• CHEAPER prices on almost everything!...housing, clothes, food etc.

• CULTURE Museums, plays, concerts.

*WATER ... All the water I want to use for a shower! And WATER ... when the
power goes out, or their is a leak in the cistern.

* And most of all, I miss the states after a hurricane and life is just miserable beyond words!!

Ahhhh.... what price paradise?

I bet you don't miss the Interstate at 5 p.m. 🙂

Thank you, this if fantastic. These are exactly what I am looking for. Please don't hesitate to answer this question, no matter how trivial your reply, it is much appreciated.

When I lived on St John, I missed:

-Water

- Culture

- Reasonable Prices

AND

-the change of seasons in New England

-Real Christmas Trees

-Being able to get stuff when you want it or more importantly when you NEED it

- Trying to find a parking spot from Christmas through April

-Having to work 2 jobs to be able to afford to pay rent and eat and rarely having time to go to the beach

-Tourists that think that everyone on the island is a second class citizen and they are first class, of course, because they are on vacation ( this is the minority, but trust me, there are those people)

All that being said, the pros definitely outweigh the cons. Life in the VI is not for everyone, but those that get it live a wonderful life despite the drawbacks.

seasons
reasonable prices
culture - theater, opera, ballet, bluegrass,
services
polite behavior
medical choices and specialists
something to do that wasn't going to the beach!
driving distances and seeing something different
mountains
rivers
streams
choice in stores
good stores
competent licensing, tax, insurance, local government
honest officials
trustworthy police force

...oh yeah that's why we left after 5 yrs - never to return

Jane...

Every rose has its thorns...

Well...our best friends live in STT...they're too busy sailing and working making money in real estate to be active participants on this board so I'll do a quick blurb on what they DON"T miss...

They're from New England...

So they don't miss paying Maines taxes...the 2nd highest in the US.

They don't miss winter that lasts from end of October to end of April. Oil is the primary source of heating fuel here...how about anywhere from $2.59 a gallon on up...tonight it's 55 in central Maine, but it gets lots colder.

They pay $900 a month rent for a 3 bedroom duplex overlooking a million dollar Magens Bay view. They used to pay $900 for a house on a heavily traveled truck route between Canada and I-95. I don't think anybody has priced real estate in New England lately. Ouch.

They don't miss paying for seasonal wardrobes...they have year-around wardrobes now...Islandwear never goes out of fashion.

They do know how fortunate they are to live the life they're living. I also do know that the one thing the both miss are their families. They are from large families and that is their number one and almost ONLY complaint. They miss their families.

Posted By Reply:
* And most of all, I miss the states after a hurricane and life is just miserable beyond words!!

Life here in the states isn't any better after a hurricane! It has been almost a year since Hurricane Katrina has turned all of our lives in New Orleans completely upside down and life here is still miserable. I would much rather be miserable in paradise than here in New Orleans.

Posted by Berlingirl:They pay $900 a month rent for a 3 bedroom duplex overlooking a million dollar Magens Bay view. They used to pay $900 for a house on a heavily traveled truck route between Canada and I-95. I don't think anybody has priced real estate in New England lately. Ouch.

They are lucky as heck to have such a reasonable rent. $900 on St John will only get you a one bedroom with no view.
I guess it is all relative.

Bottom line is that Paradise is what you make of it. Your Paradise may be in the woods of Maine, someone elses in the mountains of Colorado, and some on the beach in the VI, There are pros and cons no matter where you go and your happiness is determined by what you make of it.

I miss
Live sporting events/tailgating
Concerts
Road Trips
Grocery stores that have absolutely everything you could ever want
Fresh loaf of bread to make sandwiches
Taco Bell
Snow Skiing
Running/biking trails
Convenient gym that has everything
Stadium movie theatre that is not minus 20 degrees and does not have people talking on cell phones

Caveat is I don't miss anything enough to move back to the states. I simply head down to the airport and fly back for a visit.

ECPirate is the only one, besides myself, that misses Taco bell?!? How about Arby's? Burger King? Krispy Kreme?

