4127

I am a 55 year old African American woman living in the South who seeks adventure and is a cultural arts producer by profession. I may have an opportunity to relocate to St. Kitts for a job opportunity. Should I give it a try?

PS. No children and a husband who is ok not having me at home if I'm making good money.

RoamsAround

Whether or not you should elocate to St. Kitts for a job opportunity is really something only you can decide. Assuming you are offered the job and are granted the required Work Permit you should know that living on an island is far different than living back home (FYI I speak frm experienc as I have a home on a neighboring island).

First, you mentioned your husband is "OK with not having you at home" - that will be your first hurdle. If you are both comfortable with that then it will be a big plus. I can tell you that when I'm back in the states and my spouse is "on-island" we miss each other a great deal and it is not easy being seperated. It's also very time consuming and quite expensive to "commute" back and forth for short visits so give that consideration when making your decision.

You also mentioned you'd be "making good money". I don't know exactly what that means but by and large wages on the island are going to be lower than for comparable jobs back in the states. That may not be the case with your job - only you know that but it is something you have to think about.

You should also be aware that living expenses are most likely going to be significantly higher then they are "back home" (unless you live in a major city like NY in which case they'll be similar or slightly higer. What that means is you'll be spending a greater percentage of the "good money you are making" on your day to day living expenses (FYI electricity is very expensive so expect very high bills if you use a lot of A/C).

Some other things about island life that you might find useful:

St. Kitts is relatively small any many non-islanders develope "rock fever" because they get bored not being able to take a ride out to the country or go to a major shopping mall.

Before making your decision, visit the Virgin island relocation forum (www.vimovingcenter.com). Read everything you can n that web-site and also read through the 1,000's of threads on their relocation forum. There's a ton of information on what it is like to live on an islands. Although it is geared toward the USVI's much of what is written applies to any Caribbean island, St. Kitts included. Also get a copy of "The Settler's Handbook". It's a must read for anyone contemplating a move to the Caribbean. You can order it on that website or through many other on-line book sellers.

One of the best pieces of advice I can give you is BEFORE you make your decision you should make a Pre-Move Visit to the island. Stay for several weeks, not at a resort but in a housekeeping unit where you'll have to do everyday chores like cook, clean house, shop for groceries, do the laundry, etc. - after all you'll be doing these if you decide to relocate). Drive around the island during "rush hour" (yes, there is one) to see what your commute is like. Visit local stores and markets to see if you are comfortable with the selection (or lact thereof) of grocery items and the prices you'll be paying. Visit the water department, electric company, cable TV company, phone company to get an idea of how long you'll have to wait on line to pay your monthly bills (no mailing in payments or making on-line electronic payments here), check out neighborhoods and housing costs so you can prepare a realistic budget. Figure out how you'll get from your "new home" to work. Are you planning to get a car? If so new ones are very expensive anmd so are good quality used ones. Public transportation consists of expensive taxis or relatively inexpensive "mini-busses that pick up and drop off passengers at various places along the main island road. The thing is you may have to take 2, 3 or even 4 different ones to reach your intended destination.

In other words, during your PMV try to live like you would if the island were your home. It will help you find out if island life is for YOU.

Remember living on St. Kitts is not necessarilly better or worse than where you are no it is just very different. Some people can handle that difference others can't. Find out which one you are before making a permanant move.

cw

You have been given excellent advice.

You may also want to look or post at http://myislands.myeyez.net/forum/

Recently there have been a few people posting who have relocated to St. Kitts. They may be good resources for you.

SKBFAN1

I have often considered moving to St. Kitts. (My family is from there)

There are many pros and cons to living in St. Kitts. (Warm weather, friendly locals) Cons: food and electricity is expensive, medical insurance, salary is lower than North America.

Definitely visit www.myislands.myeyez.net and www.discover-stkitts-nevis-beaches.com for more island information.

diann24

I saw this same exact question perhaps 4 months ago or more. Didn't anyone else see it as well? It is kind of odd that if is still being asked. Didn't the opportunity present itself as of yet??