Opportunities

[disney obsessed]

I have two and i am trying to decide which would be better. Looking for guidance here.

Opportunity 1. Moving to st Thomas with BF. work part time at whatever i find. Live a true island lifestyle...:cloud9:...aaaahhhhh..... But... Family would be far away.

Opportunity 2. Moving to sanford to do a job i love for 65 hrs a week and will be in disneys backyard ..:cool:..where i can spend most of my free time in the most magical place on earth. Family in orlando but....no boyfriend.

Ideas?

[faline]

Tough choices. I can't suggest which would be the better option for you. You will need to search your own heart to determine what will make you happiest.

[BrerGnat]

It's a tough call, but personally, I wouldn't move out of the country for a boyfriend. I'd require a marriage in order to make that kind of leap. And, actually, if he is moving there for a job but you are not, could you even get a work visa there? I'm not too sure you can just move to a foreign country and start working. I think keeping your career intact is probably a better long term decision.

[Pirate Granny]

How much free time will you have if you are required to work 65 hours a week? Being close to family is great IF you have time to see them.

Are there plans with BF to make your relationship more permanent?

Those are things to consider...

[Scar]

Family in orlando but....no boyfriend.Are there no single men in the Orlando area? ;)

Seriously, I agree with Natalie about needing a ring.

But I disagree about the Visa. I'm pretty sure any US citizen can work in the US Virgin Islands without any kind of special paperwork.

[BrerGnat]

Are there no single men in the Orlando area? ;)

Seriously, I agree with Natalie about needing a ring.

But I disagree about the Visa. I'm pretty sure any US citizen can work in the US Virgin Islands without any kind of special paperwork.

My bad. I forgot that St. Thomas is a USVI.

[Hammer]

It's a tough call, but personally, I wouldn't move out of the country for a boyfriend. I'd require a marriage in order to make that kind of leap. ....I think keeping your career intact is probably a better long term decision.

I agree that keeping your career intact is the better decision, especially since you said you love your job. Maybe I just don't have a romantic soul.


Are there no single men in the Orlando area? ;)

Seriously, I agree with Natalie about needing a ring.


LOL, Jeff that made me laugh out loud :funny: but fortunately there are few people in my office this week to hear me!

[cer]

Opportunity 2. Moving to sanford to do a job i love for 65 hrs a week and will be in disneys backyard ..:cool:..where i can spend most of my free time in the most magical place on earth. Family in orlando but....no boyfriend.

Ideas?

I vote opportunity #2.

[AgentC]

Faced with a decision with like that this is what I would do:

-Look at both options and think about what your life would be like in 1 year if you followed each option.
-What would it be like in 5 years?
-Which option better fits where you hope to be in 1 year, 5 years?

Then pick what is closest to where you want to be. It's obviously not fool proof since things can happen you won't anticipate and what you want could change but a long term view is helpful for such a big decision.

[disney obsessed]

Ha! Ha! I laughed at the thought of no single men in orlando too!!!

He would marry me in a heartbeat...I won't say yes yet. Still enjoying being independent. Our hearts are married just no desire to think about the legal side of things. Ending a 25+ year marriage has put me off of that for now.

Its been hard letting go of the kids. One is in orlando, one lives about an hour from me and youngest a freshman in college. I know it is time. I just do not want it to end. We still look for that feeling in disney from when they were kids. And we always find it there.
If i move to the carribbean, am I losing that easy connection to them? I guess not, it will just take more planning and be more expensive.

I believe this has more to do with struggling with that transition more than what I want. I want to move to St Thomas for myself. I have always wanted to live in the carribean and now I have the opportunity. But it means that I am doing something for me instead of us. I don't really yet know how to do that.

Hey, thanks for the therapy!!!

Further ideas on how to move forward appreciated.

[Scar]

Ahh... New information.

I now say, if you feel you can afford it financially... Follow your dream. You have to make a transition with your kids at some point anyway, why not now.

[BrerGnat]

This information would have been useful to have up front. ;) Now it's more complicated.

I will say, "living in the Caribbean" isn't the same as visiting. My family is from Puerto Rico which is beautiful but there are a lot of problems there. St. Thomas is very similar. The island is primarily VERY poor and run down. The local government is corrupt, there is rampant crime and rundown areas, etc. The influx of thousands of visitors from cruise ships keeps the local economy afloat (pun intended) but it also creates it's own issues to contend with. Just make sure you have a realistic idea of what to expect from island life before you go that route. If there is a way that yiu can try it out for a while and move to Sanford if it doesn't work out, that would be ideal. Not sure if the job situation in Sanford will still be there in the future though.

As for letting go of your kids, it will be hard but you are not completely severing ties to them. They will be just a short plane ride away. Regardless of where you are, if you have multiple kids, chances are you won't be able to live close to them all forever. So, go where YOU will be happiest and settle down for the next chapter of your life.

[Hammer]

The added info does make the answer more complicated, but I still say Sanford. Living in the Caribbean isn't all it is cracked up to be. As Natalie pointed out, many of the people are quite poor. You then have the other end of the spectrum where you have the very rich. There isn't really an in-between.

Also, think about basic things like medical needs. Of course there are doctors available, but quality of medical care and facilities is much better on the US mainland. Groceries will also be quite expensive, as most things will need to be shipped onto the island.

[divinedi]

I agree with those that have said it's not all it's cracked up to be. We had relatives wanting to move here from Europe, because they had had such a good time on their vacation. When my parents (I was young at the time) explained to them all that it would entail moving here, they declined. Vacation is so different from real life, having to make a living, living conditions from what you are used to in the US etc. Just make sure you are very well informed about everything first before you make any decision! Good luck!