Common Ground

Two years ago, we found out we were being moved to the Virgin Islands. At that time, I didn't know much about St. Thomas at all. We aren't cruiser's, so we had never made it this way by boat. I do remember when we took our trip to Puerto Rico researching a day trip here. Otherwise, I didn't know anything. My first anxieties were centered around our quality of life on an island I knew nothing about. Most of my worries were matched with being a new mom and having to figure out life with a little one. More than that, I need other mom's in my life to encourage me on this new role.

Soon into our move, I realized that I was going to be okay. Better than okay, the community here surprised me. We found a nitch or two and kept with it. Now after living in four states in the past seven years, we have found St. Thomas to be the warmest and easiest.

There are many mainlanders that have moved to the island and there are true locals whom are West Indian and Frenchies. Overall, the warmest people I've ever been around. Greetings are important here. Everyone adapts here to using greetings when around or  passing other people. It's kind of like the French and how they free with a bonjour! Stateside, you might make eye contact and might say a sheepish hi. Here you greet at any time of the day: good morning, good afternoon, and good night. If you are waking into a doctor's office you would greet everyone in the waiting room before proceeding to the counter. If you are passing someone while running on waterfront, you greet them with a good morning. And, so on. Even Wells, my two and a half year old, says good morning all day long. He is still learning about time blocking.

There are countless things that make life unique while living on an island. I've noticed, when we return home with fresh groceries I start looking to make sure there aren't any bugs in the cereal or rice before putting it in the refrigerator or cabinet. Yes, I store cereal in the refrigerator. Or when I'm sitting around the house and have something crawl on me, I usually just assume it is an ant. Wells is great at reporting spiders. And now, we have the Zika scare. I am thankful I am not pregnant this year. My heart goes out to all my friends who are. As if you need something else to worry about as a mom. We are constantly buying bug repellant and figuring out ways to shade our babes from the sun effectively.

I love our condo. It probably is my favorite place we have ever lived. It's bright and sunny. It is cool and the views I will never get use to. We have an amazing exterminator and thankfully most bugs we find inside the house are dead.

We had a rat in the house once and I was freaking out a bit. I mentioned to some friends about our problem and they didn't seem freaked a bit. They both nodded along like Oh, yeah. We have two right now. Or our cat kills them and lines dead ones at the door. I have to throw away a few every morning. My eyes were bugged and I'm like Shut. The Front. Door. What! Home Depot has electric trap boxes and they are the key to catching rodents fast and effectively. I'm no longer overly squirm-ish about bugs, rodents, or other crawlers. I still don't like them, but I've been highly desensitized.

When you sit down at a restaurant and it takes an hour to put in your drinks and two hours to get food to your table, you are just happy to be with friends and that your kid(s) are allowed to run around in the restaurant. When your order is screwed up, you just eat it. Why are you prone to wait? Why do you just eat it? Because, such is life in the caribbean. (Disclaimer, we do have good service at times and in certain restaurants, but overall you take what you get.) There is no sense in making a fuss.

The major factor in the overall ease of the island is that the majority of people who live here are easy going. The fact that anyone would venture to move you (and your family) to an island where normal convenience is not convenient at all is a testament to this. You have to be a type of person that rolls with whatever. If your panties get in a wad too easily, the island is probably not the place for you. Locals are easy going, too. No one, especially locals, is in a rush to do anything or be anywhere.

We have friends at every corner of the island. We have friends at the grocery story. And the movies. And any restauant. And the soccer field. And every beach. Why? Because everyone basically knows everyone. And, if you have chosen to live here, you can basically get along with anyone, because you are laid back. So, we don't agree on a certain issue, who cares - let be friends! And that is why I love this place! We can be so different and all be together enjoying a breezy and sun filled day at the beach.