help!wanting to relocate from the states/single with two small children

Hi Amanda,

Welcome to the board :)!

If you use the search feature on this board you will find more answers to your questions than you will probably ever need -- so, I would suggest you start there.

I would absolutely NOT recommend moving to the VI with very little money and camping with small children under any circumstances. You asked if this was a good or bad idea, and IMHO this would be a very bad idea.

I think if you do your research, you will understand the many reasons I am saying what I say. Good luck and we are all right here if you have any other questions.

🙂

ditto with mell...I dont think you would have the easiest time finding a job in your feild either (hopefully I am wrong) but I can only think of three spa type places off hand so the competation should be tough. Camping on the beach as a single woman let alone with children is a recipe for disaster, please do not do this. It may look like paradise but its not. The usvi is definitely not a place where you want to come with just a little money especially when you have children.

Camping at some place like Mt. Victory Camp up in the rain forest works for some people when they come to check out the island on a PMV, but camping isn't a viable option for daily life on a long-term basis.

If your children are really small, finding daycare can be tough. If they are school age, you would not be wise to put them into the local public schools and the private schools are expensive.

IMHO, you might want to postpone living your dream of relocating to the USVI until your children are grown. A single adult can do OK on one income if they live simply. It isn't very practical for a single parent with two small children and limited resources.

Please dont do this ! It will be very hard for you.Unless you have a support system , ie friends , and money. I was there with teens and we had to come back 🙁 I was wondering have you been there yet?

Bad idea. It's hard enough in the States where you know people & possibly have family or other support systems. Totally unrealistic to camp out with kids here.

No, I have not been to the USVI. thank you for the response. Every response seems to be not to move their with my kids. I realize that many of the islands portrayed so beautifully on tv are considered as third world countries. I know that their are dangerous parts as well. My kids are my only concern and with so many responses that basically said, bad idea I will definitely be rethinking this.

Amanda,
I have a few ideas that are simply my opinion- not even necessary to read them if you don't want to.
Think of what is compelling you to want to move to the USVI. You mentioned that it is a beautiful place. Another perception can be that it is a sanctuary, a paradise, an escape from what we deal with on a daily basis on the mainland.

That being said, if It isn't the right time to make the big move, create an "island sanctuary" mentally. Loose yourself pouring over books (available on this website) about the experience of others that have gone through moving to the USVI.
God bless you and your children. I'll be praying that the right decision comes to you.
PS It's none of my business but can grama or another trusted sitter take the children for a weekend so you can clear your head and think all this over?

Hi Amanda. This might seem like a good idea now....but probably won't when you are on the beach and your babies are hot and scratching all of their nasty insect bites. And, when you need to work and can't get anyone to bablysit because those people, too, are all working to make ends meet on the expensive island. And, then your kids start drinking the water from a cistern and are infected with their first parasite...and you need meds to kill it from within their bodies. And you'll need to eat, regardless...and you go shopping and find that food is 2-3X as expensive as on the mainland, but half the quality.

Can you fish? ok, if you can fish, maybe you can eat reef fish and not get poisoned - but ask the locas here about the poison.

And, if you decide to go, you might want to wait til after the hurricane season, for obvious reasons.

People go down with large sums....hundreds of thousands / millions....and live ordinary lives because that is what it takes. Others go down without much and struggle til they make it...but their stories will raise yoru hair. I would love to give it a try - but not with kids.

My parents did it - twice - with me and my brother. But, they had money, money, money and my dad was with the VI government.....and they still sold everything (I still remember the day it all went up for sale and people came to buy - I made the price tags) to move us back before Jr high. My mom cries when she talks about it - how she just had to give it all up - for us and our education. My dad was glad to come back to the states -he knew too much about the system and resented it - he couldn't make a difference. They could have stayed - they had a dream life there (lovely house, car and driver for mom and us, well-connected friends). My brother and I needed to be here in the states.

If you go, do so with money for all of you to return. Take a looooong vacation. Don't call it a move. The return home will be the design - the stay will be a lark.

Good luck!

Thank you for your input. The concern that I would go down their with the money that I do have and not make it and have to return was definitely a big question of mine. And no I can't fish. Never even thought about the food in that way.
Everyone has been very helpful. Until I posted this on this message board it was very difficult to find out how it "really is" on the islands.
Thank you

I actually have family in FL. That is where I am originally from. I think after just the few messages that I have gotten from people that I will go back to FL. I don't really have any help with my kids. I am with them all day, so it can be very stressfull. I didn't realize it was that bad on the islands. No day care, food poisoning, bad school system. The main reason for my relocation is job opportunity. I am an Aesthetician and I know I can make good money in FL. I guess I was thinking if I was going to move 8 hrs away from home and still not sure how I'll do in FL, then I might as well jut go for it. But my kids are way to important to me to jeopardize their lives. Thank you so much

Amanda,

I think you would be much happier in FL than the islands. If you were really set on moving to the islands, many will give you good advice, but financially it is difficult let alone if you can't come with some money for temporary rentals, etc. Being single and having the option to be near family, I would definitely go where the family is located. Florida is still a warmer climate than most states and I personally have always enjoyed FL. We moved to Atlanta, which was as close as we could get. Good luck with everything!

Teresa

If your main relo reason was job opportunity, do not go to the VI. I am a single mom and I know how hard it is to make everything work out. Sometimes, I am breathless. This is one of my biggest deterrents to moving to the VI - aside from the obvious school system issue.

Here's another thing to consider. I work for a Fortune 100 company. I know that my company has an operation in the VI. We actually have corporate estates (large homes behind gates, sitting on beautiful pieces of land) on the islands. Those homes are, now, empty - except for 1 of them.

Why?

The company hires executives to move down and take these VI jobs. The guys (all have been men) are allowed to ask their wives along for a visit - and the wives and men are allowed to remodel the homes! Yes, they rip out the kitchens and replace, get all new furnishings, add deck here, etc. I know, for fact, that the last corporate remodel was around $100k (JUST the remodel). Six months later, the people are GONE! The wife moves down after the remodel...and brings the kids. She hates it...for all of the reasons mentioned (except money - they have everything paid for - All expenses are paid - cars, house, utilities, gas, so many trips home per year.....but they leave anyway)

You have to be there because you love it, DESPITE everything practical. It isn't all bad. People with the right attitude, certain expectations (or lack thereof), patience, certain lifestyle....they can really love it!!

If you are going for a career move - forget it. You have to go with the assumption that your career may end - and you may have to work 3 jobs to make the same money. I don't think careers have the same importance down there. People with advanced degrees and high-powered careers in the states go down to the VI and find themselves waiting tables and selling timeshares.

All that being said, I can understand the desire to "check out!". I've often thought that if I lose my job, I'll sell everything and "check out" of my life for a while....and see how I make out down there. I can totally relate to that desire. But, I know enough people who have tried it to be afraid - very afraid.