Good morning! Living in a culture of less stress is one of the reasons we’re here…us and the many other ex-pats who call this home. One the morals followed by everyone here actually decreases your stress …. and it’s simply by just by greeting every one you meet! It’s very important to acknowledge those you are passing, greeting, or asking a question to……with either a version of ‘Good Morning’, ‘Good Afternoon (and BE sure it’s after noon!), Good Evening and Good Night are one and the same. Saying ‘Good Night’ is the most difficult for me, because it doesn’t mean quite the same. Often you hear the local responses as, “Mawnin’ Mawnin!” or “Okay”…sometimes “Alright”. Whatever the verbage, it all means the same…”Hello, and have a great day”! Just saying this and looking someone face to face really does help relieve any stress…it’s nice to always have someone saying something positive to you…no matter what time of day or wherever you are. Mawnin’, Mawnin’ to you all!
Mawnin’, Mawnin’!
What’s it like to live in paradise?
Living on an island is my dream come true…one of my life’s goals, somewhere on my bucket list.
I always knew that’s where I wanted to be after visiting Ambergris Caye in Belize 10 years ago. I didn’t sit and make plans on how to do it….but following my intuition got me here. That’s a whole other blog topic, which I will tell you as I add to this, but for now I want you to know what it’s like to live on one of the three US Virgin Islands: St. Croix (where I am now), St. Thomas, and St. John…. and the differences from living on the mainland….especially the cities:)
The beauty of the island is one of the main reasons we’re here, the stark blue and turquoise sea….along with the new requirement of relaxation every day…often we change the word ‘relaxation’ to ‘predictable’. Oh, there is stress here too… not every day is spent at the beach or drinking rum at a beach bar…though those are two things we reach for every moment we can! Since moving here five months ago, I see something new and different, hear language that I struggle to interpret, and experience unfamiliar smells every day…new experiences that I’ve always wanted to share with those who might wonder, “what’s it like to live there??” So I’m beginning this blog and aim to add new experiences for you to learn and make your own judgement…maybe you’ll choose to come visit and lie on the beach, snorkel, or dive for a few days…eat freshly caught lobster, try Cruzan rum… or perhaps you’re even thinking of moving here. I hope this gives you insight from ex-pats who thinks this is just about as perfect as you can get…for me (and my beloved Jim!)
Julie in Paradise
Life in Paradise...the US Virgin Islands 