Mi Casa es Su Casa

Just before Mom and Kerry left, we moved my things into the house upstairs from where I was living.  I loved sharing the downstairs community patio with Mandy and Sherry, but the little studio apt was just too small to work and live in.  I couldn’t focus on work, it was made of all wood which created an effect similar to a sauna, there was very little day light and hardly any breeze.  I had been feeling claustrophobic and quite cramped for months, and it was time to do something about it.  The upstairs neighbor and I arranged for me to move in as he moved out.  Funny thing is, I had never been in the house upstairs!  I saw 2 or 3 pictures when I was still in the states looking for places to live, but had never visited since my arrival.  So moving day would be the first day I had laid eyes on the interior of the house.  Granted, I’ve lived beneath the house level for 6 months, so I’ve come up with a fairly good idea of how it’s laid.

As it turns out, this house is FRIGGIN HUGE!  Built like a tree house, the entire common area is screened in, leaving the feeling that you’re living with the Berenstain Bears.  It’s awesome!  Both bedrooms and bathrooms have 4 walls, well except the bathroom… ok, I can’t explain it all, so here are some pics to give you an idea.

2nd Bedroom

2nd Bathroom

2nd Bathroom View

Master Bedroom (originally, this was the entire house)

Master Bedroom - SPACE!

Kitchen

Living Room

Hallway between Kitchen and Living Room

Settling in has been a progressive task for many reasons.

1)      I get distracted worse than Nemo’s friend Dory, this is not joke.

2)      Mandy and Sherry (my island mamas) shared lots of belongings with me as they prepared to leave the island after being here 17 years. 

3)      My friend Anna moved in at a moment’s notice with 2 cats she is watching, while she is finishing her job as a dive master and leaving to the states with our friend Torri (who owns the cats, but took an opportunity to sail a catamaran from Rio Dulce Guatemala to Florida)  Don’t laugh, this is the way things go around these parts. 

4)      I think I may actually be overwhelmed by the amount of space and storage.  It’s great!

I’m much happier here, so glad I made the decision to move sans viewing.  I no longer feel like I am going stir crazy, dying of heat or spend most of the day sitting on the bed to work.  I have a real home.  Today I washed linens in the bath tub and hung them on the line out front to dry.  Tonight I hung my painted canvases with me that I bought years ago in Panama and Athens.  I’ve been cooking real meals in my real kitchen… with 6 burners and 2 sinks!  Ahhh, life is grand!

A few people I'd like to introduce to you

I’d like to take time out to introduce some of the lovely people who host the blogs featured here on my blog.

And here you have it, in no particular order! 

Cubicle Throwdown http://www.cubiclethrowdown.com/ –  Rika, a fun, energetic, talented young woman who visited Roatan a year ago, and fell in love with the island.  After she returned home to Vancouver, Canada, she decided to find a way to turn her dream of living in Roatan a reality, just like me!  Rika is a certified Scuba Instructor, and shares many amazing tales of what it took to achieve her goal, and what she’s doing now.  Let’s just say, her hard work is paying off!

Grace Studio - Grace is a creative, imaginative, thorough, dedicated graphic design and marketing firm, specializing in SEO, Branding, Web Design and Photography.  She works hard with many businesses to give them an identity, and get them going in the often times daunting, internet world!  In addition to her endless creative mind, Grace is a powerhouse when it comes to thinking outside the box and making things work smarter, instead of harder.  I highly recommend her services, but also her blog.  It’s full of useful tips and the occasional dry sarcasm humor, which I may or may not have inherited from her!

Insights from a Screw-Up  http://screw-up.com/ – Sophie is one of those acquaintances that you did nothing to earn, but feel lucky you know the person that knows her kind of thing.  Sophie currently lives in Downtown Portland, one of the things still on my bucket list, where she hosts her therapy practice.  Sophie is a very down to earth, intelligent and admirable woman; one of the best things about her profession is she real.  Real world, Real Life, Real Woman.  Not the questionable ‘ok lie down on the couch and tell me about your childhood and why you are afraid of clowns’ kind of practice.  She gets it.  Reading Screw-up.com is refreshing, between her humor and her reality, it’s one of those blogs you love seeing the email letting you know she’s up to something once again…

 The Art of Non-Comformity - Chris Guillebeau; I don’t know this guy from Adam, in fact he is so new to my life, I really seriously don’t know a thing about him.  My mom recently shared his blog with me, and I typed in the link, saw his tag line is ‘The Art of Non-Conformity; Unconventional Strategies for Life, Work and Travel’.  Somehow I immediately navigated myself to an archived post of his titled ‘Ever Feel Like Giving Up?’, and immediately read the whole thing, feeling comforted that I am not the only one who sometimes questions if this lifestyle is ‘too hard’.  Thanks Chris, I can’t wait to become a regular reader!

