North Americans and Europeans move to the Caribbean for many reasons. Whatever the case, if you’re going to be a student at one of the many international medical schools in the region (or your spouse is), life in the sunny islands can be simple, but also presents many unique challenges.
The UMHS Pulse looks at ways to minimize the hassle of moving to the Caribbean (and adjusting to life there) by offering tips and suggestions from students at UMHS, one of the most popular Caribbean medical schools. The students to whom we spoke all made the big move recently.
This is not a comprehensive list, but offers a sample of things that UMHS students believe are necessary.
There is one thing that’s more important than anything you can pack when moving to the Caribbean.
As UMHS student Melissa Alvarez Peña in St. Kitts says, “Come with an open mind. This is not home; it is a different culture and way of life. You will not have the comforts of home; you will have to be able to adapt. You must be accepting of things that you will not be accustomed to. And you must remember that just because it is different doesn't mean that it's bad.”
Ship Everyday Things from Home to Save Money
“Food is way more expensive here,” says Ms. Peña. “Bring lots of snacks with you.”
She makes a valid point. Because many of the everyday items you love, from snacks to favorite toiletries, are indeed costly in the region because of higher taxes and duties in many countries, consider preparing a “care package” of such things as candy and granola bars, trail mix, potato chips, Oreo and Chips Ahoy cookies, over-the-counter medication and the like and send everything to your new address. Have your family send you non-perishable things you enjoy from home periodically by using a low-cost shipping service that regularly delivers to Caribbean islands.
Tropical Shipping services many Caribbean islands and ships from such U.S. ports as Miami, Florida and Kearny, New Jersey and Canadian cities like St. John, New Brunswick, Toronto, Ontario and Montreal, Quebec. For more information, visit https://www.tropical.com/external/en/
Bring Stuff to Make You ‘Cool’ & Keep Bugs Away
Keep in mind that the Caribbean is hot and humid year round, and there are two seasons: rainy (spring and summer) and dry (fall and winter).
Summer attire is an obvious “must” for the Caribbean, but bring clothing made of natural fabrics that help wick sweat away.
“Make sure you bring ‘light clothes’ with you so that you don't sweat too much,” says UMHS student Russell Garcia in St. Kitts. “This is especially true if you're coming from a colder climate. I wear flip-flops daily (toes require sunscreen) to keep cool at school.”
Mr. Garcia also advises people to bring a small fan. “It can keep you cool while you acclimate to the hot/humid weather and it will keep the bugs from landing on you while you sleep/study,” he says. “I don't care where you live, the bugs will come in (even if they spray). You don't want to get bit by an exotic mosquito and contract something that will prevent you from focusing at school.”
Some islands, such as St. Martin, have problems with chikungunya (a mosquito-borne tropical illness). It’s a good idea to pack a mosquito repellant. Many swear by brands that contain DEET (chemical name: N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide or N,N-diethyl-3-methyl-benzamide) to avoid mosquitoes with chikungunya virus, but please be advised that these can be quite toxic. There are many great substitutes. On its website, the CDC gives the following information on natural alternatives to products with DEET:
"Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or PMD (chemical name: para-menthane-3,8-diol), the synthesized version of OLE. Products containing OLE and PMD include, but are not limited to, Repel and Off! Botanicals. This recommendation refers to EPA-registered repellent products containing the active ingredient OLE (or PMD). 'Pure' oil of lemon eucalyptus (essential oil not formulated as a repellent) is not recommended; it has not undergone similar, validated testing for safety and efficacy, is not registered with EPA as an insect repellent, and is not covered by this recommendation."
Regardless of which type of repellent you use, please be mindful of airline and TSA rules about carrying large amounts of liquid on airplanes (usually 3 ounces or less in carry-on; larger bottles must be packed in checked luggage).
Pre-packaged mosquito-repellent towelettes, both natural and those with chemicals, can be found at many retail stores and online.
Although slightly expensive, bug-repellent towelettes are more convenient for packing and traveling purposes. One UMHS staff member was a huge fan of Deep Woods Off! Towelettes, until he heard about natural alternatives.
“I was planning a trip down there this winter and was very concerned about chikungunya virus, but I also hate putting huge bottles of bug repellent into checked luggage, so I found a multi-pack of Deep Woods Off! Towelettes on Amazon.com for less than $10 and just slipped them into my carry-on bag and had all the protection I needed against mosquitoes, without worrying about carrying expensive travel-size containers of bug spray that might leak, ” he says.
He was not aware of the toxicity of DEET products until a UMHS professor pointed it out and mentioned the many good natural products available.
