We hope this blog finds everyone well satisfied by Santa's visit on Sunday! We celebrated Christmas in St. Croix the only way we knew how...on the beach! After waking up and exchanging gifts with each other we went to the beach to join our colleagues for a little gift exchange. The beach was packed which is unusual. People were wearing Santa hats and there were even a couple Christmas trees. The wether could not have been better and we essentially celebrated Christmas in 85 and sunny. We commented to each other that it was a cool way to celebrate. We may never have another Christmas at the beach...
Despite a great day, our thoughts were with our families whom we have never spent the holiday without. But we are looking forward to lots of visits in the coming months. We will be in St. Marteen two weeks from today!
Other than the holiday, business at work is picking up as we get into the high season. We should be pretty busy on the weeks to come.
We wish everyone a happy new year! We will be ringing in the new year working a party, but hopefully we will be off in time to celebrate.
Much love,
Drew and Jenn
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Long tome no blog...
So, it's been a while...forgive us, we're working 25 hours a week people! Life is hard for two people in love on a Caribbean island.
All kidding aside, we have really settled into a nice routine down here. We have Tuesday's and Fridays off and all days off. So, we continue to enjoy all the beaches and what amounts to a private pool. We attempted to go scuba diving last week but we got rained out. This should be an interesting adventure considering both of us are a little wary. But what better place to try? We work at Cane Bay beach which is next to a dive shop and a beautiful reef, famous among scuba divers. Anyone who wants to try when they visit is in for a treat. We are going to try to go again tomorrow but the weather is again looking ominous. I have also joined the golf club sown here and will probably be playing 2-3 days a week with my neighbor and friend.
Christmas is now 10 days away and it feels a little strange. We are definitely trying to get into the spirit despite the total antithesis in weather. We bought a real tree and decorated it on Tuesday. Jenn was considering not getting a tree but I know she is thrilled now that it's up. We won't be getting each other a whole lot this year because we are planning a trip to St. John for her birthday in march. We continue to hear amazing things about St. John and are looking forward to the chance to explore there.
Other than that, the next two months are shaping up to be really busy. Jenn's mom and sister Meghan will be our first visitors in January! They will be here the week after Jenn and I spend a few days in St. Marteen with my grandparents. Then my dad will be here the last few days of January. Some friends of ours, Jo and tim, will be visiting in February which is really exciting. Hopefully my brother and some other friends will be here in February as well...
Until next time, we hope you all have a great holiday season! Our Christmas card should be arriving to you all soon as well! We will miss everyone very much at Christmas but continue to remind ourselves that this is only temporary. We are enjoying it while it lasts!
Much love,
Drew and Jenn
All kidding aside, we have really settled into a nice routine down here. We have Tuesday's and Fridays off and all days off. So, we continue to enjoy all the beaches and what amounts to a private pool. We attempted to go scuba diving last week but we got rained out. This should be an interesting adventure considering both of us are a little wary. But what better place to try? We work at Cane Bay beach which is next to a dive shop and a beautiful reef, famous among scuba divers. Anyone who wants to try when they visit is in for a treat. We are going to try to go again tomorrow but the weather is again looking ominous. I have also joined the golf club sown here and will probably be playing 2-3 days a week with my neighbor and friend.
Christmas is now 10 days away and it feels a little strange. We are definitely trying to get into the spirit despite the total antithesis in weather. We bought a real tree and decorated it on Tuesday. Jenn was considering not getting a tree but I know she is thrilled now that it's up. We won't be getting each other a whole lot this year because we are planning a trip to St. John for her birthday in march. We continue to hear amazing things about St. John and are looking forward to the chance to explore there.
Other than that, the next two months are shaping up to be really busy. Jenn's mom and sister Meghan will be our first visitors in January! They will be here the week after Jenn and I spend a few days in St. Marteen with my grandparents. Then my dad will be here the last few days of January. Some friends of ours, Jo and tim, will be visiting in February which is really exciting. Hopefully my brother and some other friends will be here in February as well...
Until next time, we hope you all have a great holiday season! Our Christmas card should be arriving to you all soon as well! We will miss everyone very much at Christmas but continue to remind ourselves that this is only temporary. We are enjoying it while it lasts!
Much love,
Drew and Jenn
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Hunting Horses
There is this Irish man that lives on the north shore who everyone calls Cowboy. He has several horses and you often see him taking tourists out for a ride on the beach. Two of the girls I work with, Jill and Stephanie work for him and ride often. They both worked on a ranch in Colorado before their move to St Croix and have a lot of horse experience. I asked if I could come along sometime and was thrilled when they all invited me this passed Tuesday. Cowboy said I could ride for free as long as I tell my customers about him.
I arrived at 8am as told and was met by Stephanie, Cowboy, and Laura, another local rider. Much to my surprise, Cowboys horse were right beyond the road and were tied to the trees with a simple rope. Think a noose around a horses neck. It didn't seem all that secure to me. As I'm thinking this, Cowboy says, "we're missing a pirate!" Turns out Pirate is Cowboys favorite horse who sometimes escapes. (Not that difficult considering the ropes that secure them.) Cowboy jumps in his truck and asks us to come help find Pirate. Stephanie jumps in the back and I follow suite and join her. Now let me paint a picture of this truck bed. It is full of horse saddles, pads, bridles, and feed. There was not much room for me, let alone me and Steph. We start down the road and as we hit the first bump, I think, "What am I doing? This is so dangerous, I'm going to fall out before I even get on a horse!" I scoot down as far as I can and HOLD ON!!!
