Possibly making the move to Stx 🙂

When a family makes the move, no matter how affluent they are or how good the job offer is, the move should be ALL about the children.

Depends where you're coming from. If it is cold, you are going to love it. If it is warm, you are going to like it. If it is hot, you are going to love it.
Are you coming from a big city? If so, it will be easy to make friends because you see the same folks everywhere all the time.
If you are coming from a small town, you'[ll be fine.
We shop at Kmart and unique boutiques in both cities and all over. And like most Americans, we do alot of shopping on the internet.
We have CNN and cable tv, HBO blah blah, so you won't feel out of touch.
Electricity is expensive, especially if you leave on the AC when you're not at home.
City water is potable, and suburban homes have the benefit of rainwater.
Your kid may feel most comfortable in a private school where most of the recent stateside transplants are. I agree that a 16 year old is almost ready to break away for college anyway so one year won't make a difference. Have the kid travel back to the states to attend the prom/graduation at the old highschool and that should help ease the nostalgia.
People may seem grumpy, some downright engaging.
Race relations are better than Louisiana and way better than Boston. Interracial marriages are/were very common here, before Barack, and mixed couple do not raise any eyebrows.
People do socialize according to ethnic groups, but not to race. So Hispanics who are white, black, and in between tend to socialize together. Trinidadians who are white black and Indian socialize together. etc. And statesiders socialize together, listen to the same music and have the same interests. There is no racial segregation per se.
There is a vibrant social life, especially at night. Churches are big here. St. Croix has a Church next to a mosque, next to a synagogue.
Health care is equivalent to US rural.
And although the US doesn't always recognize us, we fly the US flag.

Wow! I really only expected a few replies of "Hello Stephanie. Welcome to the VIMoving board." I was merely introducing myself. Didn't mean to start a debate on moving with kids! If and when the time comes, we will make the decision as a family. I'm not going to defend myself regarding something that may or may not happen. There are many variables that are unknown to you all.....for example, my husband's current job has him traveling all over God's green earth. If we made a move to stx, that would stop 🙂 We miss him like crazy when he's gone!

Oh and Drlove, funny you mention Louisiana.....that's where we are from. We've been in SETx for the past 7 yrs though! We are a family that has endured alot......family issues, a couple devastating hurricanes (Rita, Humberto, and Ike!).....and we've made it. Just as I know we will in the future, whatever happens!

Stephanie