Back on schedule and living in the moment...

I spent my whole life planning for the future but being here has allowed me to live in the moment and enjoy the now rather than always thinking about how I can enjoy what's to come. I think everyone needs to plan to a certain point or you never really get to achieve what you set out to do but you also have to learn how to enjoy what you have planned. There is a fountain outside my window and I can hear the water streaming and I can hear crickets, but otherwise it is silent and that sound is magical. It's dusk right now and I am just able to sit here and write and not think about anything else that has been done or that I still need to do. I get to be here now and I have spent years trying to figure out how to do this.

I'm not sure what it is about this island that gives me the opportunity to live in the present but the absolute beauty and perfection of the nature around here definitely helps. We have stores and movie theaters (just one) and all those places and things that we become so accustomed to but here all those places are superseded by the natural surroundings of the beautiful sea water and the hills and "what is" and not what will be in the future.

I was playing miniature golf today and at first it started out just like any other activity that you would do on a Sunday afternoon, but then I looked out and I saw the background of where I was and I couldn't believe how lucky I was to just be there. I began to think about all the people who come to visit and never leave or those who have been visiting for years and I was wondering what makes them stay. This isn't the most glamorous island with the most activities and it may not even be the prettiest (although there are some very beautiful parts that are probably prettier than most other places), but I think it has a combination of all those things that people have a very hard time finding anywhere else. Somehow everything comes together here and makes it the perfect island to just be on in the present.

Activity Review:

Divi Carina Bay Resort Miniature Golf

I don't have any great pics for this activity but it is the only miniature golf on the island and it's very easy to find. It's located across from Divi Carina Bay Resort right across from East End Pizza. They are open seven days a week from 2 pm to 9 pm and cost is only $8 for adults. The course is a bit challenging if you are a beginner with some elevated greens at some of the holes but overall, it's fun and you get a great view of the Caribbean Sea if you go during daytime hours.

There is also a driving range here and air hockey tables and party rooms for those who want a little more to do than just miniature golf. This activity is fun for the whole family or for those who just want to get away from their families or surroundings for a few hours!

On island time!

Yes, I'm late, about two days late, even though I have tried unsuccessfully to make this a three-week blog (thanks to all of your emails and it's been great to get them!!!). There is also a puppy adorably burrowing herself into my keyboard and trying to do everything possible to keep me from typing anything every time I try.  Sometimes being here feels like being anywhere else, just with perfect weather. Some days I go to work and I go to the store and do the everyday stuff I used to do before I moved here and I forget where I am.

But then I go inside the grocery store and I can't find half the stuff I wanted to get and I remember that I'm in St. Croix. And then I go outside and my car is literally 50 shades of Dirty and I remember exactly where I am. Ironically, my car is also 50 shades of grey because it happens to be a grey colored car and extremely dirty right now. And then when I can't just go to a drive-thru car wash, I remember that I live on this amazing island where things are far from perfect but where I can't imagine not being because unlike some people, I do have a choice and I choose to be here.

Life has gotten busier on the island. Apparently I love to work. I started out taking it easy with no job and bumming it on weekdays on the beach, and then working about 10-20 hours a week, and now I come in early and I leave late and put in actual stateside timed work weeks. I don't really mind that much though because my job allows me to stay here and I love it here. I also found that I love to clean. I have lived in many different apartments in my life and I have never loved cleaning any of them. I did, however, love having other people clean my apartments for me. In the past, I have also always lived alone and in a way, wherever I lived never really felt like home but it does now,  and I love keeping our home clean.

Our floors are stone tiled and I really like having clean floors. Back in Chicago, I would never dream of not having carpet because it was really cold but here carpet is not a good idea with lots of bug-like creatures trying to cohabitate with you and a puppy who hasn't yet learned to wipe her paws before entering. I never understood why my mom never wanted to have anyone clean our house but now I kind of get it. We'll see how long it lasts though because the more time I spend cleaning, the less blog posts so I'm guessing my newfound enthusiasm for floor mopping may wear off.