We drive through the hilly roads for about 15 minutes before we spot Pirate. He is with 2 female horses and a local guy who owns the two mares. Cowboy says, "Look at that mare shaking her ass. Shes in heat!!" Looks like Pirate was out looking for love overnight!!!! His red rocket was showing and he did not want to come home! Cowboy finally lured him away from the ladies and Steph jumped on bareback.
As I walked back with Steph and Pirate she began telling me about the horses on the island. She says that there used to be a guy close by that wound capture Pirate when he ran away and would blackmail Cowboy for money in exchange for the horse. Otherwise, he threatened to kill Pirate with a machete. (Only in St Croix!!) She says Cowboy was forced to pay him $100 on several occasions. He is since gone and that is no longer an issue. I asked her about the not so secure ropes and if Cowboys horses were marked. They aren't. Horse theft happens sometimes she says, but a threat to call the police or Dept of Ag usually ends that. Unless you are the machete wielding blackmailer! Steph says that Cowboy usually buys his horses from the locals. If he sees someone riding a horse he likes, he'll stop then and ask to buy it.
We finally get back to the other horses. We feed them all, saddle up the ones coming on the ride and are ready to go. I rode Blarney, an albino horse. I have not saddled a horse or been on one in years so it was quite the re-learning experiences. I was a little nervous in the beginning but by the end, it was awesome. We rode on the beach, in the water, through the rainforest and all around the north shore.
It was a really great morning and Cowboy says I can come ride anytime I want. I wonder if I'll ever get Drew on a horse?
I arrived at 8am as told and was met by Stephanie, Cowboy, and Laura, another local rider. Much to my surprise, Cowboys horse were right beyond the road and were tied to the trees with a simple rope. Think a noose around a horses neck. It didn't seem all that secure to me. As I'm thinking this, Cowboy says, "we're missing a pirate!" Turns out Pirate is Cowboys favorite horse who sometimes escapes. (Not that difficult considering the ropes that secure them.) Cowboy jumps in his truck and asks us to come help find Pirate. Stephanie jumps in the back and I follow suite and join her. Now let me paint a picture of this truck bed. It is full of horse saddles, pads, bridles, and feed. There was not much room for me, let alone me and Steph. We start down the road and as we hit the first bump, I think, "What am I doing? This is so dangerous, I'm going to fall out before I even get on a horse!" I scoot down as far as I can and HOLD ON!!!
We drive through the hilly roads for about 15 minutes before we spot Pirate. He is with 2 female horses and a local guy who owns the two mares. Cowboy says, "Look at that mare shaking her ass. Shes in heat!!" Looks like Pirate was out looking for love overnight!!!! His red rocket was showing and he did not want to come home! Cowboy finally lured him away from the ladies and Steph jumped on bareback.
As I walked back with Steph and Pirate she began telling me about the horses on the island. She says that there used to be a guy close by that wound capture Pirate when he ran away and would blackmail Cowboy for money in exchange for the horse. Otherwise, he threatened to kill Pirate with a machete. (Only in St Croix!!) She says Cowboy was forced to pay him $100 on several occasions. He is since gone and that is no longer an issue. I asked her about the not so secure ropes and if Cowboys horses were marked. They aren't. Horse theft happens sometimes she says, but a threat to call the police or Dept of Ag usually ends that. Unless you are the machete wielding blackmailer! Steph says that Cowboy usually buys his horses from the locals. If he sees someone riding a horse he likes, he'll stop then and ask to buy it.
We finally get back to the other horses. We feed them all, saddle up the ones coming on the ride and are ready to go. I rode Blarney, an albino horse. I have not saddled a horse or been on one in years so it was quite the re-learning experiences. I was a little nervous in the beginning but by the end, it was awesome. We rode on the beach, in the water, through the rainforest and all around the north shore.
It was a really great morning and Cowboy says I can come ride anytime I want. I wonder if I'll ever get Drew on a horse?
Monday, November 28, 2011
Fried Turkey, Ham, Pork Chops, and All the Trimmings!!
Our Thanksgiving away from home was spent at the home of Kat and Frank, the owners of eat@canebay. They annually host the dinner for all of the Thanksgiving orphans and friends and family. They live way up the hill on the north shore. We had loose directions and ventured on hoping we'd find the house with no problem (some of the roads here can be kind of tricky for the ole mustang). As we journeyed up the hill, we approached a fork in the road, with no idea which way to go and neither looked promising for the car. Luckily, one of the bartenders pulled up with his family and invited us to ride with them. We abandoned the mustang on the side of the road (it's just the norm here) and ventured on to dinner.
The view from Kat and Franks house is absolutely breathtaking!!! I've never seen anything like it. The weather was so clear we could see all the way to St Thomas. Frank said on really clear days you can see all the way to Puerto Rico too!!
Now to the food...
Over the years the dinner has been renamed Franksgiving, and we now know why. The food that Frank prepared was incredible!!! It was our first time trying a deep fried turkey, and boy was it amazing!!! We also had ham, pork chops, mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, 2 kinda of stuffing, 2 kinds of greens, yams, and more. Our plates were overflowing and it was delicious!!!! We made one huge mistaken at Franksgiving...we didn't bring Tupperware for leftovers. I thought about it when we left our house because my mom always tells us to bring our own on Thanksgiving. I just wasn't sure if it was rude or not considering we just met these people!! It definitely wasn't rude because everyone had it!!! We were very disappointed that we didn't have turkey sandwiches the next day. We'll never make that mistake again!!!!
