Lucaya Beach in Freeport, Bahamas
An expat in the Bahamas says that learning to throw away schedules and live on island time in one of the most challenging aspects of living in the Bahamas. But, he also explains how the laid back lifestyle and less stressful work environment is one of the most rewarding aspects... you have more time to listen to and be present for your children.
Nassau
No. But we had visited before and decided to move there wile on vacation there one summer. Two weeks after that decision we were back on a plane moving there with our children.
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The speak English which is one of our fluent languages however the dialect is different and it is often difficult to understand them when they speak fast in that local dialect.
We had already lived abroad in other countries so we were somewhat prepared to adapt our ways of thinking and living to our new reality however we were still worried about how it would be for our children to adapt and go to school there.
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The ways of life on an island are far different in general terms and you need to adapt to their way since you are a visitor in their country. They do not view time the same way we do and are never in a rush to get anything done. You need to learn to live with that reality. We were also not use to the high level of crime that is prevalent in Nassau. We moved there right before hurricane Matthew hit the island and although many communities came together to help those in need their was also a lot of looting afterwards. The murder rate is quite high for the size of the population so that was also something that worried us on a mental comfort level.
Definitely. As I said we have lived abroad before so expected it but you still end up going through some of these stages anyway. We love it here but we also had a hard time dealing with the way they view time. It is easy to be irritated by the repairman who was scheduled to come on Monday, didn't show up or call and has not returned your calls for days and suddenly shows up on Thursday the week after with the explanation that he was "busy". Meetings and schedules are not set in stone here and do not expect anyone to get anything done by the time they said they would. It's not a lack of respect for you, it is just the way their culture views time. That is probably the hardest thing to get use to here, eventually you will learn to accept it or leave frustrated.
Anger and frustration set in at first when you cant get anything down on the schedule you have set. Eventually you have to learn to relax and deal with it.
Once you accept the way they view time you realize that you have also relaxed and are not as stressed as you were in your "old life". You may not have your water line installed the day they said they would but you are also not running around stressing the small stuff anymore. You find alternate sources of water etc until it gets done and you go about your other stuff. The children come home happy with stories to tell you and you are eager to hear them because your not tired from a long stressful day at the office.
Learning to throw away schedules and live on island time.
I had to ask people to repeat themselves numerous times because I didn't understand what they were telling me with the local dialect. Sometimes I realized after it should have been obvious but I just was not getting it at the time.
Always remember you are the visitor and respect the local culture. When they see you respect them and are not trying to change them they will accept you with an open attitude and you will make more friends and get more done.
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Work with a good realtor. Talk to people and look at websites. Look for "security" first and foremost. Gated community feels safest if you are alone.
When you're moving to the Bahamas, pack everything in plastic boxes to keep the cockroaches away, consider finding a home in a gated community for better security and make sure you have a extra room for your many guests!
An expat living in Nassau, Bahamas talks about the quality of healthcare in the Bahamas. He explained that the hospitals and clinics in the Bahamas provide care more quickly than in this home country of Canada. Also, many expats in need of specialized care take a quick trip to Florida.
An expat who retired in Coral Harbour, Bahamas talks about what it's like living there - from the thriving nightlife to the lack of big stores, financial requirements for permanent residence and healthcare.
One expat in the Bahamas advised those considering a move there to visit the island several times before making a commitment to live there, make sure the paperwork is in order and know what they getting into prior to coming. She went on to explain that the island is quite segregated and prices are extremely high.
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