Roatan Vortex© – It Pulls You in and You Never Want to Leave

When I lived on Roatan, I would take a stroll on the beach every morning, walking along the water’s edge, feeling the warm sand squish between my toes, the salty Caribbean Sea lapping at my ankles while… I swatted away the sand fleas! Yes, paradise has its downsides too.

The other thing I would do while on these morning jaunts was rescue starfish. I don’t know the technicalities of why it happens, but I would encounter a few (or more) starfish washed up on the beach. I’d pick them up, marvel at their unique beauty, wade out to slightly deeper water (not too deep mind you, my fear of water kicks in once the water line gets above my waist) and return the starfish to their home; surely saving them from being eaten by a passing bird or drying out in the intense heat emitting from the sun.

Was I making a difference? With each starfish I returned to the sea, my mind would wander to the parable about this very endeavour. Could I rescue them all? Heck no! But I’m sure it made a difference to the ones I did; and knowing I’m not the only one with this mindset, so many starfish are being saved. I tried this once with Portuguese-man-of-war. That wasn’t quite as successful, actually, getting stung on my arms and legs was the deciding factor in only attempting that once. Sorry Portuguese-man-of-war you are on your own!

On Roatan there are many children who need assistance in all aspects of their lives. Can I make a difference for them all? Heck no! I toured one of the local schools with the idea to help one child by sponsoring her tuition, uniform, school supplies, and transportation to and from school. As it turned out she wasn’t able to attend classes at Luisa Trundle School, Coxen Hole. But while I was being shown around, an idea that I would have never thought of prior to the tour came to mind.

A very high percentage of the kids don’t have breakfast before they arrive for classes; the resources are limited in their homes, to the point that if they do have breakfast it may be their ONLY meal of the day. Could I ensure the children who attend Luisa Trundle School start their lessons with a healthy meal in their tummies—an essential tool for learning?

YES!!! The Roatan Vortex Breakfast Program launched July 9th 2011 (in Honduras, the school term is February – November) with the assistance of Val -Familias Saludables and the school administration and staff. At first the children were hesitant to take what was offered—they had never encountered breakfast waiting for them when they arrived at school before. Oh but they got the hang of it pretty quick!

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Musings from a Breakfast Program

Mathew (age six): “Mom hurry up and get me dressed, I have to go to the Breakfast Program!”

Mathew’s mom: “And school!”

Mathew: “Oh yeah, that too.”

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I had the opportunity to share the ongoing success of the Roatan Vortex Breakfast Program when I attended the Conference on Honduras where I gave a presentation: What did you have for breakfast today? I also posted another story when I visited Roatan the end of February: Two Weeks on Roatan. And as a direct result of that visit I shot and edited (please turn up the volume on your computer… my editing skills are limited) a video showing the children having breakfast!

CastleMuse is proud to sponsor the Roatan Vortex Breakfast Program and while the website is still under construction a banner is displayed linking back to this story.

Thing is though, just as my ability to rescue a significant number of starfish on my own is not possible, neither can I alone ensure the longevity of the breakfast program. I am proud to have got the ball rolling and, to-date, I have been the sole financial contributor. And while I bask in the joy it brings me to see the positive impact it is having on the development of these children—it is time for me to share that sensation—so if you’d like to wade into the Caribbean Sea with me (figuratively not literally) and get involved, here are some examples of how much of a difference your support can make.

• A donation of $10 will cover the cost of 15 dozen eggs (I know! Val’s real good at getting deals.)

• $25 will buy eight large boxes of Raisin Bran; 120 servings of cereal—enough for all the kids for one day (currently 117 children in the program.)

• For $50 a one week supply for all the children (560 servings) of fresh, local fruit (bananas, oranges, watermelon, mangoes) can be purchased.

• $100 could ensure that for two weeks all the kids will have a serving of fresh milk.

If you are able to contribute monthly:
• $10 a month equals TWO kids having a complete breakfast every school day of the month.

• $20 a month will feed FOUR kids each and every week for the month

• $30 a month can ensure SIX children each month are starting their day right!

The Roatan Vortex Breakfast Program is now affiliated with the The Dawn Land Foundation a not-for-profit org registered with the Canadian Government. Please remember even $5 can make a huge difference… REALLY!!!
If donations exceed covering the cost of the Breakfast Program, a mid-morning snack will be introduced and we can be ready for next year as well. Together we can make a difference!

Donate HERE: The Dawn Land Foundation Be sure to specify that your donation is for the Roatan Vortex Breakfast Program. Tax receipts will be issued upon request.