The day after Thanksgiving, Drew played golf and I explored a new beach, Ha'Penny beach. It was a beautiful day for both!!! That night was Jump Up. Jump Up is an event that takes place in downtown Christiansted four times a year. Many of the restaurants have food stands set up, there are tons of bands and Moko Jumbies (see picture below). It's a Virgin Island tradition. It was such a fun night despite the onset of rain. We enjoyed food, drinks and did a little dancing in the rain. Great first Jump Up!!!
Yesterday, Drew had to work so I ventured out with a few friends we've met. We went hiking up to the tide pools towards the west, near the rainforest. It was an awesome hike that took at least an hour to get to our destination. Once at the pools, you are at the base of the rocks where the waves crash in. When we got there, it began to rain which was pretty cool. The rain also made the waves crashing in even bigger. It was really amazing. I cannot wait to take Drew!!!
We then went to the Domino Club or Normas where you can feed beer drinking pigs. This is a staple of St Croix. It was my first time and so funny. Pigs are stinky!!! We also had lunch at Normas... turkey leg, Mac and cheese and a Johnny cake (yummy)!!!! A Johnny cake is similar to sweet bread and a popular item here.
I then met back up with Drew and we wrapped up the day hanging out at Cane Bay Beach. We met an awesome boxer at the beach which gives us that itch to get a dog even more. He was awesome!!! The end of our night consisted of eating dinner and watching the Patriots at Rowdy Joes. What a Sunday!!!!! :)
Oh, and the Redskins finally won a game!!! What a great day!!
What will this week bring???
The view from Kat and Franks house is absolutely breathtaking!!! I've never seen anything like it. The weather was so clear we could see all the way to St Thomas. Frank said on really clear days you can see all the way to Puerto Rico too!!
Now to the food...
Over the years the dinner has been renamed Franksgiving, and we now know why. The food that Frank prepared was incredible!!! It was our first time trying a deep fried turkey, and boy was it amazing!!! We also had ham, pork chops, mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, 2 kinda of stuffing, 2 kinds of greens, yams, and more. Our plates were overflowing and it was delicious!!!! We made one huge mistaken at Franksgiving...we didn't bring Tupperware for leftovers. I thought about it when we left our house because my mom always tells us to bring our own on Thanksgiving. I just wasn't sure if it was rude or not considering we just met these people!! It definitely wasn't rude because everyone had it!!! We were very disappointed that we didn't have turkey sandwiches the next day. We'll never make that mistake again!!!!
The day after Thanksgiving, Drew played golf and I explored a new beach, Ha'Penny beach. It was a beautiful day for both!!! That night was Jump Up. Jump Up is an event that takes place in downtown Christiansted four times a year. Many of the restaurants have food stands set up, there are tons of bands and Moko Jumbies (see picture below). It's a Virgin Island tradition. It was such a fun night despite the onset of rain. We enjoyed food, drinks and did a little dancing in the rain. Great first Jump Up!!!
Yesterday, Drew had to work so I ventured out with a few friends we've met. We went hiking up to the tide pools towards the west, near the rainforest. It was an awesome hike that took at least an hour to get to our destination. Once at the pools, you are at the base of the rocks where the waves crash in. When we got there, it began to rain which was pretty cool. The rain also made the waves crashing in even bigger. It was really amazing. I cannot wait to take Drew!!!
We then went to the Domino Club or Normas where you can feed beer drinking pigs. This is a staple of St Croix. It was my first time and so funny. Pigs are stinky!!! We also had lunch at Normas... turkey leg, Mac and cheese and a Johnny cake (yummy)!!!! A Johnny cake is similar to sweet bread and a popular item here.
I then met back up with Drew and we wrapped up the day hanging out at Cane Bay Beach. We met an awesome boxer at the beach which gives us that itch to get a dog even more. He was awesome!!! The end of our night consisted of eating dinner and watching the Patriots at Rowdy Joes. What a Sunday!!!!! :)
Oh, and the Redskins finally won a game!!! What a great day!!
What will this week bring???
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Mailing Address
We wanted to make sure everyone had our new mailing address...
PO Box 6112
Christiansted, St Croix 00823
Ps...We LOVE mail!!!! :)
PO Box 6112
Christiansted, St Croix 00823
Ps...We LOVE mail!!!! :)
Monday, November 21, 2011
Catcher or scooper? And other random thoughts...
So considering Jenn is at work and I am off for the second straight day, there really is no excuse not to blog. The only thing on my to do list today is clean up a little and watch the Patriots. Tough life.
Before we started our jobs at the two restaurants, we had the once in a lifetime opportunity to provide a fecal sample. Needless to say, my thrill was met with utter horror by Jenn! The thought of doing this alone was enough to turn her cheeks pink, nevermind in close proximity to me. So we decided Tuesday was the day. I woke up to pee in the rental condo and found the medicine cabinet noticeably ajar. I said, "babe is your poop in the cabinet?" she was instantly mortified that I found her poorly hidden poo. Evidently, her embarrassment didn't lead her to hide it better. I said, "who puts their s@it in a cabinet?" she proclaimed, " I didn't know where to put it and don't you dare look!"...suffice to say, this was a hilarious way to start the day. I inevitably scooped my poop a little later in the morning. That made the two of us scoopers, a match made in poop heaven. Some folks we work with claim to be catchers but this seems more of a professional method. Hopefully, this is a once in a lifetime experience. We subtly concealed our poop to get it tested and we were both negative on the parasites and positive on the embarrassment.
The people and atmosphere at Eat@ cane bay could not be better. The beach bar looks right out at the north side of the island. Sure beats being in a cubicle or behind a desk. The owners have invited us to thanksgiving along with the rest of the staff so this has relieved some anxiety about being alone on turkey day. We are looking forward to a very different tradition. Our thoughts will undoubtedly be with our family and friends stateside this Thursday...we are thankful for your support and blessing!
