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Freelancing Internationally: A Freelance Writer from the UK Works from the Caribbean as a Travel Correspondent for an International Company

July 8, 2010

Original Title: Freelancing Internationally: Travel Correspondent for an International Company (Working for the United Kingdom)

As I’m now working abroad as a freelance writer from Jamaica, I dug into Inkwell Editorial’s Freelancing Internationally series for today’s Throwback Thursday post. I hope you find it inspiring.

Publisher Note: See all articles in the Freelancing Internationally series.

Freelancing Internationally: Working for the United Kingdom from the Caribbean

Tapping into writing gigs overseas is generally not an easy task to achieve, so when job ads appear from countries abroad that beckons to a writer’s soul, the best thing to do is to send a query and see what comes of it.

My assignment as a travel correspondent for a UK-based travel company came as a favorable response to an ad I saw advertised in one of my writers’ ezines.

I sent a tailor-made query detailing my experience in the field of travel writing and in particular quoting some of the big names I had previously worked with; along with my resume and some published clips. I received a response from the UK editor and after some to and fro on availability and negotiation, I got the writing gig.

The time difference did factor into the weekly deadline and meant that I either stayed up late the night before to meet the deadline (if I hadn’t got the work done by then) or got up in the wee hours of the morning. It was then that I realized that the time was going to be a problem, so I queried the actual time they needed the work by and had my deadline extended to midday GMT instead of 9am GMT.

The pay was better than a U.S.-based writing gig, as the pound is usually stronger than the U.S. dollar and also because the word count was far less for what they wanted.

Being paid proved to be an obstacle that affected most of the contributors (something I learned later on); and despite the fact that invoices were sent on a monthly basis, the pay which was sent out via check never arrived on time and was generally late by 3-4 weeks, which caused a back-up of money owed.

The language was not a problem and they accepted American spelling rather than insisting that I write the Queen’s English.

One of the unforeseen challenges was meeting the deadline — only initially though, as I really had to work according to the time difference. The other thing was the pay issue. The accounts department was a pain to deal with and insisted on issuing checks rather than an electronic form of payment.

On the whole though, it was a good experience and gave me the ability to work for the UK travel company for a year and a half, which inevitably opened more doors in the travel industry and was a sterling addition to my resume. (No pun intended)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Nadia Ali (nadia@freelance-worker.com) is a Freelance Writer whose niche is in the travel industry. She has worked for Northstar Travel Media, Wcities, International Living and Time Out London.

©2005 – Nadia Ali. This article may not be reproduced in any manner whatsoever, in any form, for any reason, without the express, written consent of the author. Violators will be prosecuted.

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Yuwanda
P.S.: Want to start a successful career where you have the mobility to live and work where you please? Visit our freelance writing bookstore for a ton of opportunities (freelance writing and internet marketing) to get you started.

P.P.S.: Want an easy, fast way to get started in affiliate marketing, making as much as $50, $100 or $150/day? Get How to Make Money Placing Ads on Free Classified Ad Sites (ie, Backpage.com). If you want to make some easy money promoting affiliate products on free classified ad sites, this ebook is for you.

Copyright © 2010: All material on this site is copyright protected and cannot be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without my written consent (linking to is fine).

Note: This post was originally published on September 15, 2005.

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A Freelance Writer’s Life Abroad: Inside Peek at My Life as an American Living in Jamaica for a Year, Part XIII

July 6, 2010

In the last post in this series on living and working in Jamaica as a freelance writer, I promised to discuss how I prepared myself financially to live abroad – and some things I wished I’d done.

Freelance Writers: How to Financially Prepare to Take Your Career on the Road

My move to Jamaica came over a year earlier than I had expected it to. I had planned to move in July of 2011. So although the seed was there, the finances were not quite what they should have been. So . . .

Save, Save and Save Some More

I’ve been a freelance writer since 1993. Living a feast or famine existence has long ingrained in me the need to save. So this was something I was already doing – which made moving over a year earlier than planned possible.

How much should you save? Realistically, 6-8 months worth of living expenses. For me, that meant money for keeping up two abodes (my home in the states and my new studio apt in Jamaica). 

If you don’t have financial obligations in two places – all the better. That’s less you’ll have to save.

What I wished I’d done differently in this department: Saved more! As I talked about in this post on living in Negril, it can get expensive living here because you’re out so much more here, you can spend almost as much per month as you’d spend if you were living at home.

Also, things we take for granted that are cheap in the states can be expensive (according to what we pay) here. For example, in the states, I shop at the Dollar Store for a lot of household items, eg, soap, toothpaste, toilet tissue, washing powder, bleach, etc.

Literally, you can get months worth of essentials for just a few dollars. But here in Jamaica, you pay “retail” for these items because there is no Dollar Store. There aren’t even real grocery stores. They’re more like Minimarts here – and some items are outrageously expensive. Like mosquito spray is about $5. At home, I can get that in the Dollar Store for . . . $1.

Multiply that by the number of essentials you use in your daily life, and you can see how it can get expensive (even though living accommodations here in Negril, Jamaica are relatively cheap compared to the states).

Cancel Accounts to Save Money

Before moving to Jamaica, I cancelled my car insurance, cable and internet service because I wasn’t going to be there to use them (and the house sitter could get them in his name if he wanted to). This saves me a couple of hundred bucks per month.

When I’m home (depending on how long I’m home), I can easily have all of this turned on again – and quickly.  

Switch Phone Plans

My cell phone plan was about $70/month. But since I’m living in Jamaica, I switched to a prepaid plan. This way, I eliminate a monthly bill. I have a Jamaica phone (which is a prepay as well) and I use it to call my phone in the states to check voice mail.

Of course, all essential parties were given my Jamaica number. But as most of my friends and business associates communicate with me via email anyway, this has been waayyy less of a nuisance than I thought it would be.

And, that’s another $70 per month saved.

