Welcome to life in Grenada!  We hope the following guide helps you as you prepare to make the transition to life here in Grenada.   If there are questions you still need answered feel free to email us at soorgsgu@gmail.com.  To become a member, please e-mail us the information requested on the Become a Member page.   

Good luck with all your planning and transitioning!  We look forward to meeting you soon!

Your SO Executive Board


Life in Grenada:  The Guide

Part 1:  Airport, Airlines, Customs

Grenada has one airport, Point Saline, located about 5 minutes from the school's main campus in True Blue.

As traveling to Grenada can many times be a long trip involving more than one connection, we recommend that you keep a folder or envelope of important documents in your carry-on bag that you may need access to during your travels.  This will help to make your trip MUCH less stressful.  You would include items in your folder like:

• Passports of everyone who is traveling with you
• Paper ticket for infant in lap (depending on airline)
• Luggage claim tickets
• Flight numbers, itineraries, frequent flyer miles account numbers, and customer service contact information
• Official letters and documents from SGU
• Phone numbers for important contacts at home and in Grenada, and the address where you will go when you get here
• Health certificates and import documents for pets
• Receipts/vouchers from airline in case of lost luggage, or canceled/overbooked flights
• About $500 cash for unexpected travel costs
  

For unseasoned travelers, the Point Saline airport can be intimidating at first, but if you are patient, you should get through without a problem. When you get off the plane, you will proceed to Immigration, where--depending upon what time of year you arrive--there may or may not be a line.  NOTE: if you fly in 3-4 days before classes are to begin, many of your fellow students will also be arriving, so you should expect longer lines and wait time.  If you are able, it is recommended that you arrive 5-8 days prior to the beginning of the semester, because you will be able to get here and settle in to your new home in a much more relaxed fashion.  While you wait to see the Immigration Officer, sure to fill out the arrival card given to you on the plane, as the Officer will request it.  When your turn comes at the Immigration desk, families can see the Immigration Officer together. Be sure show the student's official welcome letter from SGU, as well as everyone's passports.  When you are asked where you are staying, if you are living off-campus, you can tell them the name of the neighborhood where your apartment is located (i.e. True Blue, Grand Anse, L'anse Aux Epines, etc.)  If you aren't sure where you will live, tell them you will be "on campus"; if you say "I don't know", you will have to make a hotel reservation before you are released from Immigration.  Next, you will pick up your baggage and proceed to customs.

Getting through Customs for the first time can be confusing, but here are a few guidelines to make the process easier:

• There is a red line, which is for when someone has an item "to declare", and a green line, which is for when someone has nothing "to declare". Declaring an item means that you will tell the Customs Officer that you have brought "dutiable" (taxable) goods into the country (i.e. electronics, things that you intend to sell, etc.) or items that may need to be quarantined (produce, plants, etc.) 
  
• Customs Officers do random luggage searches for declarable items, especially at the beginning of the semester when many students bring things in from other countries.  If you go through the green line, and they find you have items that you should have declared, you will have to go to the end of the red line to be reassessed and pay the duty.  So, use your best judgment in this case. 
• If you are bringing a computer or other electronics (Ipod, PSP, DVD player,etc.) you will be expected to declare them at Customs, and you will be required to pay a duty on 5% of the value. You will be asked the value of each of your items at the Customs desk, so It helps to have a receipt for the computer, even if it is one you typed up at home. After you pay your duty you will get a receipt, it is important to keep it to show the next time you bring the computer through customs, so that you don't have to pay again. 
• New electronics items are charged a higher duty, so it will help if you remove all new items from their original packaging.
• There is a set duty on each item brought into Grenada, but Customs officials have a great deal of latitude in determining whether to charge the full amount.  Many times, patience, a warm hello,  and a smile can go a long way to getting your duty charges greatly reduced!  

