St. Maarten’s nickname is “The Friendly Island”. It’s on our license plates and just about every souvenir you can find. It’s not just a “kitschy” saying to sell merchandise. It’s the truth. I’ve posted several examples of it here and another from yesterday; I posted an SOS on FB because my car battery was dead and I had several errands that needed to be run. Within 5 minutes of posting the SOS, I had 5 people message me. By an hour, several more. Through the course of the day I’m fairly sure everyone I know on the island had messaged me to make sure I was ok. This. This is why the decision to move to St. Maarten was an easy one. We are family here. You’re pretty much only one degree of separation from the entire population of the island. We look out for each other. We love each other. And we genuinely care about each other’s well being.
“What’s so special about that? I have that in my hometown!” I hear you say. Here’s the thing, if you know Andy and me you know we’re nomads. We loathe being in one place for very long. Since we’ve been married, our move to St. Maarten was number 7 in 15 years. It’s worse than being a military wife but I LOVE it, lol! As a result, we have no roots or connection to any one place. We’d wave at our neighbors, smile, but ask me what my neighbor’s husband’s name was in Charlotte. After 2 years living next door to them, I had no idea. I’d see him occasionally out in the garden and wave. Same with the neighbors on the other side. I knew their daughter’s name was Vanessa, that’s about it. Life was just too busy in the states. Too impersonal. No one really made any kind of effort to befriend you. We always seemed to have something to do, somewhere to be. Each kept to their own.
On our first visit to the island we knew we were in a completely different environment. Locals and visitors alike were very friendly, actively sought out conversation and were genuinely interested in getting to know you. There was no judgement about who you are; rich, poor, black, white, gay, straight, no one cares. No one cares how you dress or what you drive. Despite the fact that we only traveled to St. Maarten for 7-10 days each year, we had more friends (locals and visitors) on the island than we had in the states. We only saw these folks a week a year but knew them better than the people we’d lived next door to for 2 years. For us, the sense of family, of genuinely loving and caring about their fellow human beings is what drew us back. It’s the foundation of our decision to move here. If you’ve spent any amount of time on St. Maarten you fully understand #sxmstrong #oneloveoneisland and why we are known as #thefriendlyisland. It’s not hyperbole. It’s how we live.
St. Maarten Move 
Yes!! That is why we love SXM so much too–One day Doug was moving some sacks of concrete for a tile job we were having done…someone (we did not know) drove by and stopped their car, got out and said “let me help with that” AS THEY TOOK bags in their arms and started moving them. And then the day we needed a “jump” on our car battery, he saw some guys working on a roof nearby and asked if they could help when they had a minute–they stopped what they were doing and came over to jump the battery–no delay! Those are just two examples of something that is commonplace in SXM.
And, the follow-up is that we all remember each other and the deeds shared and greet and chat with each other when we see them again. It is SO the FRIENDLY ISLAND! One other thing–it makes all of us better and friendlier people too as we reciprocate with sharing and caring deeds. Thanks for the smile, Vanessa!
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This post really captures the heart of St. Maarten. It’s amazing how quickly the island makes you feel like family, even if you’ve only been here a short while. The way people look out for each other is something you don’t see everywhere, and it’s what makes “The Friendly Island” more than just a slogan. Reading your story makes me appreciate even more why so many people choose to call St. Maarten home.
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