Hard advice for people considering moving here

Scorpions in STT? This'll be interesting. Guess I'll need to brush up on scorpion stings. cent/millipedes don't bother me. Come to think of it, I hadn't seen a centipede since I left the springs. I don't think either of them are even here in Dallas, or they've been very well wiped out by the local gecko population.

<-- Colorado Springs brat. Not really native, moved there in '90 when my father got stationed to Peterson AFB. We moved from Wiesbaden, Germany, to Colo. Spgs. Lived there for 10 years before moving up to Denver, then to Dallas and finally, soon, down to STT. My step-mother's side of the family is Colo. Spgs. native.

I lived in Colorado Springs and before that we were also stationed in Weisbaden. What a small world.

Very interesting and enlightening for another potential islander from Colorado! I appreciate the no-holds-barred, politically incorrect discussion. These are things those of us considering a move to the islands NEED to hear. I would rather know the daily practical issues that everyone faces including inefficiencies in government (isn't "governmental efficiency" an oxymoron?), issues with WAPA, critters including scorpions and centipedes (ick! - I'm buying stock in RAID), issues with having an ocean between you and family, the cost of airfare, healthcare issues, cultural and racial issues and on and on. But in between all the real life stuff I am hearing some wonderful reasons to come to stay on these islands. It's not all long walks on the beach at sunset, that draws some of us. It is the fact that it is a different culture, not so homogenized, and maybe a little more like life was in some areas of the continental US a generation or two ago - good and bad. It is a slower life style - whether by intention or not. Do I know for sure that I will not miss the seasons changing? No. I probably will. But I have wonderful memories of 50+ years of Colorado winters and hope to make a few more years of wonderful VI memories. Will I long to go see my grandkids? Most definitely - and I will make sure that I find the means to do so and I hope they will come and visit me often. Will I suffer a bit from rock fever? I'm sure of it - but I also love my home - wherever that is - and just enjoy hanging out for long periods with my best friend and husband. I am not sure that in the end we will decide that the VI are the right fit for us but I do appreciate an honest assessment of what life is and isn't in paradise. Keep the information coming and thanks!

Hello chefnoah. I'm a denver native interested in moving to USVI next year. I see you're in the area. Any interest in sharing some advice? I'd love to talk with someone in the area who's willing to share info.

If you have a job lined up, I'd say go for it. I was a chef, so there's plenty of opportunity to get a job and move around if that job didn't work out. Fortunately, the job that brought me on island was a great spot and I worked there for 2 years.

There's a lot of other factors that will come into play, so read the crap out of this message board. Do searches on specific topics to tailor your results. A pre-move visit is always a good idea, some will say mandatory, but I didn't make a PMV. Link up w other people in your shoes, try to get into a 2-3 bedroom to lower your rent.

If you need stuff like shopping malls, fast internet, efficient drive-thrus, and nice roads you may reconsider. Flexibility and acceptance will get you REALLY far in the Virgin Islands. St.Croix was good to me and I made some life long friends that I'll be in touch with for a long time to come.

I hope some of them stay put so I have a hammock to crash on when I come back on vacation 😀

. I don't think either of them are even here in Dallas, or they've been very well wiped out by the local gecko population.

Nope no centipedes in Dallas think GOD! We were in STX last month and had 2 in 2 days! Glad to know raid will kill them (i'm stocking up) we are moving to STX next month. My family has been there 4 yrs. And never misses the states.

The centipedes on the mainland are known as the "house centipede." Totally different from the big tropical centipedes we have down here. When I used to live in Rhode Island, I had them in my apartment and didn't even know they were centipedes until someone pointed them out!

My opinion:

Expect every safari driver to ask you if you need a taxi, even if you parked your car right next to them. Also, ask for the prices before getting on as they will rip you off.

You will have locals begging for $, but they will not ask other locals for $. Even school kids will try to ask for $ for school, but have no candy,wrapping paper, or paperwork for what they're doing for school.

You will learn at Coki beach they have the best chair, weed, parking lot etc, Ignore them at all costs.

Car wreck, your fault. Sometimes they will fight you too. A friend of mine had this happen, VIPD showed up at the same time we did in 2 car loads of drunk white boys. We showed because the idiot that rear ended our friend tried to fight him. VIPD officer changed his mind real quick about who was at fault.

At Magens Beach, pay local fees, if you live here. I learned just to put $4 in the tray and not say anything. Otherwise they will charge you the regular price, saying you live here doesn't work, unless you have a VI D/L.

