Any US ex-pats in the house?

[skydiver30960 0]

Anybody here currently live or used to live on a small tropical island? I ask because my wife and I are seriously considering implementing "The Plan." That's what we call it, capitalized and all. We have been saving up for a house, but now have enough for a downpayment but are pretty sure we don't want to put down roots where we are. So, now that we have the down-payment saved up we're saving up to implement The Plan. The Plan is to save up an additional amount (ballpark $25,000 or so) above and beyond the "house fund." My wife and I both expect her job to peter out (do I dare use such a term in the Bonfire?) in a year or so. When it does, The Plan calls for us to sell or store everything we have, move to a tropical island, and do whatever we need to do short of whoring (well, maybe if it's a GREAT island...) or murder to make enough money to stay. Dig ditches, wash dishes, pack parachutes (j/k), whatever we would need to do until we could get "real" jobs on the island. We would stay as long as the money lasted. If we could make it work we could stay a long time (years). If the money ran out we would say "ok, we gave it a try, call it a long vacation" and come back to the States and STILL have a full down-payment on a house when we came back to the real world.

Waddaya think? Workable? Or the rantings of an overworked and immature pair of minds?

Where would you go? Anybody have any experience or know somebody who has done something similar? Right now we're thinking about the US Virgin Islands because citizenship and my licenses (RN and Paramedic) would be easier to transfer than to a foreign nation or island.

There are websites that include fourms for island dwellers. They're full of "real world" information about problems with hurricanes, crappy internet access, mosquitoes the size of small aircraft, and how EVERYTHING is three times as expensive as it is stateside, but they admit that (to them at least) it's worth it.

Anybody who can help us make this happen will have a place to crash when they need to get away!

Elvisio "listening to Jimmy Buffett as I type this" Rodriguez

[wolfriverjoe 1,523]

While I can't speak of the practicalities of it, you seem to be approaching it realistically.
Having a good sum of money that will be available "when the money runs out" is a great long term fall-back plan.

Don't forget there are US territories in the South Pacific. Guam and the Marianas. Saipan is supposed to be reasonably decent.

Central America (specifically Costa Rica) issupposed to be pretty good too. I know a couple guys up here who are considering purchasing property down there.

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[airdvr 210]

We're headed to a clipper ship next saturday that leaves out of St. Martin. Every time we do this I dream of a way we could stay long term.

You must have been listening to Banana Republic

Please don't dent the planet.

Destinations by Roxanne

[Muffie 0]

I say go for it! You never know until you try and if you don't you'll always wonder "what if." And sounds like you have qualifications that can travel easily.

I don't have experience with island life, but last September I quit a perfectly good, solid job to travel and then start a business. Planned, saved up, etc. It didn't turn out exactly the way I planned (selling property in a down market costs a pretty penny so I didn't travel as much as expected), but a year later I am so happy I made the change.

[BIGUN 1,427]

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Right now we're thinking about the US Virgin Islands because citizenship and my licenses (RN and Paramedic) would be easier to transfer than to a foreign nation or island.

If you can afford the time and money; I might suggest you consider a 30 day vacation on the islands to ascertain which one you like best before committing. 30 days on St. Croix was about all I could handle - it's kind of a desert island. Other countries with awesome island-feel beaches like Belize, Honduras' Isles of Bahia, etc. are as tropical as one can get. I've always been partial to Belize.

Luck...

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[mutumbo 0]

ok so you have obviously put alot of thought into this. . . my question to you is, where do you look to see how to transfer a paramedic liscense to the virgin islands, or another country?! id LOVE to go elsewhere, but have NO clue how to transfer my liscense, hell it was such a pain in the ass just to move states as an EMT, there has to be an easier way to do it. . . .



and where do you find these volunteer groups that let you work over seas for a while as a medic??

Thanatos340(on landing rounds)--
Landing procedure: Hand all the way up, Feet and Knees Together and PLF soon as you get bitch slapped by a planet.

[JerryBaumchen 1,446]

Hi tumbo,

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where do you find these volunteer groups that let you work over seas for a while as a medic??

Try Doctors Without Borders.

A high school classmate of my son ( and Gary Douris's nephew ) is doing it right now as a Ph. Asst.

JerryBaumchen

[mutumbo 0]

Thanks!

Never really gave that one a second thought cus i always figured it was for, ya know, doctors. Lol. Will definately look into that one!

I tried looking into cruise lines as well butthey only wa docs and Rn's from what i saw. Could be fun, if i ever got my Rn.

