Trouble in Paradise

Why does trouble always fine me? So… I guess the man was a little crazier than I had thought. There was a situation that has been dealt with, so there is no need to worry. I am not going to post details of the incident on my blog, but I will fill you in when I get home. There is good in every bad situation- In this one, Ana and I became honorary members of the Eleuthera police force for a day and they drove us to Governor’s Harbor to get Ana’s medication for her ear infection. So, as you can see, the past few days have been quite eventful! In addition, I finished two more books… ‘Dress Your Family in Denim & Corduroy’ and ‘Me Talk Pretty One Day;’ both borrowed from Ana and written by David Sederis. They were definitely mindless reading and a much needed set of pace. But, predictably, I am back to my non-fiction, human rights abuse literature. I have started a book on the sex trade called ‘The Natashas.’

Ana and I just got back from our mini-tour of the housing settlement up near Surfer’s Beach. Linda, one of the women we had met during our first days on the island, gave us a tour of her energy efficient, self-sustaining home. It was so cool! She has a cistern that collects rain water for all of her household uses and a solar panel for her electricity. Her yard was never developed/plowed, so it is comprised of porous limestone rock. She gardens in the holes in the rock and has a very impressive assortment of produce. Pomegranates, bananas, plantains, guava, mangos, avocados, limes, oranges- you name it, they’re probably growing in her back yard! Did you know that banana trees like to grow in holes? After showing us around her house, she gave us the grand-tour of her ‘neighborhood.’ You’d never even know anyone else lived there! Everything is well hidden in the bush. We went to a lot of people’s homes; some who were there, and others who weren’t. It seems as though most of the people who live out there are surfer’s that have washed up on the island.

We just enjoyed a lovely dinner of cold spaghetti and split peas. Mmmm. We finished our 8lb can of beans! Hooray! Did I mention that I made a refried bean sandwich? Yeah... I think I have a problem.

Being on the island has given me a lot of time to think. Life in the US doesn’t leave you very much time to sleep, nevermind have time alone to yourself! Back home, I always have something to worry about; a friend, family member, upcoming exam, or what I plan to do with my life! On the island, I have found myself staring into the ocean with absolutely no thoughts at all. My mind is finally clear. I have accepted that worrying about things or thinking them to death doesn’t help you come up with any reasonable conclusions. Something always works out and shows up in the long run (even if it’s in the long, loooong run!).

I know I have said in recent blog entries that I do not want to leave the island. That is partially true. I can’t wait to be home. I am in desperate need of a Harry’s Famous Grilled Chicken Salad Salad, a new razor, and body lotion. But, more importantly, I can not wait to see everyone and hear you’re beautiful voices! It’s hard to believe my cell phone has been turned off since June 13^th. Crazy, huh?

In addition, I know that I am never content staying in once place, so, although I love being an ‘island girl,’ it is time for me to leave. My desire to learn by doing and loving the unknown will undoubtedly lead me to many other beautiful and unforgettable places with unique and wonderful people! A swimming coach once told me to ‘get comfortable being uncomfortable.’ I think that I have done that to the extent of which I am comfortable and at ease in most situations and environments. Home may be where the heart is, but I keep all of you so close to me, that I feel at home almost everywhere I need to be for extended periods of time. This trip has been a learning experience in many ways. I have learned about the island and its wildlife, but more importantly, about the people and Bahamian culture. I have also learned a lot about myself. As corny as it sounds, I left home to discover the world, and in doing so, discovered myself.