Grand Cayman

This was IS my home.

Grand Cayman (GC) is the largest of the three Cayman Islands in the Caribbean, just a 90-minute flight from Miami. This island has a rich history of hospitality for those without a home. A couple of centuries ago, a shipping convoy ran into trouble on the reefs surrounding GC, and the locals came to the rescue.

“The Wreck of the Ten Sail is a historic shipwreck event that occurred off the East End of Grand Cayman on 8 February 1794. Ten ships that were part of a convoy on its way from Jamaica to the United States and Britain wrecked on the surrounding reef. While residents braved the stormy waters and successfully rescued the ships' crews and passengers, eight people from the convoy died.”

That hospitality lives on today in what’s known as ‘Cayman-kind.’ It means being hospitable, welcoming, and always kind to those in the community. I’ve lived here on and off since 2016, and it’s always pulled me back. For the expat community, being on a small island in the middle of the sea, often without family ties, draws you closer to those around you and distils experiences.

You might know someone for a night and feel like best friends. Spend a couple of weeks, and it’ll feel like years. Spend years with these souls, and your futures are forever tied together.

If you have the chance, please go. I’ll even help with a place to crash.