My first impression of Bermuda was how beautiful it was and how English it looked. Also the friendliness of the people here, locals and ex-pats mixed in with a general air of relaxation about the Island.

I think the hardest thing I had to get used to when moving to Bermuda was the pace of life here. I was used to going 100 miles per hour all the time. The pace of life is more relaxed and a little slower here which if you are not used to it can be a little frustrating. The best thing about Bermuda (apart from it's stunning scenery) is the attitude of the people who live here. They are friendly and helpful whenever possible. Also no matter what your interests whilst here you can always find someone/somewhere to continue them, especially if you like outdoor activities and sports. The career opportunities are also very good as Bermuda has a large international business contingent here.

I came from Bristol in the United Kingdom, and before I came to Bermuda I didn't know anything about it, I actually had to look it up in an Atlas to see where it was. I came to Bermuda because I happened to look through one of the national newspapers in England when I saw an ad placed by a secretarial temping agency called SOS with the title "Work in Bermuda?". So I didn't pick Bermuda - it picked me!

In the grand scheme of things relocating to Bermuda was not stressful; however, life turned out to be very different from the Wiltshire villages I had frequented in England. Four years ago the opportunity arose for me to take a teaching post here, and feeling stale at my old school and in need of a change, I jumped at the idea.

The infrastructure of life when you first arrive is easy to set in place, even if Bermudian work ethics demand a half-time pace; I had to learn to accept a slower way of getting things done. Personally, my friendships have cemented, and my constant desire to write to friends and family at home gradually wore off - hardly anyone writes back! After the first year I felt I knew my way around the place and the people, and the travel opportunities for the States and South America are so accessible. The true sense of a multi-cultural environment is expansive, and yet the socio-political challenges of this unique society are still present. I've grown in my understanding of others and myself while living here; was this because of Bermuda or just the wisdom of experience that comes with age? No matter - this is a great place to learn.

The difficulties that stand out are that it took time to establish important relationships, and the most enjoyable aspect of moving here is learning about the mixture of Bermudian, American, Canadian, Caribbean and British culture.

Bermuda has been a great career move for me. Although I was initially attracted by the sun and island life, it has proved an excellent learning ground to develop my career in an international arena with like-minded professionals.

I'm very excited about coming to the Island and still can't believe it! I always said I was a great believer in fate! Thanks once again for making the process so smooth. May I take this opportunity to thank you for all your assistance over the past few weeks with this position.