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

[bdahunter]

I received a PM asking what it's like to live and work in Bermuda, so I'm reposting this description of life on a tropical island, not just Bermuda.

So What's it REALLY Like to Live and Work on a Tropical Island??

I've lived and worked on two tropical islands in the last 5 years and I'm sure there will be other tropical paradises in the future that I'll call home. As a result, I get a lot of questions from people back home (Canada) about what it's really like. Lots of folks in the Great White North fantasize about living some place warm and sunny, especially in the dead of winter. So here's what I've got to say about it:

The Climate
It's HOT!!, not just warm but at times it is mind boggling hot and very humid, remember that you're on an island so you're surrounded by the ocean and that means HUMIDITY. Some islands are better than others in this regard, Bermuda where I live right now is more temperate and gets it's warm climate from being nestled in the Gulfstream; Mustique in the West Indies was unbearably hot in summer and just plain hot in the winter. Without this heat though, you wouldn't have the swaying palms and blue azure waters on a pristine beach that so many imagine when they think of tropical islands. Are the beautiful vegetation and clear waters off of secluded beaches worth it? Let's talk about that.

The Work
If you are moving to an island to work you will have to have specialized skills, the supply of which cannot be met locally; otherwise you will not get a work permit from the island's immigration authority. Islands are by nature Small and the only resources are typically that lush vegetation, unlimited sun, warm blue waters and pristine beaches that we all dream about on a cold winter's day. Being small the island has to protect the jobs available for the local islanders first and only when a position can't be filled locally will it be offered to a foreigner. That's right, foreigner, you'll be a long way from Kansas, Toto and you will stick out like a sore thumb to the locals who may be welcoming but more likely a little resentful of your being on their island. Part of that is because you will be making a lot more money than most of the locals; you have specialized skills and the market rate is high for those skills. You will be provided accommodation, transportation and usually at least a food allowance; all of which will typically be better than what the average local has so you can't blame them for being a little resentful. This cherry remuneration package also means that your employer is going to want to get the most bang for his buck so expect LONG hours, at least 5.5 days a week of 10 hour days, usually more. It's the only way for the employer to recoup the big expense of bringing a specialist foreigner to his island; I say his because your employer will be a local as virtually all islands have protectionist measures against foreigners owning businesses on their island. If you want to go into business for yourself you will need a local partner with a controlling interest in the company on most islands. You'll also have to develop patience somewhere in the magnitude of Job because you will have a largely local work force and they will do everything on island time, read S-L-O-W. This can be very frustrating initially if you are used to a fast North American pace of work but don't try and change the locals to your way of thinking because they won't change no matter what you do and having home field advantage you will lose, probably getting thrown off the island to boot.
So you'll be surrounded by paradise but largely unable to enjoy it except on Sunday which is your day off.

Sundays
Most islands are very religious, at least on Sundays so everyone is expected to go to church, a bit of a problem if you are not a churchgoer in the first place. The Sabbath is also your only certain day off so now you will be busy trying to get all the domestic things done that you didn't have time for during the week because you were working your buns off trying to keep the boss happy with his investment in you. Unfortunately, just about everything is closed on an island on a Sunday, after all you're supposed to be in Church with everybody else, so getting anything done is going to be a bit of a problem. You might as well go to the beach or try to see the local attractions, if there are any besides the beach and if they're open on a Sunday; probably not. Don't even try to buy liquor or beer for your trip to the beach because it will not be for sale anywhere on a Sunday, No Killdevil on a Sunday. In Bermuda, where the grocery stores are open for 5 hours after church the liquor section is chained off and special covers are draped over the racks of alcohol to prevent your eyes from sinning on the Sabbath, just by viewing the stuff. Basically, Sundays for those who don't attend church will be a chance to recharge your batteries, lick your wounds and get ready for another busy week.

Accommodation
On Mustique I shared a beautiful estate house on the ocean with my Master Carpenter and whatever other expats (foreign workers) were down doing work for the company. I had a cook, maid and gardener to take care of the place while I worked and it was all part of the package (I think the rent was $5,500/mth four years ago). Wives were not an option on the island of Mustique so one has to be able to handle a long-distance relationship; this was a short term contract. Bermuda was different and I have a housing allowance which is the other option normally. My wife was able to join me in Bermuda after a year and we live happily in a small, 1 bedroom cottage on the water but it costs more than the housing allowance ($2,200/mth plus, plus which is actually an excellent deal for Bermuda) Did I mention that islands are small and as a result rents are very expensive?? If accommodation is not provided in your employment contract you better factor this item into the equation before signing the contract. Something else to bear in mind when considering accommodation is the fact that you won't be spending a lot of time there because you will either be working or enjoying the outdoors because the weather is generally favourable. Spending a lot of time indoors is just not done on an island where everything of value is outdoors, so if you are a home body you're going to be disappointed hole up in a tiny 1 bedroom basement.