“Barrel Ship” Essentials

There are some things that it just pays to ship here, eg, bedding, cookware and household design items (eg, rugs). They don’t have the selection here in Negril that we do in the states. And, what they have is butt-ugly (in my opinion) and expensive.

I’m told that you have to go to large cities like Kingston, Jamaica to get the really nice selection that we’re accustomed to in the states.

FYI, they have a thing called “barrel shipping” from the states to a lot of the Caribbean islands. For around $100, you can ship as much stuff as you can fit in a cardboard and/or plastic barrel. Learn more about barrel shipping to the Caribbean.

Note about Barrel Shipping: A good friend from Boston who’s lived here fulltime for 4 years and has been coming here going on 30 years says that no matter what they tell you, it’s going to take 4-6 weeks for your barrel to arrive. I was told 14 days from when it was shipped by the company I used, but she said – in her native Boston drawl, “Don’t believe it. It’s going to take longer; it always takes longer.”

As the Jamaicans say, “Soon come.” BUT, their soon could be two days . . . or two months (as I’ve quickly learned).

Freelance Writers: One Thing That Will Save You a Heap of Money When Living Abroad

Give yourself a daily budget. I don’t care how much you swear you can live on $10/day, for example, you will always go over budget – at least during what I’m calling the “getting settled period.” For me, this has been about a month (I’ve been here about six weeks now).

Just in the last couple of weeks have I been able to reign in my spending here in Negril to where I don’t get nervous.

To explain, I’m notoriously frugal by nature (again, being a freelance writer for years, I have that feast-or-famine mentality). So when I spend money continuously, I get nervous – even if I have sufficient savings. To spend money “like water” is just not my personality.

And that’s what it felt like I was doing the first month here. Every time I left home it seemed like I spent gobs of money – taking taxis, having a beer with a friend here, buying lunch at this little beachside café, a rum punch at this little out-of-the-way pub, etc.

As I talked about in this post on living abroad as a freelance writer in Negril, Jamaica, this is why it pays (literally) to settle into a routine as quickly as possible. Not only will you not spend so much, you’ll be able to maintain (perhaps even increase) your income.

Final Thought: The One Thing I Wished I’d Done Differently before Moving to Jamaica

Prepared myself mentally for the differences in culture. I’m struggling with that a bit now, which can affect finances.

My sister accuses me of being “bourgeois” (or as we say in slang “bu-jee”). I miss the comforts of home, as I talked about here. And on days when the internet is out, clients have been slow to pay (tends to happen during the slow summer months for tons of freelance writers) and I come home to find that there’s no electricity so the one ceiling fan I have can produce no cool air – I feel like crying.

It makes it hard for me to focus – which of course means it takes me longer to churn out whatever I’m working on (eg, a blog post, an article for an article marketing campaign, research for some client SEO articles, etc.).

But luckily, a run on the beach and a rum punch/cold beer usually cures my momentary blues. Then, I’m back to not regretting moving here to Negril, for every day, I work at an internet café literally right on the ocean. I see boats passing, waves crashing and an all around good vibe that is tiny Negril. This will be an experience I’ll forever cherish.

Submit a Guest Post: FYI, this site now accepts guest posts.  Get the guest post submission guidelines.

Here’s hoping your finances are “set”,
Yuwanda
P.S.: Want to start a successful career where you have the mobility to live and work where you please? Visit our freelance writing bookstore for a ton of opportunities (freelance writing and internet marketing) to get you started.

P.P.S.: Want an easy, fast way to get started in affiliate marketing, making as much as $50, $100 or $150/day? Get How to Make Money Placing Ads on Free Classified Ad Sites (ie, Backpage.com). If you want to make some easy money promoting affiliate products on free classified ad sites, this ebook is for you.

Copyright © 2010: All material on this site is copyright protected and cannot be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without my written consent (linking to is fine).

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How to Hire Freelance Writers from CraigsList (and Other Online Sites) to Outsource Work to & Grow Your Freelance Writing Business

June 29, 2010

If you want to grow your freelance writing business, one of the best ways to do it is to hire other freelance writers to help you out. BUT . . . this can be a whole other, time-consuming problem because most just won’t care about your writing business like you will.

My point in contacting you – I have come to the realization that even when I’m swamped with work there is obviously only so much I can accomplish as an individual.

 

I would like to look into outsourcing my work. The main concern I have is how to have faith that a person will do the job with flying colors. (emphasis added)

 

If I have someone transcribing 5 hours of audio – I would want to go over the document to make sure everything is A+ – it’s my business name on the line after all. Another thing I’d be worried about is having someone ’steal’ clients or working out side deals for extra work (not going thru my business but more of a one-on-one).

I have placed a few craigslist ads in the past looking for some great people (I received an overwhelming response) so I do have some people I’d like to try. (emphasis added)

When you first went about hiring people to represent your hard work, did you draw up a contract with them? If so, what kind of issues do you feel is a MUST?

 

The last question I have is how to decide what kind of pay rate for the people I’d be outsourcing to? I can’t offer the moon & the stars right off the bat & I don’t want to lowball anyone.

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A Freelance Writer’s Life Abroad: Inside Peek at My Life as an American Living in Jamaica for a Year, Part XI

June 22, 2010

This Girl a Go Go is homesick.

I know living and working in the paradise that is Jamaica is a dream come true for many (me included), but every time I go away, I get this way about a month or so into the trip. I know it will pass – and I’m still having a blast, but I miss the comforts of home like:

An American in Jamaica: Things Back Home I Long For

Sleeping in My Own Bed: Even though my bed at home is not as comfortable as the one in my little studio apartment here in Negril, it’s still MY bed.

Fluffy Towels: I hand wash and line dry my laundry here. So the towels are sun-dry “crunchy” when they come off the line, not dryer-soft fluffy.

Air Conditioning: Even though I can stand heat of up to 90 degrees with no problem, I get tired of being hot all the time.

