On Stands
Issue Date: May 8 - May 21, 2008Back Issues
Rules For Our Guests
A FEW SUGGESTIONS FOR OUR VISITORS
We sometimes have asses on our beaches but nudity is prohibited.
Life on St. John is wonderful, and it can be even more so if you understand one thing:
It all comes down to respect.
1. Respect for others' state of mind - If you remember one thing, remember this: start every interaction with "good morning," "good afternoon," or "good evening." It is culturally very very important here to have a brief personal interchange before requesting anything else. Try it! It can be hard to remember at first, but you'll get the hang of it!
2. Respect for the body - The island can be rather conservative, and it's just not proper to wear your bathing suit in public places, or if you are a man, to be shirtless in public.
3. Respect for others' sensibilities - Maybe it offends you, maybe it doesn't, but cursing in public is not generally acceptable here.
4. Respect for the environment - Very important: conserve water! We depend heavily on rainwater and we don't always get enough, so turn water off and on when brushing teeth, washing dishes, and even taking showers in the dry season.
5. Cultural respect - Life is slower here and while things do get done, they may take a little longer than you're used to. For true: getting upset makes things worse.
More tips:
Driving - We drive on the left here! Shoulder to shoulder. And there's no reason to ever drive faster than 20mph, but if you are going really slowly, enjoying the views, please make good use of our turnouts along the roadsides. ALWAYS wear your seatbelt (it's unsafe, plus there's a huge fine if you don't) and don't talk on your cell phone when you are driving (again, huge fine).
Food - The little blond ants are cute, but you don't want their company every day. Do not leave any food out, and wipe up any spills immediately-our insects are very smart. And, when in doubt, put it in the refrigerator (you'd be surprised what ants can get into!).
Stomach Ache - Most residents use bottled water or filter their water before drinking it.
Bathroom - Related to water conservation: flush only when you need to. We will leave it at that. Also, as the cistern systems can be very sensitive-only flush toilet paper. And DO NOT flush if there is a power outage; this can cause big problems that you really don't want to deal with on your vacation!
Zoning Out - We don't really understand why our visitors often walk in the middle of the road, but they do.... We know being here is blissful but please just be cognizant of cars trying to pass. If there's a sidewalk or a path, please do use it; if there's no path, be careful.