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Musings from a Breakfast Program

One of our grade six students, one of those bright boys always in trouble, has become the programs best friend. He is there every morning early to put out the table or help pour milk; he eats his whole day’s calories at breakfast. He has gone from being quite aggressive to hugging me (Val) and telling me he loves me. Hmm, I guess it’s true—the way to a boy’s heart is through his stomach.

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Spread the word… please!

The more people who hear about the Roatan Vortex Breakfast Program the better. Please share far and wide!

For the first time ever got to Roatan from Toronto on a single flight. It did require getting up at the ungodly hour of 2:30 AM but well worth it considering we arrived to Roatan well before noon the same day! When I stepped off the plane it felt very much like when I returned to Roatan after a five week trip off-island the year before. The one big difference (this time) is spent only two weeks on Roatan this trip and have a few things to share from that point of view.

Dining
Linga Longa, West End – The Deck Cafe, used to be a favourite of mine, and now as Linga Longa, it’s even better. Same great lunch menu and a breakfast and dinner menu too. The new location is very tropical and easy to get to.

Lighthouse, West End For a “tipico” (typical) meal: including whole snapper, rice & beans, and key-lime pie. A little difficult to find the entrance if you’ve not been there before, but once you do, it is a short stroll down the beach to the large two level decks overlooking the Caribbean Sea.

The Rotisserie, West End A visit to Roatan is not complete without dining at the Rotisserie. Super casual, relaxed atmosphere, extremely affordable, and downright tasty. Must get dessert too!

Blue Bahia, Sandy Bay Had a few meals at Kent’s Blue Bahia (I love seared ahi tuna, and they do it right.) Also attended a Canadian friend’s birthday party there. It was a full house that night and service was impeccable.

Accommodations:

Spent most of the two weeks with Roatan family, but ventured out for a two night stay at Paya Bay on the east end. I’ve done many day trips to the east end but this was the first time I stayed overnight. The room was spectacular. Everything you would hope from at a tropical hideaway. Service was prompt, friendly and genuine. All the meals included a selection of foods I really like, with great attention to being tasty and healthy too!
With three beaches to choose from—NOT being a “naturalist” wasn’t an issue.

Didn’t stay overnight, but visited friends at Cocolobo, Infinity Bay, and Upachya, didn’t make it to Villagio Verde or Captain Ron’s Hideaway but if there had been a little more time would have.

The Roatan Vortex Breakfast Program

When I left Roatan to move back to Canada in December, school kids were on their break. So I was looking forward to this trip in February to visit one school in particular and see the Roatan Vortex Breakfast Program in full swing. We got there a little late on the first visit (just before the bell rang for class at 7 AM. Managed to do a little filming before the kids scattered to their respective classes.

And then on the last day on Roatan I got my act together, waking at 5 AM, in time to finish packing and head to the Luisa Trundle School to take photos. Driving through Flowers Bay, on the way to the school in Coxen Hole, Steven capturing images of typical Island homes. Got to the gate of the school at 6:20 AM, in time to watch the children arrive; some walking, some by Roatan taxis (not quite what you might envision), and others exiting beat-up vans doubling as school busses. And there was the tiniest girl—wearing her uniform, a “Dora the Explorer” backpack slung on her back—her arms wrapped as far as she could reach around her dad’s waist, perched behind him on the seat of the motorcycle they arrived on. He was wearing a helmet, she wasn’t.

The children gathered around the table set-up at the entrance to the courtyard, eager but patiently waiting for their first (and quite possibly, only) meal of the day. Today’s menu included: Honey Nut Cherrios with fresh milk, and just picked watermelon and orange slices. At 7 AM the school bell rang, children gulped down the last of the milk in their cups, some grabbed a final orange slice when they returned the cups to the table, and then got to their classrooms.

Closing the school gate, when leaving, I heard a young girl crying as she arrived at the school entrance, trying to pull free from her sister tugging on her arm. She didn’t want to go to school this day—she could only find one shoe, which her sister was carrying—the young girl was bare-foot. Great pride is taken in being properly attired and groomed when going to school on Roatan; she was devastated at the thought of not wearing shoes in class, and possibly having lost one of the only shoes she owns. They were too late for breakfast—but I’m sure (if they hadn’t had anything to eat before getting to school) they would still get their meal.

Glancing at the sky, I tilted my head back, the morning sun made me smile; I basked in the warmth and energy it shone on me. Later this morning is the return flight to Canada, and know that within a few short hours (even though it was hard to imagine in that moment) I will be darn cold, the dazzling green of the lush jungle will be replaced with a barren landscape; not yet ready to bloom, and the sun will rarely peek through the overcast skies for the next few months.

