1

There is lots of information available on the web about living in Bermuda and most of it is realistic.

Bermuda can be good and it can bad. It all depends on your objective and how you manage achieving it.

My experience is that in general the salary offered in Bermuda (although it sounds good in tax free US dollars) doesn't compensate for the actual drop in living standard that you have to except. As a teacher you are likely looking at about $45,000. You can actually start to save someting if your salary is in the $60,000 range.

And yes, you will run into racial issues. They are not always overt.

2

Im from the UKoriginally and have been living and working in Bermuda for 5 years. I love it! On a salary of around $50k it will be hard to have a high standard of living, but lots of people manage. Budget at least $1500 for rent alone, and that may only get you a room in a shared house or a very small 1 bed apartment. Saltus Grammer has a very good reputation on the island - so maybe its not as bad as some of the other schools.

There are some bad feelings towards expats, but most people do appreciate that Bermuda needs expats to maintain the volume of international business on the island and adopt a live and let live attitude.

Living in Bermuda as an expat is very like being a student again but with cash! The social life is fab. I recommend the lifestyle. Hey - if you hate it you can always leave.

3

Oh, for the love of god. You're going to be teaching and you can't even spell grammar properly.

4

Ladyhotspur,

The same criticisms could be made of The US Virgin Islands. If you just look at it as a short term possibility you will probably enjoy yourself. The ladies have a great time in the islands. But is hella expensive.

5

What iliana said.

6

All of the criticisms are true. There are some good factors too (rum, beaches). A room in a shared house will cost upwards of $1300/month. Even if you can afford it, you probably will not be allowed to have a car due to a strict one car per household rule (if this is important to you, specifically ask any prospective landlord). Groceries are scarily expensive... a single apple costs US$1, with no guatantee of freshness. And there are things that you would no believe can mould or rust until you experience Bermuda.

That said, living as an expat can be good if you are someone capable of getting out and making friends. Bermuda is not blessed with all that much to do if you don't drink but it can be fun to hang out with such a cosmopolitan population of expats and locals. Some locals will befriend you. Many will resent your very existence. Develop a thick skin and try to understand the issues. Generally it is not accepted for an expat to speak out about social issues or to suggest alternatives.

The schools are different to those in larger countries. Saltus has a better reputation than many. It is likely that methods are different to wherever you come from and you may have to bite your tongue if you are not comfortable with corporal punishment for example. Politics are rife in the education system.

Race is an issue in Bermuda as well and again, depending on your background, you may find it difficult to bite your tongue. Of the places I have worked and travelled, I think it had by far the worst racism. I hope that this improves over time and of course, as a teacher, you would be in the front-line of change. If you can make even a little difference you are doing a good thing.

7

Still what iliana said.

8

From the earlier note about "Tax Free", don't forget that no income is tax free if you're a U.S. citizen.
You still have to file US income tax forms, and if there is no tax in Bermuda, then the whole thing gets reported to the US. There is an exemption for the first $80k that you earn elsewhere, but a US citizen never really gets out of taxes, unless you die or renounce citizenship. - JM.

9

hello, I am from South Wales in the UK and I have been offered a printing job in Bermuda. They have offered me a salary of $50'000 a year and will pay for my accomodation for 6 weeks till I find somewhere permanent which I will have to pay myself. I have read up and researched all I need to know about the island. My only concern is will $50'000 be enough to live on over there? I will be coming over there on my own no wife/girlfriend or children. Any feed back would be most welcome. Nathan

10

I taught in Korea for a year, and as long as your income is less than $99k, and you're out of the country for 330+ days, your income is indeed tax free. In order to file the right paperwork without any fuss, you might end up paying $50 to a tax professional, but that's about it.