The last few months, the weather has also changed a lot here. I used to spend everyday in the summertime and in the fall here being drenched in sweat and I haven't sweated outside in months!!! It's an amazing feeling once you know the difference and here, everyone knows the difference! It's still beautiful, I'm still having a great time and it's starting to feel more and more like home every single day.

Restaurant Review:

Toast

Toast is one of my new favorite breakfast and lunch places. It's very quaint and cute inside, and we spent the morning eating and playing tourist after coming here. The food choices, while not many, are different than many other breakfast places on St. Croix. With choices of grits and arepas, you get a different breakfast experience than just eggs and bacon (and I love both!). The waffle fry nachos are also amazing and the whole meal is topped off with iced coffee which makes for a perfect morning in St. Croix any day.

Toast is located behind Purple Papaya among all the tourist shops. So, after lunch, it's always fun to explore even if you've lived here for a long while or if you're just visiting for the very first time. This place is also a stone's throw away from the boardwalk so it's convenient regardless of where you start off.

Agricultural Fair, Jump Up and taking it easy in the VI

It's 5 am and I'm up, and I think there are some pretty annoying roosters up with me as well. I've been talking to my family back in Chicago and it's snowing and cold and I remember this time last year, complete with boots and semi-wet and cold socks, along with gloves and my Columbia jacket and layers and layers of clothing that had to be removed before I could get really comfortable after coming home from work. I'm laying on the couch right now and all of my windows are open and there's a nice cool breeze coming in and it's perfect. I went to the beach yesterday and the water was really warm, and I realized that I really do live in paradise. There's still a lot of Chicago left in me, there are still days that I try to instill the big city mentality into many of the things that I do here, but sometimes I come home and I just relax and it's such a nice change. Things that need to be done here can wait because sometimes it's okay to experience life a little bit in the midst of trying to constantly accomplish some goal that we have set for ourselves. My biggest challenge here is to learn to enjoy what's around me rather than strive for what I want to have in my life. Somehow, by doing that, slowly I've been able to have what I really want. "Slowly" is the key word here because I'm not used to or comfortable with slow anything but island life is all about "slow" and it's kind of growing on me.

Contrary to my new adornment of the "slow" lifestyle, this weekend has been anything but slow. Friday started up with Shabbat services at Jump Up which is our local quarterly island festival. I love that Shabbat services can happen anywhere here and that type of flexibility is really unique to a congregation that is able to survive on a small island. I've been to Jump Up three times now and I realize that it's mostly the same vendors and the same performers every time but people still go because it's nice to see people that you know out and about on a Friday night in beautiful weather and enjoying life. I think St. Croix takes every opportunity it can get to have any type of gathering because as small as it is, people love being with other people here. It's hard not to run into many people you know in such a small place and it always puts a smile on your face when you do.

Jump Up was followed by the Agricultural Fair which is an annual county fair here, complete with animals, food and vendors. And unlike it's stateside counterpart, the fair here was pretty relaxed and the weather was perfect for being outside for a prolonged period of time. It's also the perfect place to get things you can't buy anywhere else like Carambola preserves and key lime fruit plants. I also went to a musical on Saturday, my first theater experience here, and it was great! Once again, I saw a bunch of people I knew and it was really nice to realize that I've been able to make the connections that I have after the 8 months that I've been here. The musical was performed really well and I can't wait to go back for the next one.

Sunday, of course, was Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day here, like most other holidays, was very quiet and relaxed. The weather was perfect and my boyfriend and I had brunch at the same place where we had our first date. It created a perfect flow to everything else that I've experienced here since I arrived and made me smile knowing that the stress that I had this time last year just doesn't exist here. It's a pretty perfect place and perfect time for me right now...

