The other side of the Jamaican postcard

Hi,

As a tourist in a foreign country, very often, we are enchanted with what we discover.

Living abroad is different. It's a rich experience but there are also some difficulties to face.

When people ask me for advice on living abroad, I then tend to say that one should also look at both sides of the postcard.

As an expat in Jamaica, how would you describe the two sides of your Jamaican postcard?

Thank you for sharing your experience,

Julien

Great question, Julien. I do not yet live in Ja, but I am there every month and have become very accustomed to the realities of living there. Where does one start? I think the biggest issue for me has been the slow/inefficient/lack of service across all arenas when having to deal with the government. Also depending on where you live, the on again, off again utilities. These are problems that are not uncommon to most third-world countries, but because I still go back and forth to the US it makes it even harder to stomach. Also the prices for goods that are imported is a BIG ONE! That is something that you rarely pay attention to as a tourist, but as someone who lives there you become very aware.