Considering relocation in 2019…any thoughts and things I need to know

Of course there is much to be learned by looking through the many past threads here as well as the drop downs at the top of the page with a wealth of information on this topic. Island Life is great for those that like it but it's not like one big vacation and not really laid back like some might think. We have our own version of the rat race.

Island time is no joke. No individual health insurance available/offered, to US citizens, although if you work in your profession I'd think you'd have employer plan coverage. Depending on where you are coming from, just about everything will be more expensive. As a professional you might be able to secure a job before moving, most are not so lucky. However, a few pre-move visits (not simply relaxing on the beach) are still recommended if you haven't already to get an idea of where you want to live, what things cost, what island life is really like, etc. You'll need to a good pot of cash in the bank for things like first/last months rent, security deposit, car unless you ship one in, short term expenses if you aren't able to secure a job before moving. The general advise is not to consider buying property for at least a year or two in order to make sure the move is relatively permanent. Selling property can take quite a while and you don't want to get stuck in a location you regret.

Agree with what Scubadoo says - if you have to work in order to live on the island (in other words you are not retired with an independent source of income) you'll find the "rats race" here much the same as they do anywhere else - it's just a different venue. Even though there are wonderful views, palm trees, golden sand beaches lapped by turquoise waters you'll still have to get up every morning, commute to work (yes, we do have our own version of rush hour), pay your bills, do your banking, go grocery shopping, do the laundry, clean your house, take care of our yard (if you have one) and do any number of everyday chores that you do where you now live. The only difference is everything moves on "island time" that means it takes longer to get things done.

For example, suppose your refrigerator goes on the fritz. You call the repair man and he says he'll be there later. What he really means is "not now" and you don't know if by later he means later that day, tomorrow or next Tuesday. When he finally does show up you find out you need a $25 part but there's none on the island and it will take 10 days to get it from Miami unless you are willing to foot the $100 Fed-Ex bill to get it in 2 days. Meanwhile you have no refrigerator.

Now, I don't know how easy or difficult it will be for you to find a job in your chosen profession but you can be sure the pay scale will probably be lower than for a comparable position where you now live and you have to weigh a lower wage against the higher cost of living that comes with island life so if part of your current aversion to the "rat race" involves trying to make ends meet you'll find that side of things exacerbated living in the Caribbean.

Another "rat race" thing to consider is your working environment. If you are fortunate to find decent paying employment there's no guaranteeing you'll have a nice boss or pleasant working conditions . That's one of the risks you take when relocating and starting a new job.

In addition to the advice offered by Scubadoo about renting rather than buying prepare yourself by bringing with you at least 6 to 9 months living expenses (the bigger your nest egg the easier your transition will be) to help tide you over until you find gainful employment and get settled in to island life. Be sure to set aside enough money to purchase a return airline ticket in case things do work out as you hope or you discover you or any family members making the move with you find out you don't like living on an island - it IS NOT everyone's cup of tea. There are challenges that come with living on an island which are difficult to explain/comprehend until you experience them first hand. Island life is a bit like living in a very small town without having the ability to easily leave that small town and travel to the "big city" for a dose of civilization.

Before you move do a lot of research, read everything on this website (use the dropdown menus), browse through the thousands of threads on this forum you'll find lots of useful information that will help guide your decision whether to more or not. Take off the rose colored glasses and look at island life, warts and all. Avoid what I call the "Yeah, buts" as when you learn something that seems negative you say to yourself "Yeah, but the weather's near perfect, and the views are tremendous". Good weather and great views are nice things to have but for most of us they don't replace the need to compete in the local "rat race". Remember, the islands may look like paradise but they are not heaven.

Good luck following your dream.

"Chief Surgical Technologist" means probably working at SRMC. You might start by discussing salaries with them. I know that they are training high school graduates as surgery techs, so the pay might be a tad below what you are currently making. There are a couple of day surgery places: orthopedics (COG) and a couple of ophthalmology practices come to mind.

the rat race is everywhere. islands are no different. some people even commute an hour to and from work