Aug 7, 2026 · 28 min · 9 segments
· Avoid Facebook expat groups — they create a dependency bubble full of know-it-alls, sellers, and political ranting. · WhatsApp is essential in Latin America; without it you’re basically cut off…
Johnny MuellerHost
He says, You're so right about those terrible expat Facebook sites you advise newbie expats to seriously avoid.
He says, I started out at the very beginning of my expat journey hooking up with the fake book expat sites thinking they had tremendous insight into living in Latin America that me as a green gringo would take years to possess otherwise.
At first, he says, it was great connecting with other expats who had answers to every question I could possibly ask.
But as time went on, I saw seriously disturbing trends and I totally changed my opinion about their so-called wisdom.
Even when I first started having doubts, I was determined to stay with it and make it work for me, I thought.
And the people behind those sites and opinions, I had no idea who they were or why I should trust them.
Many were just trying to sell something or creating an image of being a know-it-all.
Because if you do, you're giving a vote of confidence to a system you don't really believe in anymore.
Listen, when you're a newbie gringo and you go to one of those Facebook expat sites, You want info about your new country.
The last thing you want to hear is someone paddling on about their political opinions about a place they left.
Anyhow, I found myself depending on so-called experts I didn't even know, never met personally, and people who didn't even know Spanish.
And now I'm totally off those sites and all social media except WhatsApp because, as you know, WhatsApp is the grease that makes the wheels move in Latin America.
He says, You're so right about those terrible expat Facebook sites you advise newbie expats to seriously avoid.
He says, I started out at the very beginning of my expat journey hooking up with the fake book expat sites thinking they had tremendous insight into living in Latin America that me as a green gringo would take years to possess otherwise.
At first, he says, it was great connecting with other expats who had answers to every question I could possibly ask.
But as time went on, I saw seriously disturbing trends and I totally changed my opinion about their so-called wisdom.
Even when I first started having doubts, I was determined to stay with it and make it work for me, I thought.
And the people behind those sites and opinions, I had no idea who they were or why I should trust them.
Many were just trying to sell something or creating an image of being a know-it-all.
Because if you do, you're giving a vote of confidence to a system you don't really believe in anymore.
Listen, when you're a newbie gringo and you go to one of those Facebook expat sites, You want info about your new country.
The last thing you want to hear is someone paddling on about their political opinions about a place they left.
Anyhow, I found myself depending on so-called experts I didn't even know, never met personally, and people who didn't even know Spanish.
And now I'm totally off those sites and all social media except WhatsApp because, as you know, WhatsApp is the grease that makes the wheels move in Latin America.
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