I moved to St. Croix with $600 in my pocket and one suitcase - and made it a year. Granted it was a little rough, I still made it. The return ticket might still be a good idea, but I didn't do it because I didn't want to be able to wimp out. I got along with all of the locals fine by just being me, I took "De candy" lady (an adorable 75 year old local that came by the bars on the boardwalk every night selling snack to the patrons), and I helped five dollah man a local who was homeless, and bought cigarettes for a local that worked at Hovensa, the biggest company on the island. And helped Washington, a homeless rasta guy and crack head that was always losing his shoes in the bushes near Strand Street, where I worked. Before I went home each night I would go find him sandals and find him sleeping in dem bushes somewhere and lay them next to him with a couple dollars.
I fixed all of local's computers and knew all of the bartenders (maybe a little too well) after a few months they considered me a local. after six months they even let me go buy a Cruzian bracelet from Sonia, the only place to buy real ones. If you buy them before you've been there six months the locals hate you, but I'm still wearing it right now
. The point is acclimate yourself to the culture and you'll fit right in. It was kind of expensive to live there because things that are good for you cost a fortune, but Rum and Cigs were cheap about $2 for Rum and $1 for smokes. Make friends with a good Taxi driver, Big John if he's still there and make friends with a good bartender (they'll show you how to get around) As far as entertainment, most of the places there have a book exchange and a movie exchange shelf in their place of business so you can just grab a book and relax staring at the water. I wrote a book instead. Crime has gone up in St. Croix, but if you don't look like a tourist and don't go running around the streets at 2am, like I did and almost got mugged - but Washington saved me, you'll probably be all right. I ran up to the ghetto places many times, the Dominican bars, the Puerto Rican bars and many places I didn't belong and as long as I showed respect they left me alone. Generally most of the scared whiteys dem go hidin' when dem sun go doon. But I used to go to the Dollah bar and have beers and watch Cricket with the locals. You'll love the food, a little strange, I ate goat tacos, but they were good, and I hated Conch, lol. You won't really care about TV much there. The beaches were absolutely beautiful, just watch the fire coral. The scuba is some of the best in the world, go to BlackBeards, I still have one of his t-shirts somewhere though I never had time to get certified so I never got to dive. You can Snorkel everywhere though and it's amazing how much life you see. Although it's kind of a hub for transit, don't go to Times Square (i think it's called) after dark - that's where all the crack dealers hang out at night. I got away with it because my buddy was caretaker for a closed hotel that the crack-heads would break into at night and they knew if they screwed with either of us they'd have no roof. Let's see, what else... You have to see the Jungle Bar and have Mama Wanna - though only a sip before you see the beer drinking pigs. If anyone asks, you love Tim Duncan - you see that when the plane lands. you'll probably want to just buy a beater for a car but he was right, you have to drive to get supplies there. I think there's only Sunny Isle to get groceries and one place center island. It was cheaper to go to a laundry-mat than to wash clothes because water is expensive, Don't drink Cistern Water! I got so sick from it. I've gone to long loving the place, I'm working my way back to it right now. so in conclusion of my crazy-long reply check out the bench I sat every morning on -- [url=http://www.gotostcroix.com/live/]Official Page for Live St. Croix Web Cam in Christiansted | GoToStCroix.com[/url]
it will be a wonderful adventure you will never forget.
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St. Croix
