New Life - New Challenges - New Level of Comfort

Chenay Bay, St. Croix, USVI

Today is my 1-year Isla-versary on St. Croix, USVI. It seems like a lifetime ago I was driving from Indianapolis to Miami, 4 pets in tow, ready to start a new life. I’ve been told this “Island of Misfit Toys” accepts or rejects you. I’ve felt nothing but love from St. Croix. This is where I belong. This is my home… but it hasn’t been all roses. In life there will always be opportunities to run when things get tough, but sometimes there are bigger rewards for pushing forward.

I moved to St. Croix with a job lined up – my dream job – a scuba instructor. Five weeks later an illness came to light that kept me sidelined from diving for 5 ½ months. (pulmonary embolisms; not diving related). I spent a full week in the emergency room at an overcrowded hospital. No beds were available, yet I wasn’t bad enough to be flown off island. We made the best of it. A buddy’s boss’s wife whom I met the weekend prior was the ER intake nurse. My cardiologist/internist/primary doctor went to Indiana University and worked at IU Health for 7 years providing my family with a level of comfort regarding my care. The cardiac sonographer became my first on-island web design/marketing client. ER nurse Larry and I are now scuba instructor co-workers. Most importantly, friends I had known only a short time took care of my pets and I knew they were fine.

Upon my return to diving I changed shops; migrating back to PADI from SSI. Both are great scuba certifying agencies. The difference is in the opportunities here on island: 1 SSI shop vs 5 PADI shops. Both agencies adhere to the same global standards. Words don’t adequately express how amazing my shop owners are. Not only do they preach safety, but they back it up with actions and I absolutely love their type-A personality level of organization and processes. I fit right in with them and my mer-brothers and mer-sisters.

Titan (back) and Roscoe (front)

This past year my cat, Olli Caatta, passed. My other puppy-cat Pascal has developed arthritis in his hips but is spunkier than ever and loves the outdoors. My pups Titan and Roscoe love life. Roscoe has become quite the swimmer. Titan just wants to play ball. Always. Happy boys.

Observations about island life:

• I used to take 1000 mg of aspirin / 1500 mg ibuprofen (at the same time) two or three times per day, 5 days per week, to manage low-back pain. Since on island I have taken a total of 2500 mg of aspirin and no ibuprofen in a year. I don’t need it anymore to stop the aches of getting older. I’m also more active and continue to see a chiropractor once per week. Neutral buoyancy helps!

• You know you’ve adapted when you no longer kill 2-inch roaches or centipedes but release them outside.

• It is not uncommon to round a curve and find a horse, cow, goat, or sheep in the middle of the road. Drive with care. (The roads are full of holes, so this is easy to do).

• If you say “Hi Chicken” every time you cross paths with a chicken, you will say it at least a dozen times per day.

• You need to adjust to always feeling a little sweaty and to your own smell.

• Tropical storm/hurricane parties are key. The island institutes a curfew and shuts down. Your snack game needs to be on point. This is an area in which I failed and will work on next storm season.

• Manners and enthusiasm are contagious. Patience is a must.

• Water or power may go out for no reason, for a few minutes – hours – days.

• The thought of wearing *cough* socks or shoes is unsettling.

The point: pursue your dreams while you can. It is great to have a plan in mind – but it won’t necessarily work out how you think it will. Be open to changes in the “how” and your new life will unfold as it should with no regrets. That’s why I moved. I had an opportunity and I asked myself – if I don’t go, will I regret it. The answer was yes – and I have no regrets about moving to my personal paradise.

Cheers to the next year of personal and professional growth, health, and happiness!