“Assume you’ll need to adapt to local things unless you want to spend way more than necessary!  When I moved to the Caribbean, I found that food and toiletries and clothes (even the fully-non-brand name variety) were all two to three times more expensive than the States.  On the other hand, if you learn to live like the locals, you’ll save quite a lot: for example local fruit (and rum!) was practically free, and local bakeries and goat dairies were cheap.  One of my roommates was suspicious of everything not imported from the States and spent WAY too much money; I risked the local route and not only saved but got a much more interesting experience.”

– Scarlett, who has not only lived and done volunteer work in the Caribbean, she also applying to do more in Rwanda.  Fingers crossed!