Suggestions for "Must do list" for second PMV to STX

My suggestion for local places depends on where you are staying. If you're on or near the North Shore, try Off the Wall or Full Moon. If you are on the East End, maybe Chicken Charlies. Go sit at the bar, and chat with the bartender and others near you. You'll get more advice that you need. Where will you be staying? And will you have a car?

When I say local places, I don't mean West Indian places. I'm referring to places that continential transplants hang out. These are the people you need to meet and talk to about a permanent move to see if it's the right thing for you. They can also tell you what's going on while you're here and what they do for fun..

Two places to meet people, if you like trivia, is Monday night at Knolles restaurant ( spelling?) and on Tuesday night at Chicken Charlies. Both start at 7PM. get there early and just ask someone if you might join their team. Try to find one that doesn't fill up the table.
I have met many wonderful people this way. It's a little older crowd, not the party hard type. At least not on these nights.

I caught part of a radio ad for an event at Mt. Victory Camp in the rain forest this Sunday the 6th. Sounded like a big pig roast, music, games type of event. I believe proceeds go to relief for Haiti. Not sure about that. I bet there will be a large crowd of native Crucians as well as transplants. It's the kind of event where you won't find many, if any, tourists. Maybe someone reading this knows more about it and can tell us more. Welcome to STX.

I will be staying in and around Christiansted, and will have a car. Last time I was there, I spent some time at the Cane Bay bars, and plan to return. Trivia is cool idea and worth looking into. Mt. Victory pig roast is right up my alley, and exactly what I am looking for. Thank you for your suggestions, and keep them coming!

MOJO13

If you're interested in meeting local transplant types try happy hour at Angry Nate's in C'sted, the Golden Rail at Gallows Bay and Sunset Grill in F'sted- sit at the bar. Most of us transplants have a certain look that's a little hard to describe but those of us who have lived here for a while can usually tell the difference between someone who lives here and someone who's just visiting. Our sandals are a little more beaten up. Our shirts are a tad more faded, maybe the tan is a bit more lived-in. You may see us in long pants after dark instead of shorts because for those of us who've acclimatized it is a little cool this time of year at night. Our cars are a little more beaten up, dirtier, harder driven and have a certain look as well. If you think that you've spotted one of us, just say hello and ask the person if they live here. Everybody's here for a reason and every reason is different. Every story is different and the island has a ton of them. Some pretty amazing people live here with some pretty amazing stories to tell.

On your pmv, try to live a bit as if you did live here. Buy the Avis everyday and read it. Try listening to Roger W Morgan's show on 93.5 in the morning a bit as you drive around. Get off of the main road and explore some subdivisions. Go to Pueblo, Plaza Extra and Cost U Less to get an idea of what shopping is like and what you'll be doing without and how much you'll have to pay. Visit the farmer's market on Saturday morning at La Reine and buy some local fruits and/or vegetables. Pay a visit to the Animal Shelter Flea Market at Orange Grove. Go to a film at the cinema and check out K-Mart too. Stand in line at the post office one morning to mail some post cards back home.

Try rolling down your car/room windows and let St Croix in by living without a/c while you're here. You won't melt and when you live here you're going to have to get used to the weather anyway because, well, we're outside a lot and a/c is too expensive when you're inside. Remember that the first thing out of your mouth should be "Good Morning" , "Good Afternoon" and "Good Night" upon greeting someone and always smile. This should give you a taste of what it is like to live here. The beaches are great but mostly enjoyed by tourists this time of year. By all means enjoy yourself to the hilt and let us know what you think after you get back to de mainland.

Visit the botanical garden (not too far from the distillery). It costs a few bucks and takes an hour or two to walk around. It is a great way to get familiar with some local flora - and if you move it might help you think about what xeriscaping you could do around the new place. Plus they have a genuine Baobab treee right at the entrance.

My husband and I are thinking about relocating to St. Croix and I have been reading some on the message boards to kinda get a feel about island life. My husband was there a couple of years ago and said he'd live there in a heartbeat but he didn't think I would well I'm going to give it a try. I read in this message that air conditioning is expensive how bad I run our refrigerated air almost year around around 68 to 70 degrees i"m at that age, I'm wondering if we will be able to afford electric can you share abit about it with me. Thanks Ronna

My old neighbors ran theirs 24/7. Their electric bill was about $600 per month, while ours was $125. This was a year and a half ago. Since then the rates have gone up.
We never use ours, but it makes a difference on where your place is and which direction it faces.

Ronna - if you select your residence carefully to get something with a good breeze, that helps a lot. Also, you can A/C one small room as a retreat rather than your whole residence to help save on the power bill. You may want to get a property with a pool or ocean access as getting wet is one of the quickest ways to cool down. Newcomers often take 2-6 months to acclimate to the weather here. It's hottest and most humid in the late summer, so new arrivals at that time can really have a tough time of it. Arriving December through March will make for the easiest transition if you are sensitive to the heat.