Do we leave Paradise?
June 8, 2009 1:26 PM Subscribe
Do we leave Paradise?
Job situation: My husband and I have been living in Bermuda for the past 8 years. He is an IT project manager and I am an accountant. The government has implemented term limits on work permits since 2002 and thus my husband's term is over. I have been made "key employee" from my job and am therefore exempt for term limits. For us to stay in Bermuda, he will either have to be put onto my work permit or find another job that is willing to apply for a new work permit for him. The cost of living in Bermuda is very expensive and thus to stay here on one salary we will not be saving any money (which is the whole point of being here). Right now we are living off of one salary and saving the other. I have been in my job for the past 5 years and for the most part liked it. Recently I have been having more bad days than good though and would like to spend some more time with our daughter.
Lifestyle: We have an 8 month old daughter, great friends and live a comfortable lifestyle. The beach is in walking distance from our home. The weather is great here, sub tropical so winters are not brutal (no snow, lowest temperature is 55F).
The problem is, if my husband cannot find another job here and I will be the one working (in a job that I am starting to resent), is it worth staying in Bermuda purely for financial gain?
Do you think is grass is greener?
Should we wait out the recession in Bermuda?
P.s. We are willing to live anywhere in the US that will afford us a comfortable and safe environment for our daughter.
Job situation: My husband and I have been living in Bermuda for the past 8 years. He is an IT project manager and I am an accountant. The government has implemented term limits on work permits since 2002 and thus my husband's term is over. I have been made "key employee" from my job and am therefore exempt for term limits. For us to stay in Bermuda, he will either have to be put onto my work permit or find another job that is willing to apply for a new work permit for him. The cost of living in Bermuda is very expensive and thus to stay here on one salary we will not be saving any money (which is the whole point of being here). Right now we are living off of one salary and saving the other. I have been in my job for the past 5 years and for the most part liked it. Recently I have been having more bad days than good though and would like to spend some more time with our daughter.
Lifestyle: We have an 8 month old daughter, great friends and live a comfortable lifestyle. The beach is in walking distance from our home. The weather is great here, sub tropical so winters are not brutal (no snow, lowest temperature is 55F).
The problem is, if my husband cannot find another job here and I will be the one working (in a job that I am starting to resent), is it worth staying in Bermuda purely for financial gain?
Do you think is grass is greener?
Should we wait out the recession in Bermuda?
P.s. We are willing to live anywhere in the US that will afford us a comfortable and safe environment for our daughter.
Pick your cliche:
Home is where the heart is.
Wherever you go, there you are.
To live a happy life, you first have to figure out what makes you happy. For some people that is living on a tropical island. For others it's living wherever is safe, comfortable, and with income that affords a certain quality of life that only they can determine.
Just remember that some of the things that make us happy are actually very superficial. In other words: what's more important, living near a beach, or being financially stable? Lots of people do one, but not both.
posted by wfrgms at 2:24 PM on June 8, 2009 [2 favorites]
Home is where the heart is.
Wherever you go, there you are.
To live a happy life, you first have to figure out what makes you happy. For some people that is living on a tropical island. For others it's living wherever is safe, comfortable, and with income that affords a certain quality of life that only they can determine.
Just remember that some of the things that make us happy are actually very superficial. In other words: what's more important, living near a beach, or being financially stable? Lots of people do one, but not both.
posted by wfrgms at 2:24 PM on June 8, 2009 [2 favorites]
Something to consider, unfortunately, is that if he does find a job in the US and you do leave, you may end up in the same boat (one person working and one person unable to find work), but with a higher cost of living. Or, even more fun, both of you able to find work- in different areas.
I'd almost be tempted to say, if you CAN live on one salary, try and do so for a while until the recession eases up a bit.
posted by Kellydamnit at 2:42 PM on June 8, 2009 [2 favorites]
I'd almost be tempted to say, if you CAN live on one salary, try and do so for a while until the recession eases up a bit.
posted by Kellydamnit at 2:42 PM on June 8, 2009 [2 favorites]
I'm a little fuzzy as to what the question is here.
is it worth staying in Bermuda purely for financial gain?
Doesn't seem like it could be the question, because you say there isn't going to be any financial gain. Did you mean to ask if it's worth staying in Bermuda in spite of the lack of financial gain?
If the following statement is true: we will not be saving any money (which is the whole point of being here)
and saving money is the entire point of being in Bermuda then why are you even asking the question?
If you have eight years of salary saved up, then I don't see a problem with putting your savings on hold for a little bit while he looks for a job if you really like living there. If what you say is true and you can live on just one salary, then you won't even be dipping into your savings in order to accomplish this, which is pretty damn impressive in a recession.
