I am currently in Roatan attempting to do my Divemaster (at age 58, its not easy ).
I was forced out of my job at home, and would like to settle in West End, Roatan.
In Mid/end Mar, I plan to go back to my cold country :-), sell my house, pay off the mortgage, and come back permanently in Jul/Aug. Would like to use the time in Roatan (from Now till Mar)
to look at some long term housing in West End (2 bed, 2 baths would be ideal), and actually look at some units
to find employment opportunities in IT
to find volunteer opportunities
am planning to rent/buy a scooter when I come here permanently (currently have a rental scooter)
Any/all Advice will be highly appreciated
Kind Regards
Please check Moving to Roatan this might help with questions you didn’t even know you had.
Since you are already on the island i recommend you to go to Roatan Rentals in West End, they own 5 apartments in West End, they have long term and short term rentals and the apartments are very nice.
As for the rest, good idea on renting a scooter for the first days or just even to have it. Fast and easy to use for small errands. Just remember that we do have a lot of rain so for those days a car is needed but you can work it out without a car for the first year until you get everything together. You will of course see a lot of the island from now to March which is great.
@shark1, haven’t you heard? 58 is the new 28! - if you’ve gotten past the swimming portion of the DM Training, you should be in the clear.
West End is a good place for temporary short term residents. Long term, you may consider some place away from the tourist activity, like Sandy Bay or Gibson Bite…both are nearby good SCUBA centers.
EMPLOYMENT: What is your current IT experience? - You may post a soft resume here and or on “Roatan.Jobs” ahead of your return so that you can begin to source a job.
NONPROFIT: A good organization to work for, and with, maybe the Abundant Life Foundation. They seem to have their ducks in a row and are doing much good on the island. Be careful not to get sucked into volunteering for one of the many “quasi” nonprofits on Roatan.
REAL-ESTATE: Get with a Real Estate agent now and foster that relationship now and throughout your transition. There are a few agents who belong to this forum that should be able to point you in the right direction. They’ll want to learn more about your personal budget when the time is right and they may take this information and start to put together a short list for you to scout when you return. Visit the “REAL ESTATE FORUM” section in this forum to research and find the best realtor for you.
TRANSPORTATION: Getting around on a Scooter is alright, but risky. I would recommend renting a 4wheeler or a vehicle instead. Both are much safer.
If you have specific questions, pose them here and we’ll do what we can to provide you with a qualified response.
I have 32+ yrs of working in IT developing/supporting and managing critical, time-sensitive applications, designing Network and Infrastructure solutions, and constantly thinking out of the Box to automate wherever possible. Will be posting resume soon.
Also, After the “interesting” scooter ride last night at 8 pm from Coxen Hole to West End, I will opt for a car when I come back
).
