When you step onto the sand at Curtain Bluff resort in Antigua and gaze out at the Caribbean Sea, a question comes to mind: Why didn’t you get out of the city sooner?
As you take a gardening class, enjoy an open-air yoga session or perhaps lob a few balls on the tennis court before feasting on crispy crab cakes, another question floats into your sea breeze-dappled brain cells: Can I move here?
The answer is that for some, that island dream is a reality.
White sand, turquoise sea
Karen Whitt is at the helm of marketing for the Hartling Group, which owns and operates The Sands at Grace Bay, The Palms Grace Bay, and The Shore Club Long Bay, all on the island of Providenciales, Turks and Caicos.
She’s also proud to live the island-life ethos of her company, Hartling Group, having moved from Dallas to Jamaica in 1999 and then to Turks and Caicos in 2005.
She spent the earlier chapter of her career working with a marketing agency specializing in hospitality, which involved her with planning and executing advertising campaigns and special events for the hospitality and sports industry.
Since moving to the Caribbean, she’s come to savor its natural splendors.
“One of my favorite things about island life is that you tend to notice the gorgeous landscapes more often, and experiences are truly organic,” she said, adding that “community” takes on a new meaning when you live on an island. “I love the close relationships which are developed, and being able to connect in such a meaningful way with residents whether through work, social, spiritual or charity; we all make a difference together and share challenges and successes as one.”
Before you throw a pin at a map, take some time to reflect on what you hope to get out of the experience.
“Moving abroad is a big leap of faith,” said Whitt. “Identify what you are looking for, and don’t think it will be like what you are used to. You need to understand the culture, get to know the people and respect the laws of the land. Moving to and working on an island can be incredibly rewarding, but don’t expect them to conform to your ideals. It’s great to share your talent, expertise and experiences, but this should be done so that it enhances the island community and its people.”
The marketing powerhouse also emphasizes that island living involves a different pace.
“Some people say it’s a slower pace, but I simply find it different,” she said. “We all live in a technologically advanced world full of instant gratification, whether the simplest task [or] the largest project. You’ll find that on an island you can accomplish the same things, but the approach, the execution and the timing might be very different. One of my favorite sayings in Jamaica is ‘soon come,’” (which can mean anything from a few minutes to a few days) “but you know that whatever it is you are asking for will eventually be done.”
One nice perk you may not have thought about?
“You don’t need as much as you think you do, and your wardrobe becomes a lot simpler,” said Whitt. “Coming from a large city, I was accustomed to being able to get anything I wanted, almost immediately. Because resources can be limited on an island, you start learning to live with a lot less than you ever imagined, and in most cases, you start to appreciate the things you have even more.”
Although Whitt admitted you are blessed if you get to live in these parts, rest assured you “don’t spend every single day at the beach — and you don’t live like a tourist.”
As Whitt noted, daily work life can be as stressful and exhausting as anywhere else, “but with a much better view.”
Antigua on my mind
Rob Sherman, originally from Oregon, has been the managing director of Curtain Bluff resort for the last 35 years.
After graduating from the University of Arizona in 1978, he took a job for the summer at Glacier Bay Lodge, a 60-room property in Gustavus, Alaska.
While there, he crossed paths with Howard Hulford, the founder, owner and operator of Curtain Bluff Resort. “He needed an assistant, and I raised my hand to take the job,” Sherman said.
Later that year, he arrived in Antigua to become the resident manager of Curtain Bluff, where he worked for two years.
“Then in 1980, Mr. Hulford took on a consulting position at Cotton Bay Club in Eleuthera, Bahamas. I went with him and became the general manager of this 80-room, 15,000-acre property for one year,” said Sherman.
After his stint at Cotton Bay Club, Sherman became the managing director of Mill Reef Club in Antigua, a 2,000-acre luxury private resort.
After returning to Curtain Bluff in 1987 to serve as managing director, he’s never left the five-star all-inclusive hotel, which has 72 rooms tucked behind palm trees on a rocky outcrop between two secluded coves in Antigua.
Sherman’s team consists of 15 managers and 200 employees, many of whom have worked with him for more than 20 years.
The hotel has welcomed celeb guests including Paul McCartney, Hannah Waddingham, Bryan Forbes, Eric Clapton and Peter Gabriel, not to mention a myriad of CEOs.
When he moved to Antigua at 22, Sherman admits he was young and naive.
“I didn’t have many expectations but loved — and still do love — waking up every day in what many would consider paradise,” he said.
Sherman considers it a second family they’ve created at Curtain Bluff, and works to improve the community, whether it’s through the resort’s longtime charity Old Road Fund (founded in 1974) or through other modes.
Still, for aspiring oceanfront-resort relocators, remember: Wherever you go, you have to pack yourself.
“The allure of island life can be intoxicating, but like anywhere or anything, it can have its pitfalls. If you have a partner, that person has to enjoy the laid-back lifestyle and make adjustments to make it work, both personally and professionally,” he said.
Once you’ve decided to take the plunge, Sherman stressed the importance of enjoying the rich spoils of the region, while still keeping your head on your shoulders.
“Learn to sail, scuba dive, kite surf, but don’t forget to work hard and don’t fall prey to the demon rum!”