LucyLock

Hi, I am moving to St Lucia from the UK towards the end of October.
I have a 3 year old little girl and wondered does anyone know if there is a suitable nursery on the Island?

I will be living in Marigot so it would be good if there was somewhere nearby.

I would also like to meet up and make friends with any other mums or in fact any women that are ex-pats.

I also need a cheap car - I know they are not as low cost as the UK but if anyone can help I would really appreciate it.

Thanks
LucyLock

pgtips

I have a friend on the island that rents but can also supply for purchase.
He is very reliable and trustworthy. If you are going to be around marigot maybe a 4x4 would be better. What had you in mind ?

LucyLock

HI PG Tips,

Thanks for your reply, a 4x4 would be ideal for me.
If you could let me know, by personal mail if you prefer, his contact details I would really appreciate it.

Thanks
Lucy

pgtips

LucyLock I have PM'ed you his details.

They should also be on http://www.rodneybay.net

Cheers

RJW

Hi we are seriously considering a move to St Lucia but dont know much about the island, cost of living between there and here, schools, healthcare etc. Any good info or links etc?

pgtips

Have you been to St Lucia ?

My best advice before considering moving anywhere is to visit the place a few times and get a good feel for it like LucyLock.

You will then be able to make an informed decision and we can fill out the rest of the boxes.

Are you a St Lucian national and why are you considering moving to St lucia ?

RJW

Hi pgtips

No,UK national and it's a specific job opportunity which has arisen, so just keen to know the score in general terms. Any advice welcome.

pgtips

Hi RJW,

You can check out http://www.rodneybay.net for more info about the island. However your best bet is to make a trip to the island. Have you been to the Caribbean before ?

It all depends where about on the island you are going to be working. Most of the expats tend to live in and around the Rodney Bay area as this tends to be where the hub of activity takes place. However there are other beautiful areas of St lucia where there are a few expats such as the magnificently beautiful Marigot Bay, which is closer to the Capital city of Castries.

Will the company provide you with paid accomodation ? Because prices can vary quite steeply depending on where you intend to live.

This is just a brief insight, and if you have any more specific questions I would be glad to be of help.

RJW

Thanks for this.

The job would be based in Castries and we are likely to have to fund rented accommodation ourselves. What could we expect to pay monthly for rent for a two/three bedroom apartment/townhouse in decent condition in a decent area?

pgtips

For rented accomodation around Castries the price varies dependent on what you want. Marisule and Sunny Acres around Gableswood Mall are pretty decent areas of Castries. You could also consider Marigot Bay which is not too far a drive away.

Rodney Bay has a lot of facilities for the family, but you will have to travel to Castries pretty early to avoid the traffic.

Speak to Maria at http://www.bluereefrealestate.com she is a German expat who deals mainly with properties in Rodney Bay, but she is very good.

LucyLock

Hi RJW

I have been around all of the caribbean and prefer St Lucia, mainly because the people are so friendly and love the brits. I always think of St Lucia as being like England when I was a child ( 70's) lots of little shops, rather than the huge supermarkets, ( although dont worry they have those as well) people putting their hands up and saying good morning, chatting etc.
I have a house in Marigot where there are a few brits, although as PG tips says most are up in Rodney bay which is about a 20 min drive.
In regards to rental, it is a lot cheaper than the UK, look around on the internet but I would say £500 would get you somewhere nice.
If you need any more info it would be great to keep in touch, I am leaving the UK for good on Friday!

Best Regards
Lucy Lock

RJW

Thanks both for the words of advice. Much appreciated!!

Did you managed to get a nursery LucyLock?

Islander Girl

Hi Lucylock
how has your move gone? I moved to St Lucia in July and am living in the north of the island. If you need any help or tips let me know and I will see if I can help in any way.

pgtips

Hi, Islander Girl, how has life in St Lucia been for you so far ?
I will be building my house in the Rodney Bay area sometime next year.
Let us know the latest happenings.

Islander Girl

Hi pgtips,
life is going fairly well so far thanks, it is very different to life in the UK that is for sure. There is a lot happening here with the redevelopment of the Marina to start in January and lots of new property developments happening all over the island. Do you visit the island regularly?