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Hey guys, sorry if this seems a little ridiculous. I am thinking about moving from where I live now, I live in KY working at a hospital as a maintenance mechanic (boilers chillers and the like) I was thinking about selling everything I had and trying to move out to the islands. I saw that regional medical center on St. Thomas was hiring, I was thinking about trying that.
I was just wondering how hard it is to find a job there or place to stay, I mean I can ship my van to the island and live in it with my wife until we can find a place or something, but I'd rather not obviously ha. Is it a very hard to get settled in there? Is it very dangerous crime wise or is it mostly just tourism scams, can any one just fill me in on the situation.
If there is already a thread that deals with these questions please direct me to it, and sorry for being the typical newbie haha.
I know it sounds hasty but I am pretty much a big dreamer and couldn't live it down if I didn't try something like this. How else would I get there?
Posted : May 10, 2013 12:30 pm
Try posting in the moving forum instead of the classified forum: https://www.vimovingcenter.com/talk/list.php?4. You'll find many answers to your questions there if you search the archives, too.
Posted : May 10, 2013 2:00 pm
No, you are not a big dreamer, you are impulsive. St. Thomas or any of the islands will eat impulsiveness up and spit you out if your are lucky. HAVE YOU BEEN TO ANY OF THESE ISLANDS SUCH AS ST. THOMAS BEFORE? If not, you are making a big mistake that isn't easily corrected unless you have a lot and I mean a lot of money. You really should do a premove visit for a couple of weeks to get a feel for the island and island living. It is a total change than living in the states. Things are expensive on the islands. A small studio apartment can run you $1000.00 amonth and that depends on where you want to live. The rent goes up from there. Electricity is very high as well and food is high as well because most everything has to be shipped in.
If you don't have a job first, I wouldn't pack up the family and move let alone ship you vehicle down until after you have made the trip and found a job and working. Do you realize to ship your vehicle to St. Thomas will set you back $2500.00. Do you own your vehicle or have it fiananced because if it's not paid off the folks who hold the loan will probably refuse to allow the vehicle to leave the mainland. (You will have to get permission from them to take the vehicle off the mainland).
It takes a minimum of $10,000.00 minimum as a start up budget in order to make the move, this includes airline tickets, shipping your vehicle first last and security deposits for a place to live, utilities hookups, cable and so on. Even $10,000.00 would be a shoestring budget and depends on other factors such as shipping your vehicle if that isn't possible then you could be looking at a minimum of $8000-$10,000 for a half way reliable car. You will also probably have to rent a vehicle for a few weeks until you car arrives on St. Thomas if shipping one down because you car most likely will not be waiting on you when you arrive. It can take a month for a vehicle to reach St. Thomas once shipped.
If I were you and I have been, take a deep breath and slow down. The islands will be there long after you are gone.
Posted : May 10, 2013 6:37 pm
Oh yeah, check out the Island Trader and Craigslist to get an idea of what a vehicle will set you back and what apartments go for. Also, yes, there is crime on St. Thomas just like anywhere else. You just have to be carefull where you go and where you choose to live. I also tell married couples that unless their marriage is really strong, the islands aren't for them because your bonds will truely be tested in the islands. Quite a few of the couples that I have known on island didn't handle it to well and split up within 5 years or so.
Posted : May 10, 2013 6:46 pm