When you finish with Customs, there will be plenty of taxis waiting outside the airport to take you to your new home. The average fare  to get to the SGU campus (at the time of this writing) is around $12US/$30EC during the day, and about $15US/$40EC at night.   If you are not taking a cab and need to call someone to come and get you, you can find public telephones available to the left on the outside wall once you exit the Customs. If you get here close to the beginning of the semester, there is usually a greeting committee of SOs and/or SGU representatives waiting outside of Customs to assist you.  To assure that you are greeted, please email the SO Executive Board with your name and flight arrival date and time at soorgsgu@gmail.com.
If you don't plan to bring an ATM card or credit cards from home, it will be a good idea to arrive in Grenada with enough cash to start setting up house. Traveler's checks and credit cards are accepted in many, but not all, places.  $1000US should be more than enough to last you through the first week of classes. 

Part 2:  Off-Campus Apartments

1. Location True Blue, L'anse Aux Epines (pronounced lance-UH-peen), Grand Anse, Calliste and Point Saline are all within a 5-10 minute drive from both campuses and grocery stores, and are very popular with students.  While the rent tends to be high when compared to other parts of the island, many students decide that the convenience and the opportunity of being near school and other students is worth the extra money. Many nice, sizeable apartments can be found for less than $700 outside of these neighborhoods, but you will likely need a car to make these workable.

2. Security Are there security bars on all the windows? This is especially important if you live on the ground floor. In what condition are the doors and locks? Is the yard fenced in and has a gate that can be locked? While a fenced in yard is not always necessary, it is a good added security measure especially with children or dogs. If you are able, it is a good idea to check with the current or previous tenants about any issues they may have had.

3. Landlord Find out as much as possible about the landlord or property manager. Is the landlord on the SGU approved list?  Are there other students currently living on the property? If so, talk to those students about how responsive to repairs and other problems the landlord has been.

4. Lease Make sure everything that you and the landlord agree to is written in the lease. Read the lease carefully and find out who is responsible for repairs on appliances, screens, gates, etc. Find out how much rent you will have to pay during the summer/winter (if you don't plan to stay during the break) to store your things in the apartment and ensure that it is not subleased during the summer months.

6. Hot Water Does the house or apartment have a hot water tank or electric shower head? Some places are equipped with solar panels or gas heaters;  some do not have hot water at all. If a hot shower is important to you, make sure the place is equipped with a reliable hot water source before you rent. Electric water heaters for the shower are also available to buy and have installed.

7. Cooking Gas Most houses/apartments have propane gas stoves; the gas tanks can either be large or small. Be sure to ask which size the house is equipped to hold. Both work just as well, but while delivery companies will bring large tanks to your house for you, you may need to transport small tanks from the gas station on your own.  You cannot take propane on school or public buses; if you don't have a car, most cabs drivers will take you to and from the gas station.  If your landlord provides propane for you, find out your rent includes the cost of the gas tanks, or if it is an extra charge. 

8. Telephone These days, most students don't have a landline; cellphones are inexpensive and readily available, and landlines require time to install and a large deposit ($500) to the phone company.  The two main companies are LIME (BMobile) and Digicel.  Both of them offer great deals on new phones and packs of minutes at the beginning of each semester.

9. Pest Control Depending on where you come from, you may have some experience dealing with pests like ants and roaches.  Roaches here are larger in size than you might be used to if you come from the States, but you might not have problems with them depending upon where you live.  Ants, however, seem to be an issue for just about everyone who lives here.  At the very least, make sure that all surfaces are kept clean and free of food--especially sugar and things like cereal, pet food, and crackers/cookies--ants LOVE these things.  Keep open foods in Ziploc bags or plastic containers.  Find out if the landlord will provide regular extermination visits and if the pesticide will be placed around the perimeter of the house (if pesticide is put down, make sure you know in what form and where--this is especially important if you have children or animals). This is very important if you plan on bringing pets with you.

