So on March 10th, I left San Francisco, California and landed ten hours later in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. While in transit my heart beat fast and my stomach quivered with fear of the unknown. As I made my way through customs, I was stopped at the checkpoint by a woman, with ebony skin and wide eyes who asked me for my passport.  She smiled a smile of genuine warmth and we struck up a short conversation.  I guess it is all just a part of being on an Island; a little slower, a little warmer… a little more human. 

The First Few Months
The first few months of my new life went quickly and busily. I rented an apartment for about $US100 per month in south Trinidad in charming Princes Town, a place with only about 25,000 people. It was in the country but a mere twenty minutes from San Fernando, the second largest city in Trinidad and another hour from the capital. It was quiet, no traffic, but people were friendly….and if I craved it, city life was only minutes away!

There were fruit stands sprinkled everywhere and fresh fish and vegetable markets a short walk away from where I was staying. Day by day, I found my health returning to me. I was walking regularly, joined a gym, and my mental outlook began to improve along with my body.  After a while fatigue disappeared. Oh boy, I had not felt this good in years; come to think of it I had never, ever felt this good! I even took a part time job as a high school counselor and was enjoying myself so much that I forgot why I came here in the first place. As a result, my plan drastically changed from coming here to die to coming here to “make a comeback!'

After four months I was in the best shape of my life and developed a social network of dear friends and family. Now that I look back at my life, I see how I let myself become consumed with the American culture of fast food and fast living and obsessed with performance, achievement, status and the collection of material objects. All the things that I thought I needed (which ran me into the ground and almost killed me) I no longer wanted. I came to a point where the simple things were all that mattered… family, friends, health and a sense of community and home.

Real Estate
Now that I had been rejuvenated, I vowed I would never go back to living the way I did before.   I was determined to create and sustain the life I wanted in the Caribbean. My first task was to look at housing and real estate around the island, which is what I did with a good friend who worked in a local bank. 

I discovered that it is legal for a foreigner to own a home in Trinidad but that the price of land and property drastically changes from one part of the Island to another. In the capital of Trinidad you can pay $US800,000 for a home or live closer to the beach (about 45 minutes away) and pay as little as $US50,000  for a two-story, four bedroom, two bathroom house. I almost lost my mind when I found out how low the prices could be.  I personally bought a 6,000 square foot lot in a new development in Princes Town for $US8,500.  I’m twenty minutes from the beach!  No smog, congestion or stressful living!  To get a better idea of the real estate market check out www.sipreal.com for more information. This is an excellent resource and gives you an accurate picture of local real estate prices with lots of photos. 

Currently, I am looking at investment opportunities and find the stock market is very stable.  In addition Trinidad has one of the only financial institutions that guarantee your principal in a mutual fund account from Unit Trust Corporation. Unit Trust also has accounts which earn over 20% on mutual funds. Yeah, you heard me right. I was shocked myself but if you don’t believe me, check out the website for Unit Trust Corporation and decide for yourself. www.ttutc.com I currently have an account with them and have been very satisfied. Another good resource with great links is www.stockex.co.tt  if you want to find out more about investing in Trinidad.

Living and or Retirement
The exchange rate is 6 Trinidadian dollars to one $US, so stronger currencies will go much further in Trinidad, especially since the cost of living is much lower, about a third less than in the USA. Many elderly and retired Americans struggle to survive in the good old US of A.  As for me I would rather live a good life in Paradise when I retire. 

A big plus for living in a climate that is tropical and warm all the year round, is no heating bills.  Your clothes last longer too, no beating up in the dryer because, as the locals say, you just “hang and dry”.

Conclusion
In my opinion Trinidad has the best of both worlds; slow island life with access to 21st century amenities.  Chill by the beach or sample the nightlife.  Cool coconut water or KFC, TGIF and Burger King. 

When I first left America I was ready to give up on life but Trinidad saved me and showed me possibilities that I had lost sight of. For me, it is my paradise. 

I have now been to Trinidad four more times and have collected detailed information on investing, real estate, employment and I am in the process of buying my second piece of property. Look out for future articles on Night Life, Carnival, Investing, Real Estate, and Employment. For more information or any questions please email me and I will try to answer your questions. mchristophermsw@yahoo.com

Further Resources
www.tntisland.com - An exhaustive link to information and websites concerning Trinidad and Tobago 
www.gov.tt/ -  Is the official government webpage with ministry links and country information.