USVI-On-Line

After a perfect week on island, we come home and Chip says "I think we should move" and I laugh.

LindaJ is correct. Island life is not for everyone. It is nothing like day to day life in the states and it is nothing like being on vacation(unless you do not have to work and con afford a million dollar (plus) home.

It can be very tough and very good all at the same time and if you don't have the personality to roll with the punches, you can be miserable. Everyone thinks that they can roll with the punches because when they are on vacation, they are stress free, but day to day is very different.
Tourists can become annoying , locals even more so, at times

There are so many wonderful things about island life, but it is not for everyone.

We went on a business trip to Turks and Caicos Islands last week and had much discussion on this very subject.

Freshly married, Hubs and I definitely could have moved down and been happy. We were young, had very few family commitments and were used to working hard in unusual and unstable jobs, (meaning shifting to the hustle needed to make it on the island wouldn¡¦t have phased us) Changing the physical location of our life would have been easy. Growing up where and how we did, island ¡§life¡¨ would not have been too much of an adjustment for us.

13 years later, I know we couldn¡¦t move down. Too many things have changed, all for the better. I am too comfortable in my life and Hubs could never make the adjustments needed to live on STJ. He thinks we would live in the type of house we rent (ha!) and go out to eat every night, etc, etc¡K.

Our ideal situation would be to own a home on island and split time between STJ and home ļ

Xislandgirl wrote:After a perfect week on island, we come home and Chip says "I think we should move" and I laugh.

LindaJ is correct. Island life is not for everyone. It is nothing like day to day life in the states and it is nothing like being on vacation(unless you do not have to work and con afford a million dollar (plus) home.

It can be very tough and very good all at the same time and if you don't have the personality to roll with the punches, you can be miserable. Everyone thinks that they can roll with the punches because when they are on vacation, they are stress free, but day to day is very different.
Tourists can become annoying , locals even more so, at times

There are so many wonderful things about island life, but it is not for everyone.

"X", you couldn't have said it any better. After living here full time since August last year, I do not believe most statesiders could live here because of those difficulties. You definitely have to know how to roll with the punches. I am a good roller now.

First off, we are 60 years old and retired from jobs in the states with pension income. Not rich, we have to work, but we don't have to make our entire living from on-island jobs. We are comfortable -- we have health insurance!

Cons:

Being away from family. If you move here be sure you have enough $$ to go back "home" as often as makes you comfortable.

Lack of shopping choices. We live very simply, eat out 3 or so times a week and are not "foodies". We find the groceries we need at Plaza Extra and Cost-u-less. But the selection, expecially in fresh vegetables and meats are more limited than in the states and more costly. Processed foods, cereal and snack foods are especially high. And if you love the mall, forget it. WE either buy clothes or other soft goods at a few small tourist boutiques, or K-mart or order on line. Not a problem for me, but will it be for you?

Pros

More living area. We don't have A/C and do have a large covered front porch. Every day is summer, with doors and windows open.

The need for fewer things. We find that we need many fewer things to live comfortably. And houses are easier to clean, more hard surfaces, tile floors, concrete walls.

Easy access to the beach. This is a big plus for us. I've been here 5 years and I still try to get to the beach every chance I get. We became certified divers after we moved here. Ric likes diving better than I, but I love to snorkel. I keep my beach chair, snorkel gear and beach bag in the car. After I finish chores, I often just head to the beach.

The people we've met. We've met lots of great people since we've been here. We go out more, do more things. And maybe because we're older, we seem to be accepted by the West Indian population. This is a conservative, polite, slow moving island. A-type personalites go crazy trying adapt.

Bottom line, the less encumbered you are and the more money you have, the easier the living, on STX at least. If you are presently living from check to check, have children, pets, chronic medical problems..well you get the idea.

One thing we ALWAYS tell people who are considering such a move is to plan a 2-3 week visit first. Try to find an apartment or condo similar to what you could afford long term to stay in. Cook, go to the hardware store, the laundry, drive the roads, see if the gorcery carries the items you use weekly. Go to small restaurants and bars frequented by residents. Sit at the bar and start conversations. Heavens knows we're ready and willing, some would say eager, to give you the benefit of our experiences.

We've lived in Indiana, Michagan, Kentucky and now here. They all had positives and negatives and I liked them all. But don't expect to find happiness here if you're not happy where you are now. It's not paradise, just a place to live with a great climate.