Hot when you get in the shower, hot when you get out, hot when you’re getting dressed, hot when you’re cooking (which I don’t do a lot of at all), hot when you’re sitting — it’s just darn hot here in Negril! As I said in this post on living in Jamaica, I’m quite frankly scared of August.

Food Variety: Jamaica has some wonderful cuisine – the fresh seafood, veggies and fruit available here are second to none. BUT, I’ve been craving a steak and cheese quesadilla with jalapeno peppers and sour cream (with a big margarita) like a pregnant woman.

There is no Mexican restaurant here in Negril – not that I’ve seen. I’ve also been craving sushi. Again, no dough.

Rain-Free Days: It’s the rainy season here in Jamaica. Every day between about 1 and 2 pm, you can expect a rain shower that lasts anywhere from 15 minutes to a half hour or 45 minutes. Even though this is not long, it’s the interruption it causes. Usually the internet signal gets wacky, so I have to constantly move around to chase it.

Then once the rain subsides, it gets all hot and sticky again – and the mosquitoes come out in full force. And boy, they’re vicious. As I said, I’m a Florida native, so I know about mosquitoes, but when the ones here bite you, it seems that the itch lasts for an hour or so. I get these big, red bumps that just drive me crazy.

Forget wearing perfume – insect repellant – with a “spring fresh breeze smell” is my perfume of choice these days.

In spite of being a little homesick, I have continued to have my share of fun.

Fashion Show in Negril on the Beach

Last Friday night, I went to a fashion show. Remember the post I wrote about not being the only American to pick up and move to Jamaica? Well, the woman I talked about in that post and her friend from England (who also lives in the same building as the both of us), opened a boutique at the Traveller’s Beach Resort here on seven-mile beach in Negril.

The fashion show was the bomb!

The deejay was rocking (mostly American hip-hop music which is one of my favorite musical genres), the fashions were fly (although, you have to be 18 and a size 0-2 to wear them), and there were free rum punches!

I went with some friends and we had an absolute ball. When I was younger, I did a little local modeling and my mom used to drag us girls (she had 3 of us) to fashion shows, pageants and girly stuff like this all the time. So it brought back a whole slew of good memories.

I’m going by the shop this weekend to pick up a Muhammad Ali t-shirt that was featured in the show for my 17-year-old nephew. I knew it was “him” when I saw it (heck, I may even get one for me it was so cool!).

The Young Men and Women of Jamaica

Let me just say, most of the young women here (18-25 or 30) have the sickest bodies (and for those who don’t know, that’s slang for “slammin!”) .

Tyra needs to look for America’s Next Top Model here because these girls have physiques that just won’t quit. And the guys – you could get whiplash trying to keep track of all the six-pack abs you see on a daily basis! And these are young and old men.

Most of them are way too young for me, but it’s a parade of good-looking specimens you can’t help but shake your head at sometimes.

The World Cup Here in Jamaica

Football (soccer) is huge here! Everywhere there’s a TV or radio on carrying the World Cup with guys and girls alike glued to the program. I daresay that commerce has stopped for the most part and won’t resume until July 11^th, when it’s over.

Most Jamaicans seem to be rooting for Brazil. I’m rooting for Argentina (and the U.S., of course).  When there’s a score or a good play, you can hear a collective sound from the crowd no matter where you are on the street.

It’s actually kinda cool because it reminds you that you live in a relatively small community who all come together to share in the joy that sport is.

Training for the Reggae Marathon

I’m training for the Reggae Marathon here in December. I was going to do the full because my sister wanted to. She’s mostly a walker, not a runner. After she did a 16+ mile walk this past weekend in the heat (I managed 9), she changed her mind and has decided to do the half.

So that’s what I’m training for.

I went for a long run this morning; stayed on the road instead of on the beach because I wanted to get a good, hard run in. No matter how fit you are, there’s only so far you can fight the sand. It tires you out way sooner than you want to be.

People see me running and walking all over the place here. A few guys have commented, “You’ve lost weight since you’ve been here. I can tell. Lookin’ good guurrrrlll.” I smile and keep running.

Jamaicans tend to draw this word (girl) out. Coming from anybody else, being called a girl would be an insult. But when the Jamaican guys say it, it makes you feel oh so special and cute!

Sundays at the Beach

As Sunday is family day, I spent most of it at the beach with my sister and a few friends – after putting in a few hours work. Last week I had some schedule interruptions (ie, the dentist, internet outages, lunch date with friends) that caused me to get a little backed up.

So I HAD to put in those Sunday hours to stay current.

In the next post, I’ll talk more about settling into a schedule while living here in Jamaica – and how my income is shaking out. It’s been a huge adjustment for me. If you ever choose to live abroad, it’s something I think you’ll need to prepare yourself for mentally.

It’s kinda hard to explain, but I’ll do my best to encapsulate it for you in the next post in this series.

Best,
Yuwanda
P.S.: Want to start a successful career where you have the mobility to live and work where you please? Visit our freelance writing bookstore for a ton of opportunities (freelance writing and internet marketing) to get you started.

P.P.S.: Want an easy, fast way to get started in affiliate marketing, making as much as $50, $100 or $150/day? Get How to Make Money Placing Ads on Free Classified Ad Sites (ie, Backpage.com). If you want to make some easy money promoting affiliate products on free classified ad sites, this ebook is for you. I’ve personally sold tens of thousands of dollars of e-products (my own and affiliate products) doing this since January 2009.

P.P.P.S.: Find this post informative? Follow Me (Inkwell Editorial) on Twitter.

Copyright © 2010: All material on this site is copyright protected and cannot be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without my written consent (linking to is fine).

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A Freelance Writer’s Life Abroad: Inside Peek at My Life as an American Living in Jamaica for a Year, Part X

June 18, 2010

In yesterday’s post, I responded to an American who wondered about finding work here in Negril “under the table/off the books”. Today, I wanted to add a little bit more to this post as I had to log off in a hurry yesterday and didn’t answer her entire question (ie, what’s going on with the upheaval in Kingston).