Other than the aforementioned, we have explored a lot of the beaches on island. All are stunning, and have a little something different to offer. We are currently preparing to book flights for a January trip to St. Marteen to see my grandparents. Lots to look forward to including our first visitors. Who's it going to be????
Until next time, have a happy thanksgiving!
Love to all,
Drew and Jenn
Before we started our jobs at the two restaurants, we had the once in a lifetime opportunity to provide a fecal sample. Needless to say, my thrill was met with utter horror by Jenn! The thought of doing this alone was enough to turn her cheeks pink, nevermind in close proximity to me. So we decided Tuesday was the day. I woke up to pee in the rental condo and found the medicine cabinet noticeably ajar. I said, "babe is your poop in the cabinet?" she was instantly mortified that I found her poorly hidden poo. Evidently, her embarrassment didn't lead her to hide it better. I said, "who puts their s@it in a cabinet?" she proclaimed, " I didn't know where to put it and don't you dare look!"...suffice to say, this was a hilarious way to start the day. I inevitably scooped my poop a little later in the morning. That made the two of us scoopers, a match made in poop heaven. Some folks we work with claim to be catchers but this seems more of a professional method. Hopefully, this is a once in a lifetime experience. We subtly concealed our poop to get it tested and we were both negative on the parasites and positive on the embarrassment.
The people and atmosphere at Eat@ cane bay could not be better. The beach bar looks right out at the north side of the island. Sure beats being in a cubicle or behind a desk. The owners have invited us to thanksgiving along with the rest of the staff so this has relieved some anxiety about being alone on turkey day. We are looking forward to a very different tradition. Our thoughts will undoubtedly be with our family and friends stateside this Thursday...we are thankful for your support and blessing!
Other than the aforementioned, we have explored a lot of the beaches on island. All are stunning, and have a little something different to offer. We are currently preparing to book flights for a January trip to St. Marteen to see my grandparents. Lots to look forward to including our first visitors. Who's it going to be????
Until next time, have a happy thanksgiving!
Love to all,
Drew and Jenn
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Settling In...
So we have been here a little over a week now and we have signed a three month lease and have two part time jobs!
Since we last checked in, we decided to forgo the mansion apartment because of the cost. We probably could have made it work but how much time are we going to be at home anyway? We had a great real estate agent who showed us about four properties. We chose a place in Queens Quarter that has a resort type feel to it. There are a lot of younger people, including doctors and nurses from the hospital down the street. The place is small but perfect for us so far! We can't wait to have visitors on our airbed!
The day after we moved in we went to the restaurant on the property to have lunch. We ended up talking to one of the owners and were confident we would be hired. They hired us the next day. The place is called Reminisce and it is new and thriving. The only issue is that it is a little disorganized and caters to more of a local clientele. While Cruzan people are super nice, they do not understand tipping. Our first shift Wednesday night, Jenn got 2.50 on 48!
We also got hired at a beach bar called Eat at Cane Bay. It is an awesome spot and the owners have a great reputation. It is definitely where we would like to be full time. We have trained two nights there and they have us on the schedule for the rest of the month. Now we have a dilemma because we have committed to Reminisce Wednesday through Saturday...So we have some tough decisions ahead and will likely have to disappoint some people that have been super nice to us...
Other than working a lot, the weather has improved some. We are trying to explore the island as much as we can in our free time. It's crazy that we actually live here!!! The initial shock is wearing off and we aren't homesick yet. But we miss you all so much! Who is going to be our first visitor?
Much love,
Drew and Jenn
Since we last checked in, we decided to forgo the mansion apartment because of the cost. We probably could have made it work but how much time are we going to be at home anyway? We had a great real estate agent who showed us about four properties. We chose a place in Queens Quarter that has a resort type feel to it. There are a lot of younger people, including doctors and nurses from the hospital down the street. The place is small but perfect for us so far! We can't wait to have visitors on our airbed!
The day after we moved in we went to the restaurant on the property to have lunch. We ended up talking to one of the owners and were confident we would be hired. They hired us the next day. The place is called Reminisce and it is new and thriving. The only issue is that it is a little disorganized and caters to more of a local clientele. While Cruzan people are super nice, they do not understand tipping. Our first shift Wednesday night, Jenn got 2.50 on 48!
We also got hired at a beach bar called Eat at Cane Bay. It is an awesome spot and the owners have a great reputation. It is definitely where we would like to be full time. We have trained two nights there and they have us on the schedule for the rest of the month. Now we have a dilemma because we have committed to Reminisce Wednesday through Saturday...So we have some tough decisions ahead and will likely have to disappoint some people that have been super nice to us...
Other than working a lot, the weather has improved some. We are trying to explore the island as much as we can in our free time. It's crazy that we actually live here!!! The initial shock is wearing off and we aren't homesick yet. But we miss you all so much! Who is going to be our first visitor?
Much love,
Drew and Jenn
Saturday, November 5, 2011
And the journey continues...
Saturday, November 5
Sorry that there are no pictures on here. We got iPhones before we left for the island and I cannot figure out how to upload the photos on this blog. I'll have an album on Facebook.
We are starting day four on the island much more hopeful than day one. And, the sun is peeking out for the first time! Let me go back and first recap day 2 and 3...
Day 2
We woke up rather early because we needed to get the mustang taken care of and get the rental car back by 1015am to avoid additional charges. The first stop was Marshall and Sterling insurance...no discounts were given despite the name! We obtained liability insurance for the mustang (only $320 for the year) and continued on to the DMV. We got a temporary moving permit and could legally drive the car to the DMV!! No more VI police encounters!!!!! After a short inspection and short wait in the DMV, we were registred, tagged, and titled in the VI!!! Very bizarre to see the plates on my car! Shout out to Chris Fowler for driving the mustang to Florida for the first leg of it's journey! Huge help!!
