National traditions of US Virgin Islands. Habits, mentality and the way of living

The U.S. Virgin Islands are located to the south of the east coast of North America, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. The Ciboney, Caribs, and Arawaks were the first settlers of the islands. Christopher Columbus visited the islands in 1493. Europeans settled there and started bringing the workforce from Africa – slaves – to work at sugarcane plantations. Descendants of those black slaves are now the majority of the population – 80%, white people account for 15% of the total population, and Creoles and other nationalities – 5%.

The islands had different colonizers at certain times – the British, Dutch, French, Spanish, and Danes. The US bought the islands from the latter in 1917. They purchased three big islands – Saint Thomas, Saint John, and Saint Croix – along with some smaller ones. Residents of those islands became citizens of the United States in 1927. The islands became a popular tourist destination with the capital city of Charlotte Amalie on Saint Thomas. Residents of the US and Canada make up the majority of tourists. Local bays are full of gorgeous white yachts – the total number of these small tourist ships is almost always more than a hundred. There are fewer yachts during the rainy season. Giant cruise liners dock in the port all the time. The constant influx of tourists maintains local well-developed tourist infrastructure with numerous restaurants, hotels, and shops.

The islands have high living standards in comparison with other countries of the Caribbean, but the level is still inferior to continental America. Just like on other islands, residents of the U.S. Virgin Islands have a peaceful and steady lifestyle. However, it is a mistake to think that local people are sluggish in their work as well. Tourism is the main occupation here, and sluggishness is not what customers like, so local people do their best to offer quality service and enjoy higher earnings. That being said, tourists arriving in Charlotte Amalie in large cruise ships for one day always notice how unhurried local lifestyle is. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Even if tourists have a booked excursion with a strict timetable, this typical habit of islanders – not to hurry – can make vacationers nervous because they might find themselves in a situation when they run to their ship that is already departing from the port. Iguanas are usually the first thing that tourists in cruise ships see when they arrive in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Tourists feed iguanas and, perhaps, this is the reason why iguanas always wait for ships to arrive. After their acquaintance with slow local guides, tourists often joke that these lizards in size of an average dog are actually fast creatures. Iguanas are a true treasure of Saint Thomas. They are not dangerous and are very entertaining and relaxing.

Agriculture is almost absent on the islands because local terrain is not suitable for it. Shops usually sell imported food, but it is possible to buy locally sourced products – vegetables, fruits, milk, meat, and fish – at markets. Deeper into Saint Thomas, there are beautiful valleys with golf courses. Local fields are flat enough to play golf. In the past, Europeans tried to develop agriculture on the islands. They brought slaves and cultivated sugarcane. However, it was rum that was the final product, not sugarcane. Islands with many slaves and rich in rum were like a magnet for pirates. At a certain period of time, the Virgin Islands became a large pirate base, and Saint Thomas was the center of their wild celebrations. Fort Christian was built in order to protect the islands from pirate invasions. Today, the port is a popular tourist landmark.

Local towns are, as a rule, not very tidy. Areas on hills close to towns look more attractive. This is usually where wealthier people live. There is one suburban area like this not far from the capital. It is possible to see expensive villas and multistory buildings here. Even though the islands are a part of the United States that has right-hand traffic, left-hand traffic is adopted in the U.S. Virgin Islands. This is a reminder of the short time when the islands were a British colony. It is hard to call local roads quality, but people keep using them. Moreover, there are car rental services on all the three big islands.

Are you in a bad mood? Simply take a ride in the local public transport – cute buses are painted in bold colors like deep red, blue, black, and burgundy and necessarily have interesting graffiti. These spacious vehicles improve the mood or make tourists in a hurry anxious when they stop in traffic jams. There are also excursion buses. Male tourists can raise their mood in any restaurant on the islands. The thing is all dining establishments have attractive waitresses with curvy bodies. Actually, local restaurants hire waitresses in accordance with local beauty standards, so there is nothing strange in the fact that there are always many men among customers. One more interesting observation – there are no McDonald’s cafes.

The culture of the islands is unique because it was formed by many nations. For centuries, Africans, Europeans, and Americans have lived here, and each of them brought something to the culture of the islands. Customs and traditions of different nations mingled and formed the culture that we can see now. Music and dancing are very popular here – everyone loves them. Visit any festival or the main event – the Carnival – and you will see that yourself.