We just had our family visit again and it reminded me how well St John accomodates family vacations and helps bring people together naturally. The thing is, I thought this would be a difficult trip for them. Two teenage daughters staying out in an isolated private quiet villa. You have to fear that they will be bored all the time. We have had tons of families with the same age demographics, and I had cautiously watched as they remained entertained and even achieved that unfathomable quality family time when kids are screeching through their teens. But this was different. These were MY sisters. Cheerleaders, constantly wired to their myspace, while texting multiple boyfriends, and chating on countless social websites with multiple identites. It is quite impressive, and my experiences while visiting them at home were limited to the few moments that they complained about dinner before racing back to the war room for more electronic social hour. We met them on the dock at the 4 o’clock boat. I was braced for a hurricane of teenness. But like just about everyone who arrives, their is a certain transformation that occurs somewhere on that St John Ferry Dock. As they walked down I noticed that they were not on the phone, not even holding it. A calm surrounded their normally chaotic heads. Three days later it occured to me that we had been actually hanging out. At the beach, we relaxed and talked about their lives and ours. In the evenings we had dinner TOGETHER. My Dad was amazed. In a whole week, never once did they complain about boredom, rather they scanned the St John guide books for activities that they wanted to do. And the beauty of it is that the things they chose were not limited to the tastes of their generation, but appealed to the whole group. Sailing and Snorkeling were hugely popular. Short hikes to isolated beaches seemed magical. St John in every instance performed for us, creating memories and allowing us to connect. Needless to say, the girls are ready to come back. Somehow it worked and I owe it to the Island. I am sure that some of you who have stayed here with your families can relate, and we would love to hear your stories. For those of you who are planning to come, let us help you find what your family is looking for. See you this winter.