Why we left St. Thomas after 3 years - Virgin Islands living

We decided it was time to leave the US Virgin Islands. We lived in St. Thomas for 3 years but now we are moving back to Florida. We had a great time living in the USVI but we decided that island living was not for us. In this video we will tell how we came to our decision to leave St. Thomas. We had a great time there but when we looked at the pros vs the cons, we started to notice that the cons were outnumbering the pros. So here is our thought process on why we left St. Thomas.

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[davidasiwisajames]

Great video and good points. I lived on St. Thomas for ten years - in the late 70s and the 90s. Left in 2001. I think you were extremely tactful in terms of some more things you could have said. I love St. Thomas, but there is a HUGE adjustment one has to make and not everyone can do that. After two stints there, I found I needed the reliability of modern infrastructure, great markets, concerts, foreign films, reliable internet and streaming services. And a lot of people born there feel the same way and live in the states. One can always visit! But I have friends born in the states who have lived there for decades and remain committed to it. I really smiled at you saying how many times can you go snorkeling or to the beach. You didn't mention the hurricanes but it sounds like you moved there after the two category five storms in 2017, so that impacted places to go, things to do and housing. I survived Hurricane Marilyn in 1995. The hurricanes are a real issue. Anyhow, I moved back to California for a reason and convinced my island-born husband to move with me. And some of things you mention were issues back in the seventies. So, there you go. It is beautiful. But like Tina Turner said as to "What's Love Got to Do With it?" One begins to question: what does blue water have to do with it? You handled your reasons and video with great tact. The reasons you stated are very important and very real. There is an old book by James MIchener titled "Don't Stop the Carnival." He lived in the USVI in the 1940s or 50s. The language in the book is dated and not at all politically correct for today's standards. But it is very good, funny and accurate as to mainlanders moving to the islands. I used to tell anyone thinking of moving there to read it.

[ms.thomas]

Born and raised and it never gets boring. Its a lifestyle. Still here not going anywhere. Thanks for coming more room for us natives.

[Jayda]

Years ago I learned a simple lesson. "You get bored when you have no struggle". If all you do is go to a beach or snorkeling then you will get bored, even if there was concerts and international movie festivals every weekend.

[BonnieRose-pxni]

As a former resident & ER nurse on St. Croix, I completely understand!!!

[BlueRagTop]

Hahaha good. Don't come back. They moved here right after a major hurricane and during covid...and asking where the concerts and nice homes are. I'm also going to say…these issues raised are underpinned by not developing true local relationships. Many Americans move down and their "village" consists of other Americans that moved down a few months earlier.

[lesterbanks]

FYI: The cost of living in florida is going through the ceiling also. When I moved to Florida in the mid 90s, Florida was the place to be. But now it seems like the whole u.s. is moving here. And now is the time to get out of Florida. The whole state is getting to crowded.

[gonefishing]

I lived in Hawaii for more than 20 years. Much of what you say are drawbacks to living in the USVI are the same for Hawaii. I suspect these drawbacks are also the same for living on any island in a highly desirable tourist area.

If you live in the Caribbean and not near a major airport and expect to travel freely to other islands or far away continents, you need to own an ocean-going boat or a float plane and have the right set of skills to operate that boat or plane and enough funds to buy fuel for it. Or you need to have enough discretionary funds to charter a boat or private plane so someone with transport you when and where you want to go. Otherwise, expect to have to change to various modes of time-consuming commercial transport to get anywhere more than 100 miles away.

Yes, it costs a lot more to maintain your standard of living, including preferred housing, in a highly desirable, far away, small, tourist location compared to a less desirable tourist or non-tourist location on heavily populated, sprawling mainland. The larger the number of people competing for an inadequate amount of anything, the higher the prices will go.

And yes, your grocery shopping and other shopping will cost a lot more if the goods are transported a long distance by airplane or ship from a major port instead cheaply by truck or railway from a nearby city. People who live in the Alaskan bush know this only too well. If it is not grown, raised or caught locally, it will likely cost a lot more on a tropical island than it would on the mainland of a large country in a densely populated location. And yes, local stores on a small island will have a very limited selection of clothing and other consumer goods because of lack of warehouse space and the added cost of transporting goods. Merchants will not be willing to gamble that they might get stuck with unsold goods when they are already paying high prices for electricity and rent of commercial space.

It is not just tropical islands, where the locals have a "manana" attitude or live on "island time." If you want to do business with people who hustle and bustle, choose to live in NYC or LA. Do not expect an urgent and time sensitive approach to getting tasks done in the rural hinterlands or on a tropical island. When the fish are running or it is time to harvest tropical fruit or festival time, many locals will probably not show up for scheduled work. Ditto for hunting season in Alaska. There is a small pool of skilled labor on a small island -- and those workers can pick a choose which jobs they agree to do. If you are unpleasant, they do not have to work for you. That is just human nature -- if the impatient newcomer fires you, there will always be another newcomer who will hire you manana. If you are an impatient employer, expect to have to do a lot of tasks yourself or do without. In a small community, word of your behavior will get around and you will develop the reputation for either being pleasant or unpleasant to work with. If you pay poorly, word will get out. If you are generous and pleasant, word will get out.

