island living

Island Life Diaries: Gerry Armstrong

GERRY, TELL US WHERE YOU'RE FROM? 

Barbados!

ISLAND GUY ALREADY! WHAT MADE YOU MOVE TO A DIFFERENT ISLAND?

Was looking for a change and got a job offer so I decided to give it a try.

HOW DO YOU FIND CAYMAN DIFFERENT FROM YOUR ISLAND?

Lifestyle is similar to what I am used to so there was very little culture shock for me. The cost of living is reasonable for an island lifestyle and I get some uncrowded surf as well!

SO YOU SURF! WHERE WOULD YOU TELL SURFERS TO GO WHEN VISITING THE ISLAND?

Surf is VERY inconsistent so I would not advise anyone to come here on a surf trip unless they can be sure there is a swell coming. We wait for storms sometimes to get the bigger stuff.

FAVOURITE DRINK AT THE END OF A WORK DAY?

Vodka soda with lime... or if I am really thirsty I would go for the Red Stripe.

WHERE CAN YOU FIND THIS DRINK? 

Everywhere!

WHERE'S A GOOD PLACE TO GO ON SATURDAYS?

Beach... always the beach!

BEST THING ABOUT CAYMAN?

The lifestyle, it can’t get any better than these surroundings.

WORST THING ABOUT CAYMAN?

The size of the island can make it boring at times, especially for people who are used to living in larger cities, etc.

ADVICE FOR THOSE LOOKING TO MOVE HERE?

Do your research and ask questions of others already living here. I used this website https://caymanresident.com/ for a lot of info as well as EcayTrade to get cost of rentals/car etc. Remember you are moving to an island so things will move a bit slower than you are used to.

Island Life Diaries: Kristin Burak

HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVE IN CAYMAN? 

18 years (with one year away.. long enough to know I wanted to come back.)

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO LIVE ON AN ISLAND? 

A friend helped me get a “3 month working vacation”

WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU FACED WHEN YOU MOVED HERE? 

Missing my family back home in Canada. They now visit several times a year..

WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE THING TO DO ON ISLAND? 

Try out new restaurants in our vibrant culinary scene.

WHAT DO YOU DO IN CAYMAN FOR WORK?

Incentive Travel Sales & Destination Management

WHAT ARE SOME ACTIVITIES YOU DO HERE? 

Scuba Diving, snorkeling, caving, waverunners, beach for days!

PICK YOUR FAVOURITE: PLACE FOR BREAKFAST, LUNCH, AND DINNER, DRINKS

Icoa for breakfast, Ragazzi for lunch, Grand Old House for a fancy dinner and Peppers for a more Casual one. Royal Palms for drinks!

ADVICE FOR ANYONE WHO IS MOVING HERE? 

Don’t be afraid to go out by yourself and explore the island on your own. The people in Cayman are extremely friendly and welcoming. You certainly will make friends who before long become your family! Also take advantage of the amazing food scene and try something new. We have over 200 restaurants with chefs from all over the world. No matter what type of food you choose, the recipes are authentic and the food is amazing. It’s hard to have a bad meal in the Cayman Islands.


Island Life Diaries: Adam Slobodian

HI ADAM, TELL THE READERS WHERE YOU ARE FROM?

Born in Toronto, but moved around a bunch. Since I graduated college in Barrie, Whistler was home until I moved to Cayman.

YOU MOVED HERE A LONG TIME AGO, DIDN'T YOU? AND YOU HAD LEFT AND CAME BACK! WHAT BROUGHT YOU BACK?

The reason I left was burnout. Too much drinking, partying, fomo of the new place. But everytime I left, I kept in contact because people here are like really close family. When opportunities arose, I was excited to come back and see my friends, and wake up wearing board shorts everyday!  Also, everytime I came back I took a new job and moved up the hospitality ladder. Kind of like a promotion each time I returned.

WHAT WAS THE MOST CHALLENGING THING ABOUT MOVING HERE?

Getting used to the slow moving process.  Bank cards can take months to arrive, the hoops you have to jump through to get bills in your name.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT CAYMAN?

Palm trees! Also, walking down the beach is just as busy as the bar. You can see all your friends at 3 in the afternoon being active and enjoying the sun and sand.

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FAVOURITE PLACE TO MEET FRIENDS FOR DRINKS?

Calicos, hands down. If you don't know why, you've never visited calicos.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE COCKTAIL AND WHERE CAN I GET ONE OF THOSE?

These days, my favourite cocktail would be an Aperol Spritz.  Westin beach bar has the best view for a spritz, but Bácaro makes a mean one too!

BEST BEACH TO RELAX ON?

Finding that quiet spot on Seven Mile Beach.

HOW ABOUT THE BEST TOUR ON ISLAND?

Self guided walk up Seven Mile Beach stopping at as many bars as you can. Or taking the water taxi from Camana Bay to Kaibo. You get a nice boat ride, plus you get to see a different side of the island.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE DISH ON ISLAND AND WHERE DO YOU GET IT?

Trini doubles from Singh’s Roti in George Town.

WHAT'S THE ONE THING YOU WISH YOU KNEW BEFORE YOU MOVED TO CAYMAN?

Not to waste money on a car or the best accommodation at the start. Live with some roommates, take the local bus, learn the way of the island. Also, come for vacation first and check out where you will be working. Meet your bosses and coworkers. Maybe it's not the right spot for you. With visas it's not as easy to switch jobs if you get stuck at one you don’t like.