Latin America, Te Amo – and – The Expat Exodus Continues

Being at home – et, bien etre

I reflect now, again, as I have for 30 years, since my first trip to Mexico and Latin America, that I feel far more at home in Latin America than in (the dark side of) North America (north of the Texas-Mexico border), including in my beloved home country of Canada.

I feel far more at ease, relaxed, and at peace in Latin America. I feel far more connected, welcomed, positively stimulated, joyous, happy, healthy, vibrant, empowered and alive in Latin America.

Why am I here, in neurotic, alienated, angry, divided, uptight, stressed to the extreme, increasingly expensive, unaffordable, unliveable, and Puritanical, corporate-ruled, fascist North America?

I could say the same about rural life and nature; and I would say the same about the monastery, as well, or at least being close by to a meditation centre. But my ideal would certainly combine all three.

Maybe when I’m 60. That would be 30 years later than I had hoped, but that’s ok. I look forward to liberating my family from el Norte, and liberating myself.

It would seem from the mass exodus of people and families, young and old, from the North to Latin America, that I am not alone in such feelings, misgivings and thoughts. The US is sinking economically, going fascist – or rather, already gone – and on the brink of civil war. And Canada has foolishly tied its fate to this sinking ship of an empire in decline. No wonder a million Americans have fled the US, and a half million Canadians have made the short, joyous exodus to date, as well, to Mexico alone.

Latin America isn’t the promised land. They have problems too. I have my eyes wide open – as they should be, unless you enjoy repeatedly falling in a ditch. Certain countries are in good to excellent state, in terms of places to live. I would list Mexico, Argentina and Uruguay among them. All three are in overall better shape than the US or Canada, despite delusions to the contrary. Brazil, Bolivia, Chile and Venezuela, on the other hand, are in deep trouble.

Nevertheless, a well-chosen place in Latin America can be the nearest thing to paradise on Earth, at least to myself and to many people; and a damned sight better than this sinking bog, which is the collapsing empire of Washington on its dully dutiful satellites, such as Canada.

Yes, mein commandante! Bending over now, mein commandante! Blast away, mein commandante!

Place yourself where you are called to be, I say, or where you feel most at home, most at peace, or most alive. Whatever you do, choose actively and thoughtfully: do not merely drift, or allow mere circumstance to choose for you.

Life is fleeting. Seize the day.

JTR,

Aug. 15, 2020

 

PS: Listen to the Noam Chomsky interview, on Scheer Intelligence: The US has created a global dystopia. Then… Listen to Morris Berman on the Geopolitics & Empire podcast, on why exodus is best. The US is not coming back for a long time, it would appear, sadly. And Canadians seem content to join their US neighbours in the ride to the bottom. I’m suggesting a parachute or life raft might be a wiser, and better way to go. Exodus is neigh.