Living like a Crucian

This was your only comment that surprised me. I didn't think that perception was created on this board?

The perception that I got from this board was that it's difficult to find some food items, and that you'd have to go to multiple food stores whenever you shop. But Plaza Extra turned out to be as big and as diverse in produce as any other supermarket on the continent. The only remarkable difference was the choice of background music. Instead of Chopin, Tchaikovsky, and Schubert, the shoppers are treated with Caribbean tunes. There were also some hymns with Jesus prominently featured. That would not be tolerated even in my below the Bible Belt state.

That's interesting. I know the owners well and they are not Christian.

IT

Day 3. I experimented with sleeping without the AC, and it was not bad. I imagine my host would be pleasantly surprised when she sees the electric bill.

However, the rooster was at it again. There were distinct overtones in his crowing last night. He sounded reluctant, as if he was torn between the two forces, one telling him, "I am a rooster. Therefore I must crow", and the other one, "Why bother?". I can sympathize with that. In a sense, I have the same dilemma. Because of this relationship between us, I decided that the rooster and I are now the soul mates, and I will call him Peter.

The roosters are very inspring, here's my wife's take on one (that we later captured, and relocated many miles away; after a brief family vote on if I should serve fresh chicken for dinner or turn the rooster in to a beach dweller, the margines were close and the "relocation" faction won out by 1 vote).

just remeber, it could be worse... you could have one of these outside your window:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8qeUWOBN6U

Thank goodness our house never had the crowing roosters, and most of the loud dogs were a distance away. HOWEVER, we had many nights I couldn't sleep because the chorus of frogs (especially after rain) were all so loud! It's now a fond memory, and something really cool, but there were many times I wanted to walk out and yell at nature to just pipe down, already. *stomps curmudgeon foot*

😀

I am enjoying your philosophical approach to things, it's very refreshing.

Thanks, boyd46. Yes, so far, the best thing that happened to me since I landed on STX was that I am able to think freely.

On the continent, my head was busy with questions like "How safe is it to bet on the Japan defaulting on its sovereign debt and the devaluation of the yen?", "When does this damn winter end?", "Should I vote the left or the right in 2016?", "Is it time to replace my memory foam mattress?".

Here on STX, I am thinking: "What came first, the chicken or the egg?", "How does it feel to be a turtle?", "If I throw a stone in the Caribbean Sea, by how much the ocean level would rise?", "What do I need to do to be happy?".

Are you sure you're not hearing doves? They can sound like owls. There is only one small species of owl ever found on St Croix, and they are extremely, extremely rare - the Puerto Rican screech owl, and it trills, not the "whooo whooo" sound you're most likely hearing.

If you're really hearing a screech owl we need to let a biologist know - they haven't been found in years. Olasee in the article St X posted would be the one to know - I've spent time with him, he knows just about everything to do with St Croix flora and fauna and is an awesome person.

I'm putting my money on you're hearing zenaida doves (or mourning doves) if you're hearing a "coo-oo coo coo coo" sound - which can sound like "whooo-oo oo oo oo" - zenaida doves are very common on St Croix, and mourning doves are spreading. But not owls. 🙂

I think I hear "whooo-hoo-hoo-hoo". Next time, I'll record it, post it, and let you folks decide.

When my father passed away, some mourning doves nested in a garden box, outside on my mother's balcony.

When my mother passed away, a pair of them showed up on our lawn, and have been here ever since.

Now, I think of them differently...

While driving around STX, I've seen the gathering of mourning doves on the island, and I've thought of them as reincarnated human couples, who could not afford to live on an island in their former lives, hence they were born as mourning doves, on STX, and are now enjoying their retirement.

I've said to many.... "Watch out...! - Make room...! - Those are the reincarnated retirees, comin to their island paradise..."

🙂

Are you sure you're not hearing doves? They can sound like owls. There is only one small species of owl ever found on St Croix, and they are extremely, extremely rare - the Puerto Rican screech owl, and it trills, not the "whooo whooo" sound you're most likely hearing.

If you're really hearing a screech owl we need to let a biologist know - they haven't been found in years. Olasee in the article St X posted would be the one to know - I've spent time with him, he knows just about everything to do with St Croix flora and fauna and is an awesome person.