With the car stuff completed we decided to go explore and get some lunch. It was 130pm and we hadn't eaten. We went into town and stumbled upon the brew pub, the only microbrewery in the VI. We got some food, chatted with a few people and even filled out a job application. The pub was in town and on the boardwalk of the harbor. There were boats in the harbour and the sun was peeking out a little. It was more of what we had inmind when we decided to move to an island!!! After a long lunch, we ventured to the grocery store...
We heard lots of horror stories about food prices, but they weren't too bad! And, the grocery store sells beer, wine, and liquor!! So, food and drinks cost us $175. Little moe than home, but not bad. We had our first homecooked meal in St Croix that night and were feeling better about our decision. We were excited about our 10am appt the next morning with Donna, real agent #1 to see the mansion apartment. We slept well that night, dreaming of living in a mansion!
Day 3
We met with Donna at 10am to see the apartment in the Shoy mansion. It was awesome! Everything is new, in fact some stuff isn't even finished. Views of the beach, walking distance to the water, private pool and tennis court. Awesome!! We met Billy, the maintenance guy who is finishing the apartment and keeps up the property. The owner was also there. He's a hedgefund guy from VA and owns like half of the island. He was nice but informed us that he now wanted $1500 plus utilities for the place. Punch in the stomach! We could afford that at home, but not knowing where we will be working here makes that price anlittle scary. Donna said that she would talk to him and see if he would be willing to come down on the price. We went down to the water, put our feet in and crossed our fingers.
In the meantime, we scheduled an appt with real estate agent #2, Emma to see some places. But, before that appt, we went to VI Flex and worked out. First work out in a while and it felt great.
We saw a few places with Emma, only one that we would consider. It's a cute one bedroom in a place called Queen Quarter Villas. Only 2 years old and very private and safe, but no views and a 5-10 drive to the beach. Nice pool and rstaurant on the property. Rent $950 plus utilities. I could see us living there for sure, but it's no Shoy! Hmmmmm....decisions, decisions!!! Waiting to hear from Donna before making a decision.
We had another homecooked meal and relaxed at home.
Now it's the morning of day 4, the sun is trying to come out, and birds are chirping. Today's objective is to find a JOB!
We will keep you posted.
Love, Jenn and Drew
Xoxo
Sorry that there are no pictures on here. We got iPhones before we left for the island and I cannot figure out how to upload the photos on this blog. I'll have an album on Facebook.
We are starting day four on the island much more hopeful than day one. And, the sun is peeking out for the first time! Let me go back and first recap day 2 and 3...
Day 2
We woke up rather early because we needed to get the mustang taken care of and get the rental car back by 1015am to avoid additional charges. The first stop was Marshall and Sterling insurance...no discounts were given despite the name! We obtained liability insurance for the mustang (only $320 for the year) and continued on to the DMV. We got a temporary moving permit and could legally drive the car to the DMV!! No more VI police encounters!!!!! After a short inspection and short wait in the DMV, we were registred, tagged, and titled in the VI!!! Very bizarre to see the plates on my car! Shout out to Chris Fowler for driving the mustang to Florida for the first leg of it's journey! Huge help!!
With the car stuff completed we decided to go explore and get some lunch. It was 130pm and we hadn't eaten. We went into town and stumbled upon the brew pub, the only microbrewery in the VI. We got some food, chatted with a few people and even filled out a job application. The pub was in town and on the boardwalk of the harbor. There were boats in the harbour and the sun was peeking out a little. It was more of what we had inmind when we decided to move to an island!!! After a long lunch, we ventured to the grocery store...
We heard lots of horror stories about food prices, but they weren't too bad! And, the grocery store sells beer, wine, and liquor!! So, food and drinks cost us $175. Little moe than home, but not bad. We had our first homecooked meal in St Croix that night and were feeling better about our decision. We were excited about our 10am appt the next morning with Donna, real agent #1 to see the mansion apartment. We slept well that night, dreaming of living in a mansion!
Day 3
We met with Donna at 10am to see the apartment in the Shoy mansion. It was awesome! Everything is new, in fact some stuff isn't even finished. Views of the beach, walking distance to the water, private pool and tennis court. Awesome!! We met Billy, the maintenance guy who is finishing the apartment and keeps up the property. The owner was also there. He's a hedgefund guy from VA and owns like half of the island. He was nice but informed us that he now wanted $1500 plus utilities for the place. Punch in the stomach! We could afford that at home, but not knowing where we will be working here makes that price anlittle scary. Donna said that she would talk to him and see if he would be willing to come down on the price. We went down to the water, put our feet in and crossed our fingers.
In the meantime, we scheduled an appt with real estate agent #2, Emma to see some places. But, before that appt, we went to VI Flex and worked out. First work out in a while and it felt great.
We saw a few places with Emma, only one that we would consider. It's a cute one bedroom in a place called Queen Quarter Villas. Only 2 years old and very private and safe, but no views and a 5-10 drive to the beach. Nice pool and rstaurant on the property. Rent $950 plus utilities. I could see us living there for sure, but it's no Shoy! Hmmmmm....decisions, decisions!!! Waiting to hear from Donna before making a decision.
We had another homecooked meal and relaxed at home.
Now it's the morning of day 4, the sun is trying to come out, and birds are chirping. Today's objective is to find a JOB!
We will keep you posted.
