- Camille Gaines moved from Texas to the island in the late '80s with her husband
- She faced a series of 'challenges' there - like being forced to stop working
- The Texan said the government had strict regulations about foreigners working
A woman who relocated from the U.S. to Bermuda has detailed the immense differences between life on the island and her home country, while sharing some of the rigid rules that she had to follow while residing there - including laws about how many cars you could own and what job you could get.
Camille Gaines, a former real estate broker-turned-financial coach from Austin, Texas, moved to the island in the late '80s after her husband, Larry, headed there for 'a job opportunity.'
And while the self-proclaimed 'nature lover' was excited about the stunning scenery and wildlife she'd been exposed to there, living in the 'idyllic location' came with a series of 'challenges' that she didn't anticipate before the move.
She recently opened up about the difficulties she faced while adjusting to her new home in an essay for Insider.
According to Camille, the first problem that arose was that she was forced to quit her job as a real estate broker after moving to Bermuda due to the government's strict regulations regarding foreigners and work.
'The government of Bermuda states that foreigners cannot work jobs a Bermudian can do, making it difficult for foreigners to work in fields such as real estate,' she revealed.
'If you aren't a Bermudian, you must get permission from the minister responsible for immigration before you can work in Bermuda as a real estate broker or agent.'
She admitted that she 'seriously overlooked the impact such a move would have on her personal finances' and that the 'career set back' hurt her 'ability to earn an income.'
Thankfully, she added that her husband's employer 'paid for many expenses that they would have had to pay in the US.'
Even so, she said she 'loved working' and 'felt lost' without her job, and was forced to put many of her 'life goals' on the backburner.
She continued, 'I didn't realize how much this move would steer my life because I was young.
'That direction was based on someone else's career, not my own. In hindsight, this was a challenge for me being a very independent woman, so I wish I'd known that before I moved.'
Another hardship she was put through was that she and her husband had to move numerous times during their time on the island, since 'it's almost impossible to purchase a house in Bermuda as a foreigner.'
'Homes become emotional anchors,' she wrote. 'But my family rented three different homes while we lived there.
'Of course in Bermuda, and elsewhere, when you rent a home you can only stay as long as the landlord allows.
'The owners of the first house we leased wanted to move into the home themselves after a while.
'The second home only had two bedrooms and we wanted three bedrooms since our family had grown and we had frequent guests, so we moved again.
'I prefer owning my home and moving less frequently, so I wish I'd considered this in advance.'
In addition, Camille, explained that the 'international move' had 'long-term' effects on her 'social' life.
'Living abroad among an international community was a wonderful experience in many ways but it wasn't easy from a social perspective,' she said.
'I didn't have difficulty making Bermudian friends, but they already had a network of their own local family and friends, and I was a temporary resident which created some challenges.'
Camille and her husband, who went on to welcome two sons together, lived in Bermuda for 13 years before returning to the States.
Camille described residing in Bermuda versus residing in the US like 'night and day,' adding, 'The British cultural influence in Bermuda was another world from Texas.'
She explained that the 'logistics differed' in Bermuda - which is just over 20 square miles - compared to her home state.
'In Bermuda, the speed limit was 20 MPH and I drove on the left side of the road. We were allowed one car per home, so we had a scooter that I sometimes drove,' she revealed.
Despite some of the downsides, she said that living on the island also has a slew of pluses - like being surrounded by nature and being exposed to people from 'all over the world.'
'I loved the outdoor activities I could do in Bermuda, including scuba diving, snorkeling, riding my bike, and golfing,' she gushed.
'A normal Sunday afternoon activity was snorkeling with my family from our boat in one of the most beautiful places in the world. This was beyond spectacular.
'Life was also much more relaxed in Bermuda. After I moved back to the US, I missed Bermuda and its small-town warmth, friends, and safety. There was beauty and simplicity in living on a small island.'
In the end, Camille says she 'doesn't regret moving to Bermuda despite the challenges.'
'The lifestyle experience I gained was invaluable,' she concluded.
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