I had never and would never consider a city like London somewhere that we needed to respect and care for the locals – the locals were few and far between and the city was a melting pot for people finding their new selves, running the rat race and escaping reality with peter pan syndrome. But here, on island, it’s different.

Yes, Cayman prides itself on being the most developed island in the Caribbean and the epicenter for financial investments around the world. But, at its core, it is a very small community driven island with roots in family, religion and of course, food. It can be hard for these two versions of Cayman to co-exist and the desire to be the booming epicenter comes at a cost for the locals.

Curious to understand more about the local/expat dynamic, I went seeking some insights from my Caymanian colleagues. They describe it as a “love hate” relationship - they know we are important to keep up the boom, but it comes at a cost for the locals' livelihoods. From the cost of living (we are second in the world behind Monaco), to the housing market and the careers that stagnate at entry level positions, the majority of locals are not set up for success. I found myself listening to the realities of their lives and pondering how I had the right to be on the Island enjoying my life in the absence of a tax system that supports the welfare of the most vulnerable members of society.

On the record, I am no expert in the economy, tax systems, politics or global investments but I do consider myself an expert in humanity, people, emotions and values. And the truth is

In simple terms: as the expats get wealthier, the locals become increasingly worse off. It’s a hard pill to swallow but one that I believe we should all read the label of and understand the side effects before we digest it.

So, as we move around the world and experience living in different continents and regions, I ask us all: what is our expat ‘right’?

Much love from this overthinking expat.