Is relocating to island paradise actually possible? Take it from me first-hand, it is and if you have the opportunity to do it yourself, take it!

“Wandering through an imitation of an imitation of a place they wanted to go to”, wrote Lawrence Osborne in his book The Naked Tourist.

Like many of us, I spent years travelling to exotic tourist destinations and sat in a bar with my husband talking about what a dream come true it would be to live there. In reality, we didn’t stand a chance of experiencing the dream by just passing through exclusive hotels.

Relocating: My New Priority

Let me take you back to a cold September morning in 2009. I was one and a half hours into my daily commute, in my car, heating on full, wearing Ugg boots and three pairs of socks. The windscreen wipers were moving so fast they were making me dizzy. I thought to myself, “my job is amazing but could it be done somewhere else?” There must be somewhere in the world that would be pleased to see an accountant and recruitment consultant in their arrivals lounge?

Shortly after, the decision was made and relocating became the priority; to start a new adventure, a new chapter in our lives and find a new wardrobe for my shoes!

A Glimmer of Hope in the Caribbean

Like any professional, my career is an extremely important part of my life and not something I could sacrifice, even for paradise. After researching the Caribbean I came across the Cayman Islands, the 5th largest financial centre in the world, and a perfect fit for any professional seeking a better quality of life.

With its year-round sunshine, miles of beach and tax-free living, I just had to get there, and if Christopher Columbus could find it in a sinking ship surely I could be shipwrecked on Seven Mile Beach myself by 2010?

The Hard Part of Relocating

The toughest part of leaving was telling our families and being met with expressions similar to those of 11 years previously when waving goodbye to my Mum from the university halls of residence. After the promise of constant photographs, the introduction of Skype to our family, and the guarantee of free holidays all year round they soon came round to the idea of a daughter/sister overseas.

So it was with the help of the fantastic consultants at CML Offshore Recruitment, the pilots at British Airways and some imaginative packing of (far too many) shoes and handbags that we landed 26 days ahead of target on the 5th December 2009, eager to see what this fabulous country had to offer.

If you too are considering relocating offshore (or are already here and are looking for a new position!), I would encourage you to reach out to the team here at CML and see how they can advise you further – reach out today at info@cml.ky for a confidential conversation.