We have another one!!!!

Thanks again everyone for the advice.

Crablegs: Not an IU grad, but def. not a Purdue fan.

Email me about work details. dmatt02@hotmail.com

Thanks!

Coming down to arrival. Any more suggestions would be great. A place to stay even better. 🙂

Hope all is well!

Okay... just had to resurface the post. I will be arriving in less than two weeks and still have not found any leads on accomodation or employment.

Let me know if you have any more suggestions or helpful favors. 🙂

Thanks again to those who have posted messages.

See you soon,
Dave

I think you need to reread the posts. Villa Fairview was mentioned several times and a few restaurants, but most importantly most jobs and places to live are from word of mouth once you are on the island. Thursdays the island trader comes out, which have places for rent. Get up early and start calling early on the places. If an answering machine comes on go ahead and leave a message, but call back. Landlords get a ton of calls and usually don't return calls. They just take who is on the phone and show the place....Relax, nothing happens fast so take a deep breath, call Ronnie at Villa Fairview and get a weekly rental or even a month for a better deal and start talking to everyone and anyone....Good luck!

Gateway: Did you read the moving stories? Have you read through the archives? Here are my suggestions: don't burn your bridges back home, have a return ticket, bring enough money to keep you going for awhile (how long depends on your comfort level- some people can deal with padding for a month, some need enough for six months). Because you are not coming with greatly needed talents (nurse, teacher, librarian, social worker) you will need to be here to find employment. I gather you think someone is going to offer you something on this board, but don't bank on it. Did you hear from Ronnie?

You pays your money and you takes your chances. 😉

Kellymac and East Ender,

Thanks for the posts. I have contacted Ronnie and he mentioned he wasn't sure if he had any availability. I wrote him back and have not gotten a response. Should I just show up there when I arrive on the island?

Yeah... someone offering me something on here would be nice, but I am not counting on it. I am coming down whether I have a place to stay or not. Just trying to make it easier on myself. And my bridges will still be standing when I come back home. Hopefully I will build some bridges down there.

Thanks again!

once again, if people don't call you back don't wait....call again! Persistence and patience are two great assets to have on the island...he may not have availability, but he does have two places. Don't stop there with questions...if he doesn't have anything does he know of anything else you could try blah blah blah...research past threads on this stuff..some posters have places for rent, but haven't read your current post....

i may come across as an insensitive jerk sometimes but i truly love st croix and the rest of the islands, i always encourage people to move here and become a part of the fabric, forget what you do in the states and how convient everything is up there, become a registered voter so you can be a valid part of life here, these islands suck,these island are perfect, you will never know until you take take the plunge, your experience will be different than mine or anyone elses, don't base your decision on anyone elses experience here, come for a visit and then let your heart decide but when you come for a visit keep in mind that the resorts and hotels only want you to see the good, to me living here is just another political shi*hole with better weather. i honestly came here because i wanted to live somewhere that i could grow tomatos year round

did you read the "room for rent" posted by shawn?

Sounds like a pretty good reason to me!

Not to sound insensitive...but I think a little insight into how things work might help. Ronnie shouldn't give you a break as a "backpacker". He can rent his rooms at full price - so why should he take in less income to help you? Know what I'm saying?

You are not poor or needy. If you were, you wouldn't be jetting off to the VI with a one way ticket for the summer; You'd stay in the states and work to put money in the bank. The VIs are expensive, expensive, expensive - for everyone - residents and visitors.

I get a little tuned up when people fly down and start looking for handouts. Aren't there enough VI residents who could use a little help? Sure. So why do people from the states go down and purposely eat into those resources?

Don't go with the attitude of looking for what the islands can do for you. Look to see what you can do for the islands.

And...you'll not find a job before you go. It is a rule of employers. If you are not on island, you don't exist. Same holds true for places to stay. There are so many "I wanna come", "I'm about to come", "I might come"......the islanders get sick of hearing it and being asked to look out and hold rooms / jobs / etc for people who are not yet there.

Once you arrive, you'll see that you'll be acknowledged and taken seriously. But, please, do yourself a favor and don't show up asking people for a lot of favors.

This Message Board is intended for discussions related to Relocating to and Living in the U.S. Virgin Islands. It is a community where participants can ask and answer questions, exchange information and tips and get help from prospective and established USVI residents.

I just figured that was exactly what I was doing. Gathering information, tips, and help before I arrive. If this wasn't the place to do it... I guess I will google for the right one.

Thanks again to those who have been most helpful.

Gateway1
p.s. wasn't looking for any handouts

this is the place to get tips and info. Sorry if some people come across rude. People really just don't get how difficult things can be to newcomers and truly, as much as you want to prepare for your move, you just don't know what it's like until you get on island. Just be friendly and ask locals questions. We did and met some great friends and helpful people. You will be fine. Enjoy and leave your expectations at the airport! 🙂

He wasn't asking for welfare. Tourists are always looking for "deals, discounts, freebies" and this poster was just trying to be frugal. It's up to the landlord to decide whether to give a "deal" or not. Nobody here can decide who is VI material. I'd have been the last one anyone would have suspected could live here successfully but I have & thrived.

Good luck, Gateway. I've seen people with less educational background become very successful here & I learned long ago it's impossible to really tell 100% who will make it & who won't. You might hate it or you might love it. You might fall on your face or you might find a job the first day. You won't know until you try it.

People for eons made huge moves without advice from internet message boards. I did. Heck, nobody would have gone to California in the pioneering days if there had been a California message board. "Ooooh, watch out for those mountain passes in winter - just ask about the Donners. How many horses do you have? Got a mule? There's not as much gold as you think in them thar hills. I wouldn't move here without at least 3 shovels, a pick-axe & enough flour to last me 6 months."

This isn't the ends of the earth. If it doesn't work out, you get on a plane & go home.

Kellymac and Trade,

Thanks for the messages. I guess we'll see how it goes.

Thanks!

Trade,

You said:

"People for eons made huge moves without advice from internet message boards. I did. Heck, nobody would have gone to California in the pioneering days if there had been a California message board. "Ooooh, watch out for those mountain passes in winter - just ask about the Donners. How many horses do you have? Got a mule? There's not as much gold as you think in them thar hills. I wouldn't move here without at least 3 shovels, a pick-axe & enough flour to last me 6 months."

I say:

OMG was that ever funny!!!!

Thanks for the laugh!!!!

😀