Marilyn Brautigam resides in Tegulcigapa, Honduras with her husband Harry who is President and Chairman of CABEI, the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI). The Honduras-based bank has an agenda to back regional development initiatives through carefully targeted project loans and assistance, both in the private and public sectors. CABEI focuses on three core areas – poverty reduction, regional integration and international competitiveness. Its portfolio includes several critical infrastructure projects. Last year, it disbursed a record $1.1bn to projects across the region including the modernization of El Salvador’s roads and Costa Rica’s mobile telephone network.
Marilyn, a former teacher of ESL (English as a Second Language) at Florida International University, is involved with several charitable organizations in Honduras. Because of her husband’s position, she has had unique opportunities for travel throughout the world and has dined with world leaders, including prime ministers, presidents, and ambassadors.
1. What inspired you to become a BoomerScaper?
We live overseas because of my husband’s job, international development banking.
2. Is there a particular story or moment when you realized “I’m not in Kansas anymore”?
The way we live is very restricted—we have bodyguards that stay with us, go with us wherever we go. We have lost privacy because of the nature of the culture we live in, and the post we have been “assigned” to while we are here.
3. What advantages does your adopted country offer over a more traditional post-career life in the USA?
Let’s see—maids, gardeners, chauffeurs, low cost of living, ability to travel (mostly because of the nature of the job, which will change once it is over).
4. It’s your birthday. BoomerScape just gave you an all expenses paid trip to any destination in the world. Where are you going? What are you going to do there?
I would love to visit the Holy Land, and Turkey, and tour the area with someone who knows/teaches Biblical history and archeology.
5. What do you see when you look out your window in the morning?
I see El Hatillo, a beautiful mountain, and the statue of Jesus, looking down over the city, similar to the one in Rio de Janeiro. The view at night is also spectacular.
6. If you could change one thing about your new home country, what would it be?
I would wave my magic wand and eliminate poverty, corruption, and violence.
7. Pretend you work for the tourism board and you have to convince me to come visit your new home country. In a sentence or two, what would your sales pitch be?
The islands off the northern coast of Honduras are some of the most beautiful in the world, and more or less “undiscovered”. The diving is fabulous (the second largest barrier reef after Australia’s), the seafood spectacular, and the people friendly. I would also recommend visiting Copan Ruinas, a Mayan city of pyramids.
8. What is the most adventurous and/or spontaneous thing you have ever done?
Ridden “full out” over the pampas of Argentina on a quarter horse that belongs to some friends who own a cattle ranch outside of Buenos Aires. Thrilling!
9. What would you say is the defining moment of your generation? Why?
Woodstock. Kent State riots. These two events stick in my mind as benchmarks in the changing of our culture from the “old to the new” in terms of cultural mores.
10. If you could be any character from a favorite childhood book, movie or TV show, who would you be? Why?
Arriety, one of The Borrowers, my favorite childhood book…to live in a world under the floorboards, invisible to the world above.
11. If you could Boomerscape in any one place, where would you choose and why?
I have enjoyed living in Honduras, and after almost four years consider it to be "home" in many ways. The key for me has been to get involved in the language, culture and people. The people are warm and friendly and very open to foreigners living here. Coming from the States, it was at first overwhelming to see so many Hondurans living in poverty, but on a personal level, trying to make a difference in the lives of the some of the people we have come into contact with here has been gratifying. The advantage of living in Honduras is that it is only two hours away from my other "home", Florida--we have the best of both worlds!
12. Given no constraints, describe your perfect day.
Get up early, make coffee, have breakfast with my family (all of them in the same spot, preferably in our home), and spend the rest of the day “chillin” with them. And of course, a few hours reading a REALLY good book.
13. What final words of advice would you give to others considering BoomerScaping?
Make sure you research the country thoroughly, spend time learning the language, and don’t buy land unless you have a good local lawyer that can guide you through the process! Get involved in volunteering at any hospital, school, church—so much help is needed in most of these countries.
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