ssm4ssm4

Hi all,

I'm a Yank but I wanted some advice from you Brits about life in Bermuda. I have the opportunity to take a lucrative job in Bermuda pulling in $500k a year + incentive + 2k a month housing expenses + full medical insurance. All the posts on Bermuda talk about high cost of living, which I'm aware of. With the above salary, this is not my concern.

I'd like to know about quality of life in Bermuda. I love beautiful beaches, beautiful weather, and have wanted to enjoy a simple life on the beach for years but life and career got in the way. Now I might finally have a chance.

My wife and 3 month old baby would be coming with me of course. I'm familiar with emoo for rentals, and would be looking at 4-5k a month 2 bedroom on the beach.

So what's life like? I want to take up golf with my wife; it would be a fun sport to do together. I love other sports like cycling, water sports, tennis. I love spending hours on a beautiful beach with a good book. I want to teach my baby to swim early on, this would be a good op, I think.

How's the expat community? I'd like my wife to meet new friends and other mothers with kids. Are there resources for this? What's daily life like? How are the supermarkets? Can you get by on public transportation or should be buy a car? What's it like shopping for essentials....clothes, cleaning supplies, etc.

I'm rambling here but I'd like an idea of general day to day life in Bermuda.

Bermudashorts

I lived there for two years and returned middle of last year. Firstly I would definitely consider spending a bit more on your house tbh, you are looking at very average housing at that price. We spent $9k a month on a gorgeous 3 bed 3 bath house with fantastic views of the ocean, the house and the views were the highlight of my living there I think. I have to say, I don't remember seeing that many houses "on the beach", the hotels have a lot of the beach space.

I am not going to make too many comments on the ex pat community. We actually found it quite cliquey and it was something we did not like. But that is certainly not the case for everyone. I think we were a bit unlucky with where we worked. My colleagues were unwelcoming from the day I arrived, I have never experienced anything like that before or since.

You certainly need to get a car, the buses are pretty good and reliable but they only go up and down the main roads. There are hills in Bermuda and it is hot and humid. I would not want to be walking around too much and especially not pushing a pram.

Me and my husband also took up golf, there are some good places to take lessons and then we joined the golf club at the Fairmont Southampton Princess,a very pretty and easy 3-par course. As you progress you could join one of the other clubs, you need to be a member of some to play there but not all. There is plenty of opportunity for the other sports you mention. Bear in mind this is the Atlantic though, not the Caribbean, the sea is only really warm enough for normal human beings between about late May and October.

Shopping is ok, but there is not a brilliant choice as this is a 20 mile island. You will find groceries very expensive at first but you get used to it. We had to adjust to brands we did not know but they are probably American brands and things you are familiar with. We picked up some new pieces of furniture during our time there, quite expensive but good quality. As for clothes, well you can get some things, but most people make regular trips to the east coast USA for serious shopping.

There is a good selection of places to eat and drink, I highly commend the standard of dining on the island.

ssm4ssm4

Thanks for your informative response. Regarding housing, I didn't realize rents are that expensive. I've checked the website emoo (SNIP) and there seem to be reasonable 2 bedrm apts with ocean views for 4500.

I've read a lot of negative things about the island as I'm trying to learn as much as I can. I've heard there is discrimination and racism against white expats. I've heard crime is significantly increasing. I've also heard the govt makes it very difficult to continue to work in the country long term as an expat. Can you expound on the above points? Overall, how was your experience living on the island? Would you do it again if you were offered the opportunity? I'm looking to spend 2-3 years there and have a special couple years with the wife and baby before getting back to the rat race again.

Bermudashorts

The government in power and certain sections of the community have an intense dislike of ex-pats. What you have heard is true. It can be frustrating to read the anti expat sentiment in the media too, but it is also easy to just ignore it. I think that is what most do, I was certainly not interested in campaigning for expat rights.

I have however just heard of a case this year where a white expat had a car crash with a Bermudian. The Bermudian was 3 times over the drink drive limit, on drugs and had a paralysed left arm but was driving a manual car (which would require use of left arm!). The expat passed breath test. The expat is in jail (the Bermudian died). Of course most of us don't have car crashes but I could only think there but for the grace of god ... expats are fouth class citizens in Bermuda and the chap had no chance of a fair trial.

Work permits are usually three yearst so if you are only looking for something short then there is no problem. In any case if the role cannot be filled locally then it is quite easy to get it extended, I knew people that had been there over ten years.

Why would you earn 500k and want to live in a pokey apartment *puzzled face*. My junior colleagues were paying 4k for accommodation.


I left through choice, I would have been able to stay for years more if I had wanted to as a senior employee in my company. No I would not go back. Ever.

grassisgreener

I lived there for 3 years. Go for it. Yes it's a tiny island, yes there are some issues re expats and locals. You will be part of the expat community, you'll get to mix with some locals, but on the whole locals want to still with their own family and friends as expats come and go so often. Don't worry about it.

Crime is an issue - gang warfare at the moment, but stay out of the dodgy areas (people will give you advice on these) and you should be fine.

Sports are a great way to meet people and for expats is a huge way of life there, if you're into rugby - there are 4 clubs on the island, there is hockey, softball and of course golf. You can also get into sailing. You don't need experience with any of the sports, they're always willing to take on beginners.

You can have a really interesting life there, the only issue may be that your wife may get bored. I didn't work for 6 months and was tearing my hair out - it's a tiny island with not much in the way of shopping or sightseeing. However, if your wife is happy to get out and about to meet people she will find other wives with small children and have playdates etc. Also as you're on good money she'll/you'll be able to get off the rock every couple of months which is important (rock fever!).

Yes, you'll need to get a car, and to do this you'll need to take a driving test (use a local instructor and you'll be more likely to pass - not because of skill but because they don't like people who don't use local instructors - this is the kind of annoyance you'll find there).

Re accommodation - the rents have come down in the last year so I've been told, we paid $4k 2 years ago for a 2 bed condo - it was pretty nice but we were quite lucky. You may need to spend a little more, there were very nice properties at the $5k range.

Gosh, there's so much more I could go on about - but if you have any more questions you can pm me or post here and I'll do my best to answer.

On the whole, I'd say go for it. That's a very good salary, and a chance to experience something new and a bit different, but make sure your wife will be happy (that's really important!)

dfjordan

I agree with the other comments about the place. I spent 3 years there and enjoyed it but as the others say, it´s incredibly small, and cliquey. Whilst I still have a couple of Bermudian friends there, as a rule, they wont want to mix with you and I can understand why- why would they want to spend time getting to know you when they know, just like you, that you wont be staying. I wouldn´t say the place would appeal to anyone who wants to be able to do something different for a change at the wekend as there isn´t anything. It´s extremely expensive compared with say the USA but not compared with the kind of salaries people get. Your wife could go bonkers if she doesn´t work. I don´t know whether careerwise a 3 year stint there would go against you or not, as I was in the finance area and the impression employers have back say in the UK is that you wasted 3 years lounging around in the sun and hence aren´t really the kind of person they are looking to employ.I enjoyed my time but wouldn´t want to do it again