The Unemployment Rate in Jamaica

I did some web surfing and the latest figures on the unemployment rate for Jamaica (2009) was 14.5%. Again, this seems low to me based on what I see on a daily basis here. And, when you consider that underemployment is as much a problem – maybe more – than unemployment, it makes it that much harder.

Following is some insight into poverty in Jamaica that may shed a little more light on what the people here face every day.

Jamaica’s poverty line in 2005 was US$2.60 per day (Knight 2006). Poverty in Jamaica is measured by the ability of households to attain a given level of consumption expenditure in keeping with minimum food and non-food requirements. . . .  

a more nuanced picture lies behind statistical generalisations. Take for example the variable of gender: the conditions of men and women differ significantly and the situation of urban women may be more comparable to that of rural women than that of her male, urban counterparts. In 2004, the labour force participation rate for men was 73.1% and 56.2% for women; the male unemployment rate was 8.2%, while that of women was 18.8%. The job-seeking rate for men was 4.6%, and women’s was 9.8% (Planning Institute of Jamaica 2005b). In 1999, 67% of “female-headed” households reported unmet basic needs, compared to 58% of “male-headed” households. [Source]

What’s Going on In Kingston? Is It Safe in to Come to Negril (or Jamaica in General)?

As I’ve said all along, it couldn’t be more safe here in Negril, which is about 5.5 hours away from Kingston. My personal feeling is that because Negril is a tourist haven, the powers that be go through extra measures here to keep this area safe.

But because Negril is far away from Kingston, we haven’t felt any of the upheaval here – at all. I haven’t felt one whit less safe than I have in all the other times I’ve come.

Negril, Jamaica: Apartment Scams on Websites Like Craigslist, Et Al

The person who emailed me said that she was paying $650 for an apartment and wanted to know why my accommodations here in Negril were so much cheaper than hers.

Here, I’ll use Craigslist as an example. I only point out Craigslist because I’ve had personal experience with scammers on this site when I placed an ad back in the fall looking for a rental/sublet. In reality though, it can happen no matter what site you use to find an apartment if you want to live abroad.

The reason this stands out to me now is because of the $650 the person who emailed me said she was paying. That’s exactly what the scammers tried to charge me. Please, please be careful if you go this route looking for an apartment in Jamaica – or any foreign country.

How Many “Renting in a Foreign Country Apartment Scams” Work

Most will say that they have a perfect place right in the area you’re looking in. They’ll say something to the effect of they’re going to study/work abroad and need to rent the place. And, that’s why the rent is so cheap (if it is).

They’ll also say that because they are “out of the country” you’ll to wire them part (or all) of the money to secure the place. Once they get this money, they’ll say that they’ll send you the key and you can pay the rest once you receive it. Don’t do it!

“Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, send a stranger money to rent a place in a foreign country – ever!”

No matter how good, tempting, etc. the offer sounds. Their goal is to get money out of you – any amount of money. Usually, from what I’ve read, once they get the first payment, you’ll never hear from them again.  

Tips for Avoiding Apartment Hunting Scams in Jamaica on Craigslist (and Other Websites)

DON’T Send Money: Never ever send money beforehand (as many will ask you to do).

DO Google the Email Address of any respondents who contact you. That was one of the first things I did. And guess what, the scammer was so stupid that it took me right to a site that listed email addresses and other info of people who run Craigslist apartment scams like this.

DO Ask for Photos: Just be aware that many will take photos from legitimate ads and send them to you. I did and got THE SAME PHOTOS from two different respondents. Talk about stupid criminals!

DO Ask for Referrals: From previous tenants, from current residents who live in the building, from the landlord.

DO Ask for Surrounding Information: For example, you might want to ask for neighboring street addresses and close supermarkets, cleaners, restaurants, etc. Then, Google this info to see if it checks out.

DO Listen to Your Gut: No matter how good the offer sounds and how scared you may be of losing “a good deal,” listen to your gut.

As I do business online, when anyone asks me for money up front, that’s a major red flag. Remember in a previous post about living in Jamaica when I said living in a big city like New York prepares you for some things travelling will throw your way? Well, this was one of those times.

As soon as I started getting responses to the ad I placed on Craigslist, I knew I wasn’t going to find a place that way because the scams came fast and furious – and most were remarkably the same (with bad spelling and grammar to boot!).

In My Opinion, the Best Way to Find an Apartment in Jamaica (or Any Foreign Country)

If you don’t know anyone, budget for a hotel for a week or so. When you get here, then do your looking. It’s the only way you can be guaranteed NOT to be taken advantage of.

Hope this helps.

I’m so far behind in my work that I’m going to have to put in some hours this weekend. Hope yours is work free. That’s it for this Girl a Go Go this Friday!

Best,
Yuwanda
P.S.: Want to start a successful freelance writing career where you have the mobility to live and work where you please? Visit our freelance writing bookstore.

P.P.S.: Want an easy, fast way to get started in affiliate marketing, making as much as $50, $100 or $150/day? Get How to Make Money Placing Ads on Free Classified Ad Sites (ie, Backpage.com). If you want to make some easy money promoting affiliate products on free classified ad sites, this ebook is for you. I’ve personally sold tens of thousands of dollars of e-products (my own and affiliate products) doing this since January 2009.

P.P.P.S.: Find this post informative? Follow Me (Inkwell Editorial) on Twitter.

Copyright © 2010: All material on this site is copyright protected and cannot be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without my written consent (linking to is fine).

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A Freelance Writer’s Life Abroad: Inside Peek at My Life as an American Living in Jamaica for a Year, Part IX

June 17, 2010

The day before yesterday, I received an email from an American asking about finding work “under the table” here in Negril, Jamaica. She asked:

I’ve read a few of your articles – very informative & enjoyable. I am considering coming to Negril for a few months (found a studio for $650 – why so much more than yours, I don’t know).

