Dear Reader,

“I’ve won a trip to the Caribbean and can’t use it; do you want to go?”

When Candi’s boss asked her that question, she didn’t hesitate in her reply…

“Give me two hours to pack my bag.”

That was how she first traveled to the Caribbean back in 1986. In the years since, it became a much-loved vacation spot and today, for Candi and her husband Michael, it’s home.

Their story, below…

Victoria Harmer
Managing Editor, International Living Postcards

* * * * * * * *

Searching for our Dream Caribbean Haven
By Candi Licence

Stepping off the plane, I was struck by the Caribbean warmth. You can be warm in winter. My husband Michael and I had experienced the long, cold Connecticut winters, and my first thought was; we need to figure out how to do this every year.

So, we began taking regular trips to different spots in the Caribbean. On vacation in Antigua, we met a dive instructor, originally from the U.S. He had arrived on the island a few years earlier…and never left.

After meeting him, we began to start seriously considering how we could make our own full-time move to the Caribbean. I pored over International Living articles to understand the key issues and processes for making an international move.

Michael and I spent the next six years crisscrossing the Caribbean, visiting 13 more islands, looking for the perfect fit. We arrived in Grenada for the first time in 1990. We stayed at an expat-run resort—the owner was a retired stockbroker from New York. It didn’t take long for us to fall in love with the people and the island.

We continued to visit new islands but kept coming back to Grenada. Every time the plane landed, we felt at home.

It’s not hard to see why Candi and Michael fell for Grenada. ©Candi Licence

Grenada met all our criteria. It is mountainous and lush, English-speaking, and below the hurricane belt. Land prices were much lower than the more well-known islands. Most important, the people are lovely and extremely friendly.

In 2013, I’d had enough of U.S. corporate life, and I proposed to Michael that we quit our jobs and travel full-time. We sold most of our possessions, stored art and heirlooms, and set off in May 2014. We planned to rent a house, stay in each location for three months, and then move to a new location.

We began our journey focused on the U.S. because we were traveling with our dog. We spent the first year in Key West, the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Sarasota, Florida, and then on to Grenada.

Even though we traveled to Grenada many times, we had never stayed longer than two weeks, so this would be a test of living like a local. U.S. citizens can stay in Grenada for three months before needing to get a visa. We purchased plane tickets for a 90-day stay.

Michael, a professional photographer, immediately established a business shooting beauty and fashion images. He worked at least five days a week and loved it. I had started a blog when we first began traveling, and I continued to write about our travels and life in Grenada.

Three months felt too short, and we were confident that Grenada would be the place we would eventually settle. We were committed to renting for flexibility, but we knew we would come back the next year for another three-month stay.

I was having trouble finding a rental that included enough space for Michael’s studio and one that would welcome our Irish Setter. Five days before we left Grenada, as I expressed my frustration and concerns about finding a great rental, Michael suggested we buy a house. We knew we’d eventually live in Grenada, so, why not?

The house we ended up buying wasn’t available to view until 4 p.m. the night before we left the island. After a 45-minute tour, as we were driving away, Michael asked how much we were going to offer. I gulped. I’m not a quick decision-maker, I like to research extensively and thoughtfully.

Then I thought, we knew what we wanted after staying in so many places, and this house checked so many boxes. We made an offer, and the next morning, we flew off the island.

We continued traveling while negotiating a deal to buy the house, which closed in 2015. The building inspection uncovered some things that needed to be addressed, and we hired a reputable contractor to begin work before we moved in. After the closing, we returned to Grenada to remind ourselves about the details of the house we bought.

We were pleasantly surprised that it was even more beautiful than we remembered.

The view from our back porch at sunset. ©Candi Licence

We moved in permanently in December of that year. The contractor had done quality work, so we then contracted with him for major renovations that took another year.

We’ve lived in Grenada happily for four years now and have dual citizenship. The process of becoming a citizen was easy, but lengthy. First, we needed to either own property or to have lived in Grenada for two years before applying for permanent resident status. Grenada requires a lot of information, including medical, bank, and police records. After permanent residency was granted, we applied to be citizens. During this process, parliamentary elections were held, and a different political party came into power. Our paperwork was delayed while the new government got established. The wait time between receiving residency and getting citizenship is faster now.

We’ve comfortably become part of the Grenadian community. We practice yoga, go to the gym, have learned how to cook many local dishes, and have started growing orchids. I’m blessed to have a wonderful Grenadian best friend who I’ve known since she was 11 (she’ now 32). I’m a Godmother to her 13-year-old daughter, and we have dozens of Grenadian friends. We’re tapping into the expat community. Every morning, we wake up and marvel at our life. We love this place.

Michael expanded his photography business and was the official photographer for Grenada’s Carnival for three years. I write for print and online publications about Grenada and our travels, and make custom jewelry.

I’ve also joyfully become an unofficial island ambassador, providing insider information and insight to others who want to visit or call Grenada home.