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Well, I have finally made the break to come out of the woodwork and officially join the message board. I have been reading these posts for over a year now. I am planning a september move to STT and will be doing my PMV in August. (Was on the island this past May). I just wanted to say to everyone how much I have appreciated all of the support and help that is given daily(both from people on island and off). So, thank you for your help- even though you weren't aware of me lurking around- sucking up all of the tips and suggestions that have been posted. I am sure I will have more questions as my move comes near- I just wanted to introduce myself and reach out as everyone seems so friendly and open to helping.
I would like to know, for anyone in this line of work, if it is feasible to wait tables and survive ($$) on the island? I am not afraid of hard work- but part of my goal in moving to STT was to enjoy a lifestyle and not have to hold two + jobs just to pay my bills. I have been through this website top to bottom so I have a good idea on cost of living- but it is hard to budget when you don't really know what kind of income you can expect from a waitressing job. For example, I almost moved to the Caymans about 3 years ago and most of the restaurants had you pool your tips- which resulted in a person bringing home far less than they would if you were able to keep everything that you made (minus tipping bus people and bartenders of course). Any insight would be helpful- Thanks very much!!!
Posted : June 27, 2005 9:04 pm
Hey Blue Water - congrtulations on your decision! I hope you move in Sept. will be an easy one! It looks as if Eve and I will be on STX looking for a place in Aug. If everything goes right maybe by Oct. we can hook up for a drink!
Posted : June 27, 2005 9:58 pm
Topic starter
Hey Island Rat-
Thanks for the encouragement and the drink sounds great to me!! (Have drink? Will Travel!) Goodluck on your move to STX- I hope all goes well for both of you! Keep me posted on how your trip goes in Aug (are you moving then or just going to find a place- then go back?). I'll keep you posted on mine!
Posted : June 28, 2005 3:11 am
It's very possible to make a living waiting tables.....however.....a lot of places will be closed for a period of time around September and October. Don't worry too much about bring possesions, Bringing an open mind and plenty of money to fall back on are more important. Most of the people here are very friendly and eager to help out whenever they can. Good luck.
Posted : June 28, 2005 4:31 am
Topic starter
Thanks for the info Katetastrophee- I heard that about Sept/Oct- but I thought that would give me some time to get settled (on the water with a cocktail, that is) for a bit before the high season hits. My goal is to bring exactly what you mentioned and find the rest when I get here!
Posted : June 28, 2005 2:20 pm
Hello Blue Water,
Welcome to 'officially joining the board'. (tu)
You can make good money waiting tables, however it seems all restaurant staff I know work more than one job. Photographer by day and waiter by night, bartender and caterer, waitress and coffee-shop attendant, jobs at two restaurants, hair dresser by day and waitress at night, bus boy by night and law office assistant by day. Granted all these people were/are doing the restaurant work in the evenings for extra cash, rather than as their full time gig. Actually, I know a lot of people in the VI that work two jobs or have a job and then try to do something on the side to make extra money from baking cookies and selling them to co-workers to doing a little landscaping work on weekends. This is a reality for many living here. But yes I do know people that are full time bartenders/wait staff – you need to find a good, popular restaurant or bar and it can be done as a full time job.
The season/time of year will definitely affect the amount of tips you make. Like Katetastrophee mentioned September is the low of off season so some restaurants will be closed for a few weeks and then October is also sort of slow; so this will play into finding a job when you first get here. And then for future planning, you want to save $$ when its season to cover you when its off season. Things pick up again in November-December and on to May when it starts slowing down again.
Again welcome to the board.
--Islander
Posted : June 28, 2005 6:34 pm
Topic starter
Hey Islander-
Thanks for the greetings! I have done some research and found some places to put on my first plan of attack when I get there. Speaking of- does anyone know the rough turn around time to get your health card? I hear its a rather...humbling process- but I can't seem to find anywhere how long it takes to actually get the "card". I am guessing I will need this for anyone to take me seriously so am really just hoping to get that done in Aug. Then maybe just meet the people at the places I've found so when they are closed in Sept we might be able to work around that ahead of time- I don't know, maybe I am being idealistic! Anyway- I suppose I'll go with the flow and am not opposed to holding a couple jobs- probably a good thing- I hate routine and that will keep me bouncing I am sure! Just as long as I still have time to hang out on the beach and have a few cocktails! Although, I somehow manage to squeeze that in regardless of my crazy schedule! 🙂
Thanks for the tips and I appreciate again your welcoming me to the board- officially!!