Food
If you are an adventurous eater then the islands have a lot to offer. Local cuisine in the Caribbean is often spicy and the menu contains items you've never seen before like Callaloo soup, Conch fritters, Spiny Lobster, Paw paw, Christophan, Taro, Fish chowders with rum, yams and of course Goat, etc., etc. Most islands don't have fast food because they are too small or like Bermuda because they banned all franchises back in the 1960's (KFC got in just under the wire and does a riotous business). Food is also very expensive by North American standards, in Bermuda we budget $50 US per bag of groceries we buy. Food is expensive because the majority of the food you buy is brought in by container ships, frozen food can be a little dicey depending upon how long it sat on the dock and whether it went through a few freeze, thaw cycles; remember things happen on island time. If the food ship doesn't come in because of bad weather, your diet can get a little Spartan but this rarely happens except when there are hurricanes. Fish is usually in good supply so you best not have a seafood allergy as beef and poultry tend to be expensive, potato chips and other foods with large volume per weight tend to be expensive due to shipping costs (how would you like to pay $6 for a regular bag of Lays potato chips??). If you Love fish you'll be in seventh heaven as the waters abound with every species imaginable and it can't get any fresher. Do decline any offer to eat a fish called Breem though, also known as the sh!t bibbler, with its' diet you don't want to eat it even if the locals assure you about how tasty it is. Fruits are picked from the tree when they are ripe so they will put store bought fruit to shame in the flavour department, a nice bonus for living where the fruit is grown, at least when it's in season.

Pests
Rats, cockroaches, scorpions, centipedes, snakes, mosquitoes, ants and other various pests are part and parcel of the island experience, you just can't escape them but you can take precautions. Rats are the most adaptable species after humans and they are on every island that a ship has ever visited, so every single one. Try to think of them as squirrels without the fancy tails and don't encourage them to take up residence with you. Cockroaches are another fact of life as the climate is idyllic for them and they grow to enormous proportions, it's not about cleanliness it's just that they're always going to be around, perhaps even after a nuclear holocaust. Avoid the temptation to use a product called Baygon which is like Raid on steroids, it's banned in North America but available on all the islands, this stuff is lethal and has a half life of about a month so you should use it sparingly if at all. Diatomic earth is a white powder you can spread around the entrances to your home and it's like broken glass to insects, punching holes in their exoskeletons and causing them to leak out and die. It also helps some people in Bermuda to call cockroaches, Palmetto bugs but let's face it they're big fat, ugly, flying roaches. Centipedes in the tropics are about 6" long and reddish brown, they deliver a nasty bite similar to a scorpion, diatomic earth works on them to but I'd be tempted to reach for the Baygon rather than wait to let them leak away; ditto for scorpions. Snakes don't exist in Bermuda but the rest of the islands usually have them, they tend to be more aggressive than North American species so avoid them. Anti-venom is not as widely available as it is back home, so this could be a problem if you work in their environment. Mosquitoes tend to be a small, black variety that operates in stealth mode, you never hear them coming and the chance of malaria is always out there. There's not much you can do about it though, especially on an island like Mustique which is French for mosquito. Good screens and bug dope help but this fortunately is usually only a problem in the rainy season; they're also a good excuse to have a gin and tonic as the tonic has quinine in it and who would even think of drinking tonic water without some gin it to smooth it out. Ants are omnipresent and become even more obvious when it rains and they move to higher ground, this usually means your house and possibly your bed or kitchen counter. It's never nice to wake up to a counter full of hundreds of ants when all you really want is your morning coffee, try spraying the point of entry with vinegar as this seems to deter them while providing a nice fresh smell to the house. You're probably going to be spending a fair bit of time in the ocean as it is the natural playground on an island as well as an excellent place to cool off when the mercury is in the nineties. The ocean is a big place so use your common sense or you'll wind up swimming with the sharks, literally as I've done on two occasions. Also be aware that the pit bull is the dog of choice on most islands where they haven't already been banned. Dogs are considered security first and pets last so they can be ferocious, this is an important note for those you who like to go jogging.

Local Cultures
I might have said 'the black/white thing' because this is just a fact of life. Bad stuff has happened in the past on these islands between blacks and whites and the history is still fresh in some people's minds. As a white guy you are just going to have to deal with it, at least on some level because in the islands, you are the minority. I'm not suggesting some bleeding heart apology for all the wrongs done in the history of mankind but you have to accept the fact that it is what it is. None of us were around when this happened and we're not personally responsible for the ills of the past but these past wrongs will rise up and bite you in the @ss from time to time. That said, you will do yourself a disservice if you spend your time in the islands only associating with other expats (foreigners). There are great people everywhere on these islands and it's up to you to be open to the opportunity of these friendships. Through your local friends you will be able to see the islands through a completely different perspective, which is fascinating, fun and educational. This exposure to local culture will help you understand the people you work with and associate with, making you a more well rounded person. The culture really is the biggest part of the experience of living and working on a tropical island.

The Scenery
It's Absolutely Gorgeous, take time to smell the roses, or the bougainvillea, or the oleanders, etc., etc. The sunsets are stunning and romantic and the beaches are pristine, especially in low tourist season. (My favorite time of the year) After a bad day at work, there's nothing better than going to your local restaurant where all the staff know your name, ordering a drink and watching the sun sink into the ocean while you wait for your dinner to arrive.

