Living and Working in Vieques..(and
vacationing too)
My oldest friend once said to me, when we were young women, that having a good
time on vacation depended almost entirely on expectations the agenda, she
called it. I thought that wise at the time and now that I see the throngs of
tourists here, I think it is downright brilliant.
Enjoying Vieques does depend on what you expect to find here, to get out of your
vacation. We usually say there is nothing to do here, by which we mean, no
movie theatre, no bowling alley, very little external stimuli. You can enjoy the
beaches, the horses, water sports, eating out, long treks in beautiful country,
learning something about our local fish, flora and fauna. The sunsets and
sunrises are exquisite. You certainly can meet people if you go to a Happy Hour
at one of the restaurants. Some few, very few, people even have found romance.
My advice would be to make a mental check list of what you expect to enjoy
during your vacation and see if it matches up with what Vieques has to offer.
We suffered through a long water strike recently, but that seems to be over. The
electric goes off from time to time, but generally is stable. Despite the
developing nature of Vieques, in many ways it seems much the same as when I
first came here almost 18 years ago.
The real estate story is different though. People always ask me if there are any
deals. There are no deals. There are fair prices and prices which at first
blush seem high, until you see the comps and realize that Vieques is coming into
its own in terms of land and houses. You can still get good value, however.
From time to time, I see a person, on the beach or just walking, who seems
alone. I always feel that persons loneliness, because I understand it. If you
are a lonely person, Vieques is not necessarily a bad place for you. People are
friendly, smile and nod at strangers and that may be all you need to feel a
little better.
Insofar as the kind of work available here, beside the usual seasonal jobs, I
still think a good Asian restaurant would clean up, we need more plumbers,
electricians, and perhaps even some creative people who will open small shops
for tourists. We need house managers, landscape people, and painters. It doesnt
take long to break into this community, if you are determined and know what you
are doing.
The people I know who actually end up here have something else, however, they
have an appreciation for Vieques that transcends just having a good time.
Vieques speaks to them, they fall in love.
Sheila
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Webmaster's Note * Sheila has many hats and is Co-owner of Crow's Nest Realty with Eli Belendez.
Sheila can be reached for a brochure through her web page at http://www.crowsnestrealty.com