Anyway, my main question is how difficult do you think it would be for me to find some work “under the table” as an American?? I don’t really care what it would be , whether service industry, garden/yard work, whatever. I just wan tto keep busy & really just keep my head above water! (I’m a 43 yr old woman, very friendly, smart, etc…)

Due to the BP oil spill here, I am taking the rest of the summer “off”, going on an adventure. Jamaica is definitely in the running. (Oh – any word or fear of the recent drug-lord upheaval deal?)

I hope you have some insight to my question, I realize that you have not tried to work under the table there. Any other insight you could offer would be great, and hopefully help me make my decision! I hope to be on a plane Friday or Saturday!

Thank you very much,

K-

Finding Work in Negril, Jamaica as an American with “No Papers”

In light of her question, I asked a friend of mine here in Jamaica who I had a late lunch with yesterday about finding work here in Negril as an American.

He said that if you knew someone, it would be easier. For example, he asked me what my friend did. I told him that I didn’t know her personally; hence she wasn’t my friend, but she was in her mid-40s, white and would “do anything that was legal.”

His response was:

I know a few rich, white people. They would probably hire her as a domestic as they’re from the same culture and would probably feel comfortable with her.

Not wanting to count on anyone here finding anyone a “job”,” I said:

What if she came here on her own without knowing anyone?

He said:

It would be better if she wanted to open a business, ie, a grocery store. That would do really well here.

I told him she probably wasn’t interested in (or positioned to) open a business here.

Negril, Jamaica: Types of Businesses That Would Do Well Here

FYI, there are a few types of businesses that would do well here from my observation, ie:

An internet café (with no music playing and no “blunt” smoking);

A taxicab service (in my observation, it’s the quickest, easiest way to make money here as a business owner);

A sushi bar (several Americans I’ve met have expressed a desire for this type of establishment; me among them);

A MailBoxes, Etc. (or similar type of business) where you have fax, printing, international calling and mailing services; and

American food & service (eg, burgers, fries, chicken salads, etc.): I know as an American living here on an extended basis I’d appreciate this type of “comfort food from home” from time to time. If it’s served with fast, courteous American service, that would make the establishment all the more successful.

On a personal note, the way we do things in America is different than here, of course. For example, our service tends to be a lot quicker. Hence, I think businesses that cater to what “travelling” Americans need – and like – would do well here in Negril.

The Unemployment Rate in Negril, Jamaica

I Googled the unemployment rate in Negril, Jamaica and it was much lower than I thought.

BUT, overall what I see every day is people struggling – especially during this, the slow (low) season. The only people that seem to thrive are the restaurant owners and the taxi drivers (the route drivers that focus on local fares  — not the ones that cater to tourists; although they can do well too if they establish themselves with hotels). 

The Low Season in Negril, Jamaica: When You Can – and Cannot – Make Money

The slow season here is roughly mid-April through the beginning of December (a few weeks here and there in some of the slow months can be good). But the businesses here thrive on the high months, which is really only about half the year. That’s why it can be extremely difficult to make a living here as a foreigner — even in the best of times –  as the bulk of Negril’s economy depends on tourisms.

The Bottom Line on Finding Work in Negril, Jamaica as a Foreigner

Don’t count on it. Jamaica is a very poor country overall. The economy here in Negril depends on tourism. So if you want to live here and make a living, you have to be independently employed (eg, making a living as a freelance writer, or some other vocation that doesn’t depend on the economy here in Negril).

Note: Tomorrow I’ll post some more detail about this as my sister’s sweating me about going with her to meet friends for a drink right now, so I have to log off!

Best,
Yuwanda
P.S.: Want to start a successful freelance writing career where you have the mobility to live and work where you please? Visit our freelance writing bookstore.

P.P.S.: Want an easy, fast way to get started in affiliate marketing, making as much as $50, $100 or $150/day? Get How to Make Money Placing Ads on Free Classified Ad Sites (ie, Backpage.com). If you want to make some easy money promoting affiliate products on free classified ad sites, this ebook is for you. I’ve personally sold tens of thousands of dollars of e-products (my own and affiliate products) doing this since January 2009.

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A Freelance Writer’s Life Abroad: Inside Peek at My Life as an American Living in Jamaica for a Year, Part VIII

June 14, 2010

As I reported in this post on living and working as a freelance writer in Jamaica, Sunday is family day. So yesterday, my sister and I went for a 7.5 mile walk – yes, 7.5 miles in the hot boiling sun! We’re training for the full marathon here in December. But, that’s a side point.

We packed our backpacks with our beachwear so we could spend the rest of the day at the beach. FYI, we started walking at 8 a.m. and walked for just over three hours.

At any rate, my sister says, “I know this cool little beach area that’s not too crowded where we can rent beach chairs for 300 JMD (about $3.50).” I said, “Cool. Let’s do it.”

Well after our walk, I was dog tired (the heat here is friggin’ unbelievable – I’m quite frankly scared of August) and ready to flop my behind on somebody’s beach chair – anybody’s beach chair – anywhere! We get to Cosmos, the name of the beach place . . . what a friggin’ rip! I’ll never frequent the place.

You Have to Pay to Pee In the Beach!

My sister and I were all excited because the nice young lady at the booth informs us that chairs are only 100 JMD. After finding this out, we went and scoped out the menu to see what the food prices were like because we were thinking, “Maybe we can get some lunch if it’s reasonable.”

Note: Some of the places here on the beach can be a bit outrageous in their prices on food and drink.

While the prices on the menu were good, there was almost a 30% surcharge on every check (17.5% sales tax and a 10% tip). Even though we were a little bummed, we were like, “Okay, it’s not sssooooo bad. Let’s go get our chairs.”

So we go back to the nice young girl and tell her that we want to rent two beach chairs for the day. Then, she promptly informs us that it’s an extra 300 JMD if we want to get in the water.

