Alex Cassidy shocked social media by saying that, at 22, he had constructed his own residence within the Caribbean.
The younger man from the UK constructed his home in Tobago, an island inside the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, for £3,000 (over $3,770), far lower than it could’ve value him to assemble a property in England.
Talking with Bored Panda, the musician revealed his motivation to maneuver to the southernmost island nation within the Caribbean.
Highlights
22-year-old UK native Alex Cassidy constructed a house in Tobago for beneath $4,000.
Alex works seasonally within the UK, spending six months in Tobago attributable to visa limitations as a vacationer.
Residing prices in Tobago are low for Alex: $62 for electrical energy each three months, with extra inexpensive bills.
“The principle purpose I depart is that I work seasonally within the UK. I’m a musician and in addition work part-time as a chef in a restaurant, however that’s simply through the spring/summer season. I’ve no work within the winter, so yearly, I make simply sufficient for me to dwell in Tobago for six months of the 12 months,” he defined.
“I can solely keep there for six months (the utmost time for a vacationer), as I’m not a citizen.”
Alex Cassidy constructed his own residence on the Caribbean island of Tobago
The chance to construct the house got here as a result of his stepfather owned a portion of land on the island. After evaluating costs between his residence nation and the Caribbean nation, Alex concluded that migrating for half a 12 months was a handy transfer.
“I am going to Tobago yearly and have performed so for many of my life, so the thought of constructing a home got here to me final 12 months.”
Because the 22-year-old defined, his pure predisposition for crafts influenced his resolution to assemble the house himself. “I’ve all the time been naturally artful and watch a whole lot of movies on YouTube of individuals constructing homes, however after all, I didn’t have expertise,” the seasonal employee mentioned.
“I employed a carpenter to assist me out, and it was me and a single carpenter to construct the home, and my neighbor would kindly come after work to assist me out free of charge.”
The 22-year-old, who works seasonally within the UK, spends six months residing in England and the remaining a part of the 12 months in Tobago
In complete, it took Alex three months (from January to March) earlier than he noticed the completed work.
So, how a lot does it value him to dwell within the Caribbean? In a video posted on TikTok, the younger man defined that each three months, he pays £50 ($62) for electrical energy, a “bit extra” for water, and £30-£40 for wi-fi.
“Very low-cost, certainly. I do know folks within the UK who pay £200 for electrical energy alone,” he shared.
Tobago is an island inside the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the southernmost island nation within the Caribbean
In a separate video, Alex revealed that he couldn’t afford to place the heating on his residence in England.
“It was so chilly in my home that I’d actually see my breath,” Alex shared. “You haven’t any possibility however to place extra layers on and dwell within the chilly. We are able to’t afford to place our heating on proper now. It’s absolute hell.
“Individuals suppose, ‘Oh, I wanna go dwell in England.’ Don’t go dwell in England. It’s horrible. Apparently, England is a first-world nation. It’s not first-world to me. We’re fully backward. We go to work Monday-Friday to pay our mortgage, and we’re residing within the freezing chilly. It’s insane.”
“We had the land for a lot of, a few years, and I came upon it’s very low-cost to construct down there in comparison with England,” the younger man mentioned
Now, he finds himself within the reverse state of affairs, needing to put in an AC to beat the warmth, Alex doesn’t remorse his resolution to return to the place he’s recognized since he was eight years previous.
“I’ve realized how the nation works, and I’ve realized to grasp how issues perform right here. It may be very daunting investing/constructing in property in any nation you’re not accustomed to as a result of there are a whole lot of cultural/work ethic variations.”
The one damaging side of residing in Tobago is spending six months with out seeing his family members. “I’ve my household within the UK, and that is without doubt one of the solely downsides to residing within the Caribbean for half the 12 months, as I gained’t see them for a very long time, and I miss them dearly.”
“I’ve all the time been naturally artful and watch a whole lot of movies on YouTube of individuals constructing homes, however after all, I didn’t have expertise,” the musician mentioned about constructing his residence
Fortuitously, his stepfather’s household’s connections within the village have helped him really feel extra accompanied on the island.
“Additionally, the folks of Tobago are very heat, pleasant, and outgoing. I’m all the time making new associates on the bar and different social occasions; there by no means is some extent the place I really feel lonely or remoted. In Tobago, you’re all the time making new associates.”
Expert in taking part in the piano, guitar, and steelpan, Alex enjoys taking part in music in Tobago, whether or not it’s by the seashore or at an out of doors bar.
The one damaging side about life in Tobago goes six months with out seeing his beloved ones
“The folks of Tobago are very heat, pleasant, and outgoing. I’m all the time making new associates on the bar and different social occasions; there by no means is some extent the place I really feel lonely“
When requested why extra younger folks don’t depart their busy cities to maneuver nearer to nature, the English native believes that lack of familiarity with a overseas nation doesn’t clarify all of it.
“I feel lots of people who wish to dwell such a way of life can get tied up with life at residence with [possible] relationships, mortgages, hire, and easily getting caught up in life.
“However beginning to see increasingly younger folks on TikTok residing overseas and making a hit of it, like younger folks residing in Thailand and different south East Asian international locations, [they realize that] it’s undoubtedly doable.
“It’s determining the way you’re capable of depart all the pieces behind at residence and take an opportunity to dwell elsewhere.”
Moreover, there’s the traditional step-by-step mannequin that many have ingrained of their minds since childhood.
“I feel, additionally, [it’s] drilled into our heads that we now have to go to school, after which get a superb job and get a mortgage on a home, and other people get caught up in it.
“However there’s extra to life than going to work Monday to Friday. You simply want to determine a solution to escape the ‘rat race’ that may give you the results you want.”
“This man is doing greater than a minister of tourism,” somebody commented
