,mainly by check book sailors,who have too much money,only there for a short time,pay pay pay ,no wonder the locals get greedy.
you are not part of the solution to third world problems,...............yes lovely bbqs yachty gatherings,rocket scientist,doctor,plumber,and then you leave........not really the real world is it, if you do a good deed donate to these people who i work for
www.shelterbox.org

What is the real difference between the two?

Not being uncaring or anything like that but both ways puts money in the economy there that would not otherwise be there.

Welfare of a sort either way? No, one is payment. The other is "Welfare".

[callmecrazy]

The difference is one is a corrupted culture, the other is a struggling (but surviving) culture.

There is much more to it than just numbers...

[OaklandSailor]

Originally Posted by callmecrazy

The difference is one is a corrupted culture, the other is a struggling (but surviving) culture.

There is much more to it than just numbers...

I think I missed something here. Which one is what? Anytime I buy goods or services I'm contributing positively to the folks I do business with, right? Again, i might have things confused, so ignore my post if I do, but if a culture is struggling (I assume you don't mean affluent societies like the US, UK, etc) isn't it better of if money is circulating?

MF

[hellosailor]

goprisko,
Are you saying the regulator in the Everlast welding rig was cracked in four places? Or your solar regulator? Circuit board cracked, or something else?

Mark,
I know the forum moderators think this is slander of the vilest sort, and they've censured me for mentioning it previously, but the US Department of State still seems to think that travel to Columbia may be problematical. Why the State Department would be slandering Columbia is beyond my understanding but they are quite emphatic about it:

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_941.html

"Travel Warning
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau of Consular Affairs

Colombia

November 10, 2010

The Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the dangers of travel to Colombia. While security in Colombia has improved significantly in recent years, violence by narco-terrorist groups continues to affect some rural areas as well as large cities. The potential for violence by terrorists and other criminal elements continues to exist in all parts of the country. This updates and replaces the Travel Warning for Colombia issued on March 5, 2010 to update information on recent security incidents and criminal activity. "

There are a handful of countries with similar warnings, but rather than debate which warnings are true and which are vile slander, one might consider the many countries which are simply not on the warning lists.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

goprisko,
Are you saying the regulator in the Everlast welding rig was cracked in four places? Or your solar regulator? Circuit board cracked, or something else?

Mark,
I know the forum moderators think this is slander of the vilest sort, and they've censured me for mentioning it previously, but the US Department of State still seems to think that travel to Columbia may be problematical. Why the State Department would be slandering Columbia is beyond my understanding but they are quite emphatic about it:

Colombia

"Travel Warning
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau of Consular Affairs

Colombia

November 10, 2010

The Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the dangers of travel to Colombia. While security in Colombia has improved significantly in recent years, violence by narco-terrorist groups continues to affect some rural areas as well as large cities. The potential for violence by terrorists and other criminal elements continues to exist in all parts of the country. This updates and replaces the Travel Warning for Colombia issued on March 5, 2010 to update information on recent security incidents and criminal activity. "

There are a handful of countries with similar warnings, but rather than debate which warnings are true and which are vile slander, one might consider the many countries which are simply not on the warning lists.

probably somthing to do with the billion dollar narco trade and world wide arms industry.

legalize it,make it taxable,and stop supplying weapons to corrupt dictatorships would probably sort it,though we would probably have to pay more for oil and drive electric cars.

[w1651]

If Columbia is that bad then what are they saying about Venezuela?

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by atoll

probably somthing to do with the billion dollar narco trade and world wide arms industry.

legalize it,make it taxable,and stop supplying weapons to corrupt dictatorships would probably sort it,though we would probably have to pay more for oil and drive electric cars.

Then what would the 1st world do with their outa date weapons.. apart from start another needless war so's 'Leaders' can strut and be 'Hero's in Safety'....
Gotta keep the jobs mate...

[hellosailor]

w, they never called Columbia "bad", they just suggest that travelers either avoid it or approach with what might be called high situational awareness.

Venezuela...appears to have similar high recommendations:

"SAFETY AND SECURITY: Violent crime in Venezuela is pervasive, both in the capital, Caracas, and in the interior. The country’s overall per capita murder rate is cited as one of the top five in the world. The Venezuelan National Counter Kidnapping Commission was created in 2006, and since then, official statistics have shown alarming increases in reported kidnappings throughout the country. In fact, kidnappings in 2009 have increased anywhere from 40-60 percent from the previous year. Surveys show that the overwhelming majority of kidnappings and other major crimes are not reported to the police. Armed robberies take place throughout the city, including areas generally presumed safe and frequented by tourists. Well-armed criminal gangs operate widely, often setting up fake police checkpoints. Only a very small percentage of crimes result in trials and convictions.
Travel to and from Maiquetía Airport, the international airport serving Caracas, can be dangerous, and corruption at the airport itself is rampant. Both arriving and departing travelers, including foreigners, have been victims of personal property theft and muggings in the airport. The embassy has received multiple, credible reports that individuals wearing what appear to be official uniforms or other credentials are involved in facilitating or perpetrating these crimes."
Venezuela

Of course, that could all be a vicious lie intended to discredit the dear Mr. Chavez.

There are after all tourists and cruisers and expats who report that rent and medical care are cheap, food is fresh, household help easy to come buy...If paradise got good PR, they'd have to put up gates to keep the throngs of gringos out, right?