Activity Review:

Caribbean Community Theatre

I lived next to this place for 7 months and I never went, and then I moved and went here for the first time for a live musical, 9 to 5, a few days ago. I've seen many productions in Chicago and in New York and this on par with many of the local productions that I have seen. I think if some of the performers were to live in a bigger city, they would probably be successful in bigger productions as well. I love musicals more than plays and they have one at least each season, along with comedies and other events that take place at the theatre. The actual location is next to Business World behind Pueblo East and it's a good size theater with an inside courtyard that I really want to rent out for my next party.

Tickets were $25 and can be purchased online (cct.vi). I think this is the perfect activity for locals that love theater or want something different to do on the island, or for tourists who are here for a prolonged period of time. This island really does have everything, you just have to be here long enough to find it!

FAQs about St. Croix

I write this blog so that my family can keep up with my island adventure and so that people who are considering doing what I did get a glimpse of what island life is really like. From time to time, I get emails from my amazing readers who are actually considering the move and have additional questions for me that the blog may not answer. I wanted to put some of those questions into this post for those of you who may be wondering the same thing...

How hard is it to find an apartment? What are average apartment prices?

My apartment story is a little comical. I actually ended up meeting my boyfriend when I looked at an apartment that I wanted to rent but ended up not getting. Three weeks before I was set to move to St. Croix, I had to go online and look at postings to make sure that I had a place to live once I got here. I found a place and sent my deposit and first month rent in the mail and I had a place as soon as I arrived to St. Croix. It was a really nice apartment so everything worked out. I'm moving in with my boyfriend next week, ironically into the same complex where I originally wanted to live, but I really loved my first apartment here even though I never saw the apartment before I moved in. So that said, it's not hard to find an apartment, it just depends on where the apartment is located and how much you want to pay.

I would strongly suggest doing a pre-move visit so that you can at least see where things are and have an idea of where you'd like to live. We have the East End, the West End, North Shore and Christiansted. All locations have their pros and cons but moving from one apartment to another is pretty easy as most apartments are fully furnished and leases usually don't extend past six months at most. Apartment prices varie but a one-bedroom apartment averages about $750.00. Before I came here, I always used air conditioning in the summers but after living here for a little while, I barely used my air conditioner. Electricity prices are really high and the breeze is usually pretty good, especially when you live higher up, so living air conditioner-less becomes part of the island life experience. 

What is the job market like?

Jobs are hard to get in the Virgin Islands, especially when it's slow season which is in the summer months. Jobs in the service industry are easier to find than more specialized and professional jobs. I found my job through people that I had met who introduced me to my current employer and I consider myself very lucky because of that. Average pay here is also lower than pay for the same job stateside. The cost of living isn't necessarily lower but we need less "stuff" here so we end up spending less on average and housing costs are pretty low as well. So spending a little more on food isn't that much of an issue when you don't have to buy new snow boots every year and get your car battery replaced because it's so cold. My best advice for job hunting here is to network, this island is all about networking the old fashioned way so being nice and personable goes extra far here.

Can you make friends easily on the island?

 Yes yes yes. Everyone here is very friendly because most people moved here for the same reason so you already have something in common before you even meet. Most people you will meet here also probably left their family and friends back home so they are also eager to make new friends. This fact, along with the attitude of people who generally find the idea of living on an island in the Caribbean Sea appealing, makes people pretty relaxed and open to new people and experiences. Those who aren't as relaxed usually end up going home shortly after they arrive here so this leaves most people that you will meet here pretty happy and easy going. But friends don't usually magically appear so make sure to say hello to people and introduce yourself and make plans for coffee or dinner, and you'll know the whole island in no time!

What is the crime on the island really like?

It's hard for people who don't live here to gauge the crime because sometimes what you read in the newspapers seems like we all live with double bolted doors and bullet proof vests here. That's not true here or probably on any island. The facts is that because there are so few people here as a whole, when there is some kind of crime, it does make front page news and it is talked about. However, just like living anywhere, as long as you're street smart, the crime that does exist here shouldn't reach out to you living here.

