Life as an expat in the Maldives by Ruth Franklin
When people learn I live in The Maldives , they imagine I am living on a beautiful tropical island , resplendent with coconut palms and white sandy beaches , and that life is based around relaxing with a cocktail in hand . However , the reality of my Maldives lifestyle is quite different from their imaginings . I am grateful and privileged to have been given this opportunity to enjoy , and I wouldn ’ t change a thing .
I am originally from the UK , from the Midlands to be exact . I discovered the Maldives over 20 years ago , visiting as a scuba diver in search of mantas and whale sharks . My love and appreciation of the country , its people , culture , and traditions were almost immediate and resulted in me visiting the archipelago over 30 times in the following years . In 2012 , I was in the right place at the right time when the opportunity to relocate arose through a chance meeting over coffee . So , I swapped my corporate life in the UK to live and work in one of the most dreamed about places on earth , promoting sustainable and local tourism .
Moving to the Maldives seemed the most natural thing in the world . I had an established circle of local friends and an insight into day-today life , but I can imagine it might be daunting for others . Indeed , living on a local island or in a resort is different from visiting as a tourist . Moving to the Maldives was always about experiencing life as a local . However , for those who want more , there is now a sizable expat community living and working in the Maldives that provides a network for social events and gatherings .
My home is the island of Hulhumale , connected to both the airport and Male by the Sinimale Bridge ; Hulhumale forms part of the capital area . While it does have a beautiful long beach , it is not the idyllic image of the Maldives depicted on the internet and in travel brochures . It is what you would describe as suburban and still very much a developing city . It has been an interesting journey to watch how it has grown from a small community with only a handful of cafés and local shops to a bustling neighborhood . Hulhumale is not short of local coffee shops , barista-style cafés , and a range of restaurants , including sushi , a steakhouse , Moroccan , Indian and Thai . There is a one-screen cinema , a sports track , gym and fitness facilities , banks , hospitals , local shops , convenience stores , and a supermarket . My daily routine is not dissimilar to how it would have been in the UK , albeit a beer at the pub has been changed to coffee on the beach , and I know not to expect to be able to find the same products / brands in my local convenience store from one week to the next .
Working in the Maldives has meant adapting to a slower pace of business , and I have learned to accept that responses and action may come tomorrow or next week .
I swapped my corporate life in the UK to live and work in one of the most dreamed about places on earth .
In fact , I probably create my own pressure and stress while everyone around me appears to have no cares in the world . It has meant adapting to “ on the way ,” meaning “ will be there within the hour .” When it rains ,
32 Travel + Lifestyle To Table of Contents