[This post has been adapted from a contest entry I wrote for ExpatsBlog. There are so many things I wish I had known before moving to Roatan… I hope this helps future expats!]
My expat home is a little tropical island in the Caribbean off the eastern coast of Honduras. Just two hours from Texas by air, Roatan is easily accessible and is steadily gaining status as a scuba diving mecca and beach-lovers paradise. After a surge in popularity due to a House Hunters International show featuring Roatan, the island still remains popular with North American and European expats looking to escape ‘the grind’.
Here are 10 things I wish I would have known before I became an expat in Honduras:
1. Even on a predominately English-speaking island, having zero Spanish skills will make life difficult for you.
Most born and raised islanders speak English as their first language – although it’s a creole called “Island English” that is difficult for non-speakers to understand. However they know enough North American English from TV/movies and tourists that they can switch back and forth. Spanish is usually learned second. But rising unemployment on the mainland of Honduras means lots of Spanish-speaking people who can’t say a word of English are now living and working on Roatan. If you need to take a taxi, go to the bank, hire a cleaning lady, or order at Wendy’s you better take a translator with you. I had some basic Spanish at first, but it wasn’t enough. Now I can understand about 90% but still can’t speak fluently and it’s tough sometimes. My Island English is great though!
2. Some things are easy to get here, some things are not.
Easy: almond milk, disposable razors, tofu, sunscreen/bug spray, shampoo/conditioner.
Not easy: deodorant, kale, quality makeup, rubber boots, almond butter.
I don’t know why. You just have to go with it.
3. The line up at the bank is a magical and mysterious thing and you should not try to understand it.
You will stand in line for hours. You will get close to the front of the line. The guy in front of you will go up to the teller and do 54360984535 transactions which will take another hour. Once he finally finishes, before you can step up some lady who was sitting in a chair will rush up because somehow it’s her turn. This will happen twice before you get to the teller. When you finally get to the teller, they will tell you to go get in a different line for something else. Don’t try to understand it.
4. “Come back tomorrow/next week/next month” doesn’t really mean that.
It means, “I don’t know”, “I don’t feel like doing that today”, “I don’t know who to ask but it definitely isn’t me” or “I’m eating/texting/watching YouTube right now so don’t talk to me”.
5. Life is cheap…if you only eat baleadas and don’t turn on your lights.
Buying a nice house is absolutely cheaper than in North America. Rent is minimally cheaper or the same as smaller cities. But my grocery bill is the same or higher as it was in Vancouver, BC (one of the most expensive cities in Canada) and my electricity bill is so high it’s a joke. I don’t have air conditioning and I live alone in a studio with two fans, and it can be as high as $160/month. The island electricity is run on diesel generators so it’s not cheap (and it also goes out all the time).
6. Expatriate medical coverage is a good thing, but $25 goes a long way here.
Kidney infection in Florida with no medical coverage = driving to walk-in clinic, waiting to see a doctor, doctor visit, diagnosis, driving to pharmacy, waiting for prescription, buying prescription: almost 5 hours and $250. Kidney infection on Roatan with no medical coverage = taxi to pharmacy, see doctor immediately in the pharmacy, diagnosis, handed prescription, taxi home: 30 minutes, $15. Seriously.
7. Not everybody is happy to see you.
For some reason, some expats seem to expect the local islanders to be head over heels thrilled that they are now living on their island. If you are seen in any way to be ‘taking’ jobs from locals, disrespecting locals, foregoing local customs or speaking badly about the island, you will not be welcome. Unless you’re talking crap about the electricity company, because that is totally allowed.
8. It really is a vortex.
So many people either just get stuck and never leave, or keep trying to leave and end up back here. I don’t know why, but this place really sucks people in. The island is beautiful, the rum is cheap, the expat community is tight. Be prepared!
9. Pioneer skills are necessary.
As I’m writing this, I’m making stewed chicken and rice with steamed broccoli all at once in my rice cooker. Do you have any idea how many things you can make in a rice cooker? I ran out of propane for the stove, and had to get creative with cooking because apparently they can’t come fill it for three days (see #4). Sometimes the power goes out for hours and hours (that’s when a propane stove rules). The internet is slow and cuts out a lot. The water doesn’t always work. You have to be resourceful and make things up as you go along! (Note: the power just cut out as well. So much for the rice cooker. It’s peanut butter out of the jar for dinner now. Adaptability is important.)
10. You will hear the infamous ‘Three Lies of Roatan’. You will believe them. You will also probably say them… more than once.
1) I love you.
2) I’m not drinking tonight.
3) I’m leaving tomorrow.
Yep.
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You are funny. You make me laugh. 😀
Just read this article, and yes it’s great reading. But why rubber boots? Better to get hiking shoes. There is so much more than anywhere else in the world 1. It’s paradise! 2. There’s more than just baleadas 3. Tanning naturally occurs without products 4. The rum cocktails are freaking awesome! 4. No rat race or stuck in traffic
I can’t count! 😆😆
GOOD READING
I’m so grateful for all the information you provided. Thank you!
Hi,
My name is Jonathan Eden. I was born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. But was raised in the US since I was 2. I want to work and live in Roatan. Anyway you can point me in the right direction? Please feel free to email me, or text me. I really want to start a new life over there, but I definitely need some guidance.
