Locals unfriendly?

[Marcia (Mrs. Pete)]

What do you do to get someone's attention, at say the deli counter at Starfish? I appreciate island time as much as anyone but, there have been times when I've stood at the counter for a very long time. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting, for someone to notice that I'm interested in buying their product.

Do I give a little gentle shout out? "Excuse me? Good morning!" (This is what I've tried and it doesn't work.)

They are all back there chatting it up amongst themselves and I'm standing there wanting my artichoke salad, medium container.

How do you draw attention to yourself to get service? Without coming across as rude? Always an issue for me, especially at Starfish.

[Pete (Mr. Marcia)]

I said, "good morning, good afternoon, good evening, good anytime of day it might be" but the check out women at Starfish still looked at me like, "go away, I hate you."

[RidgeRunner]

Being a long time visitor of the Mayan Riviera I can attest that the attitudes you can run into on St. John can be completely different. The way I see it is because so few of the native St. Johnians have anyting to do with making money from the rich tourists. We were on the islands for 2 weeks last year and other than the wonderful guys at Courtesy Car Rental and Ms. Vie, we had precious few other commercial dealings with natives. It seems most of the villas are owned by mainlanders, as are most of the restaurants and many of the shops. I was surprised that ALL of our waitresses were Anglos. Not that I am blaming the business owners because the pace of the service we saw on St. Thomas does not lend itself towards actually making money. I really think much of the attitude that you run into on St. John arises from how much the visitors have or are perceived to have versus how little most of the natives get by on.

[Lex]

I think that STJ is pretty unusual in the Caribbean. The West Indian culture and population has become increasingly peripheral, supplanted by some sort of island lifestyle developed by folks from the mainland. Most businesses are owned and staffed by continentals. Once you've got your vehicle, it's quite possible for a tourist to have no contact with any West Indian for a week.

On most islands West Indians still have political and economic power and control and the West Indian culture is dominant. It makes for a very different attitude toward visitors. Going there, it's very clear that I'm a visitor in another culture. I adapt to the culture and don't expect things to be like home. It's their island. I want things to be different. It's why I've gone there.

STJ can be confusing because it has become so Americanized. Visitors quickly become accustomed to things operating not so different from the mainland. They're dealing with a villa greeter from North Carolina, a bartender from Massachusetts, a waiter from Maine, a shopkeeper from Virginia. And a lot of them are working for tips. When visitors are in contact almost exclusively with transplants from the mainland, they may come to expect things to go a certain, familiar way. And when they finally have contact with a West Indian, who may not seem to be operating on the same wave length, it can be puzzling or upsetting. It really is a different culture, with different values and priorities.

On islands where the West Indian culture is still intact and political and economic control has been maintained, visitors are more likely to accept and adapt. On STJ, because so much is so Americanized, visitors are more likely to expect the West Indians to operate like mainlanders.

[Anthony]

This is always a tricky question - and I think something that a lot of visitors overlook (and this is just a small part of a long and complex equation) is that they may have their own expectations of how people are going to act towards them based on the fact that they are traveling somewhere and they themselves will be seen as "different" - meaning - you get to VI and somewhere in your mind you are a foreigner or at least a non-local, and you would expect people to be at least friendly - and then when people act like they couldn't give a flying flip about you or your presence... it sort of stinks.

[Captain John]

What do you do to get someone's attention, at say the deli counter at Starfish? I appreciate island time as much as anyone but, there have been times when I've stood at the counter for a very long time. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting, for someone to notice that I'm interested in buying their product.

Do I give a little gentle shout out? "Excuse me? Good morning!" (This is what I've tried and it doesn't work.)

They are all back there chatting it up amongst themselves and I'm standing there wanting my artichoke salad, medium container.

How do you draw attention to yourself to get service? Without coming across as rude? Always an issue for me, especially at Starfish.

