Land Ho!

What's so special about May 10th?  

Well,  it was on this day, a mere 510 years ago (1503), that Christopher Columbus first logged his sighting of the Cayman Islands.  Columbus was on his fourth and final voyage to the New World when he spotted the Islands.  He named the islands Las Tortugas after observing the large number of sea turtles inhabiting the island.

Sir Francis Drake was the first recorded English visitor to the Islands in 1586.  He gave the Islands their present name, 'Cayman' after caiman, the Neo-Taino nations' word for 'alligator'.

Forth Voyage

If you are interested in living and working in Grand Cayman visit our website to find out more.

Decisions, decisions, decisions…..

I have just read an interesting article by Heidi Grant Halvorson, for Harvard Business Review which explores a number of ways in which you can reduce the stress in your life.  One seemingly obvious (now that it has been pointed out) cause of stress is decision making.  As Ms Grant Halvorson notes, ‘Every time you make a decision — whether it's about hiring a new employee, about when to schedule a meeting with your supervisor, or about choosing rye or whole wheat for your egg salad sandwich - you create a state of mental tension that is, in fact, stressful.’   

She goes on to suggest that you can reduce stress levels by putting routines in place for example in the morning preparing for the day or packing up in the evening.  Preparing tomorrow's lunch and dinner the night before and deciding/laying out what you will wear to work will help you have a stress free time before arriving at work.  If you have to have regular weekly meetings then choose a suitable time and diarise for the same time each week so that you don't have to consistently decide when to meet  and wrestle with changing diary dates.  These may seem like simple suggestions but often it's the little things that can make a big difference and anything that helps take the stress out of life is definately worth giving a go!

If you would like to find out more about living and working in Grand Cayman, visit our website and sign up for our regular newsletters with update on jobs available.

Are you sitting comfortably...?

Could sitting really be damaging our health?   The answer, research tells us, is an overwhelming yes!

In today’s technological society we sit more than we do anything else.  Stop and think about the average working day of an office employee.  They get up, sit in their car or on the bus to get to work, sit at a desk on their computer, answering phones, attend meetings where they sit around a table to discuss issues, return home from work (seated in transport and quite often spend the evening sitting watching TV, on social media or out with friends sitting and eating dinner, watching a movie etc.  You get the picture!    

Nilofer Merchant, in her blog “Sitting Is the Smoking of our Generation”, for Harvard Business Review, offers an interesting insight into the health risks of excessive sitting, the simple changes she has made  her lifestyle and the benefits she and her colleagues have gained.  Click here for her full article. 

Interested in changing your lifestyle to live and work in Cayman.  Visit SteppingStones website for current job vacancies and relocation information.

I'm in the mood for........happiness!

The start of the year is traditionally the time when we look to make improvements in our lives towards better health and happiness.  I have just read an interesting article by Simon Reynolds who suggests that taking responsibility for and take control of our moods is key.

Reynolds notes that happiness is not just dependent on events that occur in our lives but in fact it is our reaction to those events that dictates our mood.   "If you choose to shrug your shoulders and brush off adversity, then bad things won't hurt you much." says Reynolds.  "If you become a drama queen and take bad stuff personally, regular stress and misery will be your companions."  He suggests practicing a simple daily ritual to create positive expectation which will help improve our mood and ultimately our happiness.  To find out more, read his full article.

You can find out more about job opportunities in Cayman at our website.

Events in February

The fun continues in the Cayman Islands in February 2013 with something for everyone! See below for a list of events.

February 14^th 2013

One Billion Rising – Kicks off at Camana Bay at 6pm. This is a world- wide campaign against violence towards women and girls. One billion women, men, children will walk-out or dance in support of the campaign.

Valentine’s Moonlight & Movies  - Watch an outdoor movie in the Gardenia Court at Camana Bay beginning at 8 pm.

February 16^th 2013

The Rotary club’s ‘Bed Race’ to eradicate Polio starts at 1pm on Market Street in Camana Bay.

February 22^nd 2013

Cayfest – Dress for Culture day

February 23^rd 2013

Cayfest – Red Sky at Night Festival begins at 4pm at the Harquail Cultural Centre.

For more information visit:

Camana Bay: http://www.camanabay.com/events-calendar/

Cayman National Cultural Foundation: http://www.artscayman.org/cayfest

Five things you may not know about Valentine’s Day

Red hearts are a well established Valentine symbol.  Red is associated with the colour of blood.  Long ago, people thought that the heart was the part of the body that felt love. In fact, Egyptians removed every organ but the heart when mummifying their dead in preparation for burial.  They believed that the heart was the only part of the body necessary for the trip through eternity.

The ancient Roman festival Lupercalia (“festival of the wolf”) is thought to be one precursor to Valentine’s Day.   This purification and fertility ceremony was celebrated from 13^th – 15^th February.  Boys would draw a girl’s name from a box on the eve of the festival and then escort her to the festival the next day.

Two alternative celebrations have become established in the U.S., “Quirkyalone Day”, which is geared toward people who “resist the tyranny of coupledom” and SAD (Single Awareness Day), which reminds people that they don’t need to be in a relationship to celebrate life.

The first Valentine's Day chocolate box was introduced in 1868 by Richard Cadbury, the founder of the Cadbury chocolate company.

Many believe the 'X' symbol became synonymous with the kiss in medieval times. People who couldn't write their names signed in front of a witness with an 'X.' The 'X' was then kissed to show their sincerity.

References: didyouknowarchive.com; www.sheknows.com; Hallmark; Wisebread. 2011 U.S. National Retail Federation Survey

Fallen in love with the idea of living and working in Cayman? Find out more by talking with one of our experienced and friendly recruiters.

Friendship Month

Did you know that February is National Friendship Month?   

Friends are so important to us but unfortunately our hectic lifestyles can often get in the way of spending quality time with these very important people.   National Friendship Month is the perfect opportunity to focus on friendship and here are some ideas on how to celebrate.

Spend time with current friends

Good friends are worth their weight in gold so avoid taking them for granted.  If you are fortunate to have one or more close friends, then it's time to remind them how special they are to you.  Invite them for dinner, go to the movies or arrange to do some other activity together. Think of something that you will enjoy, and go for it!  

Living in Cayman may mean that your friends are overseas.  Make time for them using FaceTime or Skype.  You can plan an evening together reminiscing about old times and catching up.

Contact an old friend

We live in an increasingly mobile world.  You may have lost touch with friends because you've moved or they've moved.  Nowadays it is easier than ever to get in touch with old friends.  Social networks such as Facebook and MySpace are useful in helping you search for and find forgotten friends.  Once you find them, give them a call or drop them an email.  Who knows, they may have been looking for you!

Be more friendly

As my gran used to say, it doesn't cost anything to be polite, to smile and to be friendly.  Make February the day you smile more and are friendlier towards the people you meet each day.  If you meet someone new, welcome them and show some interest.  They might become a new and treasured friend.

Reach out to one of our friendly and experienced recruitment team to see if we can assist you with the perfect new job and life in Cayman.