When you are looking for an apartment, make sure all the windows you will be opening have screens that fit the window on them and that the doors fit the doorway tightly. You may want to bring a sweep for the door if the doors do not. Screens are a must from August through December when the island is very rainy, and mosquitoes breed.  NOTE: Some centipedes here are larger than those in the States and may LOOK intimidating, but they are not cause for worry.  If you are stung, a dose of Cortizone should cure any swelling.

10. Air Conditioning, When viewing your prospective apartment, open all of the windows and check if there is a breeze. This is very important because running an air conditioner all day can become quite an expense--potentially $400US or more per month!  If there is a cool breeze running through the house, an air conditioner will not be necessary much of the day; you can also invest in a few fans to help to move the air around.  Many nights, the breeze might not be as plentiful, but running the air conditioner for 8 hours a night will likely only cost you about $130US a month.

The banks on the island are:

• RBTT
• First Caribbean International Bank
• Bank of Nova Scotia 
• Republic Bank Limited
• Republic Finance and Merchant Bank
  

There is an RBTT branch with an ATM machine on campus. We recommend that you don't plan on using the on-campus bank too often, because their hours are very short and the lines are extremely long.  If you do end up getting an account at RBTT, there is another branch in Grand Anse, adjacent to the Spiceland Mall on "Wall Street" where many other banks are located.  Most banks on the island have ATM machines that allow you to withdraw money from your home accounts for a fee (you will probably also be charged a fee by your home bank). Of course, if you use an ATM to withdraw money from a home account, you will receive EC dollars from the machine. 

Although you may choose to keep one or more bank accounts at home to pay bills like student loans, mortgages, etc., we urge you to strongly consider opening a local account as well.  Financial Aid checks are distributed on the first day of classes, and can be quickly deposited in your local account for your daily use. Sending things (especially valuables) through regular Grenadian mail to the US can take a few weeks, and using FedEx and DHL is very expensive.  It is also much easier to pay Grenadian bills from your local account, as landlords and other companies on the island do not like to take foriegn checks.

Be aware that Grenadian law prohibits non-citizens to open a checking account until you they have lived here for at least 6 months.  You will be able to open a savings account, and will very likely be given the option of having an ATM card as well.  In order to pay bills, it's very common to do so here with cash, or with a certified bank check taken from the funds in your savings account. 

Grenadian money is in Eastern Caribbean (EC) dollars. At this time, the exchange rate is approximately $2.67EC for each $1US.

Part 5:  Domestic Help

Domestic help in Grenada is readily available and inexpensive. You may wish to hire people to help with cleaning, laundry, and/or babysitting.  Word of mouth is the easiest and most reliable way of finding help. If you are living off campus, you may want to check with your landlord before hiring someone, because sometimes landlords have specific cleaning people they work with.  Many long-term hotels and apartment buildings offer cleaning services to their tenants at no extra charge. Decide which services you would like to have, and compare prices before you settle on a provider of your choice. 

You should keep in mind that traditionally, most Grenadians provide lunch for their domestic employees.  If you aren't able to provide lunch for your employee, you should negotiate with your prospective employee what they would like to do for their daily lunches.  You might consider increasing their payment by $15-20EC a day so that they can buy lunch for themselves. 

Part 7:  A Kid's Life in Grenada

Children tend to make a seamless transition to life in Grenada; usually more quickly than their parents.  Kids are generally more flexible than adults are about starting a 2 year adventure in a brand new country!  If you plan to bring children with you to live in Grenada, we have are a few tips for you keep in mind. 

Infant formula is inexpensive and readily available here; however, prepared baby foods, disposable diapers, diaper wipes, and ointments are quite expensive. Plan to bring as many of these things as you can carry in your luggage when you first get here.  If you plan to have visitors, you might want to ask them to bring you some baby supplies as well. Some SO's have moved to making fresh baby food for their children, because it is extremely easy, and fresh fruit and vegetables are abundant and cheap on the island.  Many parents switch to using cloth diapers as well, because they are simple to launder, and easy to buy in the States.  At first, the per-diaper cost may seem quite pricey, but bringing a dozen or so with you to Grenada will end up saving you hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars in the long run. 

