So I've heard, if you can live in Bermuda, you can live anywhere. Well, my view differs. Bermuda is one of the least improverished places in the world. There is a job for every Bermudian who wants it. Some choose not to, and so there are drug addicts, drunks and homeless people hanging around Front Street and the City Hall. Bermuda is a beautiful place to live albeit quite a boring place for young people. All they do is drink and purchase expensive clothing due to their high amount of disposable income. These kids are spoiled. They stay at home since there is no space on the island to move out on their own. Many don't pay rent and get used to the "good life" at a very early age. It's really a shame for them - as they are missing a huge part of growing up - and that is, working hard, struggling and saving up for things that you may want, for a future. I'm sure you find this in many countries, but I haven't quite seen it to the extent as here. Superficiality (if that's a word) is paramount. People look you up and down to see if they can see a brand name or two. Shallow really. And if you don't, then they wonder if you're really worth knowing or being "seen with". Now, again, this is a point of view of an expat. Expats treat expats differently. I find that there is more acceptance. The segregation between locals and expats is quite extraordinary - something I would have never imagined. A night out with a Bermudian is a complete different adventure than a night out with an expat. It is truly amazing. Bermuda is a paradise however. Even though, the bus schedule is ennerving when the last bus out of town on a Sunday is at 6pm - at least a Sunday still feels like a Sunday. Though the main streets are clean, there are areas of the island where there is garbage all over the place. Take Ord Road in Warwick. Garbage all along the street, people having thrown things out of their cars. It's really a shame how people don't take care of what they have. And it seems the government is only interesting in keeping the "tourist areas" clean. How about the back roads? It's like disguising a foul smell with some fancy perfume. It isn't going to mask the reality. Bermuda needs to get real. If it plans on increasing it's tourism, helping it's young people and making a good impression, it needs to bring more cultural events, clean up the garbage, trash this attitude of "we are better than anyone else" and be more genuinely gracious towards expats.