The way to do it is to walk up, and with no hesitation, say loudly "good morning, good afternoon, or good night" don't say "excuse me" or "good evening". "Excuse me" is used for an apology and "good evening" doesn't exist, "good night" is the normal evening greeting. Believe me it takes some time getting used to it but that's how it works.

[Pete (Mr. Marcia)]

She only resorts to "excuse me" after she is about to drop to the ground in exhaustion from saying "good morning" over and over.

[overman]

the worst person on st.john would be a saint in boston...i love st jonhnians and THEIR island...it's why we keep coming back.

[Greenskeeper]

the worst person on st.john would be a saint in boston...i love st jonhnians and THEIR island...it's why we keep coming back.

Hey, quit perpetuating that reputation. We're just no nonsense, tell it like it is and don't say much unless we really have something to say. That doesn't make us unfriendly.


I find it humorous when other non natives complain about "the cruise ship crowd" and the quest to avoid them at Trunk Bay. I'm sure islanders view those of us who come off that ferry for a week or more as "the ferry crowd" and have many of the same feelings and are working hard to avoid us too.

Living in a tourist dependent area is a catch 22. Locals need the revenue generated from tourism but they don't want their community to lose it's identity to get it. With the advent of the internet, places that locals might have enjoyed as a way to get away from tourists are shared online. Those looking for a true island experience, seek them out. There is no getting away from it and I'm sure for some locals, that is a source of contention.

Finally, not making excuses but it is understandable that some islanders feel a sense of animosity towards tourists. Many people come to vacation areas saying they want to experience the culture but want to do it on their terms. It's as if people think that the whole world is "Disneyfied" and that you can leave your own world but still have all the amenities, conveniences, comforts and service of home.

[Greenskeeper]

I said, "good morning, good afternoon, good evening, good anytime of day it might be" but the check out women at Starfish still looked at me like, "go away, I hate you."

LOL We noticed the same thing on a couple of occasions. I'm sure it gets old listening to people talking about their leisure plans while they are stuck behind the deli or cash register.

[bubblybrenda]

Lex, very well said!

I can't say as I have experienced rudeness on any of the Islands I've visited. Yes, the employees may not be enthusiasitic some days but then again neither am I on many a morning when I'm at work. If the customer service isn't the way I would necessarily like it I do try to remind myself that I am in their culture and it is ME who needs to adjust my attitude and zen out a bit.

[California Girl]

The way to do it is to walk up, and with no hesitation, say loudly "good morning, good afternoon, or good night" don't say "excuse me" or "good evening". "Excuse me" is used for an apology and "good evening" doesn't exist, "good night" is the normal evening greeting. Believe me it takes some time getting used to it but that's how it works.

Thanks for that Captain John! It's just so direct and to the point. I didn't know that about "good night", I would also say "good evening."

Like you, Marcia, I also say "Excuse me", I guess it's a form of apologizing for interrupting people, but apparently not necessary in the islands.

Ya' learn something new every day!

[Exit Zero]

Maybe it is time to visit St Thomas instead where the people are friendly to everyone.

[CaribbeanSoul]

My two cents is that it really depends on the island. STJ has approx 3K population and a visitor per capita that is extraordinarily high. The tourists will come once, twice, sometimes every year for what STJ is. To compare STJ with Jamaica (specifically Negril) is not fair. Many Jamaicans (most) depend on our tourist dollars for survival and maintenance of their immediate and extended families. Hence, the "attitude" you receive upon arrival and in duration of your vacation. I have lived in the USVI, visited as a tourist, and have traveled to Jamaica extensively. I love both for very different reasons and if I had to pick one over the other....that would be extremely difficult for me!

[Boston Mike]

Very interesting topic we have going here, “locals unfriendly”.

It is funny how we take a vacation and escape from the rush hour world we live in and expect the “locals” to cater to us hand and foot. I am from the Boston area, and I can back up what another called St. John locals being saints compared to people in our area.

Have you said good afternoon or good morning to a local with a smile? Excuse me, why you moving so fast?

Drink Greet Right