Fulfilling our dream of Caribbean Living Early

I agree with Speee1dy.

I agree with Ronnie.

Seriously, If i did not already live in the Virgin Islands, I wouldn't consider moving here if I had to depend on some of the views posted here.

How quickly we forget. This forum was a very different place 6 or 7 years ago. It was all, "Come on down! You'll love it!". When questions of crime arose, if anyone spoke out about the high crime rate here, they were quickly mobbed and beaten into submission. The advise repeatedly offered was, "If you don't do drugs and aren't in a bad area at 3AM, you'll be fine." That advise was total BS then and it's total BS now.

For the newcomers...

Our gorgeous tropical seas, beautiful beaches, and exceptional weather can blind people. It's difficult to see past them, at least for a while. Many aspects of living here take time to understand.

Ever wonder why there are so many houses/condos/apartments for sale or rent here? The furious pace at which we are building new homes? NOT! Interesting, eh?

The topic of crime will fracture this board like no other. For the most part, the answers you’ll get reveal more about human psychology than they reveal about crime. Understand who you are chatting with. Many of us are business owners. Most of us are continentals who have made the choice to stay - at least for the time being. There are no statistics that I’m aware of that show just how seriously we are outnumbered by folks that have come and gone. 1000 to 1? 10,000 to 1? More? Why would so many people leave “paradise?”

Crime is high here. Unless you’re moving down from an inner city, it’s damn high. The homicide rate here a few years ago was more than 2,500 times the rate it was in the community I came from. The “wrong time, wrong place” argument you see so often thrown around here doesn’t hold water. Here, the “wrong place” can be difficult to discern and “wrong time” can be anytime day or night. Why then are so few people willing to tell you about it and discuss it with you?

Many people read the advice offered on these boards and believe that it does not apply to them - that they are somehow different than all of the people that have come before them. They believe so strongly in their dreams that they sell their homes, give away their winter clothes and many of their belongings. They no longer have a place to return to and they are now deeply invested in their hopes and their dreams.

The lure of “paradise” is strong. The dream of living on an island is shared by many. People will always come here and people will always leave. Nothing said on this board will ever change that.

The topic of crime will fracture this board like no other. For the most part, the answers you’ll get reveal more about human psychology than they reveal about crime. Understand who you are chatting with. Many of us are business owners. Most of us are continentals who have made the choice to stay - at least for the time being. There are no statistics that I’m aware of that show just how seriously we are outnumbered by folks that have come and gone. 1000 to 1? 10,000 to 1? More? Why would so many people leave “paradise?”

I too have been watching this discussion.

The truth is that most of the people who move to STX leave in the first two years. There are no statistics to back up my opinion but I think many of those living on island longer than 5 years will agree.

There is crime on STX and it is different from what most experience stateside. It should not be ignored or taken lightly. Attitude is everything. Desire to live in paradise is not enough.

Many move after spending time on STX or in the Caribbean and think that they have what it takes to adapt. Most do not. This is not failure. It is the simple truth of the difference of a dream and real life.

There are many opinions here but all seem to be shared with a hope to help others. Even if it is a warning. Anyone thinking about a move should read and think long and hard about what is written here.

If I had kids age 6 and 9 I would not move them to STX now. It's tough for kids that age to leave their friends and school and then to move to STX is worse. Reasons discussed above by others. No one has said yet kids can be spanked in schools in the VI and your children will be punished by teachers with yardsticks and other ways.

To the OP read all the advice and make a decision. STX is never as it seems or as is hoped.

and ronnie, why with the island bashing. before i even knew i would move here i had people bashing stx to me. it has always been stt doesnt like and continually bashes stx and stx bashing stt. doesnt that get old at all. arent you perpetuating negativity with your comment about a specific island

I have not bashed the island of St Croix. I am talking about the tone of the posters who live in St Croix. I have been on this board longer than the 9 years it shows. I was here before that and when they changes the style of the page and added the new forum we all went back to 0 years. Again, in my humble opinion, it seems like most of the posters will do whatever it takes to keep newcomers out. You have to remember you were a newcomer once. I have never sugar coated anything when it came to answering questions. The question I ask is, would you have moved here if you had all of the negativity thrown at you? Doubt it. This is all am saying. It has been going on for a few years now.

PS I love St Croix. My Great Great Grandfather was born over there in the late 1700s.

ronnie, thank you

BUT, the "dissing" of the respective two islands by residents of the other has always been STX loaded against STT.

What a crock of ____.
When I was researching moving to the VI I was told countless times by people on STT that STX was a horrible place and I should not ever think of living there. I was told that the people over "there" were diseased (literally that is what someone said). I was also told that I'd never last in that "cesspool".
I frequently deal with people from STT for business and still hear nasty remarks about STX and get asked why I would ever live here.
Don't give me that crap the the "dissing" has ALWAYS been STX against STT. I have heard a mountain of negative about STX from people on STT. Generally speaking the only thing I hear from people on STX about STT is that it is way too busy and the people are snotty.

I'm sorry to hear that but the whole tone of your response seems in keeping with many of the comments being made. Surely you can express your disagreement in more couth terms.

I, too,have noticed the negativity growing the past several years on this forum. I joined in 2004, after a vacation on STJ, and made it my quest to make the VI my home at some point. After one more vacation the following year, hours of research on the board and connecting through private messages, I got a job lined up for my now ex-husband and I that included housing as it was a property caretaker position, via internet search. Very rare, indeed...so, no PMV, although money was saved up for this journey...we just jumped in, head first. The original intention had been to move to STJ but it was STT that had the job so STT it was! I lived there for just 2 months shy of 7 years - my marriage fell apart during that time, not due to island living, per se, as there were many other problems there, however, I always felt at home here and my ex did not. I have now moved to STX (5 months now) to be with my life partner (who has been on island for 30 years). For me, STX had never been a thought and I had never visited until the past year as my relationship began to develop. My take on the 3: STJ will always be my first love as it drew me here and made me make it my mission to relocate to the VI. STT was very good to me, business wise, and I have made long lasting friendships there; it is a pain in the ass on heavy cruise ship days, it can be way too crowded feeling downtown, but hop over to the cool Northside and it is a different world (or to Botany Bay where I started this journey!). The views are breathtaking to me and I miss that being here on STX. STX is the country - it is a beautiful island and people here do seem to be more relaxed and laid back than those on STT, as a general rule. As for crime, I will say that I have found myself a bit more aware of it here on STX than STT - with the most recent rash of them here, it seems much more random, as for time and place, where on STT, it seemed to stay in certain areas and it could be more easily avoided. Please understand, this has been my experience here on STX in just a short 5 months - bank robberies and car thefts have all happened in places I frequent...I didn't ever experience that in my 7 years on STT.
That all being said, I love all 3 islands for different reasons...there is no beach that can match STJ in my mind (none of the BVI beaches included!), STT will always be "home" for me, in many ways, as I will be back frequently to visit my island family, and STX is full of promise and hope with the open landscapes and the fabulous local organic farmers.
I do not think STT is better than STX, nor do I think STX is better than STT...they are completely different.
My suggestion to anyone posting for possible newcomers - be nice, be friendly, but be honest. Try to be honest without bashing one another...
My suggestion to newcomers looking to move - there is still an incredible wealth of knowledge here on this forum. Try to look past all the negativity on this board, do your research by searching first, then ask specifics after. A PMV is always a good idea, I believe. And, as many say, the island is not a Kenny Chesney or Jimmy Buffet song...you will give up a great deal of things in order to live in this "paradise"...it is not for everyone. But, you will NEVER know that until you try.

Happy Sunday, all!

Very well written Pilates! Thank you for your response.