Thanatos340(on landing rounds)--
Landing procedure: Hand all the way up, Feet and Knees Together and PLF soon as you get bitch slapped by a planet.

[mutumbo 0]

just looked at the doctors w/o borders thing, sadly nothing im qualified for

* Anesthesiologists / Nurse-Anesthetists *
* Epidemiologists
* General Surgeons
* HIV/AIDS and TB Specialists *
* Laboratory Scientists/Technicians
* Licensed Mental Health Specialists
* Nurse-Midwives / Certified Midwives *
* Obstetricians / Gynecologists *
* Operating Room Nurses *
* Orthopedic Surgeons *
* Pharmacists*
* Physicians
* Registered Nurses / Nurse Practitioners

Thanatos340(on landing rounds)--
Landing procedure: Hand all the way up, Feet and Knees Together and PLF soon as you get bitch slapped by a planet.

[piisfish 140]

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... mosquitoes the size of small aircraft,

if you have enough mosquitoes you can set up a nice DZ. Seaside bigways and all

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[NWFlyer 2]

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and where do you find these volunteer groups that let you work over seas for a while as a medic??

I bet these guys would let you.

1
2
3
4

They might use a different term than medic, though.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[mutumbo 0]

HAHAHA! nice one, but no thanks. i already tried that route, and couldnt get a straight answer from any of them. since i had heart surgery as a baby, non of them could tell me exactly what i could do untill after i signed on and went through the medical eval part of it, and possibly boot camp, no matter what contract i signed. sorry im not that stupid mr recruiter, im not getting stuck behind a desk job for the next 4 years of my life.

funnier thing is, im perfectly cleared to be a firefighter, with absolutely NO restrictions, but for some reason am not cleared to get shot at, wierd huh?


(oh and the marines dont have a medical branch, they use the navy)

[JerryBaumchen 1,446]

Hi Flyer,

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They might use a different term than medic, though.

No cigar for you; they are called 'medics,' at least when I was in the USAF.

Your lack of military training is showing.

JerryBaumchen
4 yrs as a Typewriter Jockey in the Air Force

[mutumbo 0]

ok, show me where i sign up. seriously. I just have no clue where to start, is my problem.

Thanatos340(on landing rounds)--
Landing procedure: Hand all the way up, Feet and Knees Together and PLF soon as you get bitch slapped by a planet.

[NWFlyer 2]

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Your lack of military training is showing.

Guilty as charged! That's why I said "might." I didn't feel like doing any actual research beyond looking up the sites of the 4 branches.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[castrodavidd 0]

Well I can't say that I have actual experience but my version of "the plan" includes a 70 - 100 foot sail boat so I can go to whatever island I want. When I get tired of living there I'll pull up the anchor and go some were else. When times get tight you can do charters on your boat to pay for the up keep and short of sinking it with out insurance you never lose your investment.

[Bolas 5]

Definitely check out Belize.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/How-to-Retire-Comfortably-for-usnews-2643852806.html

Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting
If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh.

[grimmie 186]

I spend a lot of time on Ambergris Caye in Belize. I could tell you thousands of horror stories about ex-pats that have moved there, and maybe a hundred really good stories. When you go to a small island just remember these rules...
1. Everyone is full of shit.
2. Everything is for sale.
3. Small islands become really boring.
4. Not much happens on a small island, but what gossip you hear makes up for it.

Check out the book "Don't stop the carnival" and read these lyrics to "Just another Gringo in Belize" one of my favorite songs..
http://www.belizenorth.com/just_another_gringo.htm

[Andy9o8 2]

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they are called 'medics,'

Always?

[JerryBaumchen 1,446]

Hi Andy,

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they are called 'medics,'

One soon learns that:

- there is the right way
- there is the wrong way
- there is the military way

I spent 3 yrs, 10 months & 24 days in Uncle Sammies USAF working in a number of hospitals; they are called 'medics.'

If you don't believe me, join up & find out for yourself.

JerryBaumchen

[Stewie 0]

Quote

Hi Andy,

Quote

they are called 'medics,'

One soon learns that:

- there is the right way
- there is the wrong way
- there is the military way

I spent 3 yrs, 10 months & 24 days in Uncle Sammies USAF working in a number of hospitals; they are called 'medics.'

If you don't believe me, join up & find out for yourself.

JerryBaumchen

Weird. I could've sworn I heard "Corpsman!" a few times in Iraq.

Maybe that was the wrong way?

"Fuck that. I'll take a good ass-pounding over a bj any day." -- pyrotech