I uttered a Scooby Doo like “Huh?” My sister piped in with:

Are you saying we can’t get in the water if we rent the beach chairs? And, who’s going to stop us if we do?

The girl responded:

No, you can’t get in the water – even if you rent beach chairs. Someone is assigned to watch guests who haven’t paid the extra 300 JMD to prevent them from getting in the water.

As a native Floridian who has never paid in my life to get in the water at a beach – I was apoplectic! I was like:

You mean to tell me you have to pay to pee in the beach?

The girl burst out laughing, but I wasn’t kidding. My sister said:

But that’s God’s water. You can’t control who gets in and out of it.

While an extra 300 JMD was not a big deal – it was the unmitigated gall of the place to say you can rent a chair and look at the water, but someone will physically prevent you from getting in that unnerved both of us.

After barely uttering a civil thank you to the girl helping us – we left.

Negril, Jamaica: Discrimination against Locals by Beach Establishments?

It was then that we realized, a lot of places on the beach are like this. Unless you have your own beach chair and umbrella, it’s hard to find a place to just hang out on the beach where it doesn’t cost you anything.

Immediately, I thought of the locals. As in, Jamaica is a poor country and a lot of the hotels and establishments along 7-mile beach require you to “pay to play,” so to speak. For example, we finally wound up at a place where we paid $10 to rent beach chairs. You either had to pay $10 or drink at least that much in order to use the chairs.

Luckily, neither of us had a problem (or mind) spending that much on drink, but it weighed on me. It’s like the beach establishments here don’t consider the locals. This is, after all, their country.

Now of course, you can plop down any place if you don’t care about whether or not you have a chair and/or umbrella. But most of the beach establishments set their beach chairs and umbrellas out and don’t allow those who aren’t guests to set up within a defined area. And forget getting close to a tree if you’re not a guest in a hotel. All the choice areas are taken.

So while theoretically a local (or anyone else) can set up anywhere they please, it’s not possible without infringing on “hotel/restaurant guest space” in most places.

It seems that no matter where so-called progress happens, it always shits on the people who where there first!

And that’s the rather downer of a report from this Girl a Go Go today.

Yuwanda
P.S.: Want to start a successful freelance writing career where you have the mobility to live and work where you please? Visit our freelance writing bookstore.

P.P.S.: Want an easy, fast way to get started in affiliate marketing, making as much as $50, $100 or $150/day? Get How to Make Money Placing Ads on Free Classified Ad Sites (ie, Backpage.com). If you want to make some easy money promoting affiliate products on free classified ad sites, this ebook is for you. I’ve personally sold tens of thousands of dollars of e-products (my own and affiliate products) doing this since January 2009.

P.P.P.S.: Find this post informative? Follow Me (Inkwell Editorial) on Twitter.

Copyright © 2010: All material on this site is copyright protected and cannot be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without my written consent (linking to is fine).

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A Freelance Writer’s Life Abroad: Inside Peek at My Life as an American Living in Jamaica for a Year, Part VII

June 11, 2010

Yesterday was an absolutely horrible day.

First, the dentist started on my root canal. The procedure itself was not too bad, but the pain afterwards will make you a junkie. I was prescribed pain medication – 1 pill, 3 times a day after meals. Yesterday, I took 4 at one time – my tooth was hurting that bad.

After I got done, I came to work – around 11 a.m. Time enough to put in almost a full day if I worked late – which I was fully prepared to do. But, the internet had other plans. For some reason, even though my friend who was sitting right next to me was able to get on, my adaptor couldn’t find a connection. I don’t know what the hell happened!

THEN, it started raining and the internet was slow as methuzela. So I just gave up and called it a day.

It put me behind in my work – which is becoming a real problem for me here. I NEED to put stuff out almost every day to maintain my income. And to not know one day to the next if I’m going to be able to put in a full day is becoming a source of frustration for me.

But, that’s life in the tropics. You have to learn to roll with the punches. I really don’t know if it’s something I can get used to. Since I’ve committed to a year here though, I’m going to have to figure out something.

I’m Not the Only American to “Up and Move” to Jamaica

Yesterday, I met a woman about my age (40s) who lives in the same building. She gave me a ride to the dentist because I happened to be leaving at the same time she was to take her daughter to school.

She’s a New Yorker, so we hit it off on several fronts right away – fast walker, talker, outgoing, etc. She said she’s been coming to Negril for about 7 years and just fell in love with it. One day, she just decided to move here and “Give it a try; see how it goes.”

I asked her if she had any regrets and she said, “No, other than I wished I’d saved more money before coming.” She’s in the same boat as I am, meaning that she’s paying bills back home (ie, mortgage) and here as well.

As I recounted in this post about living in Jamaica, while the accommodations can be cheap, you can spend almost as much per month because you’re out so much more here.

Other than that though, she said she’s really enjoying her life here . . . and her daughter is getting an excellent education. She’s opening a boutique with a British friend of hers who’s been living here for 4 years, after having visited for 10+ years and falling in love with it.

FYI, that seems to be the story with a lot of transplants here . . . they visit, fall in love with the country, they move. So the commercial about Jamaica is really true, ie, “Once you go, you know.”

As for the schools here  . . .

The Educational System in Negril, Jamaica: Good, Bad, Better, Worse than America?

I’d estimate that my friend’s daughter is 11 or 12. She said she’s in “4^th grade.” Of course, this means something different than it does in the states. My new friend explained that the school system here is on the British system (Jamaica was a British colony until 1962).

She said her daughter is ahead of the stuff they’re studying on her level in America (Long Island, New York School system) — and she goes to public school here.

Negril, Jamaica: What’s in a Name?

The British influence is all over the culture here, eg, the names of the people. You’ll meet a lot of Patricks, Byrons, Georges, Sheldons, etc. (all names of actual people I know by the way).

I have to admit, this is kinda funny for me because Jamaicans have such strong, beautiful African features. So I expect to meet Khalils, Malcolms and Sefus. So when I meet a “Matthew,” for example, it kinda doesn’t fit in my head. It’s kinda like imagining my name being “Lisa” instead of “Yuwanda.”

