Military with Family in St Croix

Hello Everyone,

I just found out a couple of weeks ago that I will be moving to STX in Feb. I am in the military, married with three children (all school age). I have been reading the posts and of course as anyone moving to a new place I have many concerns. I have lived in Hawaii and various high priced cities. I currently live in Southern California where I pay $3000 for rent so I hope the sticker shock for VI is not much higher Our utilities are not cheap either and gas is currently 3.42 gal for Reg. My main concern is the violence. I am a former police officer with LAPD and have dealt with many young gang members whom my heart just bleeds for because the area I worked was only a few miles from Beverly Hills yet the violence was contained in just pockets of Los Angeles. Talking with the youths I know if anyone gave a darn these kids would change their lives around but no one seems to care. Anyways, in Los Angeles I can choose to pay more and live in an area where I feel safe for my children. The problem with that is the lack of cultural diversity in these areas. The good schools are in predominately Caucasian areas and my children are mixed. But at the same time I can still feel safe going to some of these iffy areas to lets say my favorite eatery or shopping. I prefer for my children to NOT be sheltered from the realities of life but I am not going to subject them to superfluous violence either. I have visited the Bahamas and lived in PR. My husband and I leave the resorts and find the places that tourist don't go just to get the real experience of the culture and people and we take the kids. I have to say that I am pretty street smart and I don't scare easily (I am also a former Marine, Semper Fi), so my main concern is how families from the mainland adjust to the VI? I think PR as far as the culture is totally different from VI. So I just really want a perspective of family life there. I will be arriving on the island in two weeks without my family for 4 months until school ends in CA. I will be researching private schools (2 elementary 1 high school) and housing so if anyone has any suggestions please let me know. Thanks!

(just posted this on CD site as well were I learned about this site)