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

So the Roatan Vortex is working its magic on you, you’re considering a move to Roatan, great idea! No longer will time in paradise be limited to your allocated one or two week holidays a year. No more burrowing under the three comforters piled on your bed, peaking out the window and groaning at the sight of fluffy flakes of snow floating down to cover the crocuses and tulips that are doing what they can to convince the skies it is springtime.

Since making the move to Roatan I am regularly asked, “How’d you do it?” That’s easy to answer, “I quit my job, sold everything I owned, and moved here.” The Roatan Vortex pulled me in!

Now that I live here I regularly share why I stay: through the Roatan Vortex blog, The Roatan Vortex Radio Show on 101.1 FM roatanradio.com and through the book The Roatan Vortex—an insider’s view of day to day life on a Caribbean Island It’s time to back up a bit (kinda like they did with the Star Wars movies) and share… drum roll please…

The Roatan Vortex—an insider’s guide for moving to Roatan

The thing is, moving to Roatan is not like moving across town or even from one State or Province you live in to another. You have to approach it a little different and not use the North American side of your brain to plan the move. Yes, clear up and do what must before you come to Roatan, but when the Vortex calls, “resistance is futile”… hey, another Star Wars reference… no wait, that’s from Star Trek!

On your mark! Get set! Slow down!
When I go back to Canada to visit family and friends, they quite often comment that I’m too mellow, as they zoom past me; rushing to work, the store, an exercise class, the mall, to pick up the kids etc. That is the normal pace there, but not on Roatan. Sure you still have things to get done, places to be, people to see, but the pace here is a little different. For one thing it is just plain too hot; you’re going to work up a sweat no matter how slow you go, so why encourage it. Besides, whatever you are rushing to probably won’t be ready until mañana anyway.

Definition of mañana – tomorrow, next week, maybe a month from now, possibly—NEVER!

photo credit - Gumbalimba Park

An insider’s guide for moving to Roatan, lots more to share; coming soon:
• Your new address, say goodbye to zip and postal codes
• What to bring (my most prized possession): stainless steel cheese grater
• Leave the rollerblades behind
• Yes, your phone number will be eight digits long
• Setting up your kitchen—everything goes in the freezer
• Choosing your nick name (and other names you may be called)
• Forget about fresh spinach and mushrooms
• Critters you may (no, will) find in your new home
• Decorating is based on mould and rust resistance—not fashion trends
• plus many, many more

For those of you who have already made the move, if you have any tips to add, please do. And for those of you considering making the move to Roatan–ask away!

 

 Roatan SME (Subject Matter Expert): Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This story can also be read at Honduras Weekly retitled “A life without fresh spinach and mushrooms”

Yes I do! When it was suggested that I did, at first, I was upset. I mean, after all a “Rose Coloured Glasses” point of view is bad… right?

I needed to know, so did a little research. My indignant attitude was quickly transformed to one of pride. Yes, I dwell on everything positive about Roatan: I choose to not write stories, talk on the Roatan Vortex radio show, or post pictures that regard negative aspects of Roatan.

There is a bonus to my “Rose Coloured Glasses” outlook. A study by the University of Toronto posted results of their findings in the Science Daily that showed that people who wear “Rose Coloured Glasses” see more!

“Upside—Good moods enhance the literal size of the window through which we see the world. We see things from a more global or integrative (honest