I’m okay with that, really I am—no matter where I am, I’m in a Roatan Vortex State of Mind!
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Complete information and a handy-dandy Donate Here button for the Roatan Vortex Breakfast Program will be available at my new website CastleMuse, launching April 2, 2012… Holy crap… that’s just three weeks from now… I’ve got some things to get done! While you’re waiting for CastleMuse to go live, stop by CastleMuse on Facebook to see lots more pictures of the kids benefiting from the Roatan Vortex Breakfast Program. Public Link

Later Folks, nose to the grind stone—and all that!

The popular ‘reality’ TV series Survivor depicts contestants hanging out in the jungle and on a beach enduring the heat and humidity, getting by with limited resources (stuff), and vying for position in a tribe. Although it may never qualify to become a series on TV my ‘reality’ couldn’t be more opposite. Here’s what I’m doing now that I’ve chosen to vote myself off the Island of Roatan.

Lack of moisture in the air and keeping all the windows closed to hold in the heat don’t sit well with me; nor does readopting old, hard to break habits. Implementing and/or installing the following have helped immensely.

Environment /Physical
• Portable steamer – You know, the kind you bring out when someone in the house has a stuffy nose and you slather some menthol goop on the vent. Not wanting my home to smell like a box of cough drops I skip that part, but I do have the steamer going all day and all night; whatever room I’m in, so is the steamer; churgling out a warm, humid mist.
• Humidifier on the Furnace – that is in addition to (not instead of) the steamer. I haven’t noticed a dramatic result from having this going, but I’m sure if it wasn’t I’d get a static shock when I touched something metal or I’d hear a crackling sound coming from the cat’s fur when I pet her.
• Sauna – At least once a day for 30 minutes at a time. This was the most costly (but worthwhile) measure. It takes about the first 15 minutes to get a sweat going while pouring water on the lava rocks and the temperature gage reads close to 120 F. The first time I used the sauna I was disappointed; what the heck good is sitting in an overheated cedar box gonna do me? But, oh my… once I was finished the session, my skin actually felt soft and supple like skin can and should!
• Window open, Fan on – That’s right! To ensure a good night sleep I plug in the steamer (of course) at the foot of the bed; open the window—just an inch or so, no I’m not trying to heat the outside; turn on the overhead fan and snuggle down under a heavy comforter. Air circulation, humidity, and warm ahhhh—works for me.

Environment /Emotional
• Tropical Plants and fresh cut flowers – Okay, not quite the same as when they grew wild all around me, but waking up to gaze at potted greenery and colourful blooms beats the heck out of glancing at blank corners.
• Sunshine – The sun is shining! The sun is shining! I’m not a fan of going out in the cold but do make a point of getting out there on the rare occasions when the sun isn’t hiding behind bleak cloud-cover. Facing the glowing ball of light, my eyes wide open, a silly grin on my face soaking in that natural vitamin D. And even when the sky is grey all curtains and blinds are opened wide from early morning to night encouraging every spec of light to come oooon in!

Diet and Health
• Groceries – My favourite place to buy fruits and veggies is at the Asian Market, oh sure, they don’t offer the same vast selection as the large supermarkets do, and an abundance of blemishes and soft spots will be found—but just as I discovered when I lived on Roatan… it’s real food!
• Exercise – Not nearly as much as I should, real easy to not bother when every day I’m wearing twenty (okay, I’m exaggerating) layers of clothes and can’t see the jiggly bits.

Attitude – This is by far the hardest to maintain while being the most important. Pretty much every day a stack of flyers (enticing me to buy stuff) can be found jammed in my mailbox. I transfer them to the recycling bin without a glance. I avoid conversations that rate my (or anyone else’s) value based on what my job is, what neighbourhood I live in, or who I associate with. I try to not be late for anything I’ve committed to attend, but don’t book up my schedule just to keep busy.

When I first moved back to Canada, I caught myself flipping through the pages of those flyers pondering purchasing things I in no way needed. I seriously reconsidered that my value was based on external factors; easy enough to happen when taught from an early age these are the things that matter, but I know in my heart-of-hearts Just Being is all that matters. As for keeping busy for the sake of being busy; I may not need to keep room in my day for an impromptu visit to the beach, but I’m not rushing around trying to fill up time just surviving either. A Roatan Vortex state of mind is mine to keep no matter where I am!

Be sure to stop by Castle Muse oh sure, I’m not done building it yet, but worth a peak and while you’re at it how about clicking on the like button at Castle Muse on Facebook staying connected with Roatan Vortex family and friends makes me smile!

Okay, so I had said my previous story here at RoatanVortex.com was going to be my last posting, but what can I say… a wave of homesickness washed over me the other day.

It had nothing to do with the fact that the temperature read as a negative number or hearing the sound of tires spinning, outside my home, on the snow, compressed to a layer of hard packed ice on the roadways.

