The Great Escape: Month 8 in El Salvador

Eight months ago, we left Canada behind — driven out by the rising cost of living, government overreach, and a crumbling healthcare system. We packed a 20-foot container, 12 suitcases, 5 backpacks, 3 cats, 3 kids, and moved to El Salvador — a country once feared, now flourishing with opportunity, safety, and hope. In this video, I share our emotional journey, the culture we’ve embraced, the challenges we’ve faced, our monthly cost of living breakdown, and why we believe El Salvador offers a brighter future for families.
👉 Learn why Canada and the USA are no longer the "safe havens" they once were — and why more people are choosing freedom over fear.
📲 Join our WhatsApp relocation group and weekly calls! (AMA Weekly meet up
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~~~~~ 📲 Join our WhatsApp relocation group and weekly calls! ~~~~~
~~~~~ Monday, April 28 · 7:00 – 9:00pm ~~~~~
~~~~~ Time zone: America/El_Salvador ~~~~~
~~~~~ Google Meet joining info ~~~~~
~~~~~ Video call link: https://meet.google.com/phr-fiam-pzw ~~~~~
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🔔 Don’t forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and HIT THE BELL for more updates on expat life in El Salvador!
🔥 Support our fundraiser for the local school’s parking lot! 🔥
🔗 GiveSendGo: https://www.givesendgo.com/El-Salvador-school-parking
🔗 Blink Wallet & Bitcoin Lightning payments available
If you want to donate with lightning, I set up a new wallet just for this, please use
https://pay.blink.sv/Charity_Hagenaars
📌Website: www.hagenaars.com
✉️ Email: [email protected]
📘 Facebook: www.facebook.com/charitygallenhagenaars/
🐦 Follow us on Twitter/X: https://x.com/HagenaarsFamily
📸 Instagram: www.instagram.com/charity_gallen_hagenaars/
📺 Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HagenaarsFamily/
📲 Follow us on Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/CharityHagenaars
☀️ Follow us on Brighteon: https://www.brighteon.com/channels/HFamily

00:00 Introduction
01:12 The People and the Culture
03:17 The Cost of Living
07:18 The Food
12:18 Safety and Security
16:57 Adjusting the the Language
19:26 Infrastructure and Utilities
24:25 Reflecting on the Journey