How many of you live in neighborhoods.......

My "neighborhood" consists of only two other homes because we are on a private road with access to only three homes. I cannot see my neighbor's home. I hear their dogs if they bark, but I can only hear them talking if we are outside and they are outside. We know each other by sight and greet each other when seen on the street. I do not hang out with my neighbors but I have their number in case of emergency. If I screamed (loud!) they would probably hear me and come to investigate. I like our relationship as it stands now.

Now when I lived in Bonne Resolution, I could hear my neighbors sneeze in their bathroom. It is a very dense community. That sort of closeness necessitated a relationship with your neighbor. That may or may not be good depending on your position.

We all live in neighborhoods - where else would we live?

Linda J. - do you really have to be so pissy and mean? I have noticed that you are so quick to defend st x, the islands, and your decision to live there, that sometimes you come across as very rude and offensive. It almost seems as though you think that you belong in a private club - like, er those who moved here first - or something similar.
I thought it was a very sensible question - there are many different patterns of habitation - neighborhood dwelling being only one of them. Contrast your answer and Onika's genuine attempt to help

I had lived on STT for over 10 years before I moved to my present 'hood 11 years ago. In the first 'hood the house was relatively remote (as in private, on a cul de sac) but I did know a couple of my neighbours through business and we were as Onika and her neighbours seem to be. A wave and a greeting but not much more although knowing that they'd hear a scream!

My present 'hood is much more local with a much denser population, and getting to know my neighbours took a very long time. I encountered the same basic suspicion as I encountered when I moved to rural Connecticut many moons ago where the "yankees" there sized me up for a very long time before embracing me.

Do I have a warm and fuzzy relationship with my neigbours in my 'hood? No but yes. It's hard to describe. Were I in trouble they would leap to my aid in a heartbeat, that I do know. I've gone out on a limb sometimes on 'hood problems and although they haven't directly joined me, they know that what I've accomplished has benefited them and have shown their appreciation in many different ways.

It's not really a black/white issue but the funny thing is that some of my neighbours look me to solve 'hood problems because, "you know how to get things done." After 22 years of living here I accept the fact that I'll never be a "bahn here" and I'll never be black but I do know that I care for my neighbours, they feel the same way about me and that if the s*** hits the fan, we'll be helping each other out. It's got everything to do with respect.

As much as I've said, Mark, this is the sort of thing you probably don't need to worry about right now. Most newbies find friends around their own age, hang out together, get themselves situated in one 'hood or the other and get their own group thing going regardless of where they live and without much regard or interest in the locals who live around them. And that works out just fine, so don't fuss about it! Cheers amd hope this helps!

I think Jane is right!!!

Maybe I read too much into the question. Poster said "I know no one needs an explanation of what a neigthborhood is". What did he mean? I guess I do need an explanation of what, in his opinion, a nighborhood consists.

Rude and mean. I don't think so. STX is my home, why wouldn't I defend it?

Peace.

Neighborhoods?

One time we lived in Mokelumne Hill, CA. “Moke Hill” was 7 miles away and the population was 350. Nearest neighbor was just over the hill.

At another place in Seal Beach, CA, we lived in a 4-plex and we had the bottom front ocean side of the place. Our sliding doors opened to the boardwalk and the beach. As people walked by we actually felt we lived in a fish bowl Neighbors were so close, and friendly that everyone kept their doors unlocked so if someone needed something, as in ran out of beer, you would just go upstairs, or down the boardwalk to the nearest refrigerator.

I would assume mbrenner is asking about the latter. I do not consider “Moke Hill” much of a neighborhood. So my question, the same as mbrenner, is how many people live much like the 2 examples above?

STT gave a great example of living in what I would call a neighborhood. I prefer the “Moke Hill” type of living. Do a lot of folks live outside of town? And why? Or why not?

ASEMOVE
Moke Hill? My kids went to Brete Harte High School. I now live down the hill a bit near Amador County. small world...

I did not have a clue that anyone outside of a 30 mile radius even know about Moke Hill. It is a small world. Recently, I was talking with a prospectiive employee, and found out we had the same favorite resturant in a small town named Capitola, CA. Close to Soquel CA, which of course, nobody has heard of either. I assume you are also aware of the frog-jumping contest in St. Andreas?

To me, a "neighborhood" in the States would be defined as a place where the lot sizes are relatively the same, the houses are placed next to each other and are of a smiilar size, the driveways are all the same length and go in the same direction, the backyard of one house abutts the backyard of another house's from a different street, and the blocks are all laid out in a 'grid' pattern, with the grids separated by the streets. This is my definition of a "neighborhood". I haven't lived in a "neighborhood" like that since I moved here over 8 years ago. The first place I lived in (1 1/2 years), I never even met my neighbors, as I couldn't even see their houses from mine, and mine was the first house on the street. In my current home, I live at the end of a dead end road, so I drive by my neighbbors homes everyday, wave to them when I see them, but that's about it. I have been in this place for about 7 years, and I am just now getting to the point where I chat with the people that live next door (this could be due to the fact that he shot his gun at my dog when my dog ran up to greet him as he exited his truck once...he missed). The people that live above and below us , which I can't see, but I hear them every now and then, I have never met, nor seeen. When I visit my friend's homes, they seem to have a very similar arrangement. Does that help any?