Love, Jenn and Drew
Xoxo
Friday, November 4, 2011
Our new reality
We had a great visit in Boston with my family the week leading up to the big move. Jenn was able to enjoy Halloween in Boston as we went as Wayne and Garth to my buddy Brian's house. We were asked all week about our emotions, whether we were anxious, excited, etc...In hindsight, there is no way to predict your emotions when you land on an island you have never been to. That sounds crazy even writing.
So we took a red-eye from Beantown to Puerto rico. The flight was rather empty because who takes a red-eye in the same time zone? But Jenn found us a good deal and her bargaining skills is one of the things I love about her. It was basically a sleepless night when we arrived in San Juan. We layed over for four hours until much to my horror, I looked out to an eight passenger Cape Air "plane"...I was so tired and ready to arrive that I stuffed my fear somewhere deep inside. Jenn said she would hold my hand but she was snoozing 10 minutes into flight. Lol...she can sleep even in a death trap.
Alas, we made the 40 minute trek in one piece. We arrived on St. Croix sleep deprived yet extremely optimistic. We hopped in our rental car and Jenn began driving on the LEFT side of the road. She did a great job and got us to our condo in Questa Verde. We took a much needed nap and then ventured to the shipping company for the good ole Mustang. The car had no tags but we were told it would be ok to drive to the airport and then home. 10 minutes later I spot a VI cop u-turn and light up our tagless Mustang. Now is where all the Locked Up Abroad episodes race thru your mind... Thankfully, he was understanding and did not fine us. We went straight home because it was dark knowing we would have to solve our car issues the next day.
We got the Mustang back to the condo knowing I could have been pulled over again with a less understanding cop. This was a tense 15 minute ride to say the least. Thank God for the silly reggae station to calm my nerves. We set out for a much needed dinner. Our dyslexic property manager, I could not make this up, gave us some illegible map to dinner. God bless learning disabilities! 40 minutes later we were 11 miles east of Christiansted at the Divi resort. At this point, doubt starts to enter your mind about the crazy life change you have just made...did we pick the right island? Are we ever going to get accustomed to this culture? We had a much needed dinner and calmed eachothers nerves a bit... We came too far to turn back now afterall. Stay tuned for a much better day 2.
Love to all,
Drew and Jenn
So we took a red-eye from Beantown to Puerto rico. The flight was rather empty because who takes a red-eye in the same time zone? But Jenn found us a good deal and her bargaining skills is one of the things I love about her. It was basically a sleepless night when we arrived in San Juan. We layed over for four hours until much to my horror, I looked out to an eight passenger Cape Air "plane"...I was so tired and ready to arrive that I stuffed my fear somewhere deep inside. Jenn said she would hold my hand but she was snoozing 10 minutes into flight. Lol...she can sleep even in a death trap.
Alas, we made the 40 minute trek in one piece. We arrived on St. Croix sleep deprived yet extremely optimistic. We hopped in our rental car and Jenn began driving on the LEFT side of the road. She did a great job and got us to our condo in Questa Verde. We took a much needed nap and then ventured to the shipping company for the good ole Mustang. The car had no tags but we were told it would be ok to drive to the airport and then home. 10 minutes later I spot a VI cop u-turn and light up our tagless Mustang. Now is where all the Locked Up Abroad episodes race thru your mind... Thankfully, he was understanding and did not fine us. We went straight home because it was dark knowing we would have to solve our car issues the next day.
We got the Mustang back to the condo knowing I could have been pulled over again with a less understanding cop. This was a tense 15 minute ride to say the least. Thank God for the silly reggae station to calm my nerves. We set out for a much needed dinner. Our dyslexic property manager, I could not make this up, gave us some illegible map to dinner. God bless learning disabilities! 40 minutes later we were 11 miles east of Christiansted at the Divi resort. At this point, doubt starts to enter your mind about the crazy life change you have just made...did we pick the right island? Are we ever going to get accustomed to this culture? We had a much needed dinner and calmed eachothers nerves a bit... We came too far to turn back now afterall. Stay tuned for a much better day 2.
Love to all,
Drew and Jenn
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Heading North Before South
Hey, it's Drew...Long time no blog...Actually, I have never blogged before. Without further ado...
As I sit in Jenn's parents house, it is hard to believe that we will be in St. Coix at this time next week. So much has gone into preparing for this trip, from working two jobs, to saying goodbye to our former colleagues, to packing and storing our apartment by ourselves, and Jenn making maticulous details to prepare us well. I am so thankful for her dedication to this journey, as it would not be happening without her.
We are heading to Boston for a little less than a week to spend some time with my family. We are hoping for an early snow as we will not be seeing any until 2012 at the earliest...We will be catching up with friends, some of whom Jenn has not met, hopefully catching a Bruins game, golfing and most of all relaxing. 14 hour days for the last 2 months are now a thing of the past and we need some relaxation before our journey. While it feels great to not be working, there is some anxiety with not having any income at the moment. However, we have some job angles that we are playing and we remain optimistic that we will find something great once on island.
Thank you to all of you who came out to Maddy's last Saturday for our goodbye party. We are overwhelmed by the suppot of our friends and will miss you all very much. We expect to see many of you in the Carribean!
The next time you will be hearing from me will likely be from St. Croix. I trust that the first impression with the island will be amazing.
Peace,
Drew and Jenn
As I sit in Jenn's parents house, it is hard to believe that we will be in St. Coix at this time next week. So much has gone into preparing for this trip, from working two jobs, to saying goodbye to our former colleagues, to packing and storing our apartment by ourselves, and Jenn making maticulous details to prepare us well. I am so thankful for her dedication to this journey, as it would not be happening without her.