I'm putting my money on you're hearing zenaida doves (or mourning doves) if you're hearing a "coo-oo coo coo coo" sound - which can sound like "whooo-oo oo oo oo" - zenaida doves are very common on St Croix, and mourning doves are spreading. But not owls. 🙂

I think I hear "whooo-hoo-hoo-hoo". Next time, I'll record it, post it, and let you folks decide.

That's not a screech owl. You're hearing doves. 😉 They can sound like owls.... Whooo-oo-OO-oo-OO or Whoo-ooo-ooo-ooo.

Puerto Rican screech owls make more of a rapid high pitch staccato cu-cu-cu-cu call - some people in the islands call them cuckoo birds as a result (which they're not). It is a myth that all owls call, "whooo."

When my father passed away, some mourning doves nested in a garden box, outside on my mother's balcony.

When my mother passed away, a pair of them showed up on our lawn, and have been here ever since.

Now, I think of them differently...

While driving around STX, I've seen the gathering of mourning doves on the island, and I've thought of them as reincarnated human couples, who could not afford to live on an island in their former lives, hence they were born as mourning doves, on STX, and are now enjoying their retirement.

I've said to many.... "Watch out...! - Make room...! - Those are the reincarnated retirees, comin to their island paradise..."

🙂

Aww that's great. They aren't very smart sometimes, we do need to watch out for them and give them space. Very sweet perspective you have.

Definitely Morning Doves. The otyher day, I had the pleasure of finding a rooster crowing maniacally while comfortably perched upon a planter directly outside my open kitchen window. It actually sounded like it was inside the house. Sometimes as you are derifting asleep, it sounds like the roosters are talking to you

Day 3 (continued). I stopped by a nice beach side restaurant for a burger, fries, and Mango Ale. That cost me $21 with tips. Looks like the dinner for 2 would be about $80. Next, I headed to see what Fredreksted is. I walked all the way, to experience it up close and personal. Here are the highlights.

People in North Carolina tell me that I am a sinner. From the moment of conception. This is the price I pay for Eve daring to taste the forbidden fruit about 6,000 years ago. Apparently, the STXers are sinners, too, for they build this house of worship to praise the Lord, to eat the flesh of Jesus, and to drink his blood. Wait, sorry, this is a Methodist church:

The local beach, contaminated by beer and soda cans:

A local theater. The place was closed, so I could not see what kind of spectacles are offered there:

This is the place where I'll have my triple bypass surgery when the time comes:

A very nice walking path by the sea:

Don't know what this is:

A collection of embassies?

Yet another rooster:

A town square:

A shop that is both "open" and "closed" at the same time:

An abandoned building:

A rental place for a mother-in-law if she decides to come for a visit:

Day 3 (continued). Looked up the official stats on crime in VI. This discussion board has been a good resource, but I got the impression that many local residents get somewhat defensive when there is a discussion about crime. The typical responses appear to be "yeah, there is crime, but it's everywhere in the states, too", "you just have to be careful", and "don't look for trouble".

I sensed what seemed to me like an effort to cover up certain things, so I looked it up by myself.

Big red flag #1. After the last two hurricanes, there was civil disorder on STX: pervasive looting, murder, larceny. Several prominent citizens, including the police chief of Frederiksted, were among the looters. What's even worse was that that same police chief was elected to the public office again! This just does not compute in my head. Reference: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/hurricane/archives/hugo89a.htm

Big red flag #2. Virgin Islands are the second most dangerous place on the planet, after Honduras, based on the murder rates per capita. I anticipate that I will hear "yeah, but it's all confounded to bad neighborhoods, and is either gang-related or domestic violence". But I bet that the Honduras Bureau of Tourism has the same excuse.

I'll tell you what. If the good people of STX continue to tolerate this nonsense, I'll be coming forward as a Crucian Batman to restore law and order, but only for the remainder of my stay here. After that, you are on your own.

Enjoy your chronicles as well as your writing style, it makes reading it quite enjoyable, and some funny stuff too.

