Welcome! Tally ho!

Our B.V.I. Adventure is designed to give our family, friends and any other interested followers a look into the life of two expatriates making their way on the island of Tortola. Tortola is the largest island in the British Virgin Islands.

So, why did we move 2,000 miles away from our home in Knoxville, Tennessee? Michael accepted a position as the director of retail and international sales for a Caribbean clothing brand.

Cheers!

Adventurers

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living in the British virgin islands
Saturday, November 27, 2010

Day 346: A Farewell

Michael and I are experiencing something right now that is unfortunately quite common in the expat community...  We are bidding farewell to other expat friends who are returning to their home country. 

It is with much saddness that we say good-bye to Gerry and Felicity.  Gerry and Felicity were the first friends we made on Tortola, outside of the Pusser's family of course.  So for our farewell dinner, we went back to the place where we all first met - Pusser's East.

When I think back on that night, I just have to laugh.  This was in our first 50 days on the island and all four of us were sitting at the bar.  Michael and I felt like single guys getting ready to approach the only ladies in the place.  {Sorry Gerry, but you have to be a girl in this scenario!}  We even had a quick pep talk before going over to them and may have even discussed using a pick-up line.  Whatever we ended up saying to them - it worked!  Because we all became fast friends!

Here's a great shot of the boys enjoying their Irish coffees at the end of a delicious dinner.

For the girls, we had our own little get together on Friday.  A champagne lunch?  Don't mind if we do!

In this friendship, we've shared some bits and pieces our respective cultures...  

From us to them:
- a positive example of the Greek system of fraternities and sororities
- the difference between the NFL and college football
- the word Y'ALL (Felicity more than Gerry will likely find herself using the word back home!)

What they've shared with us:
- the phrase "to have a sneaky one" which means to have a last drink of the night
- the song, Fairytale in New York
- how to make soldiers, soft-boiled eggs and toast
- the after dinner drink, Baby Guinness which is a shot of Kahlua with Bailey's on top.  There's zero Guinness in the drink, but it looks like a miniature glass of the dark beer.

But most of all, we've shared a lot of laughs as we navigated this little island together.  While we will miss Gerry and Felicity terribly, we are happy for them to be reunited with their friends and families in Ireland.  They've lived abroad for two years now, as Gerry worked for Digicel in Anguilla, St. Lucia and lastly Tortola. 

After a whirlwind trip through South America (a belated honeymoon) and a stop in the Big Apple, the pair will return home, just in time for Christmas. 

To Gerry and Felicity, we wish you the very best!  Michael and I loved getting to know you both and we'll surely miss you around here, especially on those nights when we turn a "sneaky one" into a "sneaky three."  Safe travels!  Hope to see you soon - on your turf next!

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