Jamaica Expat Forum

mikew1
Joined 2014
Posts: 2

9 years ago

Family Relocating with Kids to Work in Kingston - Help?

9 years ago

Hi all - We currently have an excellent opportunity to relocate to Jamaica from a large US city where we currently live. We would be working in Kingston. My wife, myself, and our kids (middle-schoolers) all have questions regarding the best areas to live and the overall experience. We’ve obviously read a great deal about the challenges regarding tough neighborhoods, crowded streets, intense poverty, sexist attitudes, etc. So I’m trying to find the best case scenario for making this move. A silver lining in all the opinion and reviews. What’ll it be like for the kids as they enter high school? Are there neighborhoods and areas of town that rise above all the warnings and comments related to not-so-great areas? Is it possible for a relatively affluent US family to make the move and still feel grounded, safe, and fulfilled? I know that all sounds heady - I just can’t find enough info to make the transition easy or even palatable. Any help would be great. By the way, we’re likely able to afford a good school for the kids (I hear AISK is nice) and moreover, we’re probably not on a budget when it comes to real estate or the area of Jamaica we choose to live. I know we don’t want to be more than 30 minutes or so from Kingston. Any thoughts?? Where would you live? What do you think it’ll be like living there for an American family? How will the kids enjoy school and friends? Thanks again.

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Contribute
Help others in Jamaica by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Jamaica.