Are your friends SO sick of "St John talk?"

[Xislandgirl]

This is a timely topic. Just a few minutes ago, a coworker was at my desk and noticed my desktop background, the picture of the Guy Benjamin School kids and he asked about it. I explained why I had it and this is the conversation that ensued

CW- So, you lived there?
Me- Yes for almost 5 years
CW- And you still go back and vacation there?
Me- Yup- It is one of my favorite places on earth
CW- Expensive, huh?
Me- Not really if you know how to do it right
CW- All vacations are expensive, we just can't afford to drop 3 or 4 grand every year
Me- What kind of car do you drive?
CW- I just got a new Lexus
Me- where do you live again?
CW- <insert>, in this new development, it is beautiful, we just moved in last year
Me- I drive a 15 year old car and live in a ranch in Granby
CW- Maybe I should do that, then I could vacation like you
ME

Not that I think he will sell his car and move, but I think I put it into perspective.

[Beesmom]

Wow, I'm happy to read about other St. John lovers being in the same finanical frame of mind as us! My husband's business partner likes to joke that we must embezzle because we take vacations to "the islands".

Never mind that we 1) live in a modest house in a small town. 2) Have NO debt 3) drive older cars and always buy used.

A week with our toes in the sand is worth so much more to us than a big-assed house and a fancy car.

-Sandy

[Jo Ann - VA]

The people I work with are the worst about it! I hesitate to even have any pictures on my desk or bulletin board of vacation.
Coworker: Where was that picture taken?
Me: Aruba
Coworker: Must be nice.
Me: I am at a different place in life than you are. (I'm 48 and he is 30)
Coworker: Obviously.
Me: What I mean is that we have raised our child (23 years old), and now the time is for us to do what we want (within reason).
Coworker: I hope I get there one day.
Me: I hope so too.

We worked hard, sacrificed, saved money and paid for almost everything upfront and I'm not going to let anyone make me feel bad for taking a decent vacation!

I don't take any of this for granted. I realize I am blessed.

[loria]

hmmm. we all seem to be saying the same thing. my only indulgence is travel -(seriously--I have had one haircut in the last 3 years--and i still have shirts from the 80's--but bad taste aside) we also have older cars that were bought used-we live in a pretty expensive area because we work here (westchester cty NY---i think among the top ten in taxes in the nation) but we live in a small house-
but we do take time to travel quite a bit. Usually when going to STJ we are able to get FF tickets. and normally we stay at Maho or Concordia. Other places (pretty much any place EXCEPT the USVI/ Caribbean !) My DH can usually get some kind of talk/teaching gig or has a conference so his flight is covered (and often accommodation as well) ----so we are lucky in that regard and have managed family trips to lots of wonderful places for quite a bit less than it would cost normally--it has its drawbacks, but i am something of a travel slut--but the kids are getting older now--and taking them out of school isn't so easy...
still--i am wishing they had a great transgenics facility at the UVI--then travel to STJ would be really easy!