"I will try one of the natural bug repellent towelettes or sprays this summer because we now have the threat of mosquitoes carrying chikungunya here in the U.S.," he says.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends using clothing (hats, shoes, jackets and bed nets) treated with permethrin to help repel bugs. The CDC has detailed information on proper bug repellants and insecticides on its website at http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2014/chapter-2-the-pre-travel-consultation/protection-against-mosquitoes-ticks-and-other-insects-and-arthropods
CARIBBEAN BANKING TIPS: Have all the requisite documentation to open a local account. Use credit cards instead of debit cards or use local currency whenever possible. Photo: UMHS archives.
Bank Accounts, Local Currency, Debit & Credit Cards
Earlier we mentioned the benefits of credit cards that offer no foreign transaction fees. So, what about opening a bank account in the Caribbean?
UMHS student Anthony Montoya gives practical advice for opening a St. Kitts bank account.
“One thing I really would have liked-- and it has been such a pain so far-- is knowing the exact documentation one needs to open a bank account here on the island,” Mr. Montoya says. “For RBC [Royal Bank of Canada], one needs two forms of identification, an enrollment letter from UMHS addressed to the manager of RBC [can get that here during registration], and a letter from your current bank addressed to the manager of RBC stating how long the account has been open, if it was and is in good standing, and how it's been operated thus far.”
Many Caribbean banks have student accounts. Some offer student banking at no fee with 25 debits per month, as well as student accounts that charge a monthly fee but have such perks as unlimited debits, overdraft protection and more.
For more information, visit the websites of these local St. Kitts banks (the UMHS Pulse does NOT endorse or recommend any particular bank):
More banks and banking information are available by visiting the St. Kitts Tourism website at http://www.stkittstourism.kn/explore-st-kitts-facts.php
For a list of banks in the entire Caribbean region, visit http://listofbanksin.com/ListofBanksintheCaribbean.htm
The following tips are from UMHS staff members who have traveled in the region.
GET SMALL AMOUNT OF LOCAL CURRENCY BEFORE LEAVING: Convert a small amount of U.S. or Canadian dollars into local currency at your bank to avoid high commission fees & poor exchange rates at airport exchange bureaus. Photo: UMHS archives.
Get a Small Amount of Local Currency: Have approximately $100 to $300 U.S. or Canadian converted into local currency such as Eastern Caribbean dollars for incidentals upon arrival since banks might be closed on the day your flight lands. It is better to change over small amounts of money at your local bank back home instead of using currency exchange bureaus at airports (which offer poor exchange rates and charge high commissions). Depending on the island you’re moving to and its immigration policies, it could be illegal to bring large sums of any type of cash currency into certain countries, so double-check each nation’s government immigration/customs website.
For daily currency exchange rates in the Caribbean, visit the XE Currency Converter website at http://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/
DEBIT CARD, CREDIT CARD OR CASH? Credit cards are safest because they aren't tied directly to your checking & savings. Pay cash in local currency whenever possible. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Avoid Using Debit Cards If Possible: Just like back in the USA and Canada, Caribbean nations have problems with thieves stealing debit and credit-card information. To be safe, consider avoiding the use of debit cards because they are directly linked to your checking and savings account. If a thief somehow gets your debit-card number, it is much harder to have the money deposited back into your account. With a credit card, however, one is usually liable for no more than $50 of unauthorized charges (depending on the bank’s policy). Try obtaining a “no foreign transaction fee” credit card to charge incidentals (just be sure to pay off the card each month and never carry a balance so you don’t pay high interest rates).
Use a Credit Card with a Chip: In Europe, “chip and pin” and “chip and signature” credit cards are the norm because it is much harder for thieves to use them. Following the security breach at Target last fall, U.S. banks have promised to offer more cards with chips by 2015 in the USA. Right now, Citibank, Chase and American Express all have credit cards with this new technology, so consider getting a “chip” card for use in the Caribbean. Some banks with “chip” cards require you to simply request one, and they will mail one out free of charge.
(Top photo) MOVING HERE? FOLLOW UMHS STUDENTS’ ADVICE: St. Kitts (pictured), one of the most popular areas for North American expats & Caribbean med school students in St. Kitts. Photo: UMHS archives
About UMHS:
Built in the tradition of the best US universities, the University of Medicine and Health Sciencesfocuses on individual student attention, maintaining small class sizes and recruiting high-quality faculty. We call this unique approach, “personalized medical education,” and it’s what has led to our unprecedented 96% student retention rate, and outstanding residency placements across the US and Canada. UMHS is challenging everything you thought you knew about Caribbean medical schools.
Scott is Director of Digital Content & Alumni Communications Liaison at UMHS and editor of the UMHS Endeavour blog. When he's not writing about UMHS students, faculty, events, public health, alumni and UMHS research, he writes and edits Broadway theater reviews for a website he publishes in New York City, StageZine.com.
