Martinicans are rather cold on the first approach, but tend to warm up once they get to know you. They appreciate people who are curious about their culture and history, not only the sun and the beaches. They are very generous as neighbors. If you say hi or talk to them, they will offer you fruits or any local foods and even assist you whenever you need help. On the negative side, the cost of living is very high. Unemployment rate is close to 25 %, even higher for the youth. Petty theft are quite common in downtown areas (mainly Fort-de-France) and close to shopping malls. Overall, it is the nice place to live. You can appreciate it even more if you have local friends.

Post a Reply

00abuse

Choosing an expat health insurance provider is an important decision. Get a quote from our trusted expat health insurance partner, CIGNA. With Cigna Global Health Options, you can create an international health insurance plan that's perfectly tailored for the needs of you and your family.

Learn More Get a Quote

Thank you so much for your honest and detailed response! Much appreciated.

Post a Reply

00abuse

Hi Rachel,

Have you already moved to Martinique?
I'm a young Hungarian living in Martinique and I would like to share some experiences with you.
I can only agree with everything in the previous comment and would like to call your attention to the fact that finding a job is hard, I suggest you to try to find the job before arriving. Before my arrival, I thought my English knowledge would be quite worthful, as it is a small island with many tourist and and most of their products are imported. What I experienced later is that almost all tourists are French and almost all products are imported from France :) All this to say that is it better to arrive with solid plans, also because (as the previous commenter mentioned) the price of living is very high.
The other thing you have to prepared for, is the slow rhytm of life. I moved here from a city of 2 million habitants and I really had to change my habits and point of view of things. This might sound odd, but the change between a running city-lifestyle and the calm nature-loving lifestyle takes a long time. (for me at least). I think you have to prepared for this. On the other hand, the incredibly rich nature, amazing landscapes and charming people will compensate this. People here can really appreciate the simple, real values of life which is amazing.
For the parts of the island: On the north there are smaller villages with native people and more Europeans on the south. The capital, Fort de France is more city-like, but in personal opinion it has more the bad caracteristics of a city than the good ones. I think if you want to feel the real Martinique, it is better to go a bit further and be closer to the nature. Also, it is very important that if you live in Martinique, you must have a car. There is basically no public transportation, anything you wanna do, you will need a car for that. This also has an impact on nightlife, it makes it quite complicated as taxis are unaffordable on a regular basis. I think it is safe for women, but be prepared to get a lot of compliments, all the time :) But you don't have to worry about his, if you say no, it is understood.
Well, that's it for now, hope to see you soon in Martnique!
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me,

Fanni

Post a Reply

00abuse