The No Deco Duo http://thenodecoduo.blogspot.com/ – Marc and Ashley are a very sweet couple whom I met here on the island at the beginning of my stay.  They met during a SCUBA certification class, and after challenging each other over beers and a game of cornhole on their first date, Ashley did NOT have to do the limbo, but Marc DID have to take a dive trip with Ashley.  The rest is history, they're traveling around the world together working as Scuba Instructors in popular dive destinations such as Roatan.  They neat people with great tales to tell; and their pics are amazing!  Check it out! 

Simply Kissed  – Edith is an extremely gifted artist, who recognizes that she was given a powerful talent to serve with.  I met her at my best friend’s wedding, the weekend before I moved.  She was the photographer.  She has a keen eye, great knowledge of light, settings, tricks and managing large groups of people.  After becoming friends on Facebook, seeing other photo shoots and reading Edith’s blog, she has truly inspired me.  She is such a beautiful, humble woman who takes only a sliver of the pride she should take for her work, because she knows that it does not make who she is, it’s a part of who she is.  She is also a fantastic write, wife and believer.  I highly recommend subscribing asap!

Feeling Lucky?

I am!

Just a few days after my dear Christine left Honduras, on her way to San Fran, via Pdx, my Mom and her husband arrived for their 2 week island adventure.

They arrived early, in addition to the construction crew outside my bedroom window, perhaps the only thing ahead of schedule are the airlines.  A nice, easy 2 1/2 hour flight from Houston and you're here on the island of Roatan.  No ferries, transfers or hopper planes; you're here, 20 minutes from my end of the island.

We met at their lovely little hotel on the ocean, Lands End.  Turns out ALL of their hotel mates were from Portland as well.  What a fluke!  This made for a fun and entertaining reunion.

For the next two weeks, we had a fabulous reunion, a little singing, losing music trivia, a bit of dancing, an unforgettable boat trip to Cayos Cochinos, snorkeling, scuba diving, iguana hunting and island adventure.  The only thing I regret since they've left, is not doing more.  Ha!  Can you imagine that?  Next time, we're going to zipline, talk to the submarine guy, try more local island food stands, hire a panga for fishing and of course movie night on the beach!

Mom and Kerry on the water taxi

Sunset after a phenomenal boat trip



Kerry entering swim thrus at Blue Channel



Kerry and I



Me, Mom and Kerry



Snorkel Buddies!



Visiting Vern's Island for the day



Hawksbill Turtle and Angelfish posing for me

In the midst of all the excitement, I got to move early!!  This couldn't thrill me more, as I have been living the last 6 months <Happy 6 month anniversary to Me!> in a very tiny, dark, hot den.  I struggles focusing on work, and towards the end, even sleeping.  The kitchen was that of a college student, the walls started to close in on me, everything was growing smaller and smaller by the day.


I'm in the house directly above the apt now, and there is so much room, if I didn't already know how thin the floors are, I would do cartwheels through the living room ALL DAY LONG!  I'm beside myself with a full kitchen, giant bedroom, queen size bed, storage for all my crap and a cool breeze passing through the screened in common area.  Currently, I have the space all to myself, which doesn't feel necessary, but is certainly ok by me.  I'm cooking every night!

<Pics to follow>

The house has helped a bit to curb the letdown of my mom returning home.  We are each other's best friends, and it's hard to be so far apart and not see each other 2-3 times a week.  We keep in contact of course, but it's not the same.  You don't often have random conversations about life, love, dogs and spring time over Skype.  It's not easy being away from her, but I'm eternally grateful that she sets aside her feelings of loneliness, an unselfishly supports me with all of her being.  I can only hope I am as gracious and giving someday as my mom is for me.  I'm only lucky daughter. 

