Considerations

 There's a lot to think about when one considers moving to an island, especially if it's part of a whole 'nother country. Medical care and can I get the maintenance meds I need to function properly. Is the climate ok? Can I bring my pets? Will I forever have to drink bottled water? (Actually no, we have an incredible water filter called a Berkey that makes it possible to drink pond water a bear pooped in, and it's portable). Will I fit in? Will I make friends? Is there a church we can attend? Basically all the same questions I'd ask if we were moving to, say, West Fleahop, Arkansas, or maybe Idaho or something. Only without the winter clothes. And more fruit.

This upcoming week (June 26-July 3) we will be in Roatan, Honduras, an island about 35 miles off the mainland. Many flurries of internet searches and forums and blog reading by resident expats are encouraging. Low cost of living, decent health care unless you have serious issues (we don't), our pets can come, food grows on trees and shows up in boats regularly. No Walmart. No Home Depot. Sketchy electrical service. Did I mention there's no Walmart? This is not a problem to me.

A couple of weeks ago we were in St Croix, also investigating. It has a Home Depot but no Walmart. The cost of living is significantly higher, but it's also a US territory thus there's no funny stuff about moving there other than logistics. Capt has a standing job offer, but we want to look at Roatan first. I mean...the cost of living difference is substantial, unless we can find a very inexpensive place in St Croix..

Looking at Roatan...holy cow. 2 BR casitas (little house) ON THE BEACH for $350/month. Even an AirBnB house (includes utilities) that allows pets is $800/mo...beach view...screened...dang.  In St Croix the lowest cost we found was a 1 BR efficiency thing for $650, not including utilities, 3rd floor no yard.

Oh my word and the possibilities. See, Capt has a really nice flats boat for fly fishing. He wants to do charters for folks. "I want to spend the last half of my life helping people have fun" he said. The flats fishing in St Croix is limited. In Roatan, there's some of the best in the Caribbean. Roatan also has nice tax incentives for people bringing tourism boosters in. Same situation for artisans who make stuff there...y'know...like handsewn/embroidered goods/souvenir type things of a sort I do already.

None of this is written in stone. We may get there and decide "it's a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live here."  Our initial reaction to St Croix was just that and less so, until we took a tour around the island and saw the rest of it, and Capt talked to Ms Molly and got a job offer. That said, if we fall in love with Roatan chances are St Croix 2.0 will be cancelled and those funds will be reallocated to relocation expenses. 

Here's the nice bit...it may be a whole 'nother country, but it's still just a 3.5 hour flight from Atlanta. It may be a part of one of the most dangerous banana republic countries in the world, but it isn't really because it's a Honduran Cash Cow and they know where their bread is buttered and won't screw with it therefore the crime rate on that particular island is extremely low. However people still put bars on their windows and turn a guard dog loose when they're not home. (at least the person who's blog I read does) That may be why crime is low. My dog is about as far from a guard dog (other than being an alarmist) as I am from being a Victoria's Secret Angel. Y'know...the parts are all there but the proportions are very different. 

So this next week will be spent at a luxury resort there. 3 dives a day for 5 days, all the food and beverages (both Adult Libations and Otherwise) we want. Capt has said we may forgo one of the days and do some investigations. One of the things about diving is that you can't do it within 24 hours of flying, because of nitrogen absorption issues (complicated but just know it's a bad idea. Getting Bent* at 35,000 feet is a BAD IDEA) so we could take that final day and do some exploration.

*Bent/The Bends is a situation where a diver ascends too quickly and rather than being properly off-gassed back into your into your bloodstream, the nitrogen from the air breathed (air is 21% oxygen, ~78% nitrogen, and ~1% Other) forces it's way out in bubbles that get caught up in the diver's joints and skin and it's SUPER painful and can be life threatening. Even if you ascend properly during a dive, if you fly too soon after and the remainder of the nitrogen in your system isn't fully reabsorbed, you'll get the Bends (or "get Bent") as the airplane ascends. Thus, on dive trips like this one, the last day before the flight home is spent relaxing by the pool, consuming rum punch and delicious food, and maybe touring around looking for the perfect gift for your Mom who wishes she could travel.