Reality Bites

I had an interesting experience this past week, when a complete stranger basically wrote that because I live in “Paradise”,  I have no right to complain about anything.  Of course this comment was from someone who admitted they only visited once a year and did not live here.  Wow.  That’s some cojones ya got there bub.

I’ve noticed there seems to be an overly large supply of people that visit once a year for a week or two and think they have earned the right to tell residents how things ought to be.  How we should deal with things, react to things, or feel about things here…all without ever having actually lived on this rock…or any rock…or anywhere else in Mexico! *sigh*  After the cloud of egocentric dust settles, I have a tip for these people:  What you know and see daily vs. what we know and see daily = not the same!  I’m not even talking about the people that live here 6 months at a time…I’m talking about those who spend just a couple weeks or maybe months here (maximum).   Get out there, meet locals, make yourself at home on the island but please remember that the in’s and out’s of daily living here, year after year, may not be what you experience as a visitor.  Talking to us like it is, will only get you the side-eye…and then talked about on messenger.

Having someone from the outside looking in, judging and trying to tell you what’s what, is almost laughable.   Life (anywhere) is difficult at times and anyone that tells you otherwise is lying.  However someone implying that because you live somewhere beautiful, you are somehow expected to act like life is perfect?  They’re simplistic, naive or downright out to lunch.   Or maybe they’ve just had a few really good margaritas…

Life’s a beach!  Life’s a party!  Right?  It’s all umbrella rum drinks and beach days on an island… Maybe.  If you’re unemployed, work online and like to have your days free, have an outside income or are independently wealthy – but many of us work regular day jobs.  Some of us have kids, some have elderly parents to care for.  Some of us have businesses that are struggling, or successful businesses that keep us too busy.   Our homes are too hot and we can’t afford A/C.  The scorpions keep finding a way into the bathroom…and I don’t mean the rock band.  We cannot afford a car or scooter, or our scooter was stolen.  Of course our bicycle was stolen too.  Hurricane season we prepare and wait, hoping to be passed by or that the storm heading our way fizzles out… Often we don’t need a hurricane to be stuck dealing with flooding on the streets and in our homes.  How about I drive you into a neighbourhood where people have no pavement, no sidewalks, no street lights, no running water, so you can ask them about their “Paradise”.    Oh – but like *you* said, they live on an island and have tropical flowers and palm trees in their yard!  It must be perfect then.  My bad.

As crazy as things can be here, I still love the place.  I have survived plenty of challenges so far and I still try and go every week or two to check on progress of a permit I need for my business (this month makes the one-year anniversary of my permit application and payment – of course the city still has not had their permit approval meeting.  You know, the one that’s supposed to be held every 3 months?  Yeah, that one…).   I don’t see myself moving anytime, it’s home and I know it.   I also know people that have landed here, only to crash upon the rocks.  Even if it took a few years for them to realise it.

Yes – it’s beautiful here.  I absolutely love the days I get to spend at the beach (not gonna lie…that’s a big bonus).  I love that I have my mother and son here with me and that I have met an amazing man here and remarried.  I love our three, crazy, street-rescues.  I LOVE my job.  I love the variety of people I meet here from all over the world.  Yes, I am warm here and have palm trees and tropical flowers in my back yard.  It’s still LIFE here people!  With all it’s twists and turns.

There are people here who will pour out their hearts to help others and people here who will take everything you have to give and then walk away, laughing.  There are a lot of broken people here and I have sometimes wondered if they came to escape their demons (not realising they will only follow a person), or met them here.  There are things that work out surprisingly easy and things that make you want to plot where to put the bodies.  It’s a small town – which has it’s own set of rules.  Life here is beautiful – and ugly – and sometimes both at once.   Wonderful and annoying – just like everywhere else in the world.  Take it or leave it.  Survive or pack up and leave…but no one has the right to tell you how to feel about it, you’ll sort that out on your own.

 

One of the realities of living on an island in the Mexican Caribbean…
Hurricane Preparedness is essential.   This was prep from 2017 when we were tracking one of the big ones – waiting to see if it would hit Belize, come our way or fizzle out before it got to us.