It had nothing to do with getting ready to go out for a while and having to pull on a bulky jacket, scarf, gloves, a toque to swaddle my head, or sitting on the bottom step in the front hall tugging boots over thick socks entombing my protesting toes.

It had nothing to do with moving the portable humidifier from room to room trying to maintain at least a hint of moisture in the air, or the stockpile of lotions and creams stacked on the bathroom counter that I need to slather on dry and chapped skin—in spite of the claims made by the manufactures that if I use their product my skin will never go flaky.

And it had nothing to do with noticing the weak sunlight emitting from the hazy orange ball suspended in the frosty afternoon sky and wondering—what’s that? Or realizing that I am gazing longingly at the potted herb plants on the kitchen counter not because I’m trying to decide what will go best in an omelette but solely because they’re green and alive and… plants.

I was homesick for my Island family and friends!

Since moving back to my hometown in Canada, I’m learning to cope with the conditions that I have no control over; weather, sleeping vegetation and minimal sunlight. And I’m appreciating advantages I haven’t experienced for a few years. I haven’t had to wipe mould off of anything, there is nary a hint of rust on the fridge needing to be hidden with a fresh coat of primer and none of the door knobs have fallen off because the lockset has crumbled away. There is no need to check under my pillow for scorpions, flick gecko poop off the freshly made bed or swat at the sand-flies nibbling on my ankles.

I’ve had the greatest pleasure of my son and grandkids stopping by and together we watch ‘Planet of the Apes’ on Netflix, getting together with my mom to work side by side on the book we are co-authoring, and spending an afternoon with my daughter when she drives down from Hanover and we go for lunch and shopping at the most exclusive boutique—Value Village! And most evening after a delicious home cooked meal, courtesy of my Steven, we snuggle on the sofa (yup, a real one) to watch a few episodes of our favourite HBO series, ‘Mad Men’.

Regardless of all that, I settled into my feeling homesick and longing for Roatan, wrapping it around me like a much needed fleece blanket to ward off the cold, at the same time the Roatan Vortex began pulling at me; warming me from the very core of my being. Now before you get any ideas, no, I’m not moving back to Roatan, but rather, re-embracing what I thought I had to give up. When I made the decision to move back to Canada there were many reasons (and there still are) but I thought I had to completely say goodbye to the Roatan Vortex; it had consumed an extraneous amount of my time when I lived on the Island and became a chore, a job, a, I thought I had to turn it into a business thing.

But, the thing is–the Roatan Vortex was never intended or destined to be any of those things—the Roatan Vortex is a state of mind!

A bunch of years ago I coined a phrase, “the Roatan Vortex—it pulls you in and you’ll never want to leave!” and I’ve come to realize that I don’t have to physically be on the Island to feel and share the positive effects—to stay connected with my Roatan family and friends. Although I won’t be posting stories nearly as often as I used to I still will be occasionally stopping by to say hi and satisfy my craving to blog. Time permitting I will also be re-launching the Roatan Vortex Book with a new look but exactly same content as I originally wrote it, plus additional bonus features! The RV Book will be available at my new website CastleMuse as a FREE downloadable ebook format and the book (paperback) edition will be available on-line to purchase at cost plus (of course) shipping. I also will bring books to the Island and donate them as prizes for various fundraisers—Clinica Esperanza Sundae by the Sea, Familias Saludables Sundays at Bananarama and others.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery
If you’re in no hurry and can wait for my re-release of the Roatan Vortex Book… please do. I’ll announce it here at Roatan Vortex.com You may find (what appears to be) the book in its original state available for sale on the Island and floating around cyber-space. Thing is, even though it’s all my content and my name is on it—it’s not the real deal!

Now I’m not asking you to take sides or anything, heck, I’ve got a couple of ‘knock-off’ outfits in my closet, have watched a few illegally copied DVD’s and the sunglasses I bought on the beach may have the ‘Gucci’ logo embossed on the rim… but they sure aren’t ‘Gucci’.

On page 265 of the Tiny Buddha, Simple Wisdom for Life’s Hard Questions—by Lori Deschene, she asked: “What can we control in life?”

My answer: “The absolute only thing we can control in life is how we respond to everything we have no control of.”—@roatanvortex

I’ve got a lot of great things going on in my life that require my full attention right now, and other than the couple of weeks I’m going to spend (with Steven) enjoying the glorious warmth and sunshine on Roatan this month, I plan on taking full advantage of the cold dreary weather to keep me focused on writing content and recording audio books for my new website CastleMuse; that’s where I’m building the foundation for my ‘castle in the air’ while maintaining a Roatan Vortex state of mind.