Most crime is drug related between local gangs. Some of the other crime occurs when people are walking alone at night in deserted areas. A good rule of thumb for anyone who is coming to live here, especially if you are single and female, is that if you wouldn't do it back home, don't do it here. I probably wouldn't walk down an ally by myself back home in the middle of the night and I am sure not going to do that here either. All in all, it's pretty safe because all our crime is literally reported in the paper so we all know exactly what's going on every single day. In comparison to the crime in Chicago, this really isn't a problem and I do feel much safer here on a daily basis than I did when I lived in a big city.

If you have any questions or are just curious about living in St. Croix, send me an email at the link on the right. I'll try to answer it as best I can with what I learned so far. And if you want to try living in St. Croix, do it! The only thing you'll miss is what I hear is supposed to be a pretty big storm heading everywhere but here :)

Restaurant Review:

No Bones Cafe
 
No Bones is one of my favorite restaurants on this island and this restaurant has the least island feel. Located at the dock side of the Gallow's Bay shopping area, this restaurant is completely inside and it has a very cool relaxed chain restaurant feel inside. The lighting is very dark and there are futuristic screens at every table showing the daily specials. One of my favorite things to eat here is the meatloaf and it's amazing!

Whether it's lunch or dinner, there is something for everyone here, and the bar is it's own conversation piece. I try to make it out here at least once a month and you should too if you're vising or especially if you live here.

New Beginnings and 2016

Happy New Year!!!

We all made it to 2016 and it's been so busy already! New Year's in the Virgin Islands means a Christmas themed carnival and parades that go on forever. It also means a new apartment and getting your electricity inadvertently shut off. It's only been ten days and it's been exhausting. I can't wait to relax for the rest of 2016!

New Year's Eve started off with apartment hunting at 8 am. This was probably not the most convenient scheduling but a lot of times, island time, while slow, is not necessarily convenient.  The day proceeded with finding an apartment and finalizing the terms. I was so tired by 7 pm that a nap was urgently needed to avoid passing out before the long-awaited New Year's mark. I've spent many New Year's at restaurants, at shows and also at people's houses over the years. And it has always been a tradition to turn on Time Square's ball drop when I was in Chicago because it always happened an hour before the actual New Year and it was a great way to guage the time. In St. Croix, we're in Atlantic Standard Time which means that we are one hour ahead of New York so our new year's eve was spent without any television accompaniment (although in customary local fashion, the local station did try to loop the same carnival clip over and over again in hopes nobody would catch on). Overall, New Year's Eve's night was very relaxing and spent with good friends. We were all ready for the new year and all the great experiences it would bring.

The main attraction of the New Year's celebration in St. Croix is the Carnivale Adult Parade. This parade was held on January 2 in Frederiksted and was very late to start. When it did start, the costumes were amazing and the bands made up of school children sounded really great. However, after about an hour or so, there was a two hour break!!! We almost left because we though the parade was over but then it started up again and went on for a while longer. The parade is something everyone who lives here or is visiting should see at least once but with it going on for almost the whole day, you need to have a lot of endurance to come see the parade in consecutive years.

And as I am now moving, I decided that I would inform my utilities to turn off the electricity on my move-out date. This is something that I always did back in Chicago when I moved and I'm sure most people do this. I should have known better and it did seem a little too easy as I emailed the power authority in St. Croix to notify them of my move and asked them to turn off my electricity on January 31. So of course, on January 8, my power was completely shut off. January 8 was a Friday and at 9:30 pm, I was almost in tears trying to get the one person who was still at the electric company at that time to turn my power back on. The islands are known for the kindness of the people who live here, so while the power should not have been shut off, the power authority did send someone out at 10:30 pm and my power was restored. I live on an island now and while I love to think that I can do without many of the conveniences that I was used to in the states, it's really dis-empowering to think how debilitating not having power can still be. Somehow I'm okay not having power when we have storms or potential hurricanes, but when everyone else has power, I still want it as well!

