Why did you move to the Islands? And how is it working out for you

Do you work for a publication, or is this a spec query letter? Also, I think the relocation differs depending on race, education, age, experiences, etc.

You'll need to cast a wider net if you want varying experiences. I think I'm the only one who came here because my "other" is from here. I'm the "significant one" IMO. 🙂

I moved here to get away from the law...they wanted me to go to jail, so I bolted. I was 29 at the time, and bought a one way ticket, to a place I had never heard of and could not find on a map. Got a job my first day on island and it's all worked out rather well for me. In January it'll be 15 years since I left the States.

The singles scene over 40. Can you move there as a mature single person and expect to find love or is relocation a couples thing?
If you are a female, yes, you will have no trouble finding a man...it you are a white male looking for a white female...don't get your hopes up, as there are 7 white men for every one white woman here on St. Thomas...so, for us over 40 white men, the dating scene sucks.

The housing situation. Did you expect a tropical paradise but ended up in something worse than what you left?
I thought I'd have to live under a palm frond on some beach, but I got a good job my first day on island and I haven't looked back...same quality of life, but no snow!

The culture. Do you feel limited in things to do after the novelty of the beach wore off?
Nope. Plenty to do here that goes far beyond the beach. But you have to get off your butt and go find it!

Hated it!

Worked out great for me. I moved to STX at age 45 and a widow and met my current husband there. He was 38 at the time and called us a "couple of pistols." We've been back in the states taking care of my parents for some time now and since they have now passed on, it is our time to move back. We will be coming back most probably in November. Have planned PMV for first week of October. Feel free to PM me if you want.

Susan56 - you started posting before you came to STX, posted while you were here and are now back in the states. It's obvious from your posts that STX did not work out for you. Would you consider posting in greater detail about your time on-island? This would be a valuable service to those who are thinking about a move. Your vital statistics would also help. People moving should here real-life stories of the good and the bad.

1. Crime
2. Litter
3. Cost of water
4. Cost of power
5. Cost of food
6. Too many people running away from something and drinking too much!
7.Very dusty
8. Expensive to fly in and out of
9. Potholes
10. Pit Bull.....breed of choice

Enough Linda???

Island life is NOT for everyone.........accept that and move on.

No, Susan, I don't know about Linda, but I still don't understand why you hated it so much. I am aware of all those things and I still don't hate it. I've had a couple of frights, but never had any crime happen to me personally. Litter, well I try to do my part and pick up garbage that I see from time to time. Still is beautiful here. Water, got lucky with my choice of housing. My landlord is fond of watering his plants and water is included in the rent. I still conserve, but not as much as if I had to pay for it. Electricity is a pain in the butt, but still not enough to make me hate the whole place! Most of the time, I don't even miss a/c...and when I do, I go for a dip (or take a shower...*-) ) Cost of food, we figured out how to make that work, too. We do a grocery marathon once every three-four months, hit every store and buy in bulk. After two years (well, just a bit shy of) this is working out well for us. Everywhere you go, you will find people who are running away from something. Doesn't mean I have to hang out with them. I had to just get over the dust. If it were cheap to get here, everyone would be here. But, you are right, that does kinda suck. On the other hand, I can island hop pretty cheap! Potholes ... surely you don't mean potholes... maybe you mean the govenment corruption is so terrible that they can't even keep the roads drivable. That has to be what you mean, also does suck. Pit bulls, too, what do you mean?

All in all, I have to reiterate what Alana33 said, Island life is NOT for everyone.

Newme, I'll be PM-ing you soon enough! LOL

Dust! The Saharan dust helps reduce the heat from the oceans that are a major source of energy for developing hurricanes.
Not all have Pitt Bulls, I have a beautiful Golden retriever.
I Don't fly in and out that often.
I Know where the holes in the roads are, just drive slower,
I wish crime could be controlled better,
Food, water, power can be managed.
Rock fever is real and some have to move because of it.
Good luck Susan56 at your new location and adventure.
Litter is not exclusive to the USVI, I agree not happy with it either.

susan: I do find it odd that although your recent posts have been extremely negative about your 1 or 2 years on STX, up to just a few months ago you had nothing but positive things to say about living here. Even when you first mentioned moving it was because of the Hovensa closing but also because you missed your family - reasons which are completely understandable and perfectly normal. Now that you've left your whole tone has changed drastically. Maybe being back home with the family that you've missed has made your realize that there were many more things that you missed but I do hope that in time you'll reach a happy medium where your perspective is concerned.

Now I can....
flush the toilet whenever I want
take long, hot showers
use the a/c 24 hours a day
not worry about drive by shootings
not worry about my whites turning rusty in the wash...I did figure how to prevent it!

No longer have to say "Good Morning, Good Afternoon and Good Night" to every person I pass!

Now I can....
flush the toilet whenever I want
take long, hot showers
use the a/c 24 hours a day
not worry about drive by shootings
not worry about my whites turning rusty in the wash...I did figure how to prevent it!