For school age children, there are many good options for their education.  Schools that children of SO's have attended here include the Westmoreland Private School, the Montessori School, the Limes Mennonite school, and several others. Home schooling is also a popular choice here on the island.

Please contact our family coordinators at soorgsgu@gmail.com.  They will be happy to assist you with any questions you have about bringing your children to Grenada.

Part 8:  Bringing Pets

Many, many students bring their pets to Grenada, and as long as you plan ahead, it is usually a hassle-free experience. 

The first rule of bringing a pet is that you should NEVER fly on Air Jamaica, or plan to make any stops or layovers in countries that still have connections to the United Kingdom.  The UK still has stringent quarantine rules in effect, and automatically takes any animals directly to quarantine in England for 6 months.  So, make sure that your flight will not stop in Jamaica, Barbados, or the British Virgin Islands on its way to Grenada.  You can fly through the country of Trinidad with an animal, but Trinidad demands that your pet be physically examined by a representative of the Veterinary Ministry or another qualified vet.  The airport vet is only available between the hours of  9am and 5pm.  If your flight arrives in Trinidad outside of this window, your pet will not be allowed off of the plane until it is examined by a qualified vet (finding a vet in the middle of the night in Trinidad is a challenge, we assure you).  So be mindful of your arrival time when flying through Trinidad with animals.

The best airlines to fly with when bringing animals to Grenada are US Airways, American Airlines, and LIAT.  If your plane must stop anywhere between Miami and Grenada, Puerto Rico is the easiest place to go through, because it is a protectorate of the US, and so follows the same rules.  

Once you have decided which airline to fly with and the route you will take, you should make sure that you get an import permit from the Veterinary Officer of the Grenada Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Lands, and Fisheries (SGU usually includes a permit in your welcome packet).  Fill the permit out and fax a copy back to your admissions officer.  KEEP THIS PAPER, as you might be asked to show it when you get to Customs.   If you need to obtain another copy of a blank import permit, you find contact information for the Ministry of Agriculture here. 

You will also need to obtain a Certificate of Health from your veterinarian, stating that the pet has had all its shots and is in good health.  The Certificate should be dated no longer than 2 WEEKS before you arrive in Grenada.   

If their animal is small enough, some students choose to travel with their pets as carry-on in the airplane cabin, while others will check them as extra baggage in the cargo hold (large dogs must always fly in cargo).  There are positives and negatives to both of these choices.  While you may want to try and ease your and your pet's travel stress by having them close to you while you fly, if you are unable to calm them, hearing them cry or whine for the entire flight might become even more stressful for you and your fellow passengers.  However, actually seeing your pet on board might prevent other fears you might have about the airline temporarily misplacing your pet.  Another factor to think about is, (depending upon your airline of choice) fewer companion animals are allowed at one time in the cabin than are allowed in the cargo hold per flight.  So, sometimes you might have to decide to miss the flight you planned to take, because there are already too many pets reserved to fly in the cabin.  Regardless, if you are traveling with a pet, always get to the airport extra early so that you can make sure all potential issues will be solved before you fly.

If you choose to put your pet into the cargo hold, make sure to clearly label the outside of the carrier with your name, contact number, a contact number in the states, another contact number in Grenada (if possible), your itinerary, and a couple of FRAGILE-LIVE ANIMALS-THIS SIDE UP signs to ensure as little stress for your pet along the way as possible.

After you land in Grenada and collect your baggage and your pet, you will be asked at Customs what your pet is worth.  Yes, you may also be charged a duty on your pet! If your pet is a pure breed, it is in your best interest to not share that information at Customs, because you will be charged considerably more money.  It's enough to say that the animal was a stray, or was adopted from a shelter, and that it cost you $20US or so to adopt. 

