It’s now been one month since I uprooted my life and moved to the British Virgin Islands with Collas Crill. Having come from near freezing temperatures in Jersey in December, the wave of hot air as I stepped off the plane was a brilliant shock to the system. The last month has been an adventure, a feeling which I know will continue for many months to come, so I thought I’d write down what it’s been like.
After a stop in Antigua following my nine hour flight from Gatwick, I made it to the capital, Road Town, Tortola. The next day I met the lovely Collas Crill office team and spent a couple of hours in immigration to begin the paperwork journey.
Though this long process has the potential to be overwhelming, it’s difficult to be anxious in such a beautiful place with lovely people. I’m particularly grateful to Collas Crill for supporting with my accommodation in my first few weeks – opening the blinds and waking up at sunrise to a beautiful ocean view every morning was a great way to start the day.
The food and drink scene on the island has been a welcome surprise. The food is really varied with cuisine from all around the world – you're definitely never short of options. In my first few weeks, I'd try a new spot every night to get a feel of what was on offer – and it was a lot. From Venezuelan street vans to fancy Italians restaurants, to some of the best burgers I’ve ever had. The supermarkets have all you need to make some good homemade meals, and even have Waitrose branded items which was cool to see.
Just three days into the new job, I was invited to a networking event. It was on a recently opened neighbouring luxury island, Peter Island. Everyone was extremely welcoming. Being the new guy on the block can be a little daunting – but I was quickly put at ease! The open-air return ferry home under the clear starlit sky was pretty incredible. It was this evening that I was sure I had made a great decision in moving to the BVI with Collas Crill.
The BVI allows you to switch into holiday mode, every weekend. There's so much nature to explore. There are almost a dozen beaches, boat trips between islands, water sports, tennis, pickleball, hiking, CrossFit, and running up the steepest hills you can imagine.
On my first weekend, I was invited to visit Jost Van Dyke for the day. White Bay is one of the nicest beaches in the Virgin Islands - the turquoise waters are so stunning they look edited - and it has one of the best bars. Before moving out to the Islands a few colleagues had told me to try a Painkiller – so of course this was the first drink I ordered. It’s pretty tasty!
Just two weeks in, everything was slotting into place. I’d bought a 4x4 Suzuki, rented an apartment in Cane Garden Bay, and finally completed all my permit paperwork.
I spent Christmas day with friends. We started off with a (much more comfortable than Jersey) sea-dip and some bubbles. There was even a rainbow which was very cinematic! We then had a fantastic traditional Christmas lunch. The day was unlike any Christmas I’ve had, but one of the most memorable by far. On New Year's Eve, we took a trip across to Jost for an island party. There was a long strip of bars with music blaring – a pretty fun night and another starlit ferry ride home. What more could I ask for to start the year?
My work with Collas Crill in BVI has been both helpfully familiar, but also new and challenging. BVI corporate law is quite similar to the UK and Jersey, with some nuances which make things interesting. The legal work is varied, exciting, and there's a lot of opportunities.
My colleagues have been wonderful. I really couldn’t have asked for a better welcome at such a huge time of change for me. They’ve bought me local food and drink from both the BVI and their own countries to try, invited me out and about, and gifted me a custom made rash-vest for secret Santa. I will have to bring over some Jersey treats when I next visit – perhaps some classic Jersey fudge?!
My first six weeks here have been nothing short of incredible. It’s such a privilege to be working in paradise with such a lovely team around me. I'd recommend it to anyone – so long as you can put up with the occasional (…) mosquito bite, the general price of food… and the roosters!
Ollie's first month in pictures