So that is my feel good story for the beginning of my island adventures of 2016. As the months pass by here very slowly, I'm reminded of the goodness of people in general. I'm also reminded of how great it is to have really good friends who visit you, who remember you and who are there for you. This year, I"m going to strive for creating a positive environment for those around me as I am beginning to understand that for me, the meaning of life doesn't revolve around just creating a positive energy for myself but for also making sure that others have the opportunity to have positivity in their lives as well. After all, my experience here has been so good and positive because of all the opportunities and experiences that others have created and that I took a chance at accepting not too long ago, and that has truly made all the difference.

Activity Review:

Point Udall Sunrise

One of the best days I have had here so far and one of best presents I have ever received was being surprised and taken to Point Udall, the Eastern-most point of the United States, for the sunrise on Christmas Day. Ever since I got here back in June, I wanted to go but getting before the literal crack of dawn is so hard to do! So on Christmas Day, my wonderful boyfriend woke me up and surprised me at 5 am and told me we were going to see the sunrise. I was as happy as anyone who gets their long awaited present on Christmas morning, except mine was in the form of a memory that I will get to keep forever.

Point Udall is magical when the sun rises. It is better than any picture I can post or any description I can write. Being at Point Udall with people you really care about makes it even better. I wouldn't recommend going here by yourself or anywhere at the crack of dawn in St. Croix, but going with friends or the special people in your life creates a really unforgettable experience. I know that many people come here to see the first sunrise of the year on New Year's day but every day here creates a new and unique sunrise that will never be repeated. And best of all, this activity is completely free except that it does take a good 20 minutes to get to Point Udall from Christiansted. For most of my stateside friends, that's a short trip, but here on the islands that's as far as most people are willing to go, but it's definitely worth it!

Goodbye 2015!

As part of the last post of 2015, I wanted to let you know how thankful I am that people actually read this blog. Originally, this was meant to be a way to keep in touch with my family and friends back home while I set out on my island adventure. I wasn't sure if I would even continue writing this or if I would be back in the states by now, but thankfully, I am still in St. Croix and I have received so many very gracious email and comments from all of you, that I will definitely keep writing until I have nothing to write about, which I think is very unlikely.

2015 started out on a very stressful note. I was extremely tired and stressed and I just wanted a change. I thought about moving to an island because it's what everyone always says but never really does and I couldn't find a reason not to, and every reason to try. I planned this move starting in January of this year, I visited in March and I moved in June. It's December and I'm still here and I can honestly say that I made the right decision for me. On paper, my life in Chicago was perfect. In reality, my stress level averaged a 12 on a 10-point scale. Now, my stress level is probably a 0 or a 1 or 2 daily and maybe a 3 or 4 when I'm at work. I used to check my email and phone at least every 5 to 10 minutes during dinners with friends and family. Now, I sometimes don't turn on or forget my phone or sometimes my phone doesn't even work in certain places and here and I don't really stress out about that. I used to shop just to shop back in the states; here we buy things we need to live and that's been a great change. It's not that we don't just buy things sometimes as well here because I did just that about two hours ago because it was "super cute," but for the most part, our houses are not trinket central and shop therapy doesn't play a huge role here.

For the first time in my life, back in September, I was really happy just being me by myself. I didn't necessarily need anyone in my life to make me happy, I figured out how to change my environment and surroundings to create the happiness I was meant to have. And then about a week after that happened, I did meet someone who made my life really special. The most important part of this whole experience is that it's amazing to meet someone who is on the same wavelength as you and who makes everyday even easier than it was before, but who isn't the foundation of your happiness. I learned that it's important to be content with your life before someone comes into it because a relationship is not an anchor for happiness, it should be more like a sail that can be raised as needed when flowing through life. It almost feels like I was meant to come here and figure out things about myself that I couldn't figure out back in Chicago (Like that I get super seasick while sailing in the open sea during a rainstorm. Sorry fishies and thank you to my boyfriend for holding my hair back; You must really like me because that wasn't one of my best moments.) 

