Settling in to life in Jamaica

Once the family arrives, the period of “settling in” includes all the start-up activities that the family must undergo to reach something approaching a steady state. This time period can take anywhere from three months to two years.

Housing
The choice of housing is made primarily with the following questions in mind:

1. What is the crime rate like in the neighborhood?
2. Does the house have adequate security (e.g. burglar-bars)?
3. Should your house or apartment be in a gated or a non-gated community?
4. What are the traffic patterns like?
5. What will the commute to the office or to schools be like?
6. What or who are the local Internet, electricity, water and phone company providers?

A good real estate agent will be helpful in looking for housing in the best possible areas for expatriates, who tend to congregate in certain areas.

Transportation is critical to settling in, so quickly learning how to drive is important

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