bruceba

I would rent for a year before I would buy. It is not as easy or friendly in the Bahamas as it was in the past.

Iwannaknow

Paradise Island Lyford Cay have nice safe places but expensive, I used to
spend summers their with an aunt now passed, back then I loved going on Bay St into Mademosille store, or St Michaels, Nassau was safe and the most
excitement were Haitians being rescued on boats, my aunt was married to an immigration officer, I still love the Bahamas but with family no longer there and friends I cant find I always play it real safe, also I have been visiting Eluethra up to 2 yrs ago where one of my friends now live, not much there but crimes due to drugs have arrived, Harbor Island could do with upgrades. Hope you all enjoy your stay and good luck

jayste

Hi Anna/Steve,

Caught on to this thread. Are you still in Nassau. I am 25 and wil be moving there next month and was wondering if you had any sage advice for a youngish expat.

Thanks

PennyA

Great advice there. Get a feel for the place before you commit.

Gordon Barlow

Hi Granny. My wife and I lived in Nassau 1967-70; she taught at JFK School for a year or so - then quit because she couldn't handle the lack of discipline. Even then! The closest we ever got to Long Island was San Salvador, where we swapped homes with a couple of teachers one weekend. My wife's sister taught in Nassau from 1970 for four or five years, and married an Italian croupier at one of the casinos.

I've blogged on our life in Nassau a few times - most recently in January this year ["Death of a tax haven"]. You might want to glance at it (no photos - sorry!), and the earlier links mentioned there.

I've never been back since we left, though my wife has, and several of our old English friends have. Whenever we fly to or from Heathrow the BA plane touches down in Nassau, but only for 90 minutes, and nobody's allowed off.

grannybunz

Hi Gordon

Since my last post both son and daughter have claimed dual nationality in the Bahamas and over the last few days son has persuaded us to go again next year.

Back to Long Island but then, as we now live in France we two have decidied to go on to the French Caribbean and fly straight back to Paris from there.

Longing to know if anyone has done anything vaguely like this and what they recommend - or advise against.

Grandaughter was so enthused by the whole LI experience that she has since got her padi certificate (she was 12 when she did it)

dunroving

I just spotted this thread while on the main Discussion Board page (I only go in the MBTTUK forum these days).

I moved to Nassau in 1983 too! I worked at QC for 7 years. Reading this thread brought back memories. I played rugby for Beck's Buccaneers (don't know if they still exist?), lived mainly out east, and did a lot of amazing house-sits while I was there - saw how the other half live! I also crewed for one of the most famous (or infamous) families, in the Sailing Club (think "King's X" ...). The first three years was just one long series of parties, rugby games and trips to the out islands. Last four years I quietened down a bit and got into island life rather than the constant run of expat parties.

Only one TV channel back then (ZNS 13 ... dreadful!) as we couldn't afford satellite, expensive phone calls back to the UK and of course, no internet.

I was also winner of the "Conchman" triathlon back in the mid-1980s!

I also visited just about every out island during those 7 years, lots of good (and funny) memories. Lots of not-so-good ones, too - mainly to do with burglary, drugs, and violence.

I don't think I would ever go back to visit - I am sure it has changed a lot since I left in 1990.

michali

I probably know you by sight! I volunteered at QC from 1985 to 1990 or thereabouts! In the High School Office and in Nurse Key's office. Fortunately TV is much better now, as is internet. The burglary, drugs and violence still continues but life is still pleasant. We lead a very quiet life, being senior citizens now and many of our friends having left.What a small world it is!

dunroving

Ha! What a coincidence. I taught in the secondary school 1983-1986, then in the primary school 1986-1990. I remember Nurse Key very well. She was lovely - I can still remember her voice quite distinctly, which is surprising as I can't remember much these days! She had a nice, gentle voice, with a southern English accent. I think I used to go to her for aspirin for my "headaches" on a Thursday morning ... Wednesday nights were going-out nights for some reason.

For about the last 3-4 years, I lived on-campus, in the house that used to be the staff quarters attached to the boarding (back in the old days when out-islanders' children lived on-site during the school term - that was before my time). It was on the left as you entered the school drive, just before the swimming pool, over the pre-school building. There was an avocado tree outside the balcony which was lovely during the season - I used to go outside and knock a few off with the extendable swimming pool broom!

I also coached for Barracudas (well, more like "taught", as I worked with beginners) and I ran the Barracudas summer swim camps in my last 3 years.

I also coached gymnastics at St Andrews, and wrote columns for the local newspaper (forgotten its name!) - mainly rugby reports, after I gave up playing.

It all seems a world away now. The expat life was pretty wild for young, single people (actually, for some young, married people, too). I socialised but didn't get up to some of the crazy tricks that others did (though there were many nights I'd drive back from downtown as the sun was rising - the bars didn't get lively until after midnight, IIRC).

I spent much of my last few years "over the hill", as I dated a local girl and was best friends with someone local who worked for Rentokil (Peter Armbrister).

You wouldn't recognise me now, probably - I'm lucky enough to have the same body shape, but have no hair (I had long curly blonde hair back then) and my "Magnum" handlebar moustache is now a full-face beard!

Small world indeed.

lynnedarren

Hi

I am seriously looking to to emigrating to the Caribbean and like the look of the Bahamas. I work offshore in the oil and gas sector so I am not looking for a work permit but my wife will probably want to work when we do move.

Can anyone tell me which is the best place to look at in the Bahamas as I was shocked to read that Nassau has such a high crime rate.

Or any other info on any of the other Caribbean Islands.

Many thanks

Gordon Barlow

If you work short-term contracts in your profession, you may or may not need some kind of Permit to Reside, whichever island you choose. Your wife would be the main immigrant, and you the dependent, perhaps. You'd have to tell us what kind of work she does. Are you limited to English-speaking places? No children, one assumes.

Also, the West Indies (which term includes Turks and Bahamas, and Belize and the Guianas, come to that) contain a pretty broad variety of mini-cultures. They're not all the same. Similarities, yes, but there is no central government. What are your preferences?

lynnedarren

Hi Gordon
Thanks for the reply.
I work a regular 4 weeks on and off. My wife is a FM manager and good guess no kids.
We are looking for a nice quiet lazy life on a preferably english speaking island.
We would like some form of shopping center/ town center where there is a verity of shops i.e clothes computers music etc.
We live on Jersey in the channel islands so dont wont to go back to big city life.
Any pointers would be nice.

Gordon Barlow

I think you both ought to spend a few weeks sussing out some of the islands here before deciding anything. There are quite a few of them! What does an FM manager do, by the way? I've never heard of it. As I said, it's she who would need the Permit.

bruceba

Work permits are a nightmare in the Bahamas. It is time consuming and unless someone who is connected is applying for your wife, it will not happen.
Very backward country as far as wanting or helping foreigners. Sorry to say this but other countries are probably better for you. Our murder rate has passed Mexico so crime is a problem as well.

lynnedarren

FM is Facilities Management (one stop shop for maintenance for offices etc)