Most of us could not find the Isle of Man on a map, but The Canyons residents Yvette and Paul Watson hail from the small island in the United Kingdom (UK).

The Watsons met in high school, and after graduation began working at the same company. Yvette was a global product manager in travel software and, although the company shuttered its doors, the couple was sent to America in what was to be a temporary assignment.

“We initially thought we were only coming for two years and so we brought all our electrical appliances with us and stored them in our basement,” stated Yvette. “Ironically, the company reestablished a UK presence within a couple of years, but by that time, Colorado was home.”

Living mostly in Douglas County for the past 25 years, the Watsons have two sons. Nathan (22) will graduate from Montana State University in May and has been offered a job in Colorado in the civil engineering field. Aidan (16) is a junior at Valor Christian High School.

Once a Viking territory, the Isle of Man is nestled between England and Ireland on the Irish Sea. It is 32 miles long and 14 miles wide with around 85,000 residents; the entire island could fit into the Denver metro area. The Isle of Man has its own language called Manx, and the people are also known as Manx. (There is also a native Manx cat that has no tail.) The island has mountains and beaches and is a lush and green environment.

“It is like Ireland on a smaller scale,” added Yvette.

The island has a robust tourism industry but is known for hosting one of the world’s most famous motorcycle competitions every May, the Isle of Man TT Races.

Yvette explained that growing up on the island allowed freedom to play from dawn to dusk, and she said that this way of life continues today.

“Everything in America seems to be an organized activity. Youth sports are big business here, in fact most sports are a business,” explained Yvette. “High school sports are generally for fun in the UK.”

In the U.S., she said things are more casual from lifestyle to attire.

“Raising our kids here felt much easier and family friendly. Our kids were able to go out to eat from a young age to any restaurant. In the UK it is still frowned upon to take small kids to nice restaurants,” Yvette stated. She added that Americans dress more casually for almost everything, even for work.

In 2017, Yvette went back to school to become a certified nutritionist. Today, she is relaunching her nutrition business and writing a cookbook on healthy and quick recipes. She plays pickleball, golf, skis and, of course, cooks! She coaches both boys and girls tennis at Legend High School in Parker. Paul works in IT as a systems architect and is looking forward to retirement.

Paul and Yvette recently celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary and continue to delight in the Colorado lifestyle. “We have spectacular sunsets and views of the Front Range from our home,” Yvette concluded.

 

By Hollen Wheeler; photos courtesy of Yvette Watson