We are heading to Boston for a little less than a week to spend some time with my family. We are hoping for an early snow as we will not be seeing any until 2012 at the earliest...We will be catching up with friends, some of whom Jenn has not met, hopefully catching a Bruins game, golfing and most of all relaxing. 14 hour days for the last 2 months are now a thing of the past and we need some relaxation before our journey. While it feels great to not be working, there is some anxiety with not having any income at the moment. However, we have some job angles that we are playing and we remain optimistic that we will find something great once on island.
Thank you to all of you who came out to Maddy's last Saturday for our goodbye party. We are overwhelmed by the suppot of our friends and will miss you all very much. We expect to see many of you in the Carribean!
The next time you will be hearing from me will likely be from St. Croix. I trust that the first impression with the island will be amazing.
Peace,
Drew and Jenn
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
27 days and counting...
We haven't been very good about updating this blog along the way, but I promise to try and get better, especially once we are there!!
We have less than a month to go before we leave and I cannot believe that it is so close. Drew and I are both working part-time jobs and have been working like 80 hours a week in preparation for the big move. Drew is waiting tables at Woodmont Grill and I am working at Shady Grove Hospital and Maddy's Bar and Grille. We haven't been seeing a whole lot of each other lately, but we'll make up for it once we are living in the islands!!
Since I last posted, Drew and I both resigned from our full time jobs. It was well taken by both. I was really nervous about leaving Fairfax County Public Schools during the school year. Before I resigned, I reviewed by contract which basically says...you will be banished from the county if you break your contract. With my anxiety level at its highest, I had the hard conversation with my supervisor. Luckily, he was extremely supportive and even asked if I could commit to coming back next school year. I told him that I couldn't make that commitment at this time, but it felt great to get that reaction. Drew is counting down the days before his time at NCCF is over. It will be bitter sweet...he's been working at the group home for 5 years!!
We have made some progress with our plans once we arrive to St. Croix. We are renting a condo in Questa Verde for the first week we are there. Its a two bedroom condo and is way more space then we will need. Too bad we won't have visitors that week. We have been referred to real estate agents and hope to see some apartments and sign a 6 month lease that first week.
We have made arrangements to ship my Mustang as well. We put a lot of thought into buying a car, but decided it made more sense to bring mine. Used cars there are limited on the island and because of that, they can be way overpriced. And, you never know what you are going to get with a used car!!! So, if all goes as planned, the Mustang will arrive the day before we do. Thanks to Chris Fowler who is helping us get it to Jacksonville, FL to ship!!!
No job leads yet. We are hoping to relax the first couple of weeks, anyhow!!!
So, 2 1/2 more weeks of work. Then, we pack up and move our belongings to storage on 10/24 (anyone free to help??), leave for Boston of 10/26, spend some time with the Hopley's and then we are off to St. Croix on November 1!!!
Those of you in the DC area, mark your calendars for Saturday, 10/22. Going Away Celebration at Maddy's Bar and Grille, 8:30pm!!!
We have less than a month to go before we leave and I cannot believe that it is so close. Drew and I are both working part-time jobs and have been working like 80 hours a week in preparation for the big move. Drew is waiting tables at Woodmont Grill and I am working at Shady Grove Hospital and Maddy's Bar and Grille. We haven't been seeing a whole lot of each other lately, but we'll make up for it once we are living in the islands!!
Since I last posted, Drew and I both resigned from our full time jobs. It was well taken by both. I was really nervous about leaving Fairfax County Public Schools during the school year. Before I resigned, I reviewed by contract which basically says...you will be banished from the county if you break your contract. With my anxiety level at its highest, I had the hard conversation with my supervisor. Luckily, he was extremely supportive and even asked if I could commit to coming back next school year. I told him that I couldn't make that commitment at this time, but it felt great to get that reaction. Drew is counting down the days before his time at NCCF is over. It will be bitter sweet...he's been working at the group home for 5 years!!
We have made some progress with our plans once we arrive to St. Croix. We are renting a condo in Questa Verde for the first week we are there. Its a two bedroom condo and is way more space then we will need. Too bad we won't have visitors that week. We have been referred to real estate agents and hope to see some apartments and sign a 6 month lease that first week.
We have made arrangements to ship my Mustang as well. We put a lot of thought into buying a car, but decided it made more sense to bring mine. Used cars there are limited on the island and because of that, they can be way overpriced. And, you never know what you are going to get with a used car!!! So, if all goes as planned, the Mustang will arrive the day before we do. Thanks to Chris Fowler who is helping us get it to Jacksonville, FL to ship!!!
No job leads yet. We are hoping to relax the first couple of weeks, anyhow!!!
So, 2 1/2 more weeks of work. Then, we pack up and move our belongings to storage on 10/24 (anyone free to help??), leave for Boston of 10/26, spend some time with the Hopley's and then we are off to St. Croix on November 1!!!
Those of you in the DC area, mark your calendars for Saturday, 10/22. Going Away Celebration at Maddy's Bar and Grille, 8:30pm!!!
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Flights are Booked...No turning back now!!
We booked our flights to St. Croix on Tuesday!! :)
We are flying out of Boston at 11:59pm on November 1. We arrive in San Juan, PR at about 4am on November 2. Then we fly out again at 8am and land in St. Croix at about 9am on November 2. Yay!!
We are so excited...more details to come! :)
We are flying out of Boston at 11:59pm on November 1. We arrive in San Juan, PR at about 4am on November 2. Then we fly out again at 8am and land in St. Croix at about 9am on November 2. Yay!!