If you are moving to a small tropical island for reasons other staying put, enjoying the free or low-cost outdoor activities, engaging in home-based hobbies (gardening, cooking, arts and crafts...) and making friends with and socializing with the locals, then you will probably become disenchanted with living on a tropical island after a year or two. Anyone with a "mainland attitude" can enjoy a Caribbean vacation, but if they want to live on a small island full-time, they will have to develop an "island attitude" if they want to be content.

[CK]

I consider myself a laid back person. America and the places I’ve lived isn’t so laid back anymore and I hate the “hustle culture” that it has over here racing your way up the corporate rat race and being pressured into a career you don’t want to do. I just want a chill job, living on a chill plot of land, and hanging around chill people. So my options was either Europe or if you what to save more money and be close to home, the USVI.

[jonesn]

You don't go to the Caribbean looking for entertainment, concerts and plays You make your own fun. The BVI'S are a short trip away. It's island time nobody is in a hurry to help your.

[ralphholiman]

The federal agency I worked at, couldn't keep anyone in the Virgin Island's offices. I remember seeing the first advertisement for a position there, when I had only been on a few months. I asked my older partner I had been assigned with, who was sitting next to me, how much seniority you had to have to get that slot. He said, "If you want it, I can make a phone call and the orders will be cut tomorrow. But, there is a reason I can do that and it's not a good one." The turnover in that office was off the charts. Just like you guys, after two or three years, people were begging to leave paradise. The old, "It's a nice place to visit, but, you really don't want to live there."

[MarvinFitzgerald-gkft]

why do you try to dictate what she says. every time she speaks you have to say how you feel and give her a nod head to what you feel. did anyone else see that.

[sandragayle]

I love how people are ready to leave America for whatever reason than they find themselves back here. St Thomas is home it is the US VI but a bit different. I think I would love st thomas. For me it's cool because I like being at home playing my harp. Reading poetry, Painting and doing crochet projects. Or watching batman ( Adam west) So I would love to live in st thomas. I don't go to clubs and all that nor do I drink alcohol. I Don't eat meat and I am not much for social Gatherings. So Peace and quiet is right up my alley. Here at home in Louisiana I don't go anywhere I don't even like to walk to the corner store. 🤗 island life is different. My husband was from Jamaica and when he was alive we stayed in Jamaica for a while. I am from the bayou Mamou Louisiana him being from the island we love the kick back way of life. Even my daughter is so quiet you wouldn't know she at home. For people or as my husband would say. For persons who like the party life island life can be a bit of a challenge.

[miyoshi]

Caribbean Life is much different because in the states Of course they are a variety of things to do in the state than in the Caribbean. I’m from the Virgin Islands and currently living in Lakeland Florida and been here for almost 6 years and let me tell you. Florida is getting crowded real quick and it’s just not for me. I will be moving back home in May and can’t wait. Even though it will be a change once again when it come to logistics wise when it come to getting things quickly such as Amazon, groceries etc. all the best to you but My Home will always be My Home!!!!

[Caribbean_King]

I don't need all of the convenient creature comforts most people are looking for. I've lived on STX for 3 months, I understood the assignment. Island life clicks for a select few. I do like the format of having rentals in the states but it's all in how you do it to keep the frustration low. Those few factors will determine how island life works for anyone considering that move. Interesting perspective but I will definitely move to the USVI and work my plan accordingly. I've experienced both and I can't see myself living 100% in the states. It's an 80-20 split for me. 🇻🇮🌞🌴

[mspinc]

A couple of things you failed to mention.
Dates you were there?
Where in St. Thomas did you rent?
Where in Florida do you live?
Why did you move in the first place?
What do you do professionally?
Did you meet other Floridians or other people to do things with?
Did you get involved with the community?
Did you volunteer?
What about starting a business where you engage the locals or tourist?
Why not come back to Florida like every six month recharge?

We currently live in Pensacola and we are looking at getting a condo with a balcony as stay six months at a time as we work from home so not a problem. We feel the best way on moving to any new city is to immediately get acclimated and start to meet people and seek out what other locals do.

[leadreviewer]

Just for perspective after 12 months of returning to Fl please note how many concerts and plays you went too during that year back

[BlackSkyentertainment]

To bad you didn’t find something you liked. We just bought an estate on Water island…we do have a large deck area and incredible view…so we are lucky. The insurance is crazy…25k a year but it is 6000sq ft. We definitely love Water Island but island life can be complicated. We don’t need to work while we are there…so that makes things easier. We have definitely enjoyed your videos…you taught us a few things.

[fluffytail]

Island time IS a thing! “Fun” as an adventure when you’re on vacation but frustrating as hell when you’re dealing with it daily.

[scampishfoxx]

I lived on St Thomas as well, my brothers and I left StThomas years ago but my older brother returned from Miami, I returned for a few months. for relief visit from NY and your correct, it gets old very quickly….
Too hot, too small.. food was too expensive. The only thing I liked about it was living on a private property filled with loads of flowers and a beach/ open sea as my backyard and when it rains or small hurricane season, I slept like a baby and got up to fresh air and organic produce in his garden, but that too soon became boring.

[geedaddy]

When I went to St. Thomas, I went for the sand, sun, and the water. I didn’t go there to see a movie or a play.