wanting to move....

Have you ever been here. you have a baby but no jobs lined up?
Do you have job skills. How long do you want to live here. Would you , when your child is old enough, home school or send to private?
Our food cost is very high and so is our gas and electric. Gas in STT is about 4.35ish per gallon.

ive looked at jobs and no i havent been here but i know a few people who lived there for a while....i have job skills ranging from cooking to EMT....we would probably home school her and im aware fo the high cost of things and we are trying to budget out for it...gas there isnt much more than here in pittsburgh lol

If you have a cushion of at least $10,000 after you buy your tickets, then come ahead. Get a cheap hotel room and start looking immediately for a long term furnished apartment and a job. Bring only your suitcases, mail a few boxes of essentials to whereever hotel you stay at. If you like it, after 6 months go back and ship the rest of your stuff.

$10, 000 will cover first, last and security of an apartment, a cheap island car to get around, and food etc, until you get a job. Does your fiance plan to work too? If so, consider child care costs, if not, can you make enough to support you both. We also usually suggest you purchase a 2 way ticket with an open end date (do the airlines still do that?) just in case.

But your best bet may be for you to come alone and send for your family after you get settled.

we have a cushion...not that much but close

ive been thinking about coming and getting settled i just have to try and convince her of that lol

your best bet is to come and do a PMV-pre move visit with all of you so you can each see for yourself if you like it. also factor in the cost of tickets back home if you move here, for emergencies and destress trips.

my husband moved here before me, i came to visit for a week and knew i never wanted to live here. he loved it here. i finally had to move here and while i have come to like it, i by no means love it and now both of us want to go back to the states, we just can't afford to right now.

please do a search on all of the topics that might be of interest to you and read those.

When couples move to the USVI it's not unusual for one partner to like it more than the other. I lilked it, Ric loved it. We stayed for 8 years and had a wonderful time and great experiences. Developments back in Louisville dictated we move back. Otherwise we would have probably had a knock down, drag out about moving. You should be sure your relationship is strong enough to withstand this. Everyone on-island can give you examples of couples who split up over staying or going.

Wouldn't that apply to anywwhere a couple may move, not just specific to the USVI? A new state,a new country, a new town or even a new apartment or house?

true enough, but it just seems like it is harder here maybe because it is so isolating

It's not just the isolation that can be trying. High prices, bad schools, bad roads, crime, blackouts, slow service, lack of shopping malls, etc. make the USVI much different than living in the states. Nice weather and friendly people also make this place much different than the states. But I'd guess that half the peope leave the USVI because something stateside is pulling them back (family, job, etc.), and not just because something about the USVI is pushing them out.

Also, people's expections are so off. Some think this will be paradise and it's not. Some think it will be a totally different tropical island - think grass shacks and crashing on the beach - and it's not. Conversely, some think it will be just like the continent and it CERTAINLY is not. Add to the uniqueness the facts that many people plan the move without ever visiting first and getting back to family is difficult and expensive and you can have issues.

The more money you have and the less "baggage" (children, health issues, etc.) the easier the transition.

The first few years are usually very tough on newbies. Its especially so for women. If you can tough it out and put up with the hassles for a year or two, you might make it here. After that, you get used to the daily pace and start to forget all the conveniences you once took for granted and it becomes home. I've been here 8 years now and love it.

The first few years are usually very tough on newbies. Its especially so for women.

Canuck, why do you say that it's especially tough for women moving here? Curious to hear your thoughts.

The first few years are usually very tough on newbies. Its especially so for women.

Canuck, why do you say that it's especially tough for women moving here? Curious to hear your thoughts.

It's tougher for women because they cannot take their shirt off on a hot day. Am I right?! 🙂

i think stxbob hit the nail on the head