After a hiatus that just flew by, I'm back to keep you posted on life on this (increasingly) small tropical island. I find myself saying "
cheese on this island is very small" even more now!
First things first, my brother Matt, my first visitor while working abroad, spent a week here and it was both refreshing and exhausting. I felt simultaneously like a tour guide, parent, sister and bank. Working overseas has its perks - new and stimulating environments, meeting a world of different people, personal growth, running from winter in Canada, but it necessitates sacrifices as well. These sacrifices are more evident a certain times than others. Missing time while my younger brother grows up is right up there on the list of things it pains me to give up. I definitely learned that I can't bridge that distance in a week, especially not by overspending and giving him everything.
I can understand how a separated parent can feel by buying things to make up for lost time. But at least from my end, just spending time together - checking out a junior surf competition at Bathsheba on the East Coast and hanging out all together with some friends here - was the greatest feeling. I know a week cannot make up for many months missing at a time, but just appreciating it nonetheless as an opportunity to share my life with family and spend whatever time we have together, catching up. The feeling of hearing my brother rave about how amazing his first surf lesson was and together, watching him catch a wave on his own, is incredible.
Other highlights of his time here include getting him to dance, our tour of the Mount Gay Rum facility, not your average
domino games, eating a lot of good food and enjoying the beaches. All I can do is be happy that we got to spend this time together.
In other news, I need to get back in shape for Oistins 10km run at the end of April. Too much hailing of the ice cream truck recently. And on the work front, looks like I might be in Antigua for my birthday and a couple days following for some youth media training, so fingers crossed I'll find out early this week.
Nickname updates: Met the following people in the last two weeks - Scotland Yard, Blood Stain (intense), Sacky, Ziggy and Damian (after Ziggy and Damian Marley).
And lastly, looking forward to
Reggae Fest and Oistins Fish Fest - I heard some women can de-bone a flying fish in seconds! - at the end of April.
After a rainy session at Surfer's Point
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