A life and career in paradise is there only for the asking, the question is do you want to ask for it?

Cheers,

BDA

PS: I forgot booze and drugs.
Booze is readily available and cheap, especially the rum. A lot of social activities revolve around alcohol and unless you are a teatotaller you going to be drinking more than you do back home. A good way to keep your alcohol intake down is to get a hobby, metal detecting is a good one! Don't forget that all those tourists who come to the islands leave behind lots of gold and silver goodies on the hotel beaches and in the water.
Drugs - readily available - Just Say NO!

[gordiesgirl]

Hello BDA, Great info, I visited Bermuda in 1999 and thought it was very nice but not sure if I would want to live there. The roads are very narrow how do you find the driving?? The beaches were awesome and I know you find lots of great stuff. I guess there are good and bad points no matter where you live, Thanks for sharing.

[homefire]

Yep! Reminds me of some holes, I've lived in! My days of Travel on the other side of the doted line, are Over!

[Buster]

That is a lot of info BDA...Not sure I would do well there..I would like to visit someday, but work and live there would be hard...Hats off to you for getting along so well there...Buster...

[bdahunter]

Originally Posted by gordiesgirl

Hello BDA, Great info, I visited Bermuda in 1999 and thought it was very nice but not sure if I would want to live there. The roads are very narrow how do you find the driving?? The beaches were awesome and I know you find lots of great stuff. I guess there are good and bad points no matter where you live, Thanks for sharing.

The roads are a real challenge GG. Driving on the left hand side of the road with roundabouts instead of intersections is just the beginning. It's almost impossible to find more than 100 yards of straight road and the roads are very narrow. Often there is nothing between you and a drop off over a cliff to the rocks below, sometimes you get lucky and have a small curb wall that may hang you up and keep you from going over the edge. Half of the vehicles on the roads are scooters driven at break neck speed by locals and foreigners alike. What's amazing is that even though the roads are narrow, motorcyclists feel that there is an imaginary third lane between the two lanes of traffic and they will pass up the middle. It's exciting and challenging to drive on these roads. Just remember to not play chicken with the buses or the taxis as they will run you down without a second thought.

Cheers,

BDA

[Zman]

Thanks for sharing,enjoyable read!!!!I think it would be a great experience for the short term, but could see where it would pose a couple of challenges.

[EPC Guy]

Although I don't live in Hawaii, I average about a week per month here in Honolulu, and I have to say it's a very nice place to visit. Live here? Hell, no!

First of all, like BDA has said, EVERYTHING is expensive...food, clothing, cars - you name it - you pay a premium for it.

I work in the energy conservation business...a good average cost for electricity on the mainland would be somewhere around 7 to 10 cents a Kwh, with 10 cents getting on the high side...on Kauai, the cost is now 43 cents per Kwh!

The biggest source of irritation for me is the traffic. The main highways on Oahu (where I stay) is H1, H2 and H3...which are nearly always bumper to bumper. No one gets in a hurry (except me) - so to avoid looking like a Howlie (a derrogatory term for mainlander) I bite my tongue, keep my hand off the horn and steam in the privacy of my car.

Having said that - I find most of the people very polite, friendly and courteous...it might be because the main source of income is tourism - so it pays to be nice - I don't know....but I enjoy meeting them and making friends.

Now, as I look off my balcony at the beautiful azure ocean and gaze at Diamondhead towering just down the beach - I realize that although it's 3:30 in the afternoon here - it's actually 7:30 p.m. according to my internal clock - and I'm late for my daily Mai Tais...so, as BDA always signs off..."Cheers"!

EPC (Shawn)

[rip]

Boy do I love NY Well at least a couple of months of the year when it's not frozen solid anyhow. As far as work go's ya know I alllllllllllllways go the extra mile. Great post bud.

[janiece]

What a great read and full of info, too! As enticing as island life might sound, I really do not like hot weather so I'll just come to visit Bermuda and Hawaii if that's okay.

Side note: I never really had the urge to go to Hawaii until I saw a documentary on native dance and the men who are reviving/maintaining the tradition. And I do love tropical flowers and fresh fruit.

[prizm-pal]

Bda I really enjoyed that thanks....couple questions I made most of my living in the plumbing trade 25pluss years worked for a big outfit 50 plus employes big for a plumbing company anyway there were seven foreman me being one of them and low on that todempole,I got all the workers no one could work with....I got along just fine they had to know how to be treated...I would have a meeting with the whole gang Mon. morning explaining what I thought should be done by Fri at noon of that week and if done we would spend Fri. afternoon having nice dinner and drinks almost always they had most done by Thur. afternoon...we were called f troop but the boss was happy... myself and crew.....wow sorry anyway how do you meet you're deadlines with expecting boss and lack luster slow island crew....the driving I remember you telling me 50cc limit on bike motors?...the bugs are something to be dealt with...and like you I think I would like to spend time and befriend the locals instead of only keeping with the other imported workers...and drugs you say what is there alot of local grown weed...this being so long maybe I should have pmed this to you but being a one fingered typer would take too long now Thanks Bda the way you wrote this felt like I was there...and don't be looking under the tarps at the devils water on the sabath! ME!