When you visit the U.S. Virgin Islands you will find extraordinary culture. I think the true spirit of my homeland St. Croix is shown in the people and their customs. I think that in the 21st century the customs and culture should be preserved because they make the U.S. Virgin Islands distinct from anywhere else. People have moved to the Virgin Islands from all over the world. They have come from St. Kitts, Nevis, Antigua, Trinidad, Tobago, Puerto Rico, St. Vincent, Grenada, Barbados, Dominica, other Caribbean islands, Europe and United States. They have influenced the food, the music, the architecture, the language, the sports and the festivals. Tourists admire the mixture of cultures, which give the Virgin Islands their character. We should preserve the culture by encouraging participation in the local events. One of my favorite local events is the Christmas Village. At the Christmas Village tourists and locals can sample local foods. One of the most popular dishes is the JohnnyCake. Other local dishes I enjoy are fried plantain, breadnut and fried dasheen. The Christmas Village is a place where there are a lot of families that get together because it's for the children and the adults, there are rides for the and music for the adults. One way to ensure that the Christmas Village stays for many years is to make sure it's well advertised. The Agriculture fair is an annual local event that goes on during president's day. The Agriculture fair is especially appealing to locals because there are many things for families to do. At the Agriculture fair you can see and handle some of the livestock on St. Croix, and you can also observe ostriches and emus. There is an enormous pavilion where you can sample local fruits and buy plants. There are also food stands where you can sample local dishes and drinks. We should make sure that special events like these should be better advertised so that more tourists would be able to experience them. I think that the events such as the Christmas Village and the Agriculture fair represent the true spirit of the Virgin Islands. The wide variety of people that live in the Virgin Islands epitomized its personality. I think some of the best way to preserve these traits is to promote by advertising and by getting more local people to take part in these events. Ade E. Raphael Manor School