Party Hardy, Tardy Tardy

I'm long overdue for a post; yes, this I know.  I actually had a (Long) post drafted and almost complete, and for some reason decided that explaining the reasons why I am here and how I got here are no longer interesting, and simply a thing of the past.

So, that post will go directly to 'archives'; and we'll move on.  Things in the present and future are much more exciting!

This last week, I hosted my first visitor from home.  I was really craving this, a familiar face and familiar friend.  Even though I have lots of those here, it's different.  Everyone here is a new friend or acquaintance.  We're all getting to know each other, and it's fun, it's just not the same as an old friend.

Christine and I had a blast, driving around the island, singing silly songs, exploring long dirt roads, lounging and pools and beach fronts.  We adventured restaurants, monkey farms, cantinas and dance floors.  Lots of laughs were had, and plenty of memories were made.

Sunset at Cal's Cantina

Hotel didn't have a fridge :(

Everyone thinks we're sisters

The day I had food poisoning, going crazy stuck at home!!!

On the ferry to Little French Cay

Ultimate relaxation!

Great relaxing pool day!

Turquoise Bay Resort

I love this girl.  We met one summer evening, when Raylie was a little puppy, and still learning to listen to her mama.  Every time she saw Christine across the street in her driveway, she would tear across the road and jump up on Christine's professional work attire.  I was so embarrassed, and Christine would just laugh.  She likes to do that, I've learned.  Laugh.  It's contagious and refreshing, to have such a positive spirit for a friend.  Over the years, we've shared many adventures, shopping trips, camping trips, wine tasting adventures, pinterest endeavors and goodwill marathons.  Oh, and each others closets!

I was excited to be the one to give Christine a travel bug, as Rondi and Shanyn did for me, many moons ago.  This was her first international experience, and she's already talking about trips to Dubai and Indonesia. 

It's a wide wide world out there, much too large for one to hibernate in the Pacific Northwest all of their lives!

Cheers!

Just the way the cookie crumbles.

There are ups and there are downs, in everyone's lives, everyday.  Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in the worry and strife you are suffering, and forget everyone out there is fighting a battle.  We all know this, and are aware... most of the time. 

Last Friday, I finally forced myself to go to the grocery store.  I've never liked grocery shopping, with the exception of the Trader Joe's nearly 1/4 mile from my house back home, that was fun.  As for the supermarkets, I've never grasped they way they're laid out, and how they rationalize the way things are grouped together. 

To enhance my severe dislike for grocery stores; I now live in a place where I have to catch a taxi to get to and from the grocery store.  Sounds like no big deal, but let me tell you...  A couple of weeks ago, I made the mistake of trying to get a taxi while a cruise ship was in port.  The typical cost to get to town is $2.50; on non cruise ship days.  The cruise ship rate is significantly higher than the local rate; so they won't even talk to you unless you quadruple the 'regular rate'.  I finally found a fella (taxi) to take me, he agreed to get me to the store, for the normal rate; until his cruise ship guests called that is.  He drove me about 75 yards before he stopped the car and turned to me and told me his 'guests' were ready to be picked up, and KICKED ME OUT OF THE TAXI!  I managed to contain a fury like no other, as I expressed a few choice words and slammed the door behind me. Bah!!!

This past Friday, I made it to the store ok.  Did my shopping, and was quite pleased that the store seemed nicely stocked, and had just about everything I had on my list.  Ahhh, not so bad after all.  Until I went to pay; and they had enforced a new rule that I could no longer write my ID info on the receipt, I must have my ID to show.  I don't typically carry my ID, well, ever. Long story, not that long, there was no negotiating with this woman; which is quite typical in Honduras.  More often than not, there is no box to think outside of.  If it's black it's black, if it's white it's white.  I walked out of the store, again in a fury, with tears in my eyes, welling with frustration, and walked up the hill to the nearest grocery store.  This time, after I deleted my shopping list off the cell phone, I picked up the bare minimum, paid and left.

On the way out of the parking lot, I received a text message that the girls get together that evening had to be cancelled, due to a serious accident.  A fellow diver at the dive shop had just arrived for his 5 month annual visit, and was on his way to the hospital.  Just then, the ambulance rushed by.  A couple of minutes later, we encountered a road block, where people were standing around, talking to police, an empty scooter sat in the middle of the road, and a taxi with a shattered back window sat.  Max had been thrown from the scooter, into the back of the car, and was on his way to the hospital with, what turned out to be, 15 broken ribs, punctured lung, broken ankle, dislocated collar bone and broken shoulder.  God bless that man.  We dove together the day prior, and now here he is, broken and bruised, eventually being transported to Florida for surgery and more care. (Thank you DAN insurance)  Just like that, in the blink of an eye, Max's life changed forever.

