Working Abroad in the Bahamas
📍 Harbour Island, Bahamas
A few weeks ago, I wrote about my new life of working from home. After six years in the elementary school classroom, it’s so refreshing to be more autonomous in my daily schedule. That’s especially true when it comes to travel. As a teacher, I really only felt comfortable taking trips during the designated breaks. I’m so thankful to have that time, but it’s extremely costly when everyone else is traveling with their families. Now that both my husband and I work from home, all I need is a solid internet connection and I can do my job from anywhere. It feels so incredibly liberating. Traveling to Harbour Island was our first experience of taking a working vacation and something I highly recommend if you have the flexibility. For all of my remote workers, here are my biggest pieces of advice to consider.
Find a Workable Space
This takes some investigating and research. Ultimately, you need to consider what your work needs are. How many people are with you? How much space do you need? David and I both wanted ample room to stretch out for work. Because of that, my attention turned to renting a full cottage instead of a cozy hotel room. That made all of the difference in the world! We could work from the dining table, the couch, or our outdoor seating. It honestly felt like being home, except we could explore the Harbour Island after our 9 to 5 was done for the day.
Ask Lots of Questions
One of my biggest points of concern about working remotely was definitely the WIFI situation. More importantly, did a small Caribbean island have the bandwidth for potential Zoom calls? What drew me to this particular bungalow, which I’ll share more about later, was a very specific and helpful review. Someone who had stayed previously wrote that she and her husband were able to work remotely with no problem. To double-check, I reached out to the Host and asked what the internet speed was. As a backup, I also asked the nearby hotels. You know, just in case! Don’t be afraid to ask specific questions before you book. It will give you so much peace of mind, and fewer surprises!
Know When to Give Yourself a Break
Don’t spend your entire trip cooped up with work. To make the most of our trip, we began each morning with a long walk through town, followed by a stop at a local coffee shop. After a full morning of work, we also treated ourselves to a lunchtime walk on the beach. Truly, it’s how we break up our day in St. Pete, but the scenery here is just so much prettier! To end the day, we gave ourselves a hard stop so we could enjoy pre-dinner cocktails and more exploring. I even gave myself a full personal day off so I could explore the shops and sights. Sprinkling in these moments helped make for a very healthy balance.
Pack the Essentials
I joke that we packed more electronics than clothes, but it made for a seamless work experience. My setup is pretty simple. All I need to have a productive workday is a computer, an outlet, and a comfy chair to sit in. Because of his job, David required a bit more ‘tech’. One of the first purchases he made after we booked the trip was a portable monitor. Essentially, it looks like a giant tablet, but gives him more real estate as he codes and takes meetings. He was also sure to grab an extra mouse, batteries, and extension cords. The Bahamas has the same outlet as the states, but always double-check if you need an adapter. All things to consider before taking your trip!
David and I were honestly thinking of this Bahamas trip as a test run for working abroad. This trip was incredibly easy and is something I’m excited to explore more in the future. Recently, there have been a lot of struggles caused by COVID, but the freedom to work from anywhere is not one of them!
Love from Harbour Island,
Katie
As always, thanks for stopping by! To keep up with all things about the Sunshine State, be sure to visit my exclusive Florida page, here.