Tropical Storm Erika

I think the West End STT residents didn't want a new cell tower in the area, so it wasn't erected. If you want 20th century conveniences, choose an area that has them. Not sure any area has 21st century conveniences, though some areas may come close.

ms411,

That is not surprising that West End STT residents didn't want a new cell tower. And, I am certainly not complaining about the lack of conveniences out in Botany - I am so incredibly grateful for the experience and that it was my intro to island living...I could walk down to the end of the road to the heli pad at 2 a.m., lay on my back and see the most incredible night sky I have EVER seen in my life, as well as see some of the most awe inspiring waves and sunsets (and a green flash!!)...I was just pointing out that STX is not the only island lacking in "old skool" technology in some areas...

I sure hope all the power has been restored by now.

And I was just explaining why there probably wasn't cell service. People shouldn't get the impression that any of the Virgin Islands are third world. They're mostly first world with a second world population with a third world government mentality. That's my opinion anyway.

AandA2VI your post does make me think about witch island to move to. We are leaning to STT but have also thought about STX. I know it's been asked but do you think the crime is worse in STX. I would love to hear what people there think. Thank you all for all the info and tolerating the repeat questions. As you all know it's a big move. We are planning a trip in May to come to STT for six days then to STX for 3. Would love to stay long in both but cant swing it. We thought about just going to STT but I want to try to visit the hospitals on both because I work as a nurse and it opens up more chances for employment.

I AM FURIOUS.
Between this and the shooting at subway, the home invasion where they cracked the guy over the head with their gun and not one but TWO. Of my new friends cars stolen last night... One next to a freaking POLICE station.... I am REALLY missing STT.

And yet most people posting here want to move to St Croix. Your post might change their minds.

Well that all did happen in the last three days. Not sure your point. Don't shoot the messenger... Or maybe you're saying newbies should take that into account? Confused on your tone here.

Welcome to paradise!
There's good & bad here, and this is one of the bad parts that will definitely test you and your ability to roll with the punches. It's unacceptable for our electricity situation to be so messed up, but it is, and that's why it's been written about the crappy WAPA sitch over and over and over "add nausea" 😉
Glad you're buying a generator, it's only a matter of time until the next outage. A generator will be the difference between "I AM FURIOUS" and "again? really?"
Hang in there A 🙂
The crime sitch ... That's a different topic.

Keystone Power Company.
WAPA restored power to Beeston Hill on Friday evening. On Saturday morning a transformer at the bottom of the hill exploded. Fire. No power again. Sunday morning they restored power again. Within an hour the transformer near our house caught fire. WAPA refused to come up until the Fire Dept. notified them that the fire was out. That happened within an hour. No WAPA, no power. No idea when the transformer will be replaced.

a second world population

ouch. lol

a second world population

ouch. lol

Haha. Yes, the VI are overrun by North Koreans, Vietnamese, Latvians, and Hungarians.

Good one, Wanderer!

For anybody trying to make sense of that comment, here are the original definitions:
First world = aligned with NATO
Second world = aligned with USSR
Third world = everybody else

AandA2VI your post does make me think about witch island to move to. We are leaning to STT but have also thought about STX. I know it's been asked but do you think the crime is worse in STX. I would love to hear what people there think. Thank you all for all the info and tolerating the repeat questions. As you all know it's a big move. We are planning a trip in May to come to STT for six days then to STX for 3. Would love to stay long in both but cant swing it. We thought about just going to STT but I want to try to visit the hospitals on both because I work as a nurse and it opens up more chances for employment.

I don't know. I'm pretty new here but I will say that my first impressions with the crime aren't good. I feel that I am more worried about break ins than I ever was on STT. I rarely ever locked my doors there. Then again like I said - were new here so my guard is up more.

It's a GOOD idea to go to both. Totally ironic I didn't ever pmv to STT. We were originally scheduled to move to STX but ended up in STT kinda last minute. For some reason the island just accepted me. We found a cool place right away and I found my dream job... Getting paid to snorkel lol. I met people who will be friends forever even thou they've moved away now. I could drive down main street STT and hear friends yell "squid" (my nickname there) and I'd always laugh or pull over and grab a drink. It was nice and we had a large group of friends of all kinds.

Sadly I feel like STX is rejecting me. Not the people - all have been really nice. And met up with fellow board members last night and had a freaking blast until 1:30 in Fstd.

Hard to describe but STT just felt like home. Maybe it'll just take more time here. Sure there were issues in STT and man I don't miss the traffic or driving there - but for some reason I just felt at peace there. I liked the steepness - the views - the WOW factor when u drive around and come over a ridge and see the BVIs. It really is magical and I always said, damn I live here!

The house we rented here is nice, very quiet and finally some coki frogs chirping after the rain. I don't sleep well without hearing them 🙂 matter of fact I have an app for when I go stateside that sounds like them. We did have rough first week in our new rental here - woke up to a house FULL of termites - covering us in bed and then had these black nocturnal ants that swarmed every night. Those are all gone now finally. Im still cleaning up termite wings two weeks later. This week was the power. Three days might not seem like a lot but trying to do anything is a challenge and let me tell you in the humidity, cleaning and working with no fans, and no water pump to take a shower... You get ripe... Quick! 😛

So all in all we're here for a while - check back in a year and maybe it'll be different. Maybe it becomes home and I assimilate better. I'm busy making this house home and need to get out and find a water job - that keeps me sane. It's hard though being the newbie again and much less tourism so more competition for water jobs. I need to get involved in some projects and looking forward to helping design props for the AZ haunted house this year!

