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By now, most people know that Hurricane Irma is a Category 5 Hurricane and the strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean. Geography buffs also know that the Caribbean Sea and Caribbean Islands are considered part of the Atlantic Ocean. We live in Puerto Rico, in the Caribbean, in the Atlantic Ocean, where this monster hurricane passed through leaving massive devastation in her wake.
Here is the real impact of Hurricane Irma in Puerto Rico.
Hurricane Irma eye over BVI
We are lucky. Puerto Rico is lucky. Hurricane Irma passed to the north of our island, slapping our little island of Culebra along the way. Electricity went out throughout the island hours before Irma passed by. Many areas of the island were without water for days, and more are still without electricity (5 days and counting). But our buildings are still standing, and we are alive. We are lucky. Continue reading “Hurricane Irma Impact in Puerto Rico”
We recently moved to the beautiful island of Puerto Rico. I was a little nervous about the culture shock of leaving our hot, dry desert city and adjusting to small town, island life. It sounds weird, but it turns out growing up in Phoenix has actually prepared me for living in Puerto Rico.
Here are 10 ways growing up in Phoenix, Arizona prepared me for living in Puerto Rico:
Close connection to foreign countries.
It is faster to drive to Mexico from Phoenix than any state in the US, Mexico is Arizona’s neighbor to the South. Likewise, Puerto Rico’s closest neighbors are definitely not the US mainland (Hello Dominican Republic and British Virgin Islands)
Everyone is (a little) Bilingual
Anyone who grew up in Arizona speaks at least a little Spanish. I even attended a bilingual elementary school for English as Second Language (ESL program). Everyone speaks a little English in Puerto Rico. Many people are fully bilingual in both Arizona and Puerto Rico. Admittedly, Arizona Spanglish is a different dialect that the Puerto Rican Spanish, but it is a good foundation to build upon. Plus I was always really good at charades, so I can act out many difficult phrases.
There are more Snowbirds than Local Residents half the year
Winters in Phoenix are overrun by people from the Mid-west desperately trying to escape the cold and warm up. Since arriving in January, we have seen the population dwindle as the snowbirds leave the island for summer. I just cannot escape snowbirds!
After extensive preparation to move to Puerto Rico (read about it here), we are LOVING the island life!
Here is a recap, as we pass the three-month milestone of living in Puerto Rico.
Long Term Rental on a House
Working with the realtor before arrival really paid off! The first house we looked at was everything we wanted, in our price range, and it was almost perfect! We viewed several other properties and decided to make an offer on the first house. We provided current credit scores and reports with our application. Security deposit, plus first month and last month rent were paid with a local check (opening PR checking accounts were part of our six month preparation steps). Our house was partially furnished, so we could move in right away, but there would be extra expenses to purchase more furniture. Continue reading “Living in Puerto Rico 3 month check”
We are moving to Puerto Rico! Here is the story of how and why we decided to pack up and move.
While on a Caribbean Cruise three years ago, we had a half day stop in old San Juan, Puerto Rico. I immediately loved the brief glimpse of the island, the people, and the food. Spending so few hours in a city, is quite frankly, enough for one decent meal and walking around the restaurant neighborhood. And one meal can change your life, at least for me.
2015 summer visit in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico
Knowing we needed more time, a 2 week vacation was planned a break-neck 2 years later along the North and East Coasts to see more of the island. It was still not enough!
After some number crunching and serious talk about options, we decided our best course of action was to move to the Caribbean. We have secured a year lease on a beach community house in Puerto Rico that will serve as home base so that we can slow down and explore the Caribbean! For the next year (at least) we are going to practice Slow Travel and explore as much of the Caribbean as we can.
The locals are hardworking, friendly, happy people that have welcomed us with open arms, and bent over backward to help us at every turn. There are tax incentives to move our IT consulting business to PR, while at the same time we will be helping the local economy (that is the real win-win situation).
The Caribbean is a great value and has so much to offer. Puerto Rico, while a territory not a State, is still part of the USA. Complete with same currency, same electrical plug, no visa or travel restrictions for Americans, no quarantine for my dog, same phone plan and I am keeping the same phone number. Puerto Rico is the Caribbean’s version of Hawaii’s less expensive Latin cousin, with a far more culturally diverse neighborhood. There are many “foreign” islands nearby with cool stuff to do, places to visit, and new food to eat.
So stay tuned for Caribbean cuisine, adventure, history, culture, scuba diving, hiking the rain forest, travel tips, beaches, and more beaches!
