Friendly locals??

[shlentine]

Hello,
We are currently at Nevis doing pre-med, and are considering trying to transfer to Saba for basic sciences. We have found here that the locals are very rude and non-communicative. The servers at restaurants will grunt at you, and nobody ever smiles. Men will stand in the street, grabbing their crotch when a female driver is trying to pass. Is this the case among most caribbean islands? All the travel sites talk about how friendly the people are in Nevis. I just haven't seen it. We are typically not prejudiced at all, and we love people of all nationalities. This just came as a shock to us. Can someone tell me if Saba is different? Do you feel safe?

Blessings,
Sheryl

[classic]

Hi Sheryl,
I'm not on the island yet, but from what I've heard from people I know down there, the locals are friendly but you can have the autonomy feeling if you choose. Due to the small island size and the few policemen on the island, it's virtually crime free and not many people there don't know who/why you're there. As long as it wouldn't interfere with your application for clerkships/residencies, transfering there wouldn't be a bad idea!
I'm not sure about how many seats are left in each class though :wink:

[grace]

I don't think you can make a blanket statement regarding all Caribbean islands. However, I am oftentimes disheartened by the service in St. Maarten.

Although I only visited Saba for two days I was pleasantly surprised by their service. The locals seemed very friendly and helpful, you could hitch-hike anywhere, the service at restaurants was customer oriented, and the list goes on...

Of course it's probably much different living on an island versus visiting, but these are my thoughts!

[ResearchingGuy]

While I haven't experienced the kind of behavior you mention (except the occasional "less than excited" service person) anywhere I've visited in the Caribbean (people on Nevis were a bit more 'reserved' when I visited there), I would say that the locals on Saba are generally friendly and approachable.
Of course, it's always a two way street. People tend to trwat you the way you treat them.

Best of Luck!

[SKL]

I was on Nevis for 20 months, I feel the locals are quite friendly. Maybe I didn't eat out much. People I met in the market / supermarkets, bus drivers, Scotiabank staff (though one was not nice to us one time, but her attitude changed later on), and people I met during my daily morning walk for the first 2 months, all of them seems okay. You said hi / smiled to them, they would do the same or vice versa. People drove by gave you a honk, I think that's like "hi" right?

[classic]

SKL People drove by gave you a honk, I think that's like "hi" right?
Well, I guess- as long as you aren't in the middles of the road; then the scenario becomes "What do you think you are?? An invaluable goat taking up space in the middle of the road mon?" Of course, the locals wouldn't run-over a goat.

[swinginislanddoc]

Classic,
The goat population is at a low - they started something to thin out the herd here and the locals have been killing them off for $$.

Thank goodness - I was kind of sick of them leaping out in front of my car.... :P

~S 8)

[classic]

So what you're saying is there has been a mass migration of wiccca cult members that have currently taken up residency on the island to help get rid of the goats? You know here in East TN, we have witches that sacrifice horses. Oh well, to each their own :roll:

[wolfvgang22]

I heard that kuru (http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic1248.htm) is a big problem on Saba.
:P

[classic]

Okay Wolf, are you saying that the locals eat each other like that cannabalistic New Zeland tribe? If not, then are you saying the goats eat contaminated feed meal (b/c I heard they feed the students who can't pass gross to the goats :shock: - such incentive to do well) :D
****Note to self-pack pepperspray for self defense against locales and goats. Or local goats- heeheehee :lol: *****(Sorry...snigger, snigger I'm just a bit delirious tonight :roll: )