But that’s my disconnect; not theirs.

About Patois: The Language of Jamaica

Last night I was at my favorite country western bar with the best, cheapest rum punches on the cliffs in Negril, Jamaica and I asked the proprietor, Dawn, about Patois, the native language of Jamaicans. I asked what it was derived from.

Sidebar: I went to Dawn’s and had two shots of Jack Daniels, which did more to calm my aching tooth than four pain pills.

The reason I asked Dawn about the origin of Patois is because I’m pretty fluent in Spanish (I got really good at speaking it when I married my now ex-husband, who is from Argentina (hola Marcelo!)). On previous trips, I’d always notice in the airport here how there seemed to be a lot of signs in Spanish, so I wondered why (as opposed to Creole, French or German, for example).

Jamaica: A Brief History of This Beautiful Island

Dawn said Patois was a mix of African, Spanish and English. When I read up on Jamaica this morning, I learned why. In the past, Jamaica has been ruled by Spain and Britain, and a lot of African slaves came through these islands. Some stayed, some were bound for America.

Interesting how history is always relevant — even hundreds of years later. It’s one of the reasons I love travelling — you learn so much – and it’s so much easier to remember than reading it in a book in history class, which you tend to promptly forget right after an exam. If I’d had a child, I think I would have strapped her to  my back and globetrotted with her rather than send her to traditional school.

But once again I digress.

That’s it for this Girl a Go Go today.

Have a great weekend everybody. I’m planning my sister’s birthday party here next month so this weekend I’m scoping out hotels for some American friends who are flying in. One is really picky about hotels (no flowered bedspreads for him), so I promised to visit a few, take some shots and send them along so he can choose.

Jah guide (A Rasta farewell that means more or less, good-bye; literal translation is “God shall guide.”)

Yuwanda
P.S.: Want to start a successful freelance writing career where you have the mobility to live and work where you please? Visit our freelance writing bookstore.

P.P.S.: Want an easy, fast way to get started in affiliate marketing, making as much as $50, $100 or $150/day? Get How to Make Money Placing Ads on Free Classified Ad Sites (ie, Backpage.com). If you want to make some easy money promoting affiliate products on free classified ad sites, this ebook is for you. I’ve personally sold tens of thousands of dollars of e-products (my own and affiliate products) doing this since January 2009.

P.P.P.S.: Find this post informative? Follow Me (Inkwell Editorial) on Twitter.

Copyright © 2010: All material on this site is copyright protected and cannot be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without my written consent (linking to is fine).

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A Freelance Writer’s Life Abroad: Inside Peek at My Life as an American Living in Jamaica for a Year, Part VI

June 9, 2010

Night before last, I was sick as a dog. Fever, night sweats, the chills, stomach pain, etc. Every time I come to Jamaica, it seems I have some type of medical emergency. I don’t know if it’s my body adjusting to a new climate (it is VERY hot here now), if it’s that I do more hanging out (hence more drinking) or what, but this s*it ain’t no joke.

I was about to go to the doctor’s yesterday morning, but my fever finally broke. I slept in late, ate, drank a ton of water, took the meds for my tooth (one of which is an antibacterial medication), and some extra-strong Ibuprofen. All of this seems to have done the trick.

I only worked a few hours yesterday and got in bed early last night – like 9:30; watched The Blind Side (with Sandra Bullock (she definitely earned that Oscar – way to go Sandy!)). Good movie if you haven’t seen it by the way. I cried in more than a few spots. Knowing it was based on a true story just about broke my heart. But, I digress.

Last night was the first night since I’ve been here that I didn’t go out. So maybe my body is telling me something. I’m ready to listen.

Life in Negril, Jamaica: Morning Workouts on the Beach are the Best

Anyway, I had enough strength to do an extra-long workout (1 hr, 45 mins) on the beach this morning — running, stretching and what I call “power sand walking”. In some places, the sand on the beach is very deep. You can actually feel your leg and butt muscles tightening as you sludge your way through it.

Although I was halfway dead when I finished, it felt so good. I feel stronger than ever – right in time to start my root canal tomorrow (which is going to take three visits to complete). Lord, lord I can’t wait to have this over and done with.

Living, Loving and Laughing: Do I Have a Love Life in Jamaica?

Several people have written in asking me if I have a love life / love interest here in Negril. Let’s just say I’m very social. Unless I write a book or settle down permanently, this is not something I’ll be discussing.

Today’s gonna be a long day because I have to be at the dentist’s for who knows how long tomorrow. So I’m trying to squeeze two days worth of work into one.

And that’s it for this girl a go go today.

GirlaGoGo.com: Website for Females Who Travel Alone (or with Friends)

FYI, GirlaGoGo.com is the domain name of the new site I’m going to develop over the coming months. It’s going to be a site for females who travel alone (or with girlfriends).The primary goal of the site will be to keep women safe while they globe trot. I’ve had this idea for about a year now.

I started travelling alone (and with girlfriends) in my early 20s. Having lived in a big, diverse city like New York helped me a lot once I went abroad. You develop a second sense — a street sense — when you live in large cities that really helps you navigate things you can face on the road — especially as a single female travelling alone.

As more and more of us are marrying later in life – or not at all – we aren’t waiting to get married or engaged to buy homes, travel or do a host of other things we traditionally waited until we had a partner to do. I know if I’d waited until I was in a permanent relationship, I wouldn’t have done even a quarter of the things I’ve done in my life.

I hope to have the site up by January. It’s so hard for me to wait. But there’s too much on my plate to even consider doing it now. So if you’re a female and you’ve travelled some place and want to share your experiences, file this info for future use.

Girl a go go over and out!
Yuwanda
P.S.: Want to start a successful freelance writing career where you have the mobility to live and work where you please? Visit our freelance writing bookstore.

