Moving To VI from Texas

i do not live on stt, so can not give any advise about that island.

have some money saved up for first, last, and security for a rental. most places do come furnished. store your stuff ( if you have things that are of sentimental value ) so if things do not work out.... you will also want enough for a few months living expenses just in case.
might be best to see if your wife can get a job before moving? usually not easy though.

i always suggest shipping your car.

if you have more than 2 pets, they will need to go in cargo-some times of the month, pets do not fly cargo and certain snub nosed breeds are banned. check with the airline carrier. shots will need to be updated within 10 days of departure.

do a lot of reading on the site and then come back and ask more questions

The first thing you need to do (and I think you've maybe not done it, judging by your questions) is to read all the information available on the pull-down menus top of this page from "The USVI" on the left to "Forum" on the right.

Coming here on a vacation is vastly different from living and working here and no way should you even think of buying property until you've lived here for a few years. Have you considered working as travel nurses before making a more permanent move? A 3-6 month stint would give you a good feel for island living.

Unfortunately your "few" dogs and cats will prove an issue where renting is concerned. But a 3 month travel assignment and leaving them in the care of friends or family wouldn't be too much of a hardship.

I do wish you all the very best but do read all the information available to you on this site and then utilize the forum for gathering more information.

There are plenty of Texans here. So many that one of the big events of the year is the Texas Society Chili Cookoff. It is Saturday, August 16th this year if you want to come for your "pre-move" visit at that time. 😉

I would agree that, as young people, you should get a travel stint to see how it works for you before you move lock-stock-and pickup truck.

Sorry, I guess my questions were a bit vague, but I have read the info on this site, I was just itching for some human interaction, haha! My wife is looking into a travel assignment though, and we have looked at shipping our cars, but as far as pets go, I've seen what we'd need to get the there, but I was really wondering if 3 dogs and 2 cats was really feasible to move, or if we should seriously look into rehoming one or more of them. Plus, we're not married to St Thomas, I've actually been looking a bit at St Croix, and we've glanced at Water Island and St John. Finally, can anyone give any advice on the hospital systems on the islands? Are there any we should avoid at all costs (meaning to work at)?

Thanks again, hopefully I was a bit clearer this time.

Why don't you just do the travel assignment first and make a decision once you've got a taste of living here. Three dogs and 2 cats is HUGE and even though the area where I live on STT is pet-friendly I can't even think of one landlord who would even consider you with that many pets. One cat and one dog is doable in some places and if you''re well established here (i.e. have lived and worked here for many years and have excellent references) a multiple-pet dwelling is a LITTLE easier but only a little and still very limiting.

The St Thomas hospital is healthier than the STX facility which is going through difficult times - there are several posts on this forum discussing the situation there. There would be little opportunity for you on St John (and it's the most expensive island on which to live), none on Water Island and you would be doing a daily commute from WI via a small ferry with limited operational hours - and need transportation on the ground on STT to get around.

Do the travel assignment first. Unlike most others you have an excellent opportunity to live and work here on basically an extended PMV so take that opportunity. The attrition rate of newcomers is VERY high which has also been discussed at length on the forum.

Ok, that sounds excellent, thanks for your advice!

There is one hospital on St Croix: http://www.jflusvi.org/

There is a hospital "system" on St Thomas and St John: http://www.rlshospital.org/Home.aspx
This includes the Roy Schneider Hospital and Charlotte Kimelman Cancer Institute on St Thomas and the MKS Clinic on St John.

I do agree with OT; do not put all your eggs in one basket. Come down by yourselves for a short time and see if this is a place you really want to put some time and effort into. 🙂

I agree with the prior responses. It would be very difficult to find a rental property that will allow all of your pets, but NOT impossible. I have a small apartment downstairs and the current tenant has 3 pets. I always rent to pet owners! I do not care how many pets as long as all pets are taken care of (pet addendum is added to the lease). Wish you the best on moving to island life.

The hospital on Saint Croix seems to always be under attack for health reasons, so it might not be your best choice.
If you really are just 2 people with that many animals, try a search for "private flight". People often mention sharing one.

When we moved from Texas to St. Croix, we moved over two separate trips 3 dogs and 7 cats. It all went well and we would NEVER have left them behind. I would hope you consider them your family and not leave them behind.

We are Texans that moved to STT and had to move back for family sickness, but are returning to STX in December. My only advice to you is do not get rid of your pets.. You made a commitment when you got them and figure out how to work them in to the move. Private flight might be the way to go!! Stx is more of a "country" life style compare to STT which is more city paced not saying there are not areas in STT in which things are slower. Places are hard to find that allow pets in general, but I would never consider giving my pup up. Hope you find ur rock.