Pros and Cons of Living in Cayman Islands

I was born and raised in Manila, and that already speaks of how much environmental issues I can endure. Here in Cayman, I do not notice any type of pollution, may it be air, water, land, or even noise. Since the island thrives on tourism, the people and the government are strict with cleanliness so you won’t see people littering around. And if you do, they get cleaned up so fast! Air is also not a problem since the whole island is surrounded by trees and there are no jeepneys or any factories that emit a lot of carbon dioxide. In the night, you can also not make so much noise because anyone can report you to the police. Unlike in the Philippines where you can go karaoke all night long, here unfortunately, you can only do that in restobars or in your room, quietly.

Public service in general is what really awed me when started living here. The hospital cannot dismiss you if you want to get treated for a medical issue. Regardless of your financial standing, the hospital will always accept you, even if you cannot pay. You will just have to sign a promissory note to the government that you will pay your bill some time in the future. How I wish Philippines is like that.

The Government here is no joke. Locals are valued so much that they get a lot of benefits by just being a Caymanian. They get preference in all aspects, especially with employment. All companies are required to first exhaust all possible local candidates in any open position before offering it to expats. Due to this, it is almost impossible for a Caymanian to not have a job unless it’s their own choice. The Government will always find opportunities for them. If you are a single mother, or unemployed, or a senior citizen, you can apply for a monthly allowance not lower than CI$ 700 per month. In buying properties, you can also get a “First Caymanian Buyer” benefit where all other fees and taxes are waived for your first property. How cool is that?

Overtime is almost non-existent here. If your job is not finished by 5pm (or 6pm in my case) drop everything down, go home, and just continue it tomorrow. Nobody applauds overtimers here unlike the Philippines. Everybody is expected to be as productive as they can within their shift. It’s kind of disrespectful to not utilise the time you are being paid for.

One of the best beaches in the world is here The waters are insanely crystal clear with fine white sands. All districts have their own beaches and that’s the most common recreational activity for locals. There’s also The Crystal Caves and The Turtle Centre that I both made features about. This island could pass as the eight wonder of the world.

Cons:

1. Transportation. 

Almost everyone here has their own car because it is difficult to navigate the island without your own mode of transportation. Unlike the Philippines where we have trains, buses, and jeepneys for the main roads, and tricycles and pedicabs for the smaller roads, here there is only buses or ridiculously priced taxis. If you live in the outskirts or deep in the countryside, good luck going home without hitching a ride. That’s also why hitching a ride here is so common and not as suspicious as in the Philippines. Cars are also surprisingly cheap, especially if you buy them from Japan.

2. The Entertainment Industry. 

There are no local TV dramas here. There’s a few theatre actors and local singers, but none on the television. There’s even no news channel. You can get your news over the internet, the radio, or the newspaper. Most people just watch US shows on their TVs.

3. Small island mentality. 

If you think locals are being too friendly towards you, don’t be too complacent. They probably talk about you when you’re not around. In relation to point #2, since there are very few modes of entertainment here, the pastime of locals include talking about their neighbours and other people’s businesses. This has been proven and tested by me.

4. The standard of living. 

Everything is so damn expensive here that going to the USA is like going to Divisoria. Yes, you heard that right! Almost everybody does their shopping in the USA because it’s a lot cheaper there. There is no local production. Almost everything is imported thus more expensive. I can’t fathom how to survive in this island without a job to sustain my cost of living. It’s also fairly difficult to find a variety of products here. Like my passport holder for example, I had to order that from the USA because I don’t know any place that sells that here.

These are just some of the many pros and cons of living here base don my experience. How about you? Share some of the cultural differences you noticed from where you visited a different country!