Geralyn Edward talks to globetrotting traveller, Mario Porchetta about why he has finally found the peace and tranquillity he desires in the Caribbean with the help of Invest Barbados
Barbados is now home to a growing number of global digital nomads, who have relocated to the Caribbean nation under its Welcome Stamp programme.
Visitors can live and work through the visa access for at least a year and not be burdened by local income taxes and other immigration requirements. One company assisting with the relocation and investment process, is Invest Barbados. A long way from his birthplace in Italy, Mario Porchetta is respectful of the conventional but readily admits he was never one to be hemmed in by boundaries and traditions – with travel looming large in his life.
As he tells the fascinating story of his settlement in this easternmost Caribbean island with the help of Invest Barbados, Mario describes his move as one triggered by the "magnetic" pull of the island. "It has a smallness, a captivating beauty and tranquillity, not to mention offering a superior quality of life," he enthuses. "The combination of these factors happened to combine at just the right time for me. In fact, they turned what was originally meant to be a brief work stint, into a 22-year romance with the island."
The holder of a master's degree in Agricultural Science, Mario's work with development agencies from the age of 25, resulted in him travelling to many nations including on the continent of Africa and up the chain of Caribbean countries.
"I did a consultancy stint in Grenada and there was a stop in Barbados while travelling. I saw Barbados from the plane, and it looked so much more densely populated and seemed like a very interesting place for a small island," he says with a smile.
His enchantment with the island shifted to the backburner, as he went on to work in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi. It was there, that he heard of a job opening in Barbados at the European Union delegation.
"I won the selection and almost 22 years later, I'm still here. With my two-year contract I stayed a little bit longer than that," he chuckles.
Transitioning from Europe to Barbados is often challenging for those who have grown accustomed to the metropolitan experience. For Mario, however, the Barbados switch wasn't difficult. "Some cultural traditions are remarkedly similar to Italy's," he explains. "The family-centric socialisation, the slower pace of life and even some government administrative functioning, are areas the two countries have in common.
"I find a certain sort of peace. It's not only the beauty of the island but coming from a situation of high insecurity like it was in Somalia [where I was stationed], then returning to Kenya where criminality is very high – the differences are abundantly clear."
It was on an early trip around Barbados with a work colleague, and a stop at the breath-taking community of Cattlewash on the rugged East Coast however, that sealed Mario's decison to move.
"The crashing waves of the Atlantic Ocean which connect Barbados directly to Africa were cathartic and intense for me. It was, therefore, no huge surprise that I decided to purchase real estate in Cattlewash with a plan to build a home and spend the rest of my life there.
Addressing some of the advantages of relocating to the island, he points to the ease with which visitors and expatriates can establish networks with local professionals, service providers and build long-lasting connections.
"You establish relationships and friendships, because it's very community minded. That makes your life easier compared to a city where people don't even greet each other in the same building."
Today, Mario talks with great energy and positivity about his Bajan lifestyle. He indulges in his passions of music, art, photography, and martial arts. His home is lovingly adorned with assets of his artistic pursuits and his photography.
He concludes: "I'm so pleased with the transition from the pace of metropolitan life to the tranquillity and the best of island existence. My life now is richer in so many ways."
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