PMV Question/Help

Nikki, which island are you going to? You might also look at www.vinow.com which is more of the vacation board, but there's lots of info on there about the "fun" part of the PMV...just don't make it too fun and forget why you came!

Hi Becky,
That's why I need help, I don't want to forget why we're there 🙂 I did a search and wasn't able to find a comprehensive checklist. I'll check out vinow. We are going to STT.
Thanks!

IG: Check out the groceries, the banks, the pharmacies, K-Mart, the mall etc. to get an idea of what is available. If you are looking for places to live and/or work, take a little notebook and ask questions of everyone you meet. You will get phone numbers and names to check on later. Networking face to face is the best way to get information. You will be better able to judge when you talk to someone if their advice is worth anything or not! 😉 Drive around and get a feeling for the various areas- north side, Fortuna, Bolongo, Nazareth, Tutu. The little map that you pick up at the airport will be helpful in helping you find Frydenhoj, Wintberg and Lerkenlund.

One thing that may slow you a bit is that both the 3rd and the 4th are government holidays, so lots of offices and some stores will be closed. On the other hand, it is St John Celebration. Be sure to go watch the fireworks over the harbor!

I don't have a definitive list but suggest you try to spend your PMV time approximating everyday life rather than spending your day in "vacation mode". Stay in an efficiency apartment rather than a full service resort, shop for groceries and prepare most, if not all of your own meals, travel to/from your planned place of employment during normal rush hours so you can experience what commuting is like on the island of your choice (you might want to do this several times during your PMV, after all you'll be commuting mosat every day after your move), do laundry, check out churches and schools (if necessary), check out the cost of living accomodations in your budget range, visit the various utility companies to get a feel for the length of the lines you will have to encounter when you actually take up residence, check out the shops for your everyday purchases such as clothing, hardware, cleaning supplies, soft drinks, household supplies, paper goods, supplies and big ticket items such as appliances, air conditioners, cars, lawn mowers, etc. so you understand how costly items can be. Try not to view everything through rose colored glasses remember your goal is to find out what island living is really like - you'll have plenty of time after your move for the beach bars and pina coladas.

Dear Island Girl:

I have a man who will shortly be joined by his wife staying in our guest quarters right now doing a PMV-move. I have been so impressed by him. He did have a check list, but made it out reasonably.

As Becky suggested, built into the list were things that were just fun to do, but after the work was done.

Everyday, he leaves early and takes care of what is on the list for the day (rather than being overwhelmed by just having one huge list, he broke it down into the days he would be PMVing).

He has taken care of transportation, rental, exploration, resume submission in person which is important, getting a sense of the various areas of the island, prices, gone to stores and dones comparison shopping, etc.

The list was designed for the specific needs of him and his wife. I think your list might look very different, but having a list I do think is highly underrated. It can be very easy to get overwhelmed, or to feel like everything needs to be done the moment you hit the island.

For example, if you were an artist, you would still need to address transporation and housing, but also raw materials, markets for your work, comparative costs so you would know what to stock up on, shopping for food, etc.

Best wishes on your list, but I don't think you will find a template that will fit all. Your list I would imagine would need to include those things that are specific to you in terms of employment, accessibility, distance and driving during the high season, what kind of home life you want, and what aspects of island living are the most important to you.

Good luck,

Dan

when making your list and assigning activities to specific days, take a moment to check the USVI holiday calendar to make sure that some of the places you want to visit will be open when you are trying to visit them. Lots of places that are typically open on weekends on the mainland will be closed here on Sunday for sure and also likely on Saturday. Many people incorporate holiday weekends into their PMV's to get the vacation time they need from work to be able to come down... but that isn't really the best idea since the islands shut down for holidays other than whatever party is going on. How many days will you be here? Do you have children? There are extra (and time-consuming) things that people with children need to include on their PMV.

Since you said you'd be here the first week in July, don't be surprised that everything will be closed on Tuesday for the 4th, and many places will be closed Monday and Wednesday, too, JUST BECAUSE. It's kind of like the island slogan for how long a business is open or an event will last. They say something like, "From 7 PM until..." They didn't leave off the ending time... it just means that it ends when it seems right to end it. And nobody is in any rush to end a holiday!