Hi Jonathan,
First of all, I edited your comment to remove your phone number and email addresses. Not a great idea to post that on a public site on the internet…
Second of all, please read my Roatan FAQ page where you can find answers to many common questions I receive.
Also, I don’t know if you still have Honduran citizenship or not (do you have a cedula?) but that will affect things too. If you still have your citizenship/passport, things will be infinitely easier for you and you won’t have to worry about getting residency or a work permit.
Roatan is many, many times more expensive than living on the mainland. I’m not sure what your background is in, but the job market there is fairly saturated and the minimum wage (what most Honduran workers make) is like $320 USD a month.
My top piece of advice is to visit for three months in low season, and decide from there if you’d like to make it a permanent move or not.
Best of luck,
Rika
I can’t believe you didn’t mention the mosquitoes! I loved the island in the 80’s… Utila too. Are you still there?
Yeah, the mosquitos and the sandflies are a nightmare! Nope, I haven’t lived there since 2016 so it’s been about 5 years. It’s changed a lot since 2016, I can’t imagine how much it’s changed since the 80s!
I would like to get hooked up with that gene, that is awesome!
Its genetic. Some people are blessed so they don't need deodorant. Most Asians and almost all Koreans have the ABCC11 gene variant which means they do not produce underarm odor.
Based on my limited one month experience, I can confirm these are very accurate. Nicely done, Erika.
Thanks Dmitri!! I’m missing a few here, but there’s certain things I’m not going to be able to write about Roatan until I’m safely off the island with no chance of returning 🙂
We are looking at moving there I’m curious as to what you’re talking about
Thanks Dmitri!! I'm missing a few here, but there's certain things I'm not going to be able to write about Roatan until I'm safely off the island with no chance of returning 🙂
Sounds like my electricity bill from Canada 🙁 I WISH!!
Based on my limited one month experience, I can confirm these are very accurate. Nicely done, Erika.
I hate high electric bills. In my apt in Mex, my bill ran 150 pesos. That’s pretty much $12. Oh and did I mention it was for every two months! Pretty awesome.
Sounds like my electricity bill from Canada 🙁 I WISH!!
I hate high electric bills. In my apt in Mex, my bill ran 150 pesos. That's pretty much $12. Oh and did I mention it was for every two months! Pretty awesome.
Mexico had a lot to choose from but they were all girlie types so I was glad I brought mine.
I have NO idea. Same in everywhere else I've traveled. Either people from other countries sweat less (..doubtful) or don't care about smelling decent for their own sake as well as everyone else who has to be around them (more likely).
It's so frustrating to watch the ridiculous inefficiency at first, but eventually you just get used to it.
It's so funny, I was told those the first day I got here and totally believed them… not anymore 🙂 I haven't actually used a pressure cooker – a rice cooker is a bit different. I'm terrified of pressure cookers exploding too!
Why is deodorant so hard to find outside of America? I took a suitcase full with me to Shanghai and it’s a very good thing I did! The only kind they had there was a heavily-scented roll-on that was more for show than actual antipersparant.
I have NO idea. Same in everywhere else I’ve traveled. Either people from other countries sweat less (..doubtful) or don’t care about smelling decent for their own sake as well as everyone else who has to be around them (more likely).
Mexico had a lot to choose from but they were all girlie types so I was glad I brought mine.
Its genetic. Some people are blessed so they don’t need deodorant. Most Asians and almost all Koreans have the ABCC11 gene variant which means they do not produce underarm odor.
I would like to get hooked up with that gene, that is awesome!
Why is deodorant so hard to find outside of America? I took a suitcase full with me to Shanghai and it's a very good thing I did! The only kind they had there was a heavily-scented roll-on that was more for show than actual antipersparant.
Haha – your description of the bank line up reminds me of pretty much any line up in Egypt. At first we’d get really annoyed but then learned to accept it.
It’s so frustrating to watch the ridiculous inefficiency at first, but eventually you just get used to it.
Haha – your description of the bank line up reminds me of pretty much any line up in Egypt. At first we'd get really annoyed but then learned to accept it.
cute little lies at the bottom! What do you think of the pressure cooker? my indian friends all say they are scared but all grown indian women use them. They terrify me! I know a girl in bombay who burnt her face like crazy!
It’s so funny, I was told those the first day I got here and totally believed them… not anymore 🙂 I haven’t actually used a pressure cooker – a rice cooker is a bit different. I’m terrified of pressure cookers exploding too!
The “come back tomorrow / next week / next month” is such a cliche in Tenerife (where I come from) as well! It usually means “I have no clue stop bothering me, woman” 🙂
I think it means the same thing here… even though they are at work and being paid to help customers 🙂
Also, the diving is insane in Tenerife!! Do you dive?
cute little lies at the bottom! What do you think of the pressure cooker? my indian friends all say they are scared but all grown indian women use them. They terrify me! I know a girl in bombay who burnt her face like crazy!
I think it means the same thing here… even though they are at work and being paid to help customers 🙂
Also, the diving is insane in Tenerife!! Do you dive?
The "come back tomorrow / next week / next month" is such a cliche in Tenerife (where I come from) as well! It usually means "I have no clue stop bothering me, woman" 🙂