We are so excited...more details to come! :)
Friday, August 5, 2011
House Hunters International
Drew and I are big fans of House Hunters International, really most of the shows on HGTV! I thought it would be worth a try to contact them and see if they would be interested in our adventure to the "big island" of the USVI. I emailed the network on Sunday and to my surprise someone emailed me back the next day! Melissa simply thanked me for my email and asked when we were planning on moving. I promptly emailed her back and kept my fingers crossed that maybe she'd email again! Much to my surprise, Melissa called on Wednesday afternoon. I was so shocked that I had to ask her who was calling twice (good thing I answered that NY number I didnt recognize!!). Melissa asked a lot of questions about our plans and said that although they usually focus on people purchasing homes, they were interested in us. She stated that she would send me an email with details about a casting video that we would need to create and send to her asap. The process would include a one days shoot in DC and then a three day shoot in St. Croix after the move, plus $1500. I was so excited and giddy about the possibility of being on House Hunters. Those of you that know me well know about my obsession with reality tv and game shows (Ive sent casting videos to The Real World and The Amazing Race in the past)! This opportunity would eliminate reality tv from my Bucket List. Drew and I called the one person we thought could help us create the best casting video...Deedee Davis. She agreed to help and we were just waiting for the email from Melissa with the details...
Thursday morning I got an email from Melissa stating that her Executive Producer didnt think our story would fit with what they were looking for! Ugh...so close!!! She said that they only want to work with renters who plan to stay long term, 2-3 years. How disappointing. :(
Thursday morning I got an email from Melissa stating that her Executive Producer didnt think our story would fit with what they were looking for! Ugh...so close!!! She said that they only want to work with renters who plan to stay long term, 2-3 years. How disappointing. :(
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
To Do List
We made a "Moving To-Do List" to get ourselves organized for the move and make sure we are ready when November 1 rolls around. Here's the list...
1. Buy new cell phones from Sprint. (Sprint and AT&T and the best carriers in St. Croix and I need a smartphone to stay connected.)
2. Figure out how to get Drew out of his Verizon contract without paying the penalties. (Any ideas??)
3. Buy a laptop.
4. Secure a storage unit.
5. Sign Drew's care lease over to Nate (his brother).
6. Find a place to store my care.
7. Drew apply for a passport.
8. Drew register and take the GMAT (he wants to go to grad school when we get back)
9. Research banks in St. Croix and figure out how to transfer money from our current banks.
10. Contact credit card companies so they don't suspect fraud.
11. Set up auto-debit for all bills. (I still pay my bills manually)
12. Research private health insurance.
13. Cancel renter's insurance and Drew's car insurance.
14. SAVE, SAVE, SAVE!!! (Im working part-time at the hospital before be leave. Drew's trying to figure out a way to make extra money too! Any ideas??)
There it is...14 simple things before we can leave. I think we can manage it!!!
1. Buy new cell phones from Sprint. (Sprint and AT&T and the best carriers in St. Croix and I need a smartphone to stay connected.)
2. Figure out how to get Drew out of his Verizon contract without paying the penalties. (Any ideas??)
3. Buy a laptop.
4. Secure a storage unit.
5. Sign Drew's care lease over to Nate (his brother).
6. Find a place to store my care.
7. Drew apply for a passport.
8. Drew register and take the GMAT (he wants to go to grad school when we get back)
9. Research banks in St. Croix and figure out how to transfer money from our current banks.
10. Contact credit card companies so they don't suspect fraud.
11. Set up auto-debit for all bills. (I still pay my bills manually)
12. Research private health insurance.
13. Cancel renter's insurance and Drew's car insurance.
14. SAVE, SAVE, SAVE!!! (Im working part-time at the hospital before be leave. Drew's trying to figure out a way to make extra money too! Any ideas??)
There it is...14 simple things before we can leave. I think we can manage it!!!
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Big Move Coming Soon
So, Drew and I have been throwing this crazy idea around for the last two months...moving to St. Croix!
Be honest, what is your initial thought??
We each have had our reservations about the idea. I mean really, uproot your entire life and move to an island with no job and no home. It's crazy, right?? I definitely had many days when I thought that! But then I also thought, when will we ever have an opportunity to do something so adventurous?! And, the answer to that question was, NEVER! So, after many conversations with each other, talking it over with our families and a decent amount of research, we decided this weekend to make "this crazy idea" a reality...we are moving to St. Croix!!
The lease on our apartment expires on October 31 and then we are out of here and on our way to the beach, perfect weather and paradise!! Our current plan is to fly there the first week of November and stay until the beginning of next summer. We are likely getting a studio apartment, maybe a one bedroom, so we will not have a ton of room, but visitors are always welcome!!
We've decided to start this blog so that out family and friends can follow our journey as we make the final plans of our departure, locate housing and jobs on the island, and have the best adventure of our life!!!
J
Be honest, what is your initial thought??
We each have had our reservations about the idea. I mean really, uproot your entire life and move to an island with no job and no home. It's crazy, right?? I definitely had many days when I thought that! But then I also thought, when will we ever have an opportunity to do something so adventurous?! And, the answer to that question was, NEVER! So, after many conversations with each other, talking it over with our families and a decent amount of research, we decided this weekend to make "this crazy idea" a reality...we are moving to St. Croix!!
The lease on our apartment expires on October 31 and then we are out of here and on our way to the beach, perfect weather and paradise!! Our current plan is to fly there the first week of November and stay until the beginning of next summer. We are likely getting a studio apartment, maybe a one bedroom, so we will not have a ton of room, but visitors are always welcome!!
We've decided to start this blog so that out family and friends can follow our journey as we make the final plans of our departure, locate housing and jobs on the island, and have the best adventure of our life!!!
J
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