Lynda and her husband live on the island of Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos, where she teaches Pilates and Reiki. Moving from the USA to Provo, as the island is popularly known, is a decision she is glad they made. Lynda tells us what she thinks about the locals and the country's many attractions. She also gives helpful info about moving to the Turks and Caicos Islands and what life is like there.

Lynda Lippin

-Where were you born?
USA--Born in Florida, raised in New York, moved from Philadelphia suburbs

-In which country and city are you living now?
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, BWI

-Are you living alone or with your family?
Living with my husband, 3 cats from the US, 1 potcake dog from here

-How long have you been living in the Turks and Caicos Islands?
2-year anniversary on 21 September 2007

-What is your age?
41

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Turks and Caicos?
My husband and I had been thinking about moving out of the US for several years. We were tired of the taxes, the rat race, the wars. I was invited to teach a Pilates teacher training workshop here and the day we arrived my friend's chef (they own 3 restaurants) gave his notice. At dinner on the beach one night we discussed moving here as it is a safe British Territory, close to the US, full of expats, developing, and beautiful. My husband interviewed and got the job and received a job offer. So we left after 10 days with completed work permit applications and signed contracts. Tony came right back 2 weeks later to start work and I made the final move 3 months later after selling everything and settling a civil lawsuit.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
One can enter on a free tourist visa for 30 days; it is renewable twice for a $50 fee at the Immigration office. People will also hop over to the DR or Miami for a week and return on a new visa. Work permits are expensive, but most employers pay the fees. There is so much tourism development here right now that it is easy to find work in construction, engineering, real estate, and service work from resort management to spa services. The work permit process can take a few months and they must be renewed annually. Permanent Residency requires a large financial investment and at least 5 years residency. Citizenships (Belongerships) are granted based on significant contribution to the life and well being of the Islands.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?
Health care is so much cheaper than in the States that we just pay cash for doctor visits and prescriptions. Expat insurance to be airlifted out in emergency is necessary as there is no real hospital on our island and MedEvac is not cheap! But insurance is easy to buy on the island (several brokers) and on line.

-How do you make your living in Turks and Caicos? Do you have any type of income generated?
I teach Pilates & Reiki all over and my husband is a Chef at a resort. We recently applied for business licenses and if those are granted we will open our own businesses as of the end of 2007. For many types of businesses the government requires a Belonger (citizen) partner in the business to make sure that the citizens are not left out of the island's financial growth. As I said above, we received offers while we were here visiting. The best place to find out about job offerings here is TCI Community Enews.

-Do you speak the local language and do you think it's important to speak the local language?
One lovely thing about these islands is that they speak English and use the US dollar and electricity. In terms of local customs you learn pretty quickly what behavior is inappropriate (it is a very religious Christian country), but generally the people are lovely.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
The thing I miss most is shopping. Everything here is imported and the selection of goods is not great. But we can internet order and have things brought back when friends go off. Our favorite activities here involve the water--snorkeling, boating, fishing, swimming, even walking on the beach! It's just gorgeous. There is a movie theater being built now, but very little nightlife outside of the resorts. My friends and family can visit--we're not that far away!

-Do you have other plans for the future?
We plan to stay, buy a house, and start our own businesses. We have also been traveling--the DR, Cuba, Europe, other islands.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?
Housing here is expensive. A 2BR/2BA home runs about $2000-$2800 per month to rent (furnished) plus water, power, phone, cable. Power here is expensive as the generators run on gas which needs to imported. We pay about .30 per kilowatt hour. Water is either city water or cistern, and either way runs about $150-$200 per month. Cable TV and internet together cost me about $140 per month. We just use cell phones and have Skype for long distance. To buy a house the same size would be around $300,000 or more depending on the area.

-What is the cost of living in Turks and Caicos?
Because everything is imported costs are high. We have 2 supermarkets and 3 wholesale places. Produce is high (a cantaloupe is $4; strawberries run $4-$7 per quart depending where you go); beef tenderloin is between $18 and $23 per pound; a loaf of decent wheat bread is $5. We had to replace our DVD player and bargained for one at $135.

-What do you think about the locals?
The locals are lovely and a bit overwhelmed at all the growth. I get along with pretty much everyone (a smile and a kind word go far) and am therefore horrified on the rare occasions when someone is rude. I have organized the Jewish Community of Turks and Caicos, and Premier Michael Misick gave us a land grant to build a JCC. So I'm pretty excited about that.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in the Turks and Caicos Islands?
The positive aspects here are the natural beauty, the weather, the people, the ocean and reef. The negatives are hurricanes, high cost of living, lack of consumer goods. But I believe that as the islands grow the negatives will start to fade.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about the Turks and Caicos Islands?

Great sites:
Pilates & Reiki In Paradise Blog--My blog about Pilates, Reiki, and life in Turks & Caicos
Pilates & Reiki In Paradise Website--My website, full of great information and links.
Provo.net offers great information about Providenciales.
TCI Mall is another great information portal for TCI.