To Lisa C: One ood thing you have going for you is that things can be trucked in...or you can just drive out. Here in the islands, after a hurricane, we are just stuck here on a rock in the middle of the ocean! Nothing coming in, noting going out....for a few days, anyway. Then the freighters start coming with relief supplies, but the ones needing them most get them last. The ones needing them least (senators, for example, because their homes were heavily barricaded against the storm, stocked to the rafters with goods, yet they still get first dibs) seem to be the ones that get to sift thru the offerings before the general public even knows it's hit isand. "Paradise" is more than just good weather. After a hurricane, regardless of where you live, no place is paradise for a long time after words. Some people didn't have electric or phone for up to a YEAR here on STT after Marilyn. Try to picutre that. A YEAR with no electricity or phone. Talk about being back in the stone ages! ugh!

Being in New Orleans after a hurricane is like being on an island - Once the water comes into the city it takes forever for it to be pumped out. As for those who need supplies the most being the last to get what they need and the politicans getting everthing first, it is no different here. Louisiana is the most politically corrupt place - probably worst than the USVI. You are right though I wouldn't want to be any where that a hurricane is going or has just been. Life without electricity or water isn't pleasant at all.

Anything tropical activity headed toward STJ this upcoming week? We may be running New Orleans this week!

Lisa C
Life here in the states isn't any better after a hurricane! It has been almost a year since Hurricane Katrina has turned all of our lives in New Orleans completely upside down and life here is still miserable. I would much rather be miserable in paradise than here in New Orleans.

I am so sorry! What a terrible time you and your family and friends must be going through. My heart and prayers go out to you and all the peoples of New Orleans.
When I wrote that reply - I was commenting on personal situation. I am fortunate to live in a state that does not
have hurricanes.

Tomorrow marks the one year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and it is very emotional for anyone who was affected by this storm. Whenever I start to feel myself sinking into that big black emotional hole I start to think about all of my wonderful memories of STJ. It is my own therapy - some people need medication, some need to talk to others - I just think of the view from Cinnamon Bay. This week I will be doing a lot of day dreaming.

I am not in anyway trying to undermine the damage that a hurricane can do anywhere. I don't think that a hurricane affecting any island, city, state or country would be pleasant. My reasoning behind my original comment was that it must be nice to at least be able to look out at that beautiful water and have something nice to see after all of the destruction. We can drive around the city and most parts aside from the French Quarter and downtown business district still look like they did when the water receded. It is so depressing!

What do I miss the most.....

-Good fresh fruit, especially fresh summer peaches
-Fried New England Clams with bellies
-Bushels of Steamers
-Fresh corn on the cob
-Fresh tomatoes from my garden

Oh, that's all food.
Also:
-My family
-My perennial New England flower gardens
-My neighbors
-My pool
-Wearing a snuggly robe and slippers on a cool morning while having coffee on my porch and listening to the birds and ocaasionally spotting a deer in the back yard.

What I miss:
My family, (brother , sisters, children and grands.)
Grocery Stores that have everything your looking for.
Phones that work properly.
Long hot showers.
Quality products instead of seconds and factory rejects.
Yard sales that are easy to find.

What I don't miss:
People who stare right through you when you say good morning, good afternoon or goodnight.
(and act like your going to mug them)
Rush hour traffic.
Two hour wait at the Out Back for dinner.
Parking permits to go to the beach. (if you don't have one they tow your car)
House to house trash pick up.
No smoking in Bars and Restaurants.

I guess there are more don't miss than what I miss.
St Thomas is my paradise.

How about night life, or things to do? I understand the beaches are great, the boating, fishing, snorkeling...all wonderful, but what else is there beyond that? I think I would miss seeing Jimmy Buffett in an outdoor amphitheater, I would miss co-ed softball leagues, comedy clubs, miniture golf, piano bars, golden tee fore, driving ranges, etc. Does any of this exist in paradise? Is there a demand for any of these things, (et. al.)?

Gator: I'm not sure if I understand your purpose with this question. Some people can live anywhere and miss lots and others miss nothing. We do have night life, coed softball leagues, miniature golf and well as regular golf and driving ranges, piano bars, etc. Jimmy Buffett has played outside on a beach. I don't know what a "golden tee fore" is, so I guess at least I don't miss it! 😉

With apologies for stating the obvious..."Paradise" is defined differently for everyone. Many of the things you might miss are the things others want to get away from in their paradise. I like visiting NYC to experience the night life, huge variety of things to due and overal energy. However, it is nothing close to my idea of paradise.

We all tend to refer to the VI as our 'paradise' but that is with the understanding that we can come and go as we desire. If we were unable to do so, then island living might take on a new definition. To my mind, Alcatraz and Devil's Islands are not paradise.