This was something that I had always wanted to do, but I was working so hard in the UK that I simply did not have the time to follow my dreams. I was so caught up in the rat race.

Mostly my fears: fears of being judged, fears of not doing the right things the conventional way, fears of not following the norm and for someone to ask me what I’m doing and them finding out that I didn't have everything figured out. I feared that I wouldn’t be able to charge my prices in Antigua. Also, being a parent, I often wondered whether I am doing the right thing for my children.

The main reason was Covid-19. Like a lot of people, I had a rough time and went through a deep depression. Everything was so uncertain I simply couldn't stand it. The pandemic gave me the nudge that I needed not to just dream my dreams but to put action behind them.

The lockdown allowed me the time to think deeply about what I actually wanted for my life and my future. The UK WASN’T IT. I value natural beauty and I need to see it every day. The UK was looking physically and figuratively grey. Now I get to see beauty in HD and I get to eat tropical produce every day. I get to recharge my melanin daily.

Living abroad has really broadened my horizons literally. My mind feels stretched. I can see other ways of living that are still achievable even on a small budget.

I definitely see now that in the UK I was living in a bubble (a very expensive bubble). My money stretches a lot longer in the Caribbean. In that bubble, I just didn’t have the time to be because in the back of my mind I have bills to pay and a household to upkeep.

This experience taught me to push past my fears. Most of my fears were made up in my mind. Only by pushing past them was I able to challenge them and see a whole lot of new possibilities.

One thing I was extremely worried about was my children’s education. The UK shows a lot of Black countries as third-world countries and so you just assume that the education system must be lacking. That is not true!

My children have received the best education I have experienced in a long time. My children have excelled at a rapid rate and are doing exceptionally well at school. The classes are a lot smaller so the teachers are a lot less stressed compared to the UK teachers. They seem to actually like children and be happy to be at work (I’m sure that the sun and the general slower-paced lifestyle help lol).

Living abroad taught me that fears are not real.

F - False
E - Evidence
A - Appearing
R - Real

JUMP. Just do it. If you dream about it all the time and you just can’t shake the feeling that you need to leave. Then leave. Forget your fear and go.

Next, I will be going on a tour around Mexico. I’ve found a huge community of Black women who are in desperate need of a stylist like me. I will be doing hair out there and, most importantly, I will be teaching women how to look after their hair in a new climate.

I’m sure this will be a hit and I look forward to visiting other countries and spreading my Afro hair love worldwide.