A story that sounds more like the plot to a teen novel than actual reality is what brought Madalyn down to the rock of St. Thomas. Following her heart, she came to the USVI to visit a special someone that she met in Florida a year earlier. After one too many rum drinks on Coki Beach, she missed her flight home and was scheduled to depart on a plane two days later. When that fateful day arrived, Madalyn drug her feet all the way to the Customs line. Little did she know that she would end up meeting a lovely women on that plane who graciously offered her a job in St. Thomas. After only two days back in her home state of Florida, she accepted the job offer. In a short three weeks, she packed up all of her belongings into two suitcases, bought a one way ticket to St. Thomas, and kissed her family and friends “see you later”.

Years later, Madalyn still falls more in love with the rock she calls home. Learning to deal with the eccentricities of island living is what has made the experience so unforgettable. From having to crawl into the back of her car and using a stick to start it, to hiking up hills with arms full of groceries or hitching a ride home, Madalyn has truly roughed it – and enjoyed every minute of it. The friends that have become her island family and all the silly shenanigans they’ve gotten themselves into, along with all the character-building experiences of rock dwelling, are what Madalyn cherishes most.