Wanderer, I may be reading it totally wrong, but to me it you are coming across as snarky and condescending. Witty though. When you speak about trying to find "real Crucians" and then limit yourself to questionable areas and businesses, you're saying that's exclusively where the "real Crucians" hang out. Those of us who have been around for a while know that is not the case. Suggest you expand your horizons.

Wanderer, I may be reading it totally wrong, but to me it you are coming across as snarky and condescending...

+1

Wanderer, I may be reading it totally wrong, but to me it you are coming across as snarky and condescending. Witty though. When you speak about trying to find "real Crucians" and then limit yourself to questionable areas and businesses, you're saying that's exclusively where the "real Crucians" hang out. Those of us who have been around for a while know that is not the case. Suggest you expand your horizons.

+100 Very charitably put.

I/We understand that there is a lot to wrap one's head around when you arrive, and that adjustment can be more harsh than the bulk of Jimmy Buffet/Bob Marley songs would suggest. Still, coping through condescension is a pretty lame and somewhat damaging tactic.

Wanderer, I may be reading it totally wrong, but to me it you are coming across as snarky and condescending. Witty though. When you speak about trying to find "real Crucians" and then limit yourself to questionable areas and businesses, you're saying that's exclusively where the "real Crucians" hang out. Those of us who have been around for a while know that is not the case. Suggest you expand your horizons.

Thanks for expressing what I've been thinking, too.

i thought it was funny

When you speak about trying to find "real Crucians" and then limit yourself to questionable areas and businesses, you're saying that's exclusively where the "real Crucians" hang out. Those of us who have been around for a while know that is not the case. Suggest you expand your horizons.

Thank you for your feedback, Linda. Are you referring to my review of Frederiksted? This was a self-guided walking tour. It's my first time here, so I don't know where "questionable areas" are. I just strolled around and documented what I observed. The purpose of my visit and this thread is not to promote tourism to Frederiksted, but to find out if I want to live here. Granted, my perceptions are biased by my character.

When you speak about trying to find "real Crucians" and then limit yourself to questionable areas and businesses, you're saying that's exclusively where the "real Crucians" hang out. Those of us who have been around for a while know that is not the case. Suggest you expand your horizons.

Thank you for your feedback, Linda. Are you referring to my review of Frederiksted? This was a self-guided walking tour. It's my first time here, so I don't know where "questionable areas" are. I just strolled around and documented what I observed. The purpose of my visit and this thread is not to promote tourism to Frederiksted, but to find out if I want to live here. Granted, my perceptions are biased by my character.

This is a very sophisticated troll...don't feed it.

You can be pretty much guaranteed that the intent of this particular troll is to cast St. Croix in as bad a light as possible, all the while covering up with claims of innocence.

Readers will learn nothing new here. Just the usual stuff about our crime, our roads, our old buildings, our trash, our lazy people, our bad service, our third world status, our corrupt officials...you now, all the stuff that doesn't happen anywhere else but here, where people come with the highest expectations possible.

The wanderer needs to wander to the airport, catch a flight, and wander back to the perfect world that he left to come here. You have to "find a place to make your stand" and there are those of us who choose to make our stand here. This is an island. It was never meant to support the kind of society that was forced upon it by people who have long since died or left for greener pastures. This is a predominantly BLACK CULTURE, and that means everything in this world...in terms of perception, investments, etc. Companies would rather relocate to Calcutta (wanna see some real filth and poverty???) and deal with Indians than come here and deal with AMERICAN Black people. The things that you make your snarky observations about have roots that you can't begin to imagine.

In the long run, "wanderer" will decide that he cannot possibly live here because we have too much crime, our buildings are run down, we have bad hospitals and schools, our roads have potholes, the food sucks and is expensive, and there are too many Black people (that's the main reason, but he will mask it in subtle terms.)

I call BS.

DEAL, "wanderer"

I'm also puzzled reading these posts - half of them seem to be charming and funny, half of them are underhandedly derogatory...I don't get it. Why would the OP come to the island and document what seems to be a secret insulting agenda?

wanderer, maybe you think you're being funny - but for the most part it reads a bit pompous and less of an adventure and more of a series of judgments. You say it's your writing style, I get that, we all have ways we write and some rub some people the wrong way while others enjoy - but I still don't understand why you are choosing your base subject material to subtly snark about.

