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Hi,
My partner is a Physician Assistant, and is a considering a job offer on St. Thomas. We would be living there for about two years at least. I'm a social worker/mental health counselor and would also need to find work, clearly, and I'm having a little trouble finding job listings for social workers and/or people in the field that I can talk to about doing this kind of work in the USVI. I was wondering if anyone in this forum knows anyone who practices social work there and what their experience has been like. Also, I live and work in a predominantly Caribbean (from all different countries) neighborhood in Brooklyn, and I have seen a crazy amount of really intense homophobia, and I'm wondering if people have any sense of what it is like to be in a same-sex partnership and live in St. Thomas. In general, is it hostile and dangerous? Or is it pretty mellow live-and-let-live?
We're actually going to visit next week and see for ourselves, but I thought I would seek out some feedback on this forum as well because one can't have too much information.
Also, just if anyone's interested or has an opinion, the other places that we are considering for two-year positions are Northern New Mexico and Guam.
Thanks in advance for your feedback and have a good evening.
Location: Tampa Bay`·.¸¸ ><((((º>.·´¯`·><((((º>
4,696 posts, read 7,890,053 times
Reputation: 13657
Quote:
Originally Posted by bkbreakout
Hi,
My partner is a Physician Assistant, and is a considering a job offer on St. Thomas. We would be living there for about two years at least. I'm a social worker/mental health counselor and would also need to find work, clearly, and I'm having a little trouble finding job listings for social workers and/or people in the field that I can talk to about doing this kind of work in the USVI. I was wondering if anyone in this forum knows anyone who practices social work there and what their experience has been like. Also, I live and work in a predominantly Caribbean (from all different countries) neighborhood in Brooklyn, and I have seen a crazy amount of really intense homophobia, and I'm wondering if people have any sense of what it is like to be in a same-sex partnership and live in St. Thomas. In general, is it hostile and dangerous? Or is it pretty mellow live-and-let-live?
We're actually going to visit next week and see for ourselves, but I thought I would seek out some feedback on this forum as well because one can't have too much information.
Also, just if anyone's interested or has an opinion, the other places that we are considering for two-year positions are Northern New Mexico and Guam.
Thanks in advance for your feedback and have a good evening.
Many years ago I worked as a Social Work supervisor in the VI. It was an enlightening experience. I saw the issues that many people don't see in a lifetime. I enjoyed my work a lot, but I was there only because my DH had a job there. I don't think there would be any issue with you and your partner.
The people there live and let live.
Other than that I have to say there's not much to do there other than beach, fishing, drinking. It is a very unique black culture, unique in its way.
First, to address your concerns about gays here it is, as Annie of Oldsmar says, a very much "live and let live" community. I'm white, have lived here for 25 years and have many friends who are gay,*both black and white, and mixed.
I DO disagree with Annie of Oldsmar when she says, "there's not much to do there other than beach, fishing, drinking."
A lesbian couple I know (one was born here, her partner is from stateside and they met on the West Coast) recently returned here after an absence of a couple of years. The formerly stateside partner was laughing about the job she just recently acquired with the Department of Human Services when the supervisors told her it would probably take her a couple of years to get the job down pat. A couple of years? Ah, island time!
I don't think either would have a problem talking to you so send me a DM if you'd like me to introduce you. Cheers!
Many years ago I worked as a Social Work supervisor in the VI. It was an enlightening experience. I saw the issues that many people don't see in a lifetime. I enjoyed my work a lot, but I was there only because my DH had a job there. I don't think there would be any issue with you and your partner.
The people there live and let live.
Other than that I have to say there's not much to do there other than beach, fishing, drinking. It is a very unique black culture, unique in its way.
How did you find your social work job there? Do you still have contact with any social workers/mental health workers on the island?
Thanks so much for your help. I did find the DHS website, and it's a start, though I noticed that the vacancy listings are from 2006...island time?
We're actually going for a short visit tomorrow through saturday, so I'll have a somewhat better idea of what I think (and probably a million more questions). I'll let you know how it goes. Again, I really appreciate your time and assistance.
Location: Tampa Bay`·.¸¸ ><((((º>.·´¯`·><((((º>
4,696 posts, read 7,890,053 times
Reputation: 13657
Quote:
Originally Posted by bkbreakout
How did you find your social work job there? Do you still have contact with any social workers/mental health workers on the island?
Sorry , I did not see this until now.
My job was with the Dept. of Social Welfare, then later with the Queen Louise home in Frederickted, This is a religious home for children who have no parents or who have been taken from the parents.
I also worked with the Catholic Church with their social services division.
As you can see I had more work than most people there, but I speak spanish , which was helpful and a master's degree.
I lived in St. Croix,VI.
Feel free to contact me with any other question you might have , with a DM , I think, it's easier.
Good Luck to you!!
First of all, I have lived in Brooklyn in the heart of the Caribbean area and the largest representation of Caribbean folks are Jamaicans. They tend to be the most vocal about their homophobia and other Caribbean people are sometimes lumped in with them OR other Caribbean people talk the same nonsense in public but could really care less in private. Unfortunately, Jamaican homophobic dancehall reggae is pretty popular throughout the Caribbean and some of the younger people on those islands seem to take their cues from Jamaicans through these songs.
I am also from the Virgin Islands (St. Thomas) and I was there in St. Thomas last April during our Carnival. I was actually surprised to see so many lesbian women freely walking about the place. From as far back as I remember, we may have joked at the more flamboyant gay people, but we generally left them in peace. Today folks don't even pay the lifestyle much mind and folks are free to live in peace as far as I know. In fact, in 2008 I went home for my class reunion and we met at a club that actually has nights for gay people where they get together and do their thing. Straight folks do not go in and bother them and they do not come in and bother straight folks on their nights.
I live and work in a predominantly Caribbean (from all different countries) neighborhood in Brooklyn, and I have seen a crazy amount of really intense homophobia, and I'm wondering if people have any sense of what it is like to be in a same-sex partnership and live in St. Thomas. In general, is it hostile and dangerous? Or is it pretty mellow live-and-let-live?
You will not get an honest assessment in a message board forum. You need to really jump in and test the waters yourself to see how tolerant the attitudes are in the VI. Go to an extreme and see what happens. You could dress up in some outrageous dyke garb—no bra, guy’s pants, the whole works—and go out for a leisurely Sunday morning stroll. This would be a good tolerance litmus test.
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