Moving to VI

I haven't made it there yet, but my move date is in September. I have study the islands for almost three years and I can only tell you what I have learned.

First I read every post within the last year and then slowly started reading more.

Second I read every book I could get my hands on about the islands.(over and over again)

Third I bought the Settlers hand book (also read three times) and highlighted everything I needed for quick reference.

Lastly, I started posting my questions on this and the vacation board. The vacation board also has alot of good info.

I also use the search bar for anything I want to ask about BEFORE I post a question otherwise you might be told to search the subject anyway. Most people recommend a Pre Move Visit. (research on search bar)

When are you planning a move? All I can say is injest as much information as you can get your hands on, it really helps!!

Gook Luck with your search!

Pink

Pink's got the idea. And the PMV is imperative. Living here is nothing like vacationing here....and also nothing like living in the United States, so don't expect things to be like 'there', wherever 'there' is. Besides, you are comming 'here' to be away from 'there', so absorb the differences and accept them, instead of dwelling on why they are the way they are. They are the way they are, and that's probably how they will stay, as they have always been done that way, so why should we change them (that seems to be as good a reason as any for our way of life here and about why we don't change certain things). On the PMV, go to the bank, go to WAPA, go to Innovative and see how long it will be to have phone service hooked up at a new apartment that has no dial tone, go to the cable office and see how long for that, do some actual grocery shopping, go to Cost-U-less, go to a post office for a P.O. box, then get back in line to see how long it will take you to pick up a package that wouldn't fit in your P.O. box...then, after finally making it to the front of the line...go get in the correct line, etc. Stand in these lines for a while, get a feel for what your day to day life will be like. Drive a car from point A to B at, say, 8 o'clock in the morning and see how long it takes to get there. Try the same thing in the other direction at 5:15. Do some shopping for certain items that you absolutely cannot live without...then, when you can't get them here, find out what others do to get around it. These are the types of things that some people get so sick of after a few momths that they end up moving back to the States. Others accept them and fit right in. Kinda hard to determine what category you fit into until you do the PMV. Good luck to ya! I made the move over 8 years ago having never been here before (STOOOOOO-PID!), but it has worked out well for me. I belive I may be an exception to the rule here.

As an adjunct, do your PMV and your research on this forum, period. If you don't have the time to do the research and you don't have the money to do a PMV, then forget it. Sorry to seem terse but...

Well said Marty on STT, couldnt have explained it better.

Very nice advice so far!

I would add that you should not sell everything. Put your stuff in storage for 6 months or more and see how it goes. Don't burn your bridges back home. Tell people you are going for a period of time, you'll see them later. If you don't find island life to your liking, it will be easier to return. But do stick it out for your designated period.

BTW, while I am an advocate of an in-depth look-see visit, I am aware of many people who got on a plane 20 or more years ago and have never considered returning. (I also know of people who didn't make it through one weekend!) I think what Marty was saying is key... If you can't learn to live in a world that is frequently like Alice's through the looking glass experience, you will be unhappy. You don't have to like it, but you have to tolerate it or create your own world within it. It has more to do with you than it does with the VI.

Ditto East Ender and Marty!
If you are going to come for a PMV, don't come during Carnival.
You won't be able to access as many potential employers and the vibe/traffic does not reflect the other 11 months of the year.

BTW, it's OK to get frustrated with the way things operate on-island and still live here happily. I haven't necessarily accepted these frustrations, they just haven't stopped me from appreciating my life here.

Good luck!