No longer have to say "Good Morning, Good Afternoon and Good Night" to every person I pass!

Well, as has been said, island living isn't for everyone and many people simply find it impossible to adapt to a new situation. Funny how even the smallest things can be such an irritant, As far the customary salutations, you're not the first person who's found that a huge imposition. To me it's a huge plus for so many different reasons and the giving and receiving never fail to make a bad day a whole lot better!

Now I can....
flush the toilet whenever I want
take long, hot showers
use the a/c 24 hours a day
not worry about drive by shootings
not worry about my whites turning rusty in the wash...I did figure how to prevent it!

No longer have to say "Good Morning, Good Afternoon and Good Night" to every person I pass!

That's why a PMV (Pre Move Visit) is so important! Get the stars out of your eyes and do your homework before you move here. This is a classic example of what this board has been telling people to expect. It appears you moved here without doing your homework, or skipped the PMV, or disregarded everything that was already advised on this message board. Perhaps then you would have known the smallest action of saying "good morning" would have been a problem for you, just for starters. 🙂 Island life isn't for everyone, but for many of us it is.

Good Night,
~Jill~

Funny about the greetings. Ric and I have been back in the states for 7 months and we still confuse people by greeting them before stating our business and we still let people on side roads out into traffic. The reaction is interesting. We hope we are starting a trend.

i moved here not by choice. my husband came here to work and i had to follow. i cried for a month because i was so happy where i was living before the move. i lived in marathon florida which is also called the rock-one you can drive off of.
he at that time loved living here. i have never loved it-most times i liked it. we have been here for over eight years. he now hates it. i still just like it i have never loved it the way he did in the beginning.
too far from family for me.

I never hated living on STX. I always liked our life here. We found interesting jobs and friends. I did love the beach. Ric loved it from the day we got off the plane. We moved to the island "just because". We were at a crossroads in our life and wanted to try something totally different. Ric was tired of cold weather. But, when the time came to leave, I was ready and he wasn't. Familly considerations dictated our leaving.

I did a non- scientific survey on the customary salutations good morning, afternoon and night. Islanders will wait till you speak first. I kind of enjoy their reactions better than their salutations. I Love saying good evening!

I did a non- scientific survey on the customary salutations good morning, afternoon and night. Islanders will wait till you speak first. I kind of enjoy their reactions better than their salutations. I Love saying good evening!

Couldn't agree more. Someone who looks horribly grumpy completely changes when you bid them Good Morning, etc. and I know my expression changes likewise when the shoe's on the other foot!

I love walking into a room or store and saying "Good Morning" to the people there - it always eases any transition - letting cars into traffic and hearing the little beepThank You or the wave is gratifying and gets paid back all the time -- saying "Good Night" as a greeting in the evening always gets a smile - I have always thanked anyone who is wearing a name tag by name and they remember that when I see them again - the ladies at Pueblo smile and wave to me even when I am not in their line now - what is standard as common courtesy here goes a long way towards showing our residents that you have been brought up correctly and gives me great pleasure on a daily basis.

I carry these traits and habits with me when I travel and it seems to open a lot of doors and bring good feelings all around -- although letting people into traffic in the States sometimes takes a bit more care because it is so unexpected. And the way we use our horn here for communication is grossly misunderstood up there!

Does anyone else find the spellcheck inoperable?

hahaha. that is hilarious. being courteous was an inconvenience. only on st croix...

The stopping to let cars in is a peeve of mine. If you're in town and moving slowly, fine, I get that and do it myself. If you're going down the road and have some speed, with cars behind you, it's not polite, it's short sighted and rude to every car behind you. Why would 7 or so cars stop (causing wear and using more fuel), so that a stopped car, can start moving again, instead of letting that car wait another 30 seconds, until there is no cars coming, to pull out.

I will always hate this habit, because it is not courteous, it is rude.

I don't get that salutations - good morning, good night, or saying thank you, please, may I, using mr. or ma'am, etc. were an island thing.
I thought it that it was simple courtesies that everyone was raised knowing and it was just rude not to acknowledge people in that manner.
Who'd think it would be a big deal to have courtesy.

hahaha. that is hilarious. being courteous was an inconvenience. only on st croix...

Lol Right?!?

I love walking into a room or store and saying "Good Morning" to the people there - it always eases any transition - letting cars into traffic and hearing the little beepThank You or the wave is gratifying and gets paid back all the time -- saying "Good Night" as a greeting in the evening always gets a smile - I have always thanked anyone who is wearing a name tag by name and they remember that when I see them again - the ladies at Pueblo smile and wave to me even when I am not in their line now - what is standard as common courtesy here goes a long way towards showing our residents that you have been brought up correctly and gives me great pleasure on a daily basis.

I carry these traits and habits with me when I travel and it seems to open a lot of doors and bring good feelings all around -- although letting people into traffic in the States sometimes takes a bit more care because it is so unexpected. And the way we use our horn here for communication is grossly misunderstood up there!

Does anyone else find the spellcheck inoperable?

These are all reasons that I wanted to move to the islands.