It is indeed better in The Bahamas!

Dear Editor,

I am an American citizen. I grew up in Grand Bahama and became a Bahamian citizen.

Until 17 years old, The Bahamas was all I knew. I moved to the U.S. to live “the American dream”.

I attained my degrees, became a dentist, and worked in the private and corporate worlds. I also got married, had children, and bought a home.

I lived more American dreams than many Americans had ever dreamt.

I understand the desire to live in the U.S. I understand how things appear: the efficiency, technology, education, professionalism, cleanliness, luxury, opportunities, diversity. However, all of those things come with a price.

Even if my school debt ($440,226.37) didn’t exist, the demands of work limited the time left for what was most important to us.

We learned that when ‘money’ is the goal, everything else gets compromised. So, after 16 years of living the ‘American dream’, we made the vow to never make a decision based on money, but instead consider our peace. For longevity and a sound mind, it is the best option for us.

Being health conscious and a skeptic of the medical/pharmaceutical industries (yes, even as a dentist), what we eat is most important for our overall health.

Researching the food industry in the U.S., we became distrustful of what was being fed to us — literally.

Again, when money is the goal, everything else gets compromised — even if it costs lives.

With a plant-based lifestyle, being on an island allows us more control over the nature of our foods.

Politics anywhere is shady!

Really, when money is the goal, everything else gets compromised. Some countries balance better than others, but the U.S. historically has never been the best at upholding the creed ‘for the benefit of all’.

The political construct, racism, is the foundation of the American experience.

Also, when did school shootings become a thing?

U.S. laws are deeply flawed and mental illness is a major issue. For a country that claims to be the best in the world, how does it rank as one of the most depressed?

When I left the U.S., selling our home, saying goodbye to wonderful friends, I was also saying goodbye to the conveniences of any and everything I wanted at my fingertips.

I had become accustomed to a life of entitlement.

Honestly, I was hesitant.

What if it’s 1 a.m. and I needed to go grocery shopping?

What if I needed a cute outfit at the last minute? Where would I go for my massages?

So many first world concerns!

Well, almost two years have passed and I grocery shop between the hours of 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. — imagine that!

I wear whatever is in my closet to that last minute event — imagine that!

And guess what? I found the best massage therapist on this side of the Atlantic Ocean right here in Grand Bahama!

I still maintain my first world needs — wax appointments, workout trainer, pedicures, and indulging the best desserts on my cheat day(s), to name a few.

My point is, I am not missing out on anything!

This is my story.

This is where we find peace.

We co-own our business with a mission and atmosphere that allows for positive quality time with family.

We date frequently, finding some of the best restaurants, from Bahamian sushi spots to Italian cuisine and some of the coolest activities from scuba diving with the sharks and kayaking through the mangroves to a 4D movie theatre experience.

Our children are adopting the Bahamian culture — the discipline and education, the colorful music, the tropical food, the beautiful dialogue and dialect.

They are getting sunburned while building sandcastles and learning to swim in our clear turquoise water.

They are understanding that the world is much bigger and more complexed than just one country or one point of view.

They are learning to empathize with others from many walks of life, not seeing any one way the superior way.

They have a fair chance at life, living with no worries, as they should.

Hurricane, pandemic, or apocalypse, I will forever choose The Bahamas!

— Jillian Storr

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source https://thenassauguardian.com/2020/06/19/it-is-indeed-better-in-the-bahamas/