[Sandra_18X]

Ah but you will always run into a con artist or six here - more in the nature of Get the Gringo dollar unless you |ONLY go to the country club with the internationals or hang with high end people.. not as if high end ie rich people are going to have anything to do with a foreigner.

My first two cons in the City I met were at the English speaking church.. certainly a place to meet good people.. Also a place for people to find you and "befriend" you and ask for a favor or six.. usually can you find me work or give me a referral or loan me some money.

Remember that this is a poor island - and that they are USED to asking foreigners for help - da me algo.. on the street or organized ngos which look for money on a grander scale,.

I have had elaborate cons run on me by University professors so education and standing are not a guarantee of not running a con. But I do think that they think of it as a con the way we do. As in they just do what the leaders do.

I am not sure that I am being clear. But it is difficult to find folks who do not expect you to give them something just because you are foreign. This is just the way of things. Avoid it from the beginning and you will have less trouble.

Do remember that this is a pirates cove.

Sometimes the ex pats are more dangerous than the locals.

I do not think that you will get involved with the cartels unless you are messing with their drug business.

But you most likely will meet more folks here that look at you as a way to get something for themselves