Moving to St. Thomas and need advice

From the research I've done, a lot of people (if you can afford it) like Bolongo Bay or Red Hook. The islands are very small so there is really no "hiding" from a hurrican. I suggest moving inland up higher to combat storm surges and flooding, if there is any.

Also, as far as schools go, a lot of them (well the few of them) require tuition and acceptance much like a college. Have you looked into homeschooling programs?

Just make sure that you can afford a private school. You don't want your kids going to public school here.

Hello my family is considering a move to St. Thomas this coming fall. My husband has a good job opportunity there and we are open minded people who think we would enjoy the change of pace the islands offer. We have a three year old daughter and need some advice on what neighborhoods are the most family friendly and offer easy access to health food stores. We are past the days of wanting to go clubbing and love the ocean but don't need to live right next to it. We are also not wealthy so that might restrict our choices a little. Of course safety is important to us too, concerning crime and hurricanes. Any suggestions on neighborhoods and good preschools would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

You said a bad word. Do a lot of digging on your own. Read all the crime related threads on this site. The VIDaily news etc.

Welcome to the board!
For general living info, read up here. Also, the on-line paper: http://stthomassource.com/
For schools, look into: http://www.vimsia.org/
And if you like the east end (where the Montessori school is), there are condos that are family friendly, like the Anchorage.

Bad word? Are you not allowed to discuss crime?

We were thinking about the Montissori school, we are pretty used to paying a crazy amount of money already for preschool. We currently live in Colorado and have some of the highest child care prices in the US, if you can believe it the public preschool here is actually more expensive then the Montissori school there. Are there any other private schools you would recommend? We are not religious so would like to stick with a preschool that does not focus on religious teachings. Thanks

Bad word? Are you not allowed to discuss crime?

It's in your original questions. Did anyone answer? People will dance around that subject and not give you a direct answer. It's bad for tourism and the economy here.
Home invasions at gunpoint? Car jackings? A police dept. that doesn't give a shit. Come ooonnn dooown!

have fun, you only live once

Hey it's sounds just like my home town, Tucson, AZ! I understand crime unfortunately just trying to avoid areas we might not be welcome in and areas known to have the highest crime activity. Any helpful advice concerning this would be appreciated. I have read over many of the other postings and plan on doing more research too. Thank you

You would be "welcome" in any neighborhood, it's not like that. If it's what I'm thinking of, East Ender's idea of the Anchorage and the Montissori school is an excellent one for your family situation as described. Another great private non-parochial school is Antilles (where our 5 year old goes) on the southside.

There are a lot of nice areas - even thought the island is small, it takes a while to drive anywhere. Plot where your spouse works and where you might like your child to one day attend school on a map and look nearby. Another great thing about a condo in a large complex with kids is all the friends your child will have without driving them anywhere. Because STT is so mountainous, most of it is not like subdivisions in the states where the kids run back and forth playing in the neighbors' yards. That's been the single thing we feel badly about as it relates to our child -- many STT homes feel isolated from their neighbors if you live in an area with a steep grade (which is most areas other than apartment and condo complexes) .

Don't worry too much about crime. You'll be able to tell when you look at places to live which areas are run-down and which are kept up. Crime can happen anywhere of course, but you don't need to have an electrified fence to be safe. If you take the crime rate of Tuscon and double it on all types, that's pretty much STT. It ain't Maybury but its not escape from new york either, the recent robbing of an ice cream shop with AK-47s notwithstanding 😉

I always tell people to assume that no neighborhood is safe (not even Stateside), because crime happens everywhere and you have to.take precautions in every situation.

The East End would probably be the most convenient for your family because of the Montessori school, but if your husband is working in town, the commute will be frustrating. Antilles School is closer to town, and the North Side neighborhoods are very family friendly.

Antilles is another recommended school, although I like the kids that come out of Montessori- but then I am a fan of the Montessori method. Even a school like All Saints, which is affiliated with the Anglican cathedral, is not very religious-kind of like the modern church. LOL

Pay no attention to Tiberius, a one-trick pony, if you check past posts. 😛

While you can poll us, the best idea is to come down, get the lay of the land. Neighborhoods are definitely different. I live in what I consider a safe area, but there are terminally unfinished houses and feral chickens reminding me that I am not in Big America anymore. Rent something for six months to see if the area suits you.

