I am an American and I want to move to Jamaica. If you live in Jamaica, what advice can you give me?

Question

I'm just really tired of the "doing better than the Jones" attitude and many other things that the US has come to. The majority of our lives is spent working, and for what?

Answer 1

I'm sure you've heard the saying that 'the grass is always greener'. Think about that before you decide to move to Jamaica. I lived there for many years. Its a beautiful country, awesome culture...but its not all sunshine and beaches the way the tourist ads make it look. When you're there for a short while as a tourist its very different from actually living there permanently. For one thing, its very expensive to live there. You will HAVE TO have decent income to keep up with the cost of living there or you will not be happy at all. Please pay careful attention to this because it is important. The way of life there is much more laid back than it is here, and the laws of the land are not as silly and restrictive as ours. Although its true that some things are better there, you're going to find that many things are just as much the same as they are different from what we have here in the US.  Not that people there actively try to keep one-upping one another because Jamaicans are not ridiculously materialistic the way many Americans are, but most are very proud and ambitious.  

True that there is a lot of poverty in Jamaica but there is a lot of money there, too. It depends on where on the island you live. There are a lot of people in Jamaica who have a MUCH higher standard of living than most people in the United States do. This may sound strange but if you live there for any period of time you will understand what I'm talking about.  

Also, you can't just move there and stay. If you're not a Jamaican national you have to apply for a visa that permits you to live and work there. Its not difficult to get, but they probably won't give it to you unless you're going there to start up some type of business, if you marry a Jamaican, if you get a job with the American embassy there, or if you are offered employment in a specialty area where they have a need. If you work in education or health care it will be extremely easy to get a visa to go there to live and work. Just make sure that whatever you do, you'll be making enough money to live decently on.  You can contact the Jamaica Consulate in Washington DC and they will tell you all you need to know about getting a visa to live there.

Whatever you decide, good luck.

Answer 2

My advice :

1. Make sure you have a plan and a back-up plan.

2. Make sure you work a little more and just make enough money to help you out when you decide to move to Jamaica. A couple US thousands is good.

3. Jamaica is beautiful ! I know many people moving to Jamaica this summer. Even a mum moving to Jamaica with her kids. Life in Jamaica is not poor unless you have money.

4. In America people work everyday , no rest ! In Jamaica you could work and take breaks plus the bill is not bad either. There are no taxes !

5. People are very friendly in Jamaica. Always uniting as 1 ! There are Mixed Jamaicans, Spanish Jamaicans, Japanese Jamaicans, Chinese Jamaicans, Indian Jamaicans..etc. But dosen't matter what they are they're still JAMAICAN !

6. Try to visit Jamaica at least for a week or 2 before you move there. Just check out places and see where would be a good living enviornment for you. It's best you start deciding now where in Jamaica you would like to live.

7. There are crimes everywhere ! Cause there are crazy people in the world. I hate that some of these people commenting are saying Jamaica has a lot of crime and is poor. So not true ! There are rich parts of Jamaica that's why the tourists love it so much ! America could never look like Jamaica !

8. The only 2 places I could compare or say look similar to Jamaica is Brazil and Florida. In Brazil there are alot of trees and people love coconut. Similar to Jamaica and in Florida there are palm trees and hot weather. Similar to Jamaica. But they could never compare to Jamaica ! Jamaica is the best !

9. Try living in an apartment first if you can't afford a house. Try finding a job that you could possibly do in Jamaica now. I recommend you start looking now because it'll be harder later.

10. The most important thing is that you have a support team. People who are helping you out and are happy your going to Jamaica. Make sure to visit Jamaica and make a couples friends or 2. People in Jamaica are really nice ! It's true ! And Jamaica is beautiful !

☆ Mixed Curly Fries ☆

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Answer 3

every country has its ups and downs......there is no country that life is a bed of rose.  you have to work hard everywhere to make a living.  if you want to move to Jamaica by all means it your choice..don't let anyone discourage you.... do your reasearch on the island , find out how you can become a resident there and move there.  bear in mind cultres are different everywhere so you would have to learn to adjust

good luck

Answer 4

born in Jamaica but Live in the US and knowing both i would say Jamaica is like vacation everyday you just need money. so my advice to you is make sure you are finacially ok before moving.

Answer 5

its actually more expensive to live in Jamaica-everything is more expensive

i would suggest living in the suburbs outside of kingston or a big tourist area because everything is easy to access

you should watch out for crime because as an american your a bigger target

Answer 6

Move to Mandeville, treasure beach or Portland/St. Thomas.

It rocks here!

Answer 7

well am jamaican i dont think those ignorants know anything

only me and  Jo-D we are the real yardie

well Jamaica isnt like america with killing each day

Jamaica have some certain place that have crime and thing

but Jamaica is a very bigg island we have 14 parish

you will love it for sure but you will love our people  our food and beach shops town,just take it easy and dont mind  people business  you will sure make allot of friends party is all over each day jus imagine summer all year thats Jamaica!!

you could even hang your cloths on the line but one thing is for sure but if i was you you will have to find residents but montego bay, ocho rios,port antonio,and the resident i know i claredon are the best for u

and if you go in town in the ghetto zone always put money in ur shoe or bra lol if you a woman and dont tell nobody about your life and thing jus take care and remeber let me know how u enjoy my home

Answer 8

ok so webhead basically hit the nail on the head really nothing i can add to that except to tackle the issue of crime. now i saw someone state that we have one of highest crime rate.....this is probably true but as u say, u are from american therefore im sure thats nothing new to u. Jamaica is not as dangerous as people make it seem ur only really in danger if u live in the inner city like  me and may just get hit by a stray bullet. but as long as no one has a vendetta for u the most that could happen is getting robbed which im sure happens in every country. People  in Jamaica dont kill for no reason (unlike in america with those serial killers and psychopaths) so if u dnt trouble anyone, they dnt trouble u, simple as tht

Answer 9

Jamaica has some beautiful parts and it would be a lovely place to live but there are also some very poor parts just watch out as being stereotyped as the rich American and America is great why not stay here??

Answer 10

I've personally lived in Jamaica (Kingston) all my life and I wouldn't live anywhere else but that said I WAS raised here so I'm used to the culture and the overall way of life here so it's fine for me. I've travelled to the US and I could never fathom myself being there permanently just because it's not what i'm accustomed to and despite the high murder rate here people don't seem to realize that the MAJORITY of those killings are gunman on gunman crimes, and i'm sure u don't plan on moving here to become a gunman. That said, a portion of those murder victims are innocent citizens but you have that in every country.

I would suggest if you're serious about moving here that you really come with a plan and have a backup plan in case it doesn't work out for u. You'll need to find a good job, think about some mode of transportation and living arrangements before you get here. Depending on what kind of person you are, you may just have a great time and life in Jamaica. Good Luck to u!

Answer 11

IT has one of the highest crime rates and in most year its number 1 or 2 or usually 3 in crime rate.