Dear Doctor Love,
I’m writing as someone who recently visited Belize and completely fell in love with it. The people were friendly, the food was amazing, and the island vibe is something I’ve never experienced anywhere else. I honestly started thinking, “This is it… this is where I want to live.” I’ve even been looking into long-term rentals and possibly buying property in the future.
But Doctor Love, I have to be honest, the traffic in San Pedro really shocked me. I expected a laid-back little island town, but at certain times of the day it felt like I was stuck in a constant jam. Golf carts, trucks, taxis, bicycles, people walking, construction equipment… everything mixed up in one small space. Sometimes it felt like it took forever just to go a short distance, and I couldn’t help wondering how locals deal with it every day.
What worried me the most is that it didn’t seem like a “busy weekend” situation. It felt like it was always like that. I started thinking, if I move here full-time, will I get frustrated and regret it? I love the island, but I also value peace and simplicity, and the traffic made things feel stressful at times.
Doctor Love, is San Pedro always this busy and congested? Is this just part of island life now? /s/ Island Traffic
Dear Island Traffic,
You saw the real thing. That wasn’t a fluke.
San Pedro isn’t the sleepy postcard people imagine anymore. It’s grown fast, and the roads didn’t grow with it. So yes some days it feels like the whole island decided to move at the same time.
Locals? We complain. Then we adjust. We walk more. We plan errands early. We avoid certain hours. We breathe. You learn that being in a rush here just makes you miserable.
But let me say this gently if traffic alone made you question moving, you need more time here. Vacation love is easy. Living somewhere is different. Come back. Stay longer. Visit in slow season. Visit in high season. See if the feeling still holds.
Island life isn’t perfect. It’s noisy sometimes. Dusty. Under construction. But it also gives back in ways hard to explain.
You just have to decide which annoyances you can live with.
Even paradise has a traffic jam. /s/ Doctor Love
Dear Doctor Love,
I love my common law partner. We have been living together for 4 years now, but he is always “broke.” He works, but somehow every payday he has nothing, and then I end up covering groceries, gas, and even rent sometimes. I do have a better paying job than him, I am a manager at a local resort and he works for a golf cart company. When I bring it up, he gets defensive and says I’m acting like money is everything. How do I talk about this without sounding heartless? /s/ Broke Man
Dear Broke Man,
Money isn’t everything. But being the only responsible adult in the house gets old fast.
You’re not mad because he earns less. You’re tired because every month looks the same and you’re the safety net.
Four years in, this isn’t a rough patch. It’s a pattern.
When you talk to him, don’t attack. Just be clear. Say, “I don’t mind earning more. I mind feeling like I’m carrying this alone.”
If he hears that and steps up, good. If he turns it into “you care too much about money,” that’s deflection.
A man doesn’t have to make more than you. But he does have to show effort, planning, and pride in contributing.
Love feels different when you don’t feel drained.
And resentment grows quietly. Don’t ignore that. /s/ Doctor Love
Dear Doctor Love,
I’ve been seeing this man for a few months now and I really do like him. He treats me good, he’s consistent, and when we’re together everything feels right. But here’s the problem… he still lives with his ex, and he says it’s “because of the children.” According to him, they’re not together anymore and nothing is going on, but I can’t help feeling uneasy about it.
He tells me they sleep in separate rooms and that they’re only staying under the same roof until things get easier financially. Sometimes he’ll tell me he can’t answer the phone because she’s around, or he’ll message me late at night like he has to hide. That alone makes me feel like something isn’t right.
I’ve tried to be understanding because I know it’s hard raising children and rent isn’t cheap these days, but deep down I feel like I’m sharing a man that still belongs to somebody else. I don’t want to be the “outside woman” without even knowing it. He keeps telling me I need to trust him and stop overthinking, but I feel like my feelings are valid. /s/ Boyfriend’s living condition
Dear Boyfriend’s Living Condition,
If you have to be quiet to exist, that’s already your answer.
I understand co-parenting under one roof. Life is expensive. Kids complicate things. That part can be real.
But hiding calls? Messaging only when it’s safe? That’s not clean.
Ask yourself one simple question: does his situation feel open and settled, or does it feel secretive and unfinished?
You shouldn’t feel like you’re borrowing someone else’s man.
Trust isn’t built by someone telling you to stop thinking. It’s built by actions that make you feel secure.
Right now, your gut is talking. Don’t silence it just because you like him.
If he’s truly free, he won’t need to keep you in the shadows. /s/ Doctor Love
Doctor Love is the islands, and possibly the world’s greatest authority on just about everything. The Doctor answers questions concerning any subject except religion or politics. Persons needing additional assistance or counseling should contact Family Services Division at 227-7541. The opinions herein are not necessarily of The San Pedro Sun. Write Doctor Love at PO Box 51, San Pedro Town, Belize, or email: [email protected]