It's just.... Different. You really have to judge for yourself and although I miss STT SO much right now I think it'll be really good to have perspective from both islands. I could never live on STJ lol!!

Sorry got off topic but I wanted to answer you here vs pm.

And met up with fellow board members last night and had a freaking blast until 1:30 in Fstd.

How fun was F'Sted last night?? 😀 I was there as well. It's great to see that you ventured West. Many transplants are (perhaps rightfully so) afraid of F'sted. It can get creepy at night.

But yes, the culture here is different than STT. I think that the tourism culture on St. Thomas makes people a bit friendlier (or at least friendlier in a different way). STT is great for meeting new people, and people open up to you more quickly. The social scene on STX is slightly more "cliquey," and it is harder to penetrate the social circles. Once you do penetrate those circles, it is as fun as STT. It just takes longer for people to open up to others on STX.

It makes sense-STT is overrun with tourists/seasonal workers looking to make friends quickly and have a blast. There just aren't as many opportunities for such workers on STX. Factors like these affect cultures. My most social STX friends who went to UVI all transferred to the STT campus in order to have fun. Many never came back.

Agreed on the magical views on STT. There's nothing like coming down Raphune and observing the capital in all of its beauty. Or catching a glimpse on STJ as you go down the hill heading to Smith Bay. Your average drive around STX isn't particularly beautiful.

Keystone Power Company.
WAPA restored power to Beeston Hill on Friday evening. On Saturday morning a transformer at the bottom of the hill exploded. Fire. No power again. Sunday morning they restored power again. Within an hour the transformer near our house caught fire. WAPA refused to come up until the Fire Dept. notified them that the fire was out. That happened within an hour. No WAPA, no power. No idea when the transformer will be replaced.

Maybe need to order a new transformer from Miami or PR.

Maybe all of you still without power should contact the various local newspapers today and inform them of your plight and locations if you're not getting responses from WAPA.

A1andA2VI - you should send them your pics.

STX Source, Virgin Islands Daily News, VI Consortium and AVIS.

I'm just getting caught up on the weekend's message board news and rants.

All I can say is, I'm so happy that I have a whole home diesel generator that worked so well throughout the WAPA outage that I hardly noticed there was an issue with power.

Money well spent.

http://virginislandsdailynews.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/iphone/homepage.aspx#_articlef1e77ef1-2e54-4724-a547-6f3e4bd92c6e/waarticlef1e77ef1-2e54-4724-a547-6f3e4bd92c6e/f1e77ef1-2e54-4724-a547-6f3e4bd92c6e//true

so, does anyone have any info for donation drop off places for supplies/goods to Dominica?

I only know of drop off points on STT, but drop off times are hard to find out. I just went to Pueblo with my bag, and waited for somebody I know from Dominica to come by. After 5 minutes, somebody came, and I gave her my bag to drop off when she takes things to the drop off point.

well, thank you . at least i know there are drop off points. lol, just need to find them

last reports are over 50 killed

For donations to Dominica,

Hummingbird Air at Henry E Rohlson Airport is accepting donations.
(I called them to find out)

They said the items most needed are:
Food - canned, non persishable
Handi Wipes
Pampers

They also think that Cost U Less is organizing donations.

Thank, islandjoan. The list is a big help. Wish I had known about it earlier, but I may make another donation.

thank you islandjoan-big help

Probably water too.

From the Daily News:

ST. THOMAS - Several Dominica fundraiser efforts are under way to help those recovering from Tropical Storm Erika.

The Dominica Disaster Relief Committee was born Friday night, and it will begin taking donations starting today at 2:30 p.m. at Dominica Cargo, which is behind O'Henry Dry Cleaners in Tutu.

Every day for the next week donations are welcome at that location in the afternoons.

"We are looking for dry goods, baby supplies, medical supplies, building materials and tools," said Loreen Bannis Roberts, the committee's chairwoman. "We also would like hygiene products and even cash."

The committee comprises several groups, including the Dominica Association of St. Thomas, Waseen Dominique, the Adventist Church and the University of the Virgin Islands' Dominica Student Association.

For more information, call 244-9849, 201-9366, 642-4787, 690-5459 or 643-4083.

Rotary East, Paradise Cove Ministries International, Paradise Cove Resort and the Community And Police Association also are collecting items on St. Thomas, starting today from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Non-perishable food items and basic toiletries can be delivered to Paradise Convenant Ministries in Vitraco Mall; Paradise Cove Resort; and Fortress Storage.

Items will be collected at these locations through Sept. 5.

For more information, call 626-1199.

TS Erika Disaster Relief Fund on gofundme.com so far has raised $11,165 of its $200,000 goal from 212 donations, according to the website.

Felix Augustine, a former Dominica government information officer who now works for BET Networks, set up the page to raise money.

There's several people on the STX think tank coordinating supplies. We did some CUL tp and saltines and other crackers.

It does make me feel bad for complaining but today without power again. On the grand scheme of things it clearly can be worse but it is very frustrating especially when my business is based online and it was like not even a bad storm here.

Too bad my generator isn't in yet 😛