"Everyone was in shock." A Belarusian IT specialist explained why she chose Venezuela for life

"Venezuela is a dream, but not mine, it's my friend's"

Venezuela is a dream, but not mine, it's my friend's. She had been here before, fell in love with the country at first sight and longed to come back.

I just came for a vacation to visit her, but just in case, I prepared to extend my visa and look for work (from previous experience, I thought I would find it quickly). And in the end, I stayed for several months.

I lived on Margarita Island and can only talk about it — everything might be different on the mainland.

Before Venezuela, I worked for a European company. When I announced that I planned to live in Venezuela for some time, they told me it was inconvenient for them (I wasn't going to work according to European time, because I'm a night owl, waking up before 9 am is torture for me). By the way, a friend of mine works from Venezuela for Belarus from 2 am to 10 am.

Nevertheless, I worked for this European company from Venezuela for some time: they asked me to help with some tasks on a freelance basis. In this online format, we worked one or two hours a day. It was more difficult to solve urgent issues, but for me, it was not critical.

At work, of course, everyone was shocked by my choice of country. But then they saw the photos, many liked it.

The nature on Margarita is very beautiful: the Caribbean Sea, green mountains, pink salt lakes, beaches straight out of tourist website photos — all of this is here.

Cargo-bureaucracy

I got acquainted with the local cargo-bureaucracy. Adhering to formalities practically guarantees a result; no one will dig deeper than the submitted papers. On the other hand, Spanish is very much needed, at least A2: even in the immigration service, they don't speak English.

However, people here are very friendly, will show genuine interest in you, and offer help.

Павялічыць

Electricity is cut off daily

Instability and hyperinflation, with which Venezuela is associated in the news, are 100% true. Electricity is cut off daily. For those lucky with the area, electricity might only go out for 15 minutes, while others sit without it for several hours, waiting. Locals who need it all have uninterruptible power supplies. And in job vacancies, there's even a requirement to provide a screenshot of the speed of the main internet connection and a backup connection (I tether from my mobile, but my reception isn't great).

Home internet on Margarita is fast, mobile not so much (but I had one of the cheapest mobile plans), 65 and 15 Mbps respectively. If you have a new laptop, an hour-long blackout is not scary; personally, it didn't bother me. But there can be unpleasant moments if the electricity goes out during a video call. Internet prices are more expensive than in Belarus.

Water supply is specific

Water supply is specific: every apartment and house has tanks that are filled with water. In apartments, water is supplied twice a week, but not always on schedule; in houses, it might be once a month. Lately, water has become quite unstable; people have protested several times already.

It took me the longest to get used to this specific water supply and its cycles. For me, all of this doesn't look particularly hygienic — it's like washing dishes in a river while camping. I had vaccinations for two types of hepatitis and tetanus, so I tried not to think too much about it — people live here somehow.

Prices like Belarusian, but sometimes "like Belarusian, only in dollars"

Prices in supermarkets for some products are approximately like Belarusian ones, while for others — like Belarusian, but in dollars (meaning what costs three rubles for us, here will cost $3). On average, it turns out a little more expensive. City bus tickets, while I lived on Margarita, tripled in price.

Clothing costs more or less the same as in Belarus, but household appliances and furniture are terribly expensive. A laptop that can be bought for $600 in the USA will be twice as expensive here.

People with European appearance are not harmed (on the island)

From a security perspective on the island, it seems calmer than in the continental part of the country. As I was told, people with a European appearance here will not be harmed. From practice, I can say that people are friendly, greet you, say something. In this case, I had a standby phrase prepared: "perdón, no hablo español" ("excuse me, I don't speak Spanish"). My Spanish was enough to understand greetings and answer where I was from. Usually, Venezuelans first thought I was German, then took me for Russian. But they know about Belarus and Belarusians; most understand the difference.

Rent — you can live lavishly for $500

Renting housing on Margarita is cheaper than in Minsk: for $300 you can find a decent one-room apartment, and for $500 you can really live lavishly. The apartment layouts there are not Belarusian — to our taste, apartments will have a lot of space. Utility prices — it depends. On the one hand, an electricity bill of $5 a month. But in any apartment building, there will be a so-called "administrative fee," equal to a month's rent. Moreover, it is usually paid immediately for the entire contract period (3-6-12 months). By the way, some condominiums have monthly payments.

Павялічыць

Cards, cash, crypto

Cash in Venezuela can be withdrawn at a high interest rate and only up to $1000 per month. So I simply brought cash with me to Margarita and spent it as needed. Binance is widely used here; almost everything can be paid through it. Belarusian Visa/Mastercard also worked everywhere. On Margarita, dollars are commonly used. I only needed local currency on the bus, but even there you could pay with dollars.

There are options for international transfers and cash, but it's a long story to tell, and the situation is constantly changing. In six months, it will definitely be outdated.

I spent two months dealing with Payoneer, and now Belarusian accounts are completely banned there. It's a pity; it used to be a good argument for hiring (employers trust potential employees with Payoneer more than those who ask for salary in crypto).

Павялічыць

Venezuela is not an easy country to live in. It is currently in a difficult situation. Locals assured me that the situation would improve soon. But my economic education does not allow me to believe that. Come in 5-10 years; it will be good here. But not now. For myself, I decided that if my salary allows, I'd rather try neighboring Colombia. But I will also return to Venezuela again.

If you are seriously considering this region for relocation, carefully weigh everything.

Such a decision will be costly. Flights are expensive, especially if you don't have a Schengen visa or a US visa. Housing in Latin America is also not cheap everywhere. Local salaries can be good, but not in Venezuela. Don't forget about vaccinations; even the local flu can scare you. Be prepared to encounter centipedes, scorpions, and cockroaches (if you're "lucky" — right in your home). It will be constantly hot; sweat will pour in streams.

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