This past week has been full of “firsts” for me. Let me tell you about it:
I flew in an airplane for the first time! It is something that I have spent most of my adult life avoiding for sake of fear. I have been able to justify driving my car every time we have taken a trip. This means that I have never left the mainland until now. This destination actually required 3 flights, which was ambitious for a first timer. My perspective – it was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I would compare the experience to riding a roller coaster, which I have always enjoyed.
I went snorkeling for the first time! Thanks to some “cheater” gear that I purchased (which is completely “dummy” proof), it was an amazing experience. The challenge with the first time we went was related to some rough waters and large rocks. It was quite exhausting to fight the waves and not be thrown into the rocks (I got a few battle scars from that one). We are living on the beach of a very popular snorkeling destination, which means we have been going daily. We have also ventured out to other beaches to see what else is out there, but for now the humuhumu is my favorite fish to see. Our hopes are to swim with a sea turtle at some point since they are spotted here often.
The jungle is located on the other side of our condo. It is quite lively with noises that are new to us. We do not have air conditioning here, so the windows and doors are always opened and filled with the sounds from the ocean and the jungle. The night time noises are especially interesting, once everything is turned off. It has taken a few days to adjust.
We are trying to adjust to the time zone here as well. It is a fairly large gap from home (communicating with family and friends can be difficult), so even once we adjust physically to the difference, it will most likely remain a challenge.
I have discovered that I love the taste of coconut! I have never been fond of the flavor or smell, but now I realize that what I don’t like is imitation coconut (why are imitation fruit flavors so wrong?).
We went to an open air market for the first time. It was very lively and crowded. My husband purchased me a necklace made out of ocean jasper. It is a beautiful piece. When I searched the meaning of the stone, I found out that it is a stone that is supposed to help one heal and find resolution with their emotions, relationships, and most importantly, themselves. I am not necessarily a believer of pseudoscientific/alternative healing practices, but it does seem ironic based on some of the emotions that I have recently been feeling.
I can say this with complete certainty -everything that it took to get here was (without a doubt) absolutely worth it.
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