...Granted, my perceptions are biased by my character..

You are on the wrong board if your perceptions are biased...

..I'll be coming forward as a Crucian Batman to restore law and order, but only for the remainder of my stay here. After that, you are on your own...

That is good, present yourself as a savior... You are going to feel the wrath from the participants of this board... May I suggest you dress as Batman and bring Robin to protect you?

One last recommendation, I would stop writing "real crucians" over and over again, specially with the quotation marks...

I will comment no further...

"wanderer" reached deep into his bowels and pulled out this gem:

"Big red flag #1. After the last two hurricanes, there was civil disorder on STX: pervasive looting, murder, larceny. Several prominent citizens, including the police chief of Frederiksted, were among the looters. What's even worse was that that same police chief was elected to the public office again! This just does not compute in my head. Reference: [www.washingtonpost.com]
"

Really?? How does this NOT count as a slam against St. Croix? Was there looting and murder in New Orleans after Katrina, or is looting a St. Croix specialty?

Did you know that some businesses on St. Croix gave away stock after Hugo (like Pueblo for example...and when people came from the nearby housing project and took stuff that was being given away because there was no power and all that frozen stuff was going to spoil, the presstitute media filmed it and splattered it across America as "looting"). The presstitutes love a story that follows one of their scripts, and "machete-wielding gangs of Black looters" was just too juicy for them to pass up on. Here's a clue for you: when we have a storm, the men get together with machetes and clear away fallen trees from the roads. We have real men here who can still use tools. If we had chainsaws they'd have called us "chainsaw-wielding gangs of Black looters". Beware of the presstitutes.

Adelbert Bryant (the police chief you mentioned) supposedly took some plywood. If you want to debate the details with him, I'm sure Adelbert Bryant would be happy to have a discussion with you. How much have your public officials on the mainland taken from you? Much more than a couple of sheets of plywood, I'd say. Do you know of all of the circumstances surrounding the plywood incident, or are you just regurgitating what you read in the papers?

Which public official on the mainland can you vouch for as 100% clean? Why are so many members of Congress multi-millionaires? Couldn't possibly be because of corruption, that only happens on St. Croix, right?

You have a HUGE backyard that needs cleaning. You should clean it before making snarky observations about other people's backyards.

Here's some insight for you:

This is a Black community. Corporations are reluctant to invest funds in Black communities. In order to attract investors, Black communities have to make all kinds of concessions in the form of tax incentives, etc. Black communities are historically economically disadvantaged. This leads to lack of monies to maintain infrastructure. People migrate to St. Croix from other Black communities that are even more economically disadvantaged, so any improvement in their lifestyles that they experience here is a plus. The corporations that do invest here are not interested in improving the quality of life, but are interested in sucking as much revenue as they can from the community. The people who live a lifestyle that is more geared towards island living can go into their yards and return with baskets of home-grown fruits and vegetables within ten minutes. That is what we were about before the carpet-baggers came here and decided that this was to be their American "paradise" until it fell out of favor...
Do not come here making snarky observations and assuming that everything is equal. Things are not equal now, and have not been equal for hundreds of years.

Day 4. The people of St Croix are very sensitive creatures. Even using the term "Crucian" may offend them. Apparently, they divide themselves into the following categories: "Ancestral Native Virgin Islanders", "Native Virgin Islanders", "Virgin Islanders", "Transplants", and "PMVers". The last category is where I fall in, "the pre-move visitor". The "Transplant" is the next level up when you rip yourself from the continent, and surgically insert yourself to the STX land. If you behave yourself, pay your electric bill on time, and submit two letters of recommendation, you may be promoted to the status of a "Virgin Islander". Not sure yet what's involved if you want to climb the island ladder to the top two categories.

Thoroughly enjoying this blog of your experience. Making me laugh and miss my island.

Wow. wanderer more and more seems to me to be a troll sock, not a sincere person on a PMV. What a complicated and time-consuming method to troll this board with.

Native Son wins +100 Internets today.