Do you know me?

coffeechat-2Sitting in a Boeing 737, aisle seat 25D, Feb 22 3:55 pm – on my way from Flamingo airport, Kralendijk on Bonaire back to New Jersey. Flamingo – doesn’t that have an infinite better ring to it than New Jersey? I guess not for everyone. But then again, I am not one everyone, I am me. And I would have very much preferred to stay on Bonaire – indefinitely. Every single time I have left the island, this is only the fourth time, it seems to be harder. It reminds me very much of my time leaving Australia for good after living there three great years.

My issue is that while I do have a somewhat idealistic nature I am also very realistic. I could never do what some society dropouts do (somehow that word has a bad ring to it, which I do not mean it to have). Just stay. No job, no money, no plan at all. No or rather a very, very uncertain future? In a way I admire those restless souls, even envy them for embracing freedom to do what they want. Me, I feel the need to have some minimum of security, a safety net? Which, while it is nice, it hinders you in other aspects, constrains you. I am feeling constrained by my own need for security. Why am I allowing myself to constrain myself?

Bonaire, island, tropical, Caribbean

Well. I will keep working on it. 20 years ago, when I went to Australia, with a safety net, because I had a job, it was different, because it was only me. Now it is not, there is hubby and me. Which definitely has it’s advantages, but…. it also means another security conscious person, even more so than myself. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I guess it depends on what you want. If you want to move your life to a tropical island in the spur of a moment it doesn’t help. If you want a well planned move, which may last you a lifetime, but won’t happen right now, it does. And in the meantime – did I mention that there are a lot of (American) snowbirds on Bonaire escaping the winter months in the US? That is definitely a great option – for retirement. Which, for us, is also still quite a few years away.

So, until then we will continue our current life and work right here in NJ and will return to our tropical island for vacation only as often as possible. And if we get really lucky, we will even go back to Bonaire again this year. For now, instead of the winter we still have outside, you can expect some more summer, Caribbean photos on this site in the near future.

Now, I’m curious. How about you? If you could live anywhere on our world – where would it be? And why? Or is there even a different time you would like to travel to?

Oh, right, I wanted to link this post to Leslie’s Tuesday Coffee Chat so, I’d better complete the sentence: If you really knew me, you would know that I have a lot of dreams, some even came true already, but I would never give up everything for them.

Bonaire, cave, panorama

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4 thoughts on “Do you know me?”

  1. I am retired however I don’t think I am ready to drop out. Like you I have a family which I would miss a lot. I do likes the little escapes we take especially when it is cold. Love your picture as usual.

    Reply
  2. This place is JUST beautiful!! I can certainly see why you would not want to leave.
    When I was in Jamaica, I met some young girls you had come for vacation — and ended up staying indefinitely. They had got jobs on resorts or cleaning homes for the more affluent island residents. One couple opened a dive shop on a resort that did not have one. And I say – wow, what a grand adventure. IF you can do it. Not everyone can do it, and the world definitely needs those of us who live a more normal, mundane life. Someone has to work at the gas station, right?
    My hubby and I were just talking about his though – because a co-worker of his had an opportunity to work in Hawaii for a few years. Could we really go? Leave our family? I say – for Hawaii?? Yes — but because we know it would likely have an end date. We’d almost certainly return in a few years.
    My dream trip is Australia – but I know I could not permanently relocate. I just couldn’t be away from my family for good.

    Reply
    • Never say never, Leslie. If you were to relocate to Australia… I am not sure, given the opportunity, that you would not stay there. Australia is just… Oz 🙂 I would go back any time. Although it is not so bad here either. As I am sure is Canada – no, wait, there was something about Canada that I have a problem with… it is mostly white, and melts when it finally gets warm – LOL

      Reply

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