by Amy Land-de Wilde
The other day during our regular Tuesday morning office meeting, one of our brokers suggested we all share what we love about living on St. Croix. We’re asked this all the time by people thinking about making our beautiful island more permanent. It was a lively hour with lots of memories flying. Most of us have moved from the States, so we definitely have known other geographies and lifestyles. We all decided to settle here after our initial visits, buy our nests and make St. Croix our home!
After over thirty-five years on our beautiful island, there’s still not a day that goes by where I don’t pull off the road at some point during the day to appreciate what my daughter, when she was young and often in the car with me, called my “beauty moments”. All of us agreed how rejuvenated we feel when we return to our island and can get back outside into the clean, fresh air. At night we can see a sky full of stars, and a friend turned me on to how and when to see the International Space Station fly overhead in its long arc. That never gets old.
What so many agreed was that it’s the sense of community we all really cherish. I’ve heard people say over and over who’ve had to move off island for one reason or another, that they miss our community the most. They say that the bonds of their friendships are stronger, and even when people are called away, so many move back! Everyone says how quickly they made connections and became involved on our island. It’s not cliquish here and newcomers are accepted very quickly.
Parents recalled how their nuclear family was enlarged by the “village”. Kids are “adopted” by their friends’ families and we all watch out for each other. It’s like a small town that constantly changes with the influx of interesting new folks from all over the globe. In fact, that’s one of the best things parents have said about raising kids here-it’s so multi-cultural. It really prepared them for leaving their nests! My daughter just graduated from University of Miami with a B.S. and great grades. She was well-prepared from her education here.
We get calls and visits every day from those who are investigating St. Croix and want to know what it’s like to live here. If that’s been on your mind, too, we’d love to share our stories with you and give you compelling reasons to become Crucians like we are.
We at Coldwell Banker St. Croix Realty would love to help you get settled more quickly and make the learning curve of our St. Croix seamless. We would love to brag about our island in person and share with you the many wonderful reasons we’ve each decided to make St. Croix our home. Please call us or drop in while you are on island.
You’ll find our offices in Gallows Bay Market Place (340-778-7000), in the Buccaneer Hotel (340-718-7000), and in Frederiksted near the pier at 340-642-3333. Visit our website at coldwellbankervi.com and preview the beautiful island properties we have to offer. We hope you’ll stop by for a chat!
Broker Amy Land-de Wilde owns Coldwell Banker St. Croix Realty. She fell in love with the island on first sight and has lived here now for over 35 years.