P.P.S.: Want an easy, fast way to get started in affiliate marketing, making as much as $50, $100 or $150/day? Get How to Make Money Placing Ads on Free Classified Ad Sites (ie, Backpage.com). If you want to make some easy money promoting affiliate products on free classified ad sites, this ebook is for you. I’ve personally sold tens of thousands of dollars of e-products (my own and affiliate products) doing this since January 2009.

P.P.P.S.: Find this post informative? Follow Me (Inkwell Editorial) on Twitter.

Copyright © 2010: All material on this site is copyright protected and cannot be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without my written consent (linking to is fine).

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A Freelance Writer’s Life Abroad: Inside Peek at My Life as an American Living in Jamaica for a Year, Part V

June 7, 2010

Today, a new experience here in Jamaica. I went to the dentist. About a week ago, I started having some tooth pain.

The Cost of Dental Care in Negril, Jamaica

Turns out, I need a friggin’ root canal. But – get this – it’s only going to cost about J50,000 (roughly $475). This is not bad. I had one in 1997 in New York City and it was around $1,500. At the time I had dental insurance.

I remember it so well because my girlfriend and I had a trip planned to Barcelona, Spain. The dentist didn’t want to do the root canal until I got back because you’re not supposed to fly so soon after. I think I was leaving like the next day or a couple of days after. I asked him to proceed though because I was in so much pain and couldn’t imagine being on vacation in that kind of physical torture.

He gave me some pain medication and my x-rays to take with me on vacation. He said it would help if I had any problems and needed to see a dentist in Spain. I popped a codeine tablet (the pain meds he gave me) and drank some Jack Daniels on the plane (I know, I know, I shouldn’t have mixed, but it hurt).

Anyway, that was one of the most fun flights I ever had. But, I’m digressing.

My root canal starts on Thursday. The dentist said it would take about three visits to complete. I was like, “As long as I don’t ever have to leave this office with a hole in my head (ie, a missing tooth), I don’t care how long it takes.”

I’m vain that way . . . and not ashamed to admit it.

I also inquired about have a crown done – something I’ve been meaning to have done back home. At my dentist in the states, it’s about $1,200 if I’m remembering correctly. Once I go in for a consult here about that particular problem, I’ll find out about the cost and post an update here.

Medical Care Overall in Negril, Jamaica

I’ve been to the dentist/doctor’s office here three times in the course of the last year . . . and from what I’ve experienced, the medical care here in Jamaica is not only excellent, it’s very affordable for me as an American, especially when compared to the United States.

I’m sure the cost is probably more exorbitant for locals who don’t make the salaries we do in the United States. I see a lot of people here in Jamaica (usually in their 40s and up) in need of some serious dental care. I’m sure cost plays a major factor in this.

I don’t have dental insurance and have always paid out of pocket for this medical expense since I left corporate America, so while it’s an unexpected expense, it’s not so expensive that I can’t have it taken care of.

And thank goodness . . . there’s nothing like a friggin’ toothache. My sister says it’s worse than childbirth (she has a son). As I haven’t had that particular experience, I’ll take her word for it. All I know is, I wouldn’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t have afforded to get this taken care of.

As I’m going to be living here – maybe forever in one form or another – I’m going to find a gyne (gynecologist) as well.

Sunday is “Family Day” in Negril

A lot of places are closed on Sundays because it’s Family Day in Jamaica. I spent most of the day at the beach. The water is like bath water here – you don’t get that cold, cold water you have to ease yourself into. It’s nice from the time you step in.

Jenny’s Restaurant, Negril Jamaica: The Best Food at the Best Prices — Bar None

Afterwards, I had lunch at Jenny’s, a local restaurant on the cliffs of Negril that has the best food at the best prices (and they give you a lot).

The fried chicken with callaloo (a kind of kale/collard green vegetable) and plantain is my favorite. Cost: $350J (a little more than $4). FYI, this restaurant offers American fare like French toast, one of my faves here ($250J), and egges and bacon.

Where to Get the Cheapest, Strongest Rum Punches in On the Cliffs of Negril Jamaica

Then, I sauntered right next door (I’m talking two feet) to this country/western bar (yes, country/western) and had a rum punch. The rum punches are only $150J (roughly $1.75) and Dawn (the proprietor) makes them extra strong.

I happen to like country/western music (born and raised a country girl, remember) and when you throw in a good, cheap rum punch and a bench directly across the street from the ocean (can’t see it, but you can hear it), it makes for a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon with friends.

It’s kinda become my hangout du jour.

FYI that’s Dawn, the owner, in the photo sitting in the chair.

Yesterday, met an American couple from Connecticut celebrating their 18^th wedding anniversary. Me, them and some friends sat, drank and laughed for a couple of hours. Then my tooth started hurting, so I popped an extra-strong Ibuprofen, went home, showered, popped in “It’s Complicated” (with Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin) and promptly fell asleep before 10 pm.

Woke up this morning and went to the dentist.

What Do You Want to Know about Negril, Jamaica?

Hope you’re enjoying these updates I’m providing as an American freelance writer living abroad. If there’s anything you want to know about here in Negril, drop me a line (info[at]InkwellEditorial.com) and I’ll do my best to answer.

Best,
Yuwanda
P.S.: Want to start a successful freelance writing career where you have the mobility to live and work where you please? Visit our freelance writing bookstore.

P.P.S.: Want an easy, fast way to get started in affiliate marketing, making as much as $50, $100 or $150/day? Get How to Make Money Placing Ads on Free Classified Ad Sites (ie, Backpage.com). If you want to make some easy money promoting affiliate products on free classified ad sites, this ebook is for you. I’ve personally sold tens of thousands of dollars of e-products (my own and affiliate products) doing this since January 2009.

P.P.P.S.: Find this post informative? Follow Me (Inkwell Editorial) on Twitter.

Copyright © 2010: All material on this site is copyright protected and cannot be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without my written consent (linking to is fine).

Share and Enjoy:

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