On another note, you asked about health food stores...What is it you are looking for? There is a health food store in the Havensight area for dry goods. The Fruit Bowl, next to the hospital has a good variety of fresh produce. There is a place in Tutu mall that sells expensive pee (or vitamins!)

There's also a health food store in the next building over from Pueblo before you get to Havensite.

St Croix-4 Montessori schools on island. Good Hope country day preschool is an excellent preschool. And the Stone preschool. Several other small preschool options. For older children, Good Hope Country Day and A to Z academy are the two main private schools that are not parochial. Parochial schools are St Mary's and Free Will Baptist-much more affordable options for many family's.

I think a seaplane communte from where they are going to live, in STT, to a Montessori on St. Croix might be a bit cost-prohibitive 😉

Hey it's sounds just like my home town, Tucson, AZ! I understand crime unfortunately just trying to avoid areas we might not be welcome in and areas known to have the highest crime activity. Any helpful advice concerning this would be appreciated. I have read over many of the other postings and plan on doing more research too. Thank you

The big difference is you can go somewhere else in AZ. Here there's no place to run to. Except AZ.

East Ender: Quote
Pay no attention to Tiberius, a one-trick pony, if you check past posts

Yeah. Pay no attention. Like he said. See everyone dancing around the subject like it doesn't exist? You can't avoid it here. It comes to you. It doesn't matter where you are or what time of day or night. Just ask Rotohead. He's a victime of a home invasion. At gunpoint.

P.S. There's a part of Saint Thomas nicknamed Little Beirut. And it's not because they have great Falafel.

I am sorry about Rotorhead's tribulations. He lives on St Croix.

I have never heard of Little Beirut, but I'll bet you these folks are not going to live there. Nor are they going to live in Savan, Hospital Ground, Bovoni, by Jala Jala or El Cubano... I don't think anyone here has ever tried to hide the problem of crime. I linked the Source, which has a murder count (18 on St Croix, 15 on St Thomas for 2013) as well as articles about the other thuggery that occurs. What I don't understand is, if you think it is so horrible, what are you still doing here?

just out of curiosity, where is Little Beirut? I hadn't heard of it before, but we've also not been here long either. Thx.

I am sorry about Rotorhead's tribulations. He lives on St Croix.

I have never heard of Little Beirut, but I'll bet you these folks are not going to live there. Nor are they going to live in Savan, Hospital Ground, Bovoni, by Jala Jala or El Cubano... I don't think anyone here has ever tried to hide the problem of crime. I linked the Source, which has a murder count (18 on St Croix, 15 on St Thomas for 2013) as well as articles about the other thuggery that occurs. What I don't understand is, if you think it is so horrible, what are you still doing here?

I didn't say it was horrible. There are a lot of people who think it's paradise. They came here for vacation or honeymoon and based on that experience they decide to move here. It's just a heads up before some one uproots their entire family, spends a small fortune and 6 months later say to themselves "I wish I had known sooner". The cost of living is difficult enough here.
And it's a safe bet they won't move to those places. I had a house in the states that was in a private lake community. Great schools. Great shopping. Great. Great. Great. When I put the house up for sale, a realtor stated (in front of potential buyers mind you) "look at all the security measures in this house. You'd think he lives in a bad neighbor hood or something". I replied: "yeah because the bad people stay in the bad neighborhoods. Right"? The difference is the bad neighborhoods were ALOT farther away.

Message Removed: Please revisit board rules regarding forum etiquette.

Rules of coming to the VI:
1. Do not burn your bridges. (Do not sell your house back in the real world or make your boss mad)
2. Rent for 6 months. (Do NOT buy and do not rent sight unseen)
3. If it doesn't work out, don't worry. (Go back and be glad you tried the road less traveled.)

Cholla4: Historically residents have tried to wave newcomers away. They see so many come and go that it is kinder to shoo 'em off first. If you move here anyway, they will be reserved. If you make a positive contribution to the community, they will welcome you. It is NOT America, it is NOT paradise, but it is a pretty nice spot, if you ask me. 😉

Message Removed: Please revisit board rules regarding forum etiquette.

So where is this 'Little Beirut' area in St Thomas -- I know where the area that used to be called "Mt. Sinai' and the area called 'Downtown Charlotte Somalia' but haven't seen any good falafel stands anywhere.

i dont even know what a falafel is