Another choice for pet transport is Amerijet.  If you can get your pet to Miami, Amerijet will fly your pet from there directly to Grenada, and will take care of all travel and paperwork issues for you.  They will give you the day and time when you can come to the airport to meet your pet after it has arrived in Grenada.  Make sure that you begin making a reservation for your pet about a month before you would like it to arrive in Grenada, because Amerijet's flights fill up quickly.

One final option is using a pet travel service.  This is a very expensive option, but will absolutely give you the most fuss-free, comfortable way for you to get your pet to Grenada.  Most pet travel services will pick your pet up at your current home, and will make all arrangements for getting your pet from there to your new home in Grenada.  If you are interested in using this option, simply Google "pet travel service", and a number of companies will come up. 

After you are here in Grenada, if you have a dog, it's very important to give them flea, tick, and heartworm medication.  Even if your animal doesn't already use them, you should ask your vet to prescribe them.  Because Grenada has a tropical climate, heartworm is quite prevalent; it can be harmful or even fatal to your pet.  Fleas and ticks are also abundant here, and will find your dog--even if they never go outside.  If you have a cat, you might also want to consider putting them on flea and tick medication as well. 

If your animals are on a special diet, It is recommended that you bring as much pet food as you can from home, or have it shipped to you. Pet food is very expensive here, and only the major commercial brands can be found.  In addition, cat litter is not always available.  You might choose to have some of this shipped in as well.  Amerijet is also a very good, inexpensive option for having heavy things like pet supplies shipped in. 

NOTE: If you plan on leaving the island with your pet at the end of a semester, American Airlines frequently imposes a pet embargo at this time. The embargo means that they will transport very few, or no animals at all during this time (the semesterly embargo is only in effect for flights out of Grenada, so if you call American Airlines Customer Service in the States, they will usually not know what you are talking about).  To avoid this problem, many students will leave their animals on the island when they go home for vacation, and find a housesitter to care for their pets while they are away.  If you need to bring your pet home at the end of a semester, make sure you start planning early! 

NOTE: if you are a cat owner of an outdoor cat, and plan to bring the cat to Grenada, you should seriously consider whether to let the cat outside here on the island.  Cats here in Grenada potentially face more dangers than they may be used to, because many dog owners allow their dogs to roam around loose for most (if not all) of the day, and there is a good deal of fast-moving traffic near the University.  Use your best judgment when deciding whether to allow your cat to be an outdoor cat while they live with you in Grenada.

There is now one main SGU campus in Grenada.  Grand Anse campus was the original campus when SGU opened, but it was closed in the fall of 2008. All classes and dorms are now on the True Blue campus. Grand Anse campus is located right next to Grand Anse beach, and you can still go there for laundry facilities, the GAP pre-school, and two popular eating establishments--The Ladies, and Mr. Green Jeans restaurants.

Part 10:  Crime and Safety

Historically, Grenada has neither experienced a high increase in drug-trafficking, nor has is it's economy become solely dependent on the tourist industry.  As a result, the crime rate on the island is quite low when compared to some other Caribbean islands.  However, SGU is located near to St. George's, the largest city on the island.  As a result, off-campus crimes will occur occasionally, although the crimes are usually types of petty theft (burglary and muggings). This should not be cause for constant worry; as long as you use common sense--the same as you would in any city--you will more than likely not experience any problems. 

Some basic (and obvious) rules to follow are:

• Don't walk around in deserted, unfamiliar places alone, especially at night
• Don't flash large sums of money or valuables
• Be careful when talking on your cellphone or listening to your headphones while walking.  If you look like you are distracted, you may become a target.  
• When walking up to your house, look around to make sure that there is no one hanging around the property that isn't supposed to be there.
• Keep your doors locked at night, or when you are not at home.
• If you go out at night--especially when you plan to consume alcohol--go with a group of friends
• Don't leave a friend alone at a public place to find their own way home--especially if they have consumed alcohol.  Make sure they have a safe ride home.
  

