My DH hates his job, especially the horrific hours (evenings, weekends, often all-nighters) and now we're expecting our 1st DC in December, it's proved the catalyst for a major life rethink. He's very keen to have better work/life balance and spend more time at home and so he has been to see a recruitment consultant.
The recruitment consultant has told him with his experience and qualifications, he could get a job working in Grand Cayman, with a big payrise and tax free salary - much more money than he could earn in the UK. Even though cost of living there is huge, we could still save like mad and pay off chunk of mortgage/ buy a 2+ bed flat in UK on our return (we have a 1 bed London flat at the mo - not ideal but can't afford bigger).
Sounds amazing? Well, yes. But I'm a tad worried about heading out there in mid-September, 28 weeks PG (the earliest I could start mat leave) slap-bang in the middle of the hurricane season, in order to find a place to live, make a whole new network of friends, find an OB/GYN/midwife/GP (which we'd have to pay for, and that's likely to be $5000-$9000 for the pre/antenatal care and delivery assuming there are no complications with me or the babe - we don't have US health insurance and US health insurance want 10 months membership before they will fork out for birthcare). There's a UK/US expat community there, and they have antenatal yoga etc, I'm sure I could make mum-friends but...hmmm.
Problem is, I've not had a baby before, so I just don't know what it will be like for me and DH. Even assuming there are no complications with me and babe ( I'm 39, does that make me high-risk?), I'm quite worried about the isolation, no friends/family, and then looking after a tiny newborn on a hot, hurricane-prone island (it's not like I can really take the baba down the beach for the day).
So I think the whole project sounds a bit ambitious and am dithering.
It might be possible to accept the job and fly out when the baby is 4-6 months next year. Do you think that would be a good idea?
I've been to Grand Cayman before, but that was on honeymoon. Bit different to actually going and living there! I have lived abroad before (worked on a Greek island & Poland as a TEFL teacher in my 20's for a year each time). I also grew up in a small village so I know what it's like in a goldfish bowl and I'm quite good at making friends - but that's when I'm not hugely pregnant/new-parent hormonal/shattered.
My mates, who don't have kids, all say 'go! sounds amazing!'. But I want the opinion of women with children, please!
If you were me, what would you do?
Sorry long post!
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...to think moving to an island when 7 months PG with 1st Dc is a bit bonkers?
65 replies
Miffster · 14/05/2010 10:55
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