If you plan on living here for a while, go to the cop shop and apply for a gun license, though it will take a little time. There are easier ways but that would be illegal or who you know at the cop shop,

Gunshots at night are normal

Everything you learned in the states about the rules of the road, throw it out the window, the locals can't drive, and stop signs/lights are optional.

Don't expect customer service, and expect rudeness from the locals if you are the one giving the service.

Slow Food restaurants (McDonald's/Wendys) will drive you up the wall, They'll have 15 people working with 10 on break or doing what I don't know in the back standing there.

You will learn to hate car horns. But you must also distinguish between "F" You, Thank You, and What's up in car horn signals.

At a Red Light since everyone has somewhere to be, the second it turns green they'll lay on the horn.

Stockpile brake pads and any vehicle parts/accessories for your car. They never have crap at the parts stores or dealerships and have to order things. Sometimes they say they don't have things because they don't feel like moving. Another thing is if your white they'll sell you the expensive stuff, ex. brake pads, i've caught these idiots several times. If you call in about parts they'll say they do or don't when they really do or really don't have them, laziness.

Get a generator or look for a place that has one. Solar power would be a good option also. WAPA SUCKS!

Movie Theatre, that's a nightmare. Locals are loud, obnoxious, and comment on the movie so you know how they feel about at the movies. But you'll love the prices!!! Cheap!!!

K-Mart/s not too bad minus the lines because they have 2 people working the cash registers. Go during church hours on sunday.

Tutu Park Mall (Hallway) Nope, unless you need some baggy jeans with weed imprints, gold leafed tupac t-shirt, fake gold, and J's. They do have an FYE,Vitamin World, Foot Locker, and Champs. Puerto Rico has the big mall Plaza Las Americas.

PriceyMart and Cost U More are like Sams and Costco only smaller but they have the membership club thing going on. You will learn in order to achieve your grocery shopping goals you'll have to shop at 2-3 different places in one day.

Gas, well seeing as Hovensa in St. Croix in one of the biggest oil refineries for the states we still have to get raped here on prices oh and no pay at the pump only Giant Gas has them.

If you surf, become friendly with the Frenchies on the northside as they're territorial about their beaches

DMV, make friends with a local who can hook it up or plan on being there forever. I bought a used car here and the dealer guy was like "Hell no, i'm not letting you get stuck there." So he took care of it for me.

I do find the locals here rude and racist towards whites, sorry my opinion based on my experiences and experiences of others. But i'm not saying don't move here because some people will love it and some will hate it. There are many things I dislike and many things i like. Best thing to do is make friends with locals and stateside imports, to me on this island it's about who you know, but as always watchout no matter what color they are or where they're from.

Wow!! This was the single most informative thread I've read through the entire site...And at after two days of solid reading, I've read quite a bit! Thank you to everyone that takes their time and makes an honest effort to help the people reading these threads. You're providing a bigger service than you might think. To those that start reading this ....keep reading until the very last entry. Trust! 😉

Agree completely..St. Croix blows...Never setting foot back on this place..

Important to note that everything HurryUpAndWait posted above is specific to his/her views of St. Thomas.

St. Croix is a very different place and the majority of those comments do not apply.

Actually all of those comments do apply hops..You sound like a local though and I could see why you would disagree..lol...Just face it. St. Croix sucks. The water is the only nice thing.

Come on TSA, don't hold back, tell us what you really think? And yes, I am a local.

It speaks for itself Linda..

Hey he's a new guy who moved here and doesn't like it, it happens....a lot. I know after my honeymoon was over I had a bit of frustration as well, probably would have left if we hadn't have had a contract, but now it's just home. There are many reasons why most only stay a year or two, it's beautiful here but it's NOT paradise. 🙂

Very informative indeed! I think everyone will take from it some good hard advice and deepen their research even more.

And soul search. It's not all about what you can find out about the island. Mostly it has to do with what you find out about yourself.

if it was easy, everyone would move here

Hey he's a new guy who moved here and doesn't like it, it happens....a lot. I know after my honeymoon was over I had a bit of frustration as well, probably would have left if we hadn't have had a contract, but now it's just home. There are many reasons why most only stay a year or two, it's beautiful here but it's NOT paradise. 🙂

Like my friend Diana says, " it's paradise, not heaven"

I hope that the moniker "TSA guy" is just fabricated. I would not like to have someone who is so impatient and impulsive looking after my safety while traveling.

There are a lot of Coloradoans in the VI. I went to CU Boulder and although I don't live there full time yet (own a home there and can't wait to live there FT) I have friends in the VI that live there from my class and have run into other ones from CO that I haven't seen in18 hrs. You may fit right in!