When I first came here, I made a huge deal about the temperature difference between St. Croix and Chicago, and while it's nice to be able to wear flip-flops everyday and have extremely warm temperatures year-round, the temperature and location isn't really important. Many people are extremely happy all around the world and not everyone lives on a tropical island. What I really like about St. Croix is the attitude people have towards life. I love the small community and the value people put on each other. I just had one of the warmest and most genuine holiday celebrations. It started really early on Christmas morning with the most beautiful sunrises made even more special by someone I really love, and the weekend continued with people who genuinely cared about each other and wanted to see each other happy. We did give presents but that wasn't the focus, although the aloe socks I'm wearing right now feel amazing, especially since we almost never wear socks here! And to my boyfriend's mom who gave them to me, thank you! And thank you to my wonderful parents who sent me my favorite banana chocolates, iced coffee, dried fruit and a mini new year's tree (it took two trips to the post office and some pleading and puppy eyes but it was well worth it).

2015 came with some of the best and some of the worst moments of my life. I am so thankful for both because I was able to figure out what really makes me happy and I was able to meet people who have the same outlook on life as I do now. I really miss my family and my friends who are still in Chicago and elsewhere, and if I could have one wish, I'd bring them all here to be with me. But right now, this is the place where I should be and while it may or may not be forever, it has been the best decision I ever made.

Restaurant Review:

Villa Morales

Ask any local where they go for great local food and Villa Morales will be in their top three choices. Located right off of Queen Mary Highway in Frederiksted on the west end of St. Croix, this one-of-a-kind local favorite is only open on Thursday thru Saturday and this very quaint restaurant serves an extremely flavorful menu. The dishes are all local including beef stew, conch and favorite fish dishes such as fried snapper. The appetizers include fresh mussels which come right out of the shell with a burst of flavor and prepare you for an amazing dinner to follow.  The conch is a local favorite and is made in a butter batter that provides for a lot of flavor as it this your mouth.  For dessert, the flan is also a local favorite and makes for a perfect ending to a magical island dinner. I would recommend eating here at least once during your trip or come here often if you live here!

 

The best of St. Croix...

This week, I have my really good friends visiting from Chicago and my boyfriend's very sweet mom is in town for the month, and we've been having a blast. When I have visitors, it gives me the opportunity to do the things I forgot that I really enjoyed when I first arrived on this beautiful and magical island.




 So here is a list of the best of St. Croix...

• Romantic nightly walks on the beach in warm ocean water  

• Beautiful sunsets in Frederiksted, even on a cloudy night

• Breathtaking ocean views on East End drives

• Dark Chocolate chex and cheddar cheese pretzels 

• Awww inspiring fire dancers on the beach or anywhere 

• Meeting people I know and want to see everywhere you go

• Hanukkah parties at beautiful homes with very kind people

• Gifts that come in the form of experiences rather than things

• Being cheerfully greeted by everyone everywhere, even if I don't know them

• 20 Watt indoor mosquito zappers that leave no survivors

• Holiday lights and decorations that resemble a Hollywood movie set 

• A really cute boyfriend who makes me feel really good every single day 

• Amazing friends that come to visit from over 2000 miles away

• Great friends who live right here and make me feel like I'm home   

I get to experience all of these things almost every day and it feels like a dream. I really hope I never have to wake up.

Activity Review:

Frederiksted Sunsets

Watching a sunset is a really fun free activity to do while you're in St. Croix. The best sunsets are on the west side of the island because that's where the sun sets while the best sunrises are on the east side. The best place to watch the actual sunset is by the pier in Frederiksted. There are many different beachside areas and island bars that make watching the sunset a great way to spend a night with family and friends.

Add some rum punch or frozen drinks to the mix and it's a perfect St. Croix night. Even when the clouds obstruct your view, the colors of the sky during a St. Croix sunset are breathtaking and worth the trip. But come early, the sun sets early in St. Croix, between 5:30 pm and 7:00 pm, depending on the time of year.  And make sure to bring your camera because your pics will make everyone want to come visit you!