The custom of the country

Purchasing a home abroad is the easy part. Mastering the lingo is harder, finds Cheryl Markosky, who is settling in to life on Nevis

- Cheryl Markosky

YOU not in Trafalgar Square now,’ shouts our builder, as he sees me race down towards Charlestown. I’ve arrived on the West Indian island of Nevis, of which Charlestown is the capital, and forgotten the first rule of living in the Caribbean: time. There’s plenty of it and no one rushes.

Time brings calm and good manners. We’re essentially in an episode of Call the Midwife in the tropics, where everyone says ‘Good morning’, ‘Good afternoon’ or ‘Good evening’ —never ‘Hello’ or ‘Hi’, the verbal equivalents of a rude gesture. More colloquially, you’ll hear ‘Whassup?’ (what’s happening?).