Belize Starting a New Life in

by Kelly Godbey

Imagine, if you will, the perfect day, waking to the lapping of the Caribbean Sea on the white sand beaches, looking out over the reef to check the day’s weather, followed by hopping in your golf cart and finding the freshest ingredients for the daily specials.

Every day for the last four months, this has been the life of Joe Leszko, who recently relocated to semiretire and help start a beach bar and restaurant on the northern side of Ambergris Caye, the largest island off the coast of Belize. When his buddy asked him to come, Joe jumped at the chance, and soon, his partner, Teri, will join him. Coming from the restaurant business in Texas and growing up on the south side of Chicago, Belize is a welcome retreat for Joe.

Still virtually undiscovered, this English-speaking Central American country offers a glimpse into the past while heading straight into the future. Joe is quick to point out that on the island, “Everybody knows everyone.” He says, “Everything is so relaxing here, and it balances the charm of the old with the amenities of the new. When you move here, you are pushed out of your comfort zone.” It’s been exhilarating for him to enjoy a new way of life.

As a restauranteur and a food lover, Joe is enjoying his time using local ingredients for new creations for the islanders. He travels to the local markets and is amazed by the freshness of the produce. He’s learning new techniques to cook meats and fish and creating a new flare to the food, and will soon complete his new menu. Joe embodies the spirit of Azure, a unique, multi-phase development comprised of beachfront villas and private residences, situated in North Ambergris Caye just on the edge of the Belize Barrier Reef (a recognized World Heritage site). Joe makes sure that spirit is in every meal that he serves. It is undeniable that the community is already alive, well, and hungry.

Azure is set on 1,000 feet of rare, pristine Caribbean coastline and is the perfect setting for this new community to come together. Azure is sure to set new building standards as it is striving to be the first LEED certified resort in Belize. The developers are focused on sustainability, exceptional design, quality, and value.

Ambergris Caye has a thriving expat community with people from all over the world. Belize makes it very easy for people to retire by offering retirement perks. There is no inheritance or capital gains tax, and it’s relatively easy to gain residency status.

Residents of Ambergris Caye can enjoy snorkeling in the protected reef in shallow waters of just 10 to 35 feet, they can view vibrant tropical fish, eel, rays, sharks, and some of the world’s healthiest and most colorful sea coral. Or, they can watch schools of tiny tropical fish dart along the coral. You can even take a day’s excursion to the famed Blue Hole, the world’s largest marine sinkhole that lies near Lighthouse Reef. If relaxation, great fresh food, and every water sport you can imagine all in an English-speaking, stable, evolving country sounds good to you, Belize and Ambergris Caye might just be the place for you. Come create your ideal retirement destination.