If you're in a disagreement with your husband because you initially came to Bermuda to save money for the future, but now he really likes it while you're getting sick of your job, then you need to talk to him. I hate to judge, but the way this question is phrased kind of makes it look like you're seeking validation for one side of the argument.
posted by ODiV at 2:54 PM on June 8, 2009 [1 favorite]
is it worth staying in Bermuda purely for financial gain?
Doesn't seem like it could be the question, because you say there isn't going to be any financial gain. Did you mean to ask if it's worth staying in Bermuda in spite of the lack of financial gain?
If the following statement is true: we will not be saving any money (which is the whole point of being here)
and saving money is the entire point of being in Bermuda then why are you even asking the question?
If you have eight years of salary saved up, then I don't see a problem with putting your savings on hold for a little bit while he looks for a job if you really like living there. If what you say is true and you can live on just one salary, then you won't even be dipping into your savings in order to accomplish this, which is pretty damn impressive in a recession.
If you're in a disagreement with your husband because you initially came to Bermuda to save money for the future, but now he really likes it while you're getting sick of your job, then you need to talk to him. I hate to judge, but the way this question is phrased kind of makes it look like you're seeking validation for one side of the argument.
posted by ODiV at 2:54 PM on June 8, 2009 [1 favorite]
A bird in the hand.....
First, I would try to determine the alternative to living in Bermuda. Where would it be? What jobs would you and your husband have? Figure out what will replace Bermuda, in terms of cost of living, work place, and salary.
Then, try and act on it. I don't think there is any real reason why you, and your husband, can't look for a job while you remain in your current job. Meanwhile, your husband can look for a job in Bermuda, and where ever you decide to end up. If you receive a job offer that makes you reconsider, then you can move there, and your husband can pursue employment in that environment, if he hasn't found employment there already.
I don't believe there is any harm in look, but I also don't believe there is any reason to jump ship without a solid plan to go forward. Develop the plan, then execute.
posted by zabuni at 5:12 PM on June 8, 2009
First, I would try to determine the alternative to living in Bermuda. Where would it be? What jobs would you and your husband have? Figure out what will replace Bermuda, in terms of cost of living, work place, and salary.
Then, try and act on it. I don't think there is any real reason why you, and your husband, can't look for a job while you remain in your current job. Meanwhile, your husband can look for a job in Bermuda, and where ever you decide to end up. If you receive a job offer that makes you reconsider, then you can move there, and your husband can pursue employment in that environment, if he hasn't found employment there already.
I don't believe there is any harm in look, but I also don't believe there is any reason to jump ship without a solid plan to go forward. Develop the plan, then execute.
posted by zabuni at 5:12 PM on June 8, 2009
Unless you've already got something lined up, it makes no logical sense to leave since you'll presumably be in an even worse boat than you left on... if you'll pardon the island punnery.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 5:47 PM on June 8, 2009
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 5:47 PM on June 8, 2009
No, it's probably not worth staying in Bermuda purely for financial gain, but you said, "We have an 8 month old daughter, great friends and live a comfortable lifestyle. The beach is in walking distance from our home. The weather is great here, sub tropical so winters are not brutal (no snow, lowest temperature is 55F)."
Obviously these things must be important to you or you would not have mentioned them. If you do leave, will it be easy for you to find comparable jobs, friends, weather, and lifestyle in the US? I agree with zambuni; look before you leap.
posted by LuckySeven~ at 6:07 PM on June 8, 2009
Obviously these things must be important to you or you would not have mentioned them. If you do leave, will it be easy for you to find comparable jobs, friends, weather, and lifestyle in the US? I agree with zambuni; look before you leap.
posted by LuckySeven~ at 6:07 PM on June 8, 2009
I would absolutely stay, at least until it became much clearer whether staying or leaving was the best plan, especially if I wasn't dipping into our savings in the meantime.
Hell, my wife and I are doing the same sort of thing in Korea, and let me tell you, it may be relatively lucrative, but it's far from paradise. If I lost my job and couldn't find one that was comparably good, we'd probably stay while I looked around for new opportunities. If we were living in Bermuda, I wouldn't even need to think about it.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 12:43 AM on June 9, 2009
Hell, my wife and I are doing the same sort of thing in Korea, and let me tell you, it may be relatively lucrative, but it's far from paradise. If I lost my job and couldn't find one that was comparably good, we'd probably stay while I looked around for new opportunities. If we were living in Bermuda, I wouldn't even need to think about it.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 12:43 AM on June 9, 2009
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No. And that is coming from someone whose main goal in life was "live on a tropical island", largely inspired by a trip to Bermuda when I was in college.
I'd say take a few months to assess whether you can improve the situation at your job and/or find out if your husband can get a new sponsorship that won't be dependent on your permit.
The grass
may beis definitely greener in Bermuda, but if you get more resentful and your husband starts to get depressed that he can't get a job and thus is indirectly causing you to be resentful, then it's not really worth it.posted by mikepop at 1:36 PM on June 8, 2009