leaving stories?

It's always been a revolving door and very few who move here stay forever and for a cornucopia of reasons. I've known people who've left after one weekend and others who've left after decades and all in between. Jobs, health, children, family - the reasons are wide and varied.

1. Employers

2. Employees

thats a given ot

what i would really be most interested is in actually hearing from those who left-their story about why they came and what made them want to leave , as was stated in the op

thats a given ot

what i would really be most interested is in actually hearing from those who left-their story about why they came and what made them want to leave , as was stated in the op

The majority who leave doesn't continue to post here as they go about their lives in their new homes. I seem to recall that you're planning on leaving so you have your own particular reasons just as do others.

There are several people still "members" of the forum who've come and gone and some of them may be willing to explain at more length the reason for their leaving if you contacted them via PM. I have a few score and ten personal friends with whom I stay in touch and each and every one has left for one or more of the reasons I quickly listed. A few of them may be willing to share their stories with you but I'm not sure you'll learn anything much by hearing from them directly. Many of them are on FB so I can always PM you some names and you can contact them that way.

Not gone yet but wish to move to FL next year for a year to see if
it suits me. If so, I'll make it permanent. That's the plan at any rate.

My reasons are a disenchantment with the VI government, the constant waste and BS that goes on here with our inept leadership that gets me absolutely crazy, the continuing increasing costs of living, the lack of affordable and available individual health insurance, proximity to family that has already moved stateside and a need for a change. That's the short list.

I'll keep my home here, rent the main house and use the apt. as a home base to come and go as needed until I figure if I can adapt to stateside living and if I enjoy it. If I do, then I will sell my house and make the move permanent. If I don't, my tenants will have to find elsewhere to live when their lease is up.

I'll miss my gorgeous views and my wild parakeets in the trees but many friends and family have already moved on. So, I'll be off to check things out. I may be back. I may not be back. ??????*-):@)

Not gone yet.....next April is when I hope to head off island.
Lot's to do between now and then.
Beginning to downsize all my belongings, for starters, is a challenge in itself!:-o

I came in '95 after my daughter was grown and I had been widowed for 5 years. I left when my only child moved to Florida and she and her husband were expecting my first grandchild. Children are a big, big pull for many, especially grands! While in Florida I got very sick and could not work and my father got sick as well and my mother needed me nearer to her. Long story short. While here, I met and subsequently married my husband and he and I moved to Arkansas to basically take care of elderly family.
We always knew we'd come back to St. Croix, but, didn't realize how long a journey taking care of my mother with Alzheimer's and my daddy had Dementia.
Took us some time cause we took great care of my Mom and she passed away 5 years ago this month at 93. Daddy succumbed in 2000.
We moved back 3.5 years ago and not much has changed in those years with the exception of Hess closing. Wouldn't live anywhere else on planet Earth and I've traveled the world. This is home to me!

thank you alana and rosiesland. i find it interesting to know the full story and not just the pull here.

not knowing is kind of like not reading the last couple of chapters in a book and not knowing how it ends

I'll have a lot to adjust to as I've lived here almost all my life.
I always thought I'd live here forever but things change as one gets older and priorities shift.

Ah yes, the Virgin Islands, land of broken dreams and broken toys (LOTS of broken toys).

We were blown away by Hurricane Marilyn and its aftermath.

Gotta ask. Is your son really a gator?:D
Where did you relocate to?

"If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere. It's up to you....." Wait that's New York's theme song!

I agree with the rest. People come and go for many varied personal reasons and personal preferences.

I would have loved to hear from you speee1dy what was your personal story for moving to USVI, and when you learned the "dental hygienist" had moved on, did you ask the Dentist why they left their job?

Did others in the office know why they left? Did you inquire? Maybe they did not make enough meaningful connections on the Island to warrant a stay. Clearly, it was not a lack of employment, so maybe it was something else no one else could have helped with.

Keep us posted and enjoy the rest of the week ahead!

I know one guy who came here on vacation with one suitcase and stayed for 25 years. I also know one lady who came here on a Friday (with a job lined up) and left before work started on Monday. Those are probably the outliers. I don't think that people leaving post here, for the most part. But watch the posts of people who are ready to leave. They become very negative as if to convince themselves they are making the right decision- and they are.

It is said again and again. Living here is not for everyone. And sometimes not forever.

My leaving story will most likely be about schooling for our boy. We have 4 years to think about it. I didn't necessarily come here for forever but even with it's frustrations and quirks I do not see myself leaving any time soon.

I had a young couple move here. Tenants of mine. Both were bartenders/wait staff. Got mugged and beat up pretty badly after 3 weeks. Never made the papers. They left a week later and left most of their stuff behind.

I came here sight unseen with a suitcase and a 1 way ticket, $500 and am still here 40 years later. No plans to leave.

I came here sight unseen with a suitcase and a 1 way ticket, $500 and am still here 40 years later. No plans to leave.

Good for you! And, did you make some amazing friends that made all the difference which contributed to your staying on the island?

Exit Zero, I think I took a play from your book. But I came with one duffle bag, a round trip ticket, and $300 in cash, 16 years ago. I wouldn't recommend doing the same, but it can work. I was grossly unprepared for what island life was like.

I just returned from an unexpected nearly 5 month stay in the states and I can say there is very little I miss about stateside living. I am so glad to be home that it almost makes me want to cry.

For me I had $300, one backpack with clothes, two trunks with camping gear and tools, and one dog when I moved to STX with a one way ticket over 12 years ago. I did not have much money, but sure had a lot of fun! And still do.
Glad to know I'm not the only one who survived without a PMV and $10k minimum, although there is definitely a difference between being young and single vs. older, married with kids. These days $300 would be gone in a heartbeat.

Even so, I'm still happily here, with no plans to leave either.

I wasn't recommending coming here like Julie, Nohstx and I all did and times are certainly different too - I just didn't have a 'leaving story' plan to tell.
The transiency over my time here has been noticeable without any one overwhelming reason other than - "things Change" - a hundred reasons why people move on to other places and a fair number of them move to even more interesting places having enjoyed the time here, and because I was in the boating world so much here, sailing away was just an integral part of the journey.
I will note that the children who see their friends leave every year seem to feel it each school year but now as adults those kids have friends scattered all over the world and tend to see travel as a perfect adventure for the rest of their lives.

I still have friends who have lived here as long as I have but retirement, health, grandchildren, new interests and sadly "natural causes" diminishes that network over decades.

i have posted my arriving story before-not a big deal.

no i did not ask the others in the office why she left-not my place. besides it would be hearsay and not first hand.

i just think it would be nice if the leavers would post their leaving stories also.

we all know why people leave, but it is not the same as hearing first hand accounts as to why

i just think it would be nice if the leavers would post their leaving stories also.

If you don't get the satisfaction you're looking for now, look on the bright side - when you write your leaving story you may just set a whole new trend and start filling a gap for others who in the future may need to know first-hand details rather than "hearsay".

Hopefully my leaving story will be:
"EZ left STT today to be buried at sea" - " sometime last week de man he jus' wake up dead"

Wow thanks for sharing! Awesome to hear the love and life stories!