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Your enthusiasm is contagious! I have been sitting here til my back hurts reading as far back as January. I am moving to STT in August. My husband is already living there and is working. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that much of our research on the Virgin Islands is a comparison to D.C. We live in the Midwest, but my husband lived in D.C. for a year (Nov. 2003 to Nov. 2004) and I refused to move there. When he was offered a job in STT, I said no first, but have come around since then (obviously). When he lived in D.C. he paid $2000.00 per month in rent for a tiny two bedroom apartment. He couldn't get a parking spot so he parked on the street. He got a bazillion tickets for not having D.C. plates. His SUV was dented from people pulling out of tiny parking places and bumping his truck. The local grocery store was 10' wide by 20' long and had no parking so he walked there. Groceries were high priced. Gas was high priced. People were not friendly. Driving to work he would get angry at the 'stupid' tourists. Getting his vehicle licensed was a hassle and a half. He had to pay all those parking tickets for not having a D.C. plate before he could get a D.C. plate to avoid all those parking tickets. Crime was problem and police were not helpful. You couldn't vote (taxation without representation).
My husband is from Mississippi. He is Southern and likes things slower paced and friendlier. So do I. Well, when considering moving to the Virgin Islands we pretty much felt it was just like D.C. EXCEPT it is warm, has a great view from everywhere, things are slower paced, taxes are less, rent is cheaper, and did I mention WARM! Reading many of the postings on this site has made me laugh a bit. Even with the crime, hassles, living without certain material goods, and cost of the Virgin Islands I think my husband and I will welcome the change. Life is too short to worry about stuff. I mean, where is the adventure in getting everything you need in one store? Anyway, I would have moved to D.C., but we both were looking for something else. We think we may have stumbled on to the Virgin Islands just in time. My husband almost took a job in California. Could you imagine the cost of living, the people, the tourists? Hmmm. Kind of sounds like no matter where you go - there you are. Anyway, I may just be rambling with no rhyme or reason, my head hurts from squinting at the computer screen - my contacts dried out a long time ago. D.C. may be a different adventure for a different time - you know - like when I get tired of warm weather. Oh yeah, and D.C. has hurricanes too. See you on the islands, I plan to visit St. Croix on a weekend when we can.
Peace Out.
Teresa
Posted : May 10, 2004 1:19 am
Thank you Teresa -- you made my day!!! And you nailed it, too. When I told my brother I was planning to move to STX, he asked me how I would feel about paying top price for everything, facing water rationing, and not being able to vote (I work in politics). I told him it would feel just like living in DC!
Next time people want to talk about how hard it is to find an affordable house in the VI, I'm going to mail them the DC real estate listings that show an 800 sq. ft. 1 bedroom condo is listed at $200k plus (and you have to see the place before it is listed, bid over asking, and waive the home inspection if you want to get it) with $500/month condo fees -- and then show them that the folks selling the condo are selling their parking spot separately -- for $30,000. **LOL**
Hope your move goes smoothly -- we leave in under three weeks. We're doing it just in time to miss the huge tourist influx here and, if they can hold off just a bit, the 17 year cicadas that are about to come forth at the rate of 1.5 million bugs per acre.
HipCrip
Posted : May 10, 2004 6:00 pm
