So What's It Really Like to Live/Work on a Tropical Island?

[creekrat]

I took a stroll though the Bahamamas,mexico a few years back and enjoyed the beaches and scenery ,but couldnt wait to get back home .its good to get out and see how good you got it, ant no place like home is there? ...creek

[bdahunter]

Originally Posted by creekrat

I took a stroll though the Bahamamas,mexico a few years back and enjoyed the beaches and scenery ,but couldnt wait to get back home .its good to get out and see how good you got it, ant no place like home is there? ...creek

I'd have to agree with you on that point Creekrat, at least for most folks. Some of us have a wanderlust that's like an itch that's got to be scratched, I'm one of those. In my experience living on tropical islands isn't for everyone. I expect that 1 in 3 workers that I bring to Bermuda from 'away' won't last the 3 months of an initial temporary work permit. Many times I've had a new worker fail to report in for work only to find that he's jumped a plane home the night before, no word and no warning. It's really not everybody's cup of tea, living so far away from hearth and home. Being adaptable seems to be the key ingredient that determines who enjoys this kind of experience and who regrets their decision to move to Bermuda.
Personally it works but what could be better for a pirate like myself than to live and work on a pirate island.

Cheers,

BDA

[KellycoChick]

BDA I'm sure your ability to adapt is in no small way related to your ability to communicate. As always, your post is thoughtful, well-written and engaging... if I were your English teacher I'd give you an "A" You are an exceptional writer and communicator.

But seriously, THANK YOU for taking the time to write this. I'm sure we've all been amazed and awed at your environment, your finds, your pictures - but the day to day life is where it's reeeally at.

Myself; I alternate between the urge to run to NYC (the complete opposite of how I was raised, maybe thats why?) and the urge to throw my cell phone away, hop on a plane to Jamaica and NEVER look back. I'm an Aries through and through - I love extremes and rarely do anything mediocre.

Life on an island is certainly one extremity... but the bartender in me is appalled by the treatment of liquor so I'll stay put for now.

[bdahunter]

I hear ya, KC. Alcohol abuse is a big problem on most islands I've lived on, including one in Canada. Perhaps it's because there is no place to go and not always a lot to do, at least something new. I lose quite a few foreign workers to boozebecause they spend too much of their free time drinking, which is easy on an island where most social activities revolve around drinking. Usually the workers who over indulge in alcohol are injured in motorcycle accidents or they just become dispondent due to excessive drinking. The construction industry is pretty alcohol accepting but eventually either the guy's health or his productivity fails and he's down the road kicking stones.(not a lot of pity in my industry either) I do what I can to take care of my men but they're grown men and I can only advise them as to the pitfalls they face working away from home. Mostly the guys just get homesick and don't last more than a year. I had a tough time of it when my Princess was still living in Canada during my 1st year in Bermuda but you adapt or you perish.

Cheers Hon,

BDA
PS Thanks for the compliment on my writing skills but I doubt you'd want to be my English Prof. I was and still am a difficult student to deal with.

[schoser]

very interesting, BDA. sorta reminds me of the two months i spent in Palm Beach, Fla, working on a beach house...not the same , i know...but similar sounding. i loved it.

[Joker]

Great info.. I love visiting but no thanks to living on one... thanks for the info

[cntrydncr1]

very interesting BDA, thanks for sharing. Love the islands but it will be Florida for me; not quite as expensive but still tropical.

[Georgia girl]

Great reading I think tropical paradises are a nice place to visit but I wouldnt want to live there. Too many tourists. Hats off to you for doing an extreme climate change, now you need to tell the tale of our cold and snowy homeland.

[Ric-san]

BDA nice synopsis... The closet I ever came to this was being stationed on the island of Okinawa, Japan for a year. I thought that was a small place, 60 miles long by approximately 2 miles wide, with one area being 20 miles wide. Turns out its about 456 square miles, quite bigger than the Bahamas. They do drive on the left also and the population density there in the south of the island where most of the USAF and USMC bases are is nuts. As of 2001, there were about 2,800 people per square mile. Thats quite a population density. By contrast Tokyo had 3,300 per square mile around the same time...Everything is small there by comparison to the U.S. Cars, roads, homes, furniture, even refrigerators...I always wondered why there were so many drink vending machines on almost every corner, but it turns out if company comes over, you head over to the corner to get some drinks...(coke, beiru or as they say beer, or even coffee...cold or hot). I guess now with fuel being so expensive here in the U.S., we might soon be driving all of those small cars they have there now as gas was in 2003 I think 4-5 times as expensive as on the base (at the time I think we paid $1.70 gallon). I immersed myself in their culture and for the most part was tolerated as a gai-jing, they respect you for trying there. Expensive was the word. I think one apple was $4-5. A watermelon was like $20. I wish I had been into metal detecting, but I'm sure there is just a ton of unexploded ordnance all over buried. They found a WW2 hand grenade on our running course on the Marine Air base of Futenma, the habu trail. It would have been neat though to md there...I do plan on going back one day soon to visit the rest of the island that I didn't see...Thanks again for your insight BDA

Rick

[Gary]

I always enjoy reading about far away places.Great post hunter!Would I like to live there?Heck no! I hate All of those critters you mentioned.I dont like humidity or driving behind someone just creeping along.I guess I'm just spoiled.