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Tab

(11,093 posts)
Wed Jun 3, 2015, 07:14 PM Jun 2015

I'm interested in moving to islands... ideas?

1) I'm an American citizen
2) I still need to work. Career is in software development, but can work most anything (including cooking)
3) Hopefully my wife can work as well.
4) U.S. Virgin Islands, or an expat country, or...?
5) Where do I find job listings for these places (aside from general google search)?

10 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
I'm interested in moving to islands... ideas? (Original Post) Tab Jun 2015 OP
South Padre Island Texas? rogerashton Jun 2015 #1
I would suggest Old Codger Jun 2015 #2
Rock fever upaloopa Jun 2015 #3
If you leave the US, you may not be able to work. cbayer Jun 2015 #4
That's why I'm thinking the US Virgin Islands Tab Jun 2015 #5
What are the rules for the US Virgin Islands? cbayer Jun 2015 #6
There are lots of jobs in IT in Mauritius. Cost of living is fairly cheap. CBGLuthier Oct 2015 #7
Just saw this post DFW Nov 2015 #8
I haven't let go of this idea Tab Jan 2016 #9
Land grabs problematic Baobab Mar 2016 #10

upaloopa

(11,417 posts)
3. Rock fever
Wed Jun 3, 2015, 07:46 PM
Jun 2015

It costs about $2,000 to fly between the mainland and Hawaii round trip. It cost hundreds to fly between the islands.
I saw quite a few old White guys on the big island last year. They ran away to the islands now they can't afford to leave. They have rock fever meaning Hawaii even if it is the big island doesn't have a lot of room.

cbayer

(146,218 posts)
4. If you leave the US, you may not be able to work.
Tue Jun 9, 2015, 11:54 AM
Jun 2015

Many countries have very strict rules about foreigners being employed.

If you can work from your computer for a US firm, then things get simpler.

I would start by narrowing down where you can and can't go.

Tab

(11,093 posts)
5. That's why I'm thinking the US Virgin Islands
Tue Jun 9, 2015, 05:46 PM
Jun 2015

I'd love Aruba, but you'd have to be a dutch citizen

cbayer

(146,218 posts)
6. What are the rules for the US Virgin Islands?
Tue Jun 9, 2015, 07:52 PM
Jun 2015

Some places you have to show that you have a certain amount of money or be willing to buy a piece of property.

CBGLuthier

(12,723 posts)
7. There are lots of jobs in IT in Mauritius. Cost of living is fairly cheap.
Fri Oct 2, 2015, 06:22 AM
Oct 2015

But it is a long, long, long way away. They have a very good program for foreign workers.

https://www.mauritiusjobs.mu/

There is also The Azores but I don't know much about them other than my wife talks about moving there.

DFW

(56,891 posts)
8. Just saw this post
Wed Nov 25, 2015, 07:26 AM
Nov 2015

I met an American guy who was doing just that. Had an apartment in Berlin, too, but made sure he spent less than half the year in Berlin so he didn't have to declare a German residence. He spent most of his time in Mauritius and a few weeks a year in the States. Seemed to be having the time of his life.

Although it is far, you can get to Mauritius from most large cities in the USA with just one change of plane. There are nonstops to both Mauritius and most big US cities from Paris, and probably London and Frankfurt as well.

Tab

(11,093 posts)
9. I haven't let go of this idea
Sun Jan 17, 2016, 08:35 PM
Jan 2016

People in my family are on Social Security as well as SS Disability. So we'd need to stay somewhere we could continue to receive these and have them fund us. We're willing to give up our home and various possessions to just move somewhere and live in a simple (but safe) building. Want to be by a sea or a lake. Age of occupants would run between 50 and 80 (just four max). I'm damned if I'm going to give up everything to live in a homeless shelter in northern New England. We'd rather put a down payment for rent or ownership in some place where the tropical environment makes up for the harsher environment up here.

Baobab

(4,667 posts)
10. Land grabs problematic
Sat Mar 26, 2016, 09:07 PM
Mar 2016

Watch out for scam real estate developers who take advantage of people in your situation, they evidently push people who have living all their lives in various places out. They may have lived in some place all their lives but have no legal title and no birth certificate because they were home born, that means they don't exist legally in some poorer counties and cannot own land, and often a majority of the population is that way. Major scams are happening around the world that are displacing people in that situation - Basically what I am saying is that be mindful, don't assume that people who are offering to sell you land or a home - acquired it in an acceptable manner. A lot of the time these days they didn't. I would not want to live somewhere where the family that had lived there previously was run off the land by some RE developer looking to take advantage of the influx of Americans by strongarming locals out of what should be considered as their homes.

the same thing is happening on a large scale with farming land in Africa. Just Google "Land Grab" to read about it. Big corporations are doing this on a large scale.

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