Tag Archives: AUC

Creatively Finding Work

The consequence for working for pay as a foreigner in St. Maarten is immediate deportation. However, I can apparently work online through American-based employers. While a two-year vacation on a Caribbean islands sounds lovely, a two-year vacation on a Caribbean island with a job to pay some of the bills sounds even better.

I hoped to get a full-time job this summer, but somehow or other nothing I tried worked out. I think it was by the grace of God, actually. It’s been lovely to spend these days with Ben, since it’s the last time we’ll be able to spend quantity time together for what seems like forever. Also, we’ve had a lot of moving preparations to do. We’ve actually been blessed with quite a lot of paid work, anyway.  We drive two awesome kids home from camp a couple times each week. I babysit two or three times a week, and sometimes Ben comes with me. Ben has a job as a tutor, also. We get to housesit twice this summer. The biggest blessing, though, is the work that will last during our time in St. Maarten. Ben suggested that I try freelance illustrating again. I did it a little before and during college, but he thought I could try to work into a full-time job. So, I bought Adobe Illustrator and started a Cafepress store and put myself out there on a few websites. I was discouraged at first, but not long after we prayed for a design job for me, I got an offer for a part-time job with a printing company. So, I am working for a printing company designing T-shirts. I just finished my first batch of sixty-four and my client loved them. Praise God! Looks like we’ll have a little income while we’re on the island.

Check out my Fiverr gigs and my Cafepress store:

https://www.fiverr.com/brejay

http://www.cafepress.com/thirdculture

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Above is one of my designs on Cafepress. I did the face with digital oil paints and added text with Adobe Illustrator.

Preparing to Move

Three weeks ago we got the news… Ben was accepted to medical school at American University of the Caribbean! AUC is located on the Dutch side of St. Maarten, a tiny island in the Caribbean. It’s beautiful.

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     The past couple of the weeks have been a flurry of activity. Ben’s teaching job ended a week ago, and immediately after we flew to Indiana for our friends’ wedding. Since we’ve been back, we have spent the last four days doing almost nothing but prepare for the trip. We have a small one-bedroom apartment, but the amount the random needless stuff we have found so far is enough to furnish a mansion! At least that’s what it feels like as we take our nightly trip to the dumpster. This morning, it looked like a wild chimpanzee broke in and had a disco party in our living room. After we get rid of all the trash, we still have to sort through the stuff to store, sell, and pack. It looks like we won’t be able to take much; whatever we bring will have to fit into two suitcases each. Fortunately, I’ve read that the island has just about anything you can find on the mainland, just not much variety.

We found a place to live today, a one-bedroom in an apartment that is a short walk from campus and just a few minutes to the beach. I can’t complain– I’ll have Ben home for lunch every day and the ocean within sight! The only downside is that it is going to cost us $1,100 per month, plus utilities. Believe it or not, that is actually in the inexpensive side for island living! Despite the cost, it will be nice to have a little more space and the ability to walk where we need to go.

As an aside, I started a CafePress shop this week! My products are inspired by the third culture and cultures around the world. Come see my artwork and designs: http://www.cafepress.com/thirdculture

Keep us in your prayers as we make this transition… it still hasn’t completely sunk in yet that we’re leaving, but it’s coming soon.

Ubarikiwe!