The U.S. "neighborhood" which Marty so very aptly describes scares the living daylights out of me but got me thinking. All those houses so close to each other and so similar to each other. Different by virtue of style, shrubbery, driveway length, porticos, etc. but still very close to each other. Keeping up with the Jones's ad nausea.

Remember Pete Seeger's "Little Boxes" song? Little boxes but often nowadays bigger but still basic little boxes with everyone trying to outdo everyone else along with the Stepford Wives routine.

'Hoods here are very different and I thank goodness that they are.

Newbies come and newbies go. And thank goodness for that too!

Mark, as I said in my previous post, I think that this is an issue that you really don't have to worry about as a newbie.

There are many other issues to deal with before you even THINK about the neighbourhood question!

I have lived in 'neighborhoods' for a good deal of my life. They have ranged from the bedroom towns of NYC in Connecticut (Fairfield County) to the Barrios of Mexico in Cuernavaca.

In my move here, I found that the neighborhood I live in is set apart by the people moreso than the housing. Many of the homes were built at approximately the same time and by the same buider, so many features are similar. As it is a sloped valley just up from Gallows Bay, that is where the similarity ends.

Many people have taken a 'Crucian' approach to changing their homes to meet their needs i.e. adding rooms, patios...even entire floors to their homes.

We are an extremely culturally diverse bunch. West Indian, Spanish, Mainland caucasion or African American, etc., but there is the feel of what I miss from the 'old neighborhoods'.

We do not have a neighborhood governance of any type, yet there is an unwritten sense of being good neighbors, and what that means. No one is intrusive, yet most people will go out of their way to be friendly. We try to be kind to each other, and when possible, to offer help to one another. We are not in a contest with each other as we all fall somewhere in the middle class that has predominantly vanished elsewhere. Some homes are close together, and some are set by virtue of the land and slopes far apart.

My closest neighbors I know the names of, and they know mine. We tend to share the harvest of the trees, cuttings of plants but not have block parties or that type of thing (i.e. it is not like living in Long Island, which I did for many years). We try to be courteous about noise level.

The teens do some revving of engines in front of their girlfriends homes. I'm not crazy about that, but they do what teenagers do. There are some courtships going on, and I accept that as a part of life and living in a neighborhood. These same teens also help me if they see me struggling with something as I am disabled, but try not to be (denial??). When they see me staggering around with a weedwacker or something else that is dumb for me even to attempt, most often someone offers to help. They will not accept money, but will take a soda.

I don't know if this has been helpful at all. It is just my experience. I could have chosen to live far out and have no neighbors or to live closer in to Christiansted, but for me, this is the balance I enjoy. I chose carefully and in the end, well when it came to my domicile.

I think that regardless of how one chooses to live, if one's life is bettered or enhanced by where and how they have chosen to live, they have done well. Neighborhood or not. Just my two cents.

Warmest regards and best wishes in your choosing,

Dan G.

"was just wondering, how many of you live in neighborhoods where you have people or families living in close proximity of your dwelling. (I know no one needs an explanation of the definition of a neighborhood) I'm wondering do you like your neighbors?, know your neighbors?, have neighbors?, hang-out with your neighbors?, etc.. Could you guys please elaborate on this topic. Thanks- Mark"

IN my neighborhood, all of the lots are at least an acre. However, we have a very good neighborhood watch. We all look after each others' houses when anyone is absent, and several of us have actually made copies of each others' house keys. If an alarm goes off, you normally have a cluster of neighbors there way before law enforcement gets there. However, we are not too big on hanging out at each others' homes. We rarely visit each other. You just sort of know that your neighbor is there if ever needed.

Do you need to know his/her definition of neighborhood so that you can respond in a less rude manner to the questions? Or can we simply ask for clarity. I know I try not to be the one to put a negative spend on these message board discussions. I enjoy and look forward to asking questions and giving my opinion. I do however look out for those who seem to always respond with negative feedback. At least that is how I see things. Sorry if I am stepping on anyones toes.

Melody: I agree that "neighborhood" really doesn't need a specific definition apart from that described in any dictionary and I think Mark's question about neighborhoods has been well answered for the most part.

As far as negative feedback is concerned, that comes with the territory (pun intended!)

Then comes the definition of "negative" and "realistic" feedback and how one processes same, which is what makes this forum so wonderfully informative, sometimes most entertaining and sometimes downright aggravating.