My grocery store tale was no longer significant. 

Last night, a close friend of mine's son had his new birthday bike stolen from their front porch.  In the same small town she and I grew up in, where most people barely lock their front doors. As if it's not aggravating enough to have your personal property violated, now she's looking for a way to explain to him it's not directed at him, he didn't ask for it, or deserve it.  Sometimes 'it's just the way the cookies crumbles'. 

Fortunately, a kind friend rallied up donations from anyone stop to listen, and through friends and strangers kind donations, she bought him a brand new bike less than 24 hours later.

An old friend of mine used to tell me constantly 'it is what it is Sarah'.  I despised those words.  I hated not having all the answers.  I coudln't settle for just settling.  No!  I would often exclaim to him, stop saying that!

I've learned, sometimes, it is, just what it is.  The experiences you have in life, good and bad, can't always be identified and explained.  They don't always happen with a clear reason and understanding as to why. 

Sometimes, it just is what it is, and that's the way the cookie crumbles.

Change is good

Not that I haven't had plenty of change in my life, in the last 5 months, but I've always been a believer that change is good.  Don't get too comfortable and set in your ways.  There is always opportunity for change and improvement!

The last couple of weeks, and the coming couple too, I'll be sampling and testing changes to my blog.  I would love your input, as my step mom has already offered a suggestion to go back to the old font.  It's a bit trying on the eyes though.  I want all of my readers to relax and feel at ease when visiting my page.

Another thing I'd like to ask of you, is that if you are a regular reader, please take a second to sign up as a 'follower' of my blog.  This will allow myself, and others, to see who out there reads my silly little updates!

Thank you so much for your support!

And, you know I can't post without a picture.  It's like sailing the ocean without a sail.  Here you go ;)

Stromboli night with friends. 
Torri, from PA/AZ
Gary is a gypsy with a British accent
Nick from Montreal & Anna from Milan.

Ah Ha!

Seems like just a couple of days ago we were gazing up at fireworks on the beach, dancing in the sand and cheers-ing one another to the start of a fresh new year.  Now here we are, almost finished with the first month, creeping right into the 2nd.

The start to the new year has been a little tricky for me; as you may have noticed in my last post.  Spider bites, jelly fish, skin disorders, sinus infections, broken refrigerators and broken hearts. 

On the other hand, I've gotten to see and do lots of new things, which have helped me to stay positive and focus on the good things in life, (even if they do bites). 

My friend Krystal picked me up last Sunday, and we snuck over to another part of the island, called French Key.  It's a beautiful and relaxing little island with lots of interesting decor, amongst endless places to sit back and relax.  There's even lounge chairs in the lagoon!  We had a great day, tuning up our tans and chatting about love and life.

The week prior, another friend of mine, Dane, introduced me to an aquaintance from El Salvador whom she works with on a development project on the island.  The 3 of us ventured out to a new little Peruvian restaurant on the island.  It was my first experience trying Peruvian food, and let me tell you, I am a huge fan!  The cuisine was wonderful, with so many flavors and spices, all blended together perfectly, leaving my tastebuds quite content.

I've also been testing out a new camera that I brought back from the states.  The camera has an underwater dive housing, so I can take it everywhere with me, including 70 feet below the sea!  It has been a lot of fun testing all its functions and snapping silly pics underwater of friends, fish, turtles and other sea life.  Someday I hope to get enough experience to work as an underwater photographer for divers.  I've got some work to do, but I'm sure having fun 'working' on it!

I call these 'Ah Ha' moments. 
When things get tough, and I'm fed up with bugs and breaks, taxis and power outages; When the reasons I sacrificed and gave up everything to live on this island begin to fade; Out of the blue, comes an 'Ah Ha' moment.  I'm reminded of all the reasons why I am here.  Beauty, simplicity, peace and tranquility.  Opportunity for new adventures, friends and a chance to make lasting memories.  Improving my quality of life, and who I am, and am not.