Posted : June 28, 2005 10:57 pm
It takes just the better part of a day. Depending. It's not for anything but to see if you have parasites. Weird. Back home we had to take tests for hepititis and AIDS. But not here. Just worms.
Posted : June 29, 2005 12:18 am
Blue Water,
I just posted about procedure on STT for obtaining health card. I just obtained mine today. See 'Gag post - read at your own risk -current info on obtaining health card'. Not that bad really, but I used the word poo. 🙂
Teresa
Posted : June 29, 2005 1:40 am
Topic starter
thank you so much- I just read the health card post. If you can't laugh at yourself (which is what I'll be doing while "scooping") than who can you laugh at right?!!! 🙂
Thank you for the info! It is helpful and somewhat disturbing!!! 🙂 LOL!
Posted : June 29, 2005 3:01 am
It's so wrong..... 🙂
Hey, blue water.....we can do ours together.....!!!!! Sure to be an interesting day! I bet we laugh our butts off! No pun intended.
😉
Alix
Posted : June 29, 2005 1:20 pm
Topic starter
LOL!! It is wrong- and I bet they don't really even do anything with it- they just want to weed out the weak!! (And have a good laugh while doing it- I can just hear the comments now..."look at that poor sap- they fell for it hook, line and sinker!" Or, in this case- hook line and scooper!!!!!)
Posted : June 29, 2005 3:45 pm
LOL 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
So are ya in, or what? Fun day on the island.....
Posted : June 29, 2005 4:14 pm
Topic starter
I'm in!!! We can drown our humility and shame away afterwards at a bar- (and probably create some new humiliating memories- right?!)
Name the day and I'll buy the first round! 🙂
Posted : June 29, 2005 5:22 pm
Sounds great! When will you be on island?
Alix
Posted : June 29, 2005 5:26 pm
Topic starter
I'll be on island Aug 11-22 (just bought tix yesterday yay!) and planning to be back full time sept sometime- but would like to ideally to the health card in Aug. (although maybe it would be wiser to do it when I don't have a return ticket in my hands!)
OK- so I just read the new posts on the health card thread and I am trying to be discreet at work- but I am just DYING- reading all of this! 🙂
Posted : June 29, 2005 5:30 pm
I'm probably going to get in trouble for that post.....I'm always in troble somewhere! So, anyone down that week that wants to get a health card can contact either of us.....
Alix
PS - I DON'T mean to offend...just trying to make the best out of an embarrasing situation......
🙂
Posted : June 29, 2005 5:42 pm
Maybe Islander will make a sticky note!
Probably not, but, here's to hoping!
Alix
Posted : June 29, 2005 5:46 pm
No Alix - you aren't going to get a Sticky for this gathering. 😉 You guys are too much.
Funny thing is the stool test was always a regular part of physical exams when I was growing up - every year it seemed we had to go through the ritual of squatting over a disinfected plastic icecream tub so my mother could get an uncontaminated scoop of poo to turn in during the medical exam. God forbid you didn't need to go and god bless my mom as there were a few of us kids to scoop up after!
It was tramatizing I tell you. Talk about never looking at a gallon of icecream the same way again.
OK folks please don't take this discussion to how do you actually get the scoop. Figure it out via PM or on your own. 😉 PLEASE.
--Islander
Posted : June 29, 2005 6:36 pm
So, here's a question for ya...anybody going to bring their mom with them for this exam? I remember my sister doing that when I was little. Guess they dropped the requirement as I aged. It's the little threads that keep people going. LOL I love it
Posted : June 29, 2005 6:42 pm
C'mon, Islander......just a little bitty, teensie weensie sticky!
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
You rock. I've laughed so hard I almost, well, y'know....my pants.
Alix
( I can't believe that we got ISLANDER to use the word "poo"!!!! LOL 🙂 )
Posted : June 29, 2005 6:44 pm
Topic starter
Thanks Islander-
Thats what I'm worried about- STAGE FRIGHT!!! :0
Posted : June 29, 2005 7:10 pm
