what do you miss

I've seen blue STX, one of those street vendor fisherman

I miss the grocery store Sprouts. And big, warehouse sized used bookstores, like Bookmans.

burger king and whole foods

Ice Cream that hasn't been thawed and refrozen!! - maybe even at a reasonable price.

A real selection of FRESH FRUITS & VEGS!!! Instead we have the Charlie Brown Xmas tree assortment :-X

Taco Bell!

i forgot to mention teaberry ice cream and roy rogers

$12 Chinese buffet, normal food prices, Ruts Hutt, white Castle(island sliders don`t cut it), most diet soda flavors, Author Treachers & Nathans.
Can we add non-food items, such as good workmanship?

Oh, and I miss NOT having a thick red band of mosquito bites all around my ankles.

dun i forgot all about arthur treachers. i have not had them in more than 20 years. they were so much better than long john silvers.

roads without potholes.
Barnes and Noble
craftsmanship and pride therein
lack of violent crime
respect for animals
and children
and other people
customer service with a smile
electricity that keeps on going
cell phone coverage

I'm with Islandtyme on the food -- I'm back stateside right now, and the first place I went when I got back was to a grocery store. I just walked around in the produce section for a while, looking at the huge variety of amazing fresh fruits and vegetables. There's a TV show called "Life" about a police officer who was wrongly imprisoned for something like 12 years, and now that he's out, he eats fruit all the time because that was something he just couldn't get in prison. Going into a stateside grocery store for the first time in months, I understood how he felt!

But even so, the availability of fresh produce on island is ten times better than it was even just a decade ago. St. John even has an organic farm now (an amazing feat given the price and agri-quality of land there).

I concur with bethburnett as well -- the skeeters looooove me, and it gets tiresome to spend all my time applying bug spray or dealing with the consequences of not doing that.

The only other thing I miss is a place to ride my motorcycle really fast. 🙂

What did you gain by living here?

terry,
50Lbs!

Lizzard - so true and so unfortunate!

Terry -
We also gain a slower pace of life, beautiful seas & gorgeous beaches to enjoy year round, a great network of friends, delicious restaurants (hence the added pounds) and golf year round too!

nothing

Lizzard -- HA!! Yes, good warning -- those bushwackers and painkillers pile up FAST. 😎

playgrounds
There are not very many good playgrounds here. I brought the kids to the one in Sunny Isle this morning and it was totally deserted and I thought I was going to get robbed by some thug-like characters who were hanging around. So we left. That playground is nice but too sunny.

But the beaches. They are soooo nice, and the kids have a great time in the sand and the water. So I miss playgrounds, but I live without them.

When I lived on STT I did not miss anything from the continent - I suppose I was too young (11) to have really developed any attachments.

I miss my friends on the islands and the water - clear water diving, water-skiing, and the sand. I refuse to swim anywhere other than the VI.

fdr, I was stateside for awhile recently & it was just like landing in Oz !!! I would just marvel at the produce ........aisle after aisle...........apples every size shape color.......20 types of lettuce..........any fresh spice you could ever dream of............ 50 different breads, cakes,cookies.......a deli that stretches for days.......100's of cheeses...........oh my! Costco had me from hello! :@)
Dwn side I gained 30 lbs in the states.............Up side...........STX is limited & pricey & well, just 7 more lbs to go & all 30 will be gone!.......lol

Krispy Kreme Donuts.

trw,
Burger King and Whole Foods in the same sentence??? Your ARE funny!

Events for young kids.
Favorite chain restaurants
Concerts
Road trips
Real supermarkets!!!
Salad Bars
And about a dozen other insignificant things that would be great, but life goes on without, replaced by .....

warm weather
beaches
sunshine
kids coming to visit
new friends
pizza on the beach
no shoes
pets living free
local food and juices (smoothies in the rainforest)
free events/concerts/art exhibits

Thanks for asking speeed1dy. Been asked and answered, but a good question to re-visit every once in a while.

Tacos/texmex, good salsa, coneys, Target, a fully stocked Home Depot, pay at the pump gas stations, a one stop grocery store, and the county fair in the fall. The good side--no more winters and 60 I'm pounds lighter because I don't eat tacos and coneys lol :- (

My mission is to find a box of 'Far East' Tabouli. Plaza carries many of their rice mixes and couscous and every time I walk by I scan the shelves longingly. Nothing goes better with a grilled tuna steak than a small salad and some tabouli. ;~}

Oh, and I kind of miss having a well paid job too. Well, maybe not the job part but definately the pay. ;~}