I generally ignore posters who find this forum and then post a question which has been asked and answered a hundred times. I wish that more posters would take the time to do their homework before posting. This forum is an AWESOME research tool for anyone thinking of relocating to the US Virgin Islands,

But some people are lazy, want immediate answers. I am probaby one of the regular posters who, seeing another dumb general question, sometimes gets my tired old knickers in a twist and posts a terse response along the lines of, "Have you researched this forum?"

You're not stepping on anyone's toes, Melody, just making a point which is well taken and appreciated.

There are many here who will recognize me as a long "poster and voyeor 'sp' of this board. I have to say that this is a great topic. I believe that the nature of the question stems from us outsiders assuming that the average "neighborhood" consisting of the locals is not going to be accomadating to the newbie blood on the block. Hipcrip, in a post long ago and Dan just above have answered well. You reap what you sew (excuse the pun if you research me well). If you move in, and don't introduce yourself and have your own uppity attitude to your neighbor... well don't be offended if you get it back. If you do than bless you, in time that relationship will expand.

Okay side note I typed the above and was thinking and rereading the info... and well dahhhh. It always does end up reaping and sewing (pun still intended).

STT Resident,

I appreciate and understand your response to me on "How many of you live in neghborhoods".

I totally realize that this message board is a valuable research tool. I have to admit to you STT Resident. When I first stumbled across this message board, I was sort of using it I were asking Jeeves on the internet and waiting for some response to come from a big thnk tank network out there in cyberspace.Then I get a little better at it as I got to know the mutiple personailities of the members.

I am just going to be the advocate for the new comers to the post who might or might not be lazy but overwelmed and frantic about an upcoming move or decision to move. This message board was my first real experience in using such a means to obtain information. I think when someone is like that they are easily identified because you can feel the SOS alert in their topics. I began preparing for my move a year in advance and thought I had all the information that I needed. I just knew I had done pretty much all the checks and balances to ensure a smooth and successful move to STX. The message board helped me to stay focused, organized, and realistic. It answered questions that I had and gave me questions to ask. The message board was wonderful for me. It wasn't until about a month before it was time to move that all the loose ends started piling up on me and many of those loose ends could not be handled from the states. All I had time to do was type in a quick yet important request like (shipping question need help, or Need a mailbox ASAP), and hope someone would reply. Sometimes my request for information might have seemed to be a lazy one, but very few times did I not get valuable feedback, advice, and offers to help. So thanks everyone yet again for your support.

The mutiple personalities of this message board are a good thing. I look forward to interesting and creative topics and responses. I am emphathetic to the usual requests that come up every day/week/month. I have come to appreciate the direct responses that appear short and cold ( in my eyes only) but understand that everyone does not have the time or even care to write long detailed narratives (such as this one) smile.

So its all good for anyone who can benefit from the message board in any way. DON'T YOU AGREE?

I absolutely agree with you about the "overwhelmed - where do I start?" - I think that a couple of posters are too short and 'snotty' when a more gentle pointer to the 'search' facility would be much friendlier and welcoming to the island. Time constraint or just personality, who knows - but they are fairly consistent in their terse and rude responses.
This is not their private club - it is for people who want to come to the VI and need help and info for what is a daunting life descision.
If they have relocated to the VI already, then their only function on this forum should be to help newbies with a good attitude.
They can start their own message board - perhaps we could call it -
People who live in the VI and like posting on the Internet.

I have to use Alexandra as an example.
While one has to remember that relocation is a source of income for her as a realtor, she certainly does go above and beyond the call of duty.
Also, if you read her posts, she has a knack of saying ..."DUH" without sounding rude or patronizing.
As I no longer work for RE/MAX, I can know endorse her as an excellent realtor.
Perhaps, the search facility could be highlighted or explained in some way and introduced up front to Newbies as an excellent tool.

Good point Jane, but if everyone who was short in their comments, or verbose, started their own board, wouldn't that change the personality of this one?

I am not talking about short or verbose - I am talking about attitude - there are many ways to say things.

well, I guess if you live in SoCal. Gonna be visiting the wine country for first time, putting off usual trip over the Fourth to STJ.

Islander, Jane made a good point about maybe somehow highlighting the "New to the board, click here first" post. Maybe in caps in bright red, or how about a snazzy little jingle played as soon as someone unregistered comes onto the board? The latter just kidding, getting carried away with the fantasy. But somehow highlighting that first post might help. Might.

If not, then I guess oldtime posters will continue to sometimes reply tersely and new posters will have to deal with it and everyone can just keep on bickering about personality disorders. Cheers, dear!

this is taken from the Board Rules

Be nice to newcomers! If you feel a comment a newcomer made is silly or has been asked many times before – be nice and answer for the sake of being helpful. If you can not do that, then do not respond.