Please tell us your names: 

Ronald and Charlie Mind 

Where are you right now: 

Antigua

When did you arrive: 

March 2020  - Ronald
August 2019 - Charlie

When do you leave: 

Indefinitely at the moment. We are recalibrating

Can you please describe your experience of working remotely so far?

Ronald: It has been brilliant! I have been able to keep doing all the work I was doing previously in the UK with the exception of my physical members clubs. I am giving lectures and mentoring with kids as well and consulting on several projects in the UK and around the world all from this wonderful setting. 

How has the weather been?  Again, brilliant! Haha – though sometimes I wish for a little more rain when I am missing London! It is a steady 30 degrees all year round 

Charlie: I have been coming to the island ever since I was a young girl so I know it very well and it is basically my home away from home. Ron has been coming for the last 10 years or so – so we are both really comfortable here. Although visiting someplace is completely different to actually living there. An occasional 2 week holiday does not prepare you for an entire life move and resettling experience

How have you found the transition?

Ronald: Its been great! What I love the most is the time I now have to spend with the family, working out and just being present. That was much harder to do in London. When we lived in London our son used to attend a nursery in Highgate and the cost of that was about 5 times the cost of what we now pay in Antigua.  I would argue that his school in Antigua is much better than the one in London in terms of attention, care, space to run around, smaller classes etc and at literally a fifth of the cost. So what I was paying for a month in London covers a whole two thirds of the year in Antigua. In addition the kids have swimming lessons, horse riding and tennis lessons which they would have struggled to have in London due to the distances involved, the lack of time and costs associated. In Antigua - nothing is more than 30 minutes away!

Charlie: I find that relationships and bonds are stronger here as everyone generally has more time on their hands. It feels more like living in a village and everyone looks out for everyone else and it makes it a much better environment for bringing up children. We didn’t have WorkMango when we moved – so we have had to figure out practically everything for ourselves – which is great because it means we now know just about everything there is to know from the best doctors and dentists to the best restaurants and places to work on the island. 

What challenges do you think other people might face in doing the same thing - if any?

Charlie: I think the same that we faced – first packing your house and sorting out your move. Luckily WorkMango can assist with that too if you are in London or New York! And then when we arrived finding out where to go for what, but now that we have all that information – we can happily share that with our network. We had to look at properties all across the island to find just the right one, we hired a car, needed help with the children and looked at all the schools. We really feel we now have an in-depth knowledge of the island and what it has to offer.

Ronald: My biggest challenge is the mosquitos! I need someone to invent a-how-to-have-a-completely-mosquito-free-island experience! To be fair, if you apply your deet free repellant or lavender scent yourself – you’ll be ok… Its just a little annoying – other than that I have no complaints – this offers me everything I did not have in London. A property with a large garden and pool, ocean views and easy beach access – a safe place for the kids to grow up and run around as well as a generally COVID-safe environment though there are still some restrictions in place. 

Would you recommend the experience to other people?

Charlie: Absolutely 

Ronald: I do not know why more people are not doing this…