Part 11:  Car Buying & Driving in Grenada 

Depending upon where you live while you are here, a car can be more of a luxury than a necessity. Buying and maintaining a car is expensive, and the neighborhoods where the majority of students choose to live off-campus are either on, or within a very short walk to, the University shuttle bus routes; there is very limited parking on campus for students.  The University shuttle will take you to school, to the shopping centers and grocery stores closest to Campus, and to some of the favorite gyms, restaurants, and bars of SGU students.  However, if you don't take an apartment close enough to a shuttle bus line, having a car might be very important to you.  If you choose to live farther from popular student neighborhoods, most likely you will pay much less rent, and could potentially save money even if you have a car while you are here.  Regardless of where you live, a car can offer more freedom and make chores like grocery shopping easier, but it may prove to be more expensive than some families can afford. Weigh all of these options when you are considering whether or not to purchase a car.  

NOTE: Shipping a car to Grenada is not recommended, due to the astronomical duty that you will be charged to import a car. 

If you choose to buy a car when you get to Grenada, there are 3 main ways to find a new car; by seeing a car that you like with a "For Sale" sign on it, by looking on SGU Post and, by looking in the Classified section of the local newspapers.  Either one of these options is a good way to find the right car for you.  One rule of purchasing a car is not to feel like you are in a rush, or to let anyone pressure you into buying a car that you are unsure about.  Take your time to find the best car for the most affordable price.  There are always plenty of cars for sale all over the island.  No matter who you buy a car from, you will want to have a mechanic inspect the car before you purchase it. You can find a good mechanic by asking any of your fellow car-owning students!

You should consider looking for a car for sale that is outside of the general SGU area; the farther north on the island you go, the more car you may get for less money. 

Some 5th and 6th term students will sell their cars to new students, but won't be ready to hand over full ownership until the end of 6th term.  If you are thinking seriously of buying from a student, you should confirm the exact date when you will be able to take possession of the car. 

Like most other countries, you will need to have proof of insurance while you are here.  Driving a car without insurance here is very risky legally, as well as potentially costly if you get into an accident. There are quite a few insurance dealers on the island, many of which are located in downtown St. George's. 

It is quite easy for someone to obtain a license in Grenada.  You can simply go to one of the local police stations (the most convenient one is located just around the corner from Grand Anse campus) and apply for a local license; they will need to see a valid driver's license from your home country.  For $30EC, you can get a temporary Grenadian license that will be good for up to 3 months.  You should make sure that you always renew your temporary license before it expires, because insurance companies will not cover you for any accident that occurs while you have an expired license.  

NOTE: When you go to the police station for your driver's license, you should also ask about the procedure for getting your car inspected, as this is run by the police as well.

Part 12:  Communication

The most reasonable way to communicate internationally by voice is to use a program like Skype or Vonage.  Their rates are quite reasonable, and it is free to download the software.  It's simplest to use these programs with a headset and microphone, but you can just as easily plug your normal headphones into your computer and use your computer as a speakerphone (if your computer has a built-in microphone). 

Part 13:  Electricity

Grenada uses 210V outlets, while the United States uses 110V.  The SGU campus has many outlets that are compatible with American plugs, and some off-campus apartments have both American and Grenadian outlets.  It's important to check what type of electricity you will have when looking for an apartment, because you may need to buy converters or transformers to use with your appliances. 

Some guidelines to use when considering purchasing converters or transformers are:

1. Converters--good to use for electric products with simple heating devices or mechanical motors, and won't be in use for more than an hour or two (i.e. curling irons, hotplates, etc.) The converter will essentially cut the voltage of the electricity in half before it is sent through the plug to your appliance.

2. Transformers--use a transformer for products with electronic circuitry (i.e. computers, fax machines, televisions, etc.).  Transformers are designed for continuous use. 

When in doubt about whether to use a transformer or a converter, always use a transformer!  If you want to purchase either before you get here, check with your local appliance or electronic store about what size you may need.

Part 14:  Fitness

There is a gym on the SGU campus, which has cardio equipment, a weight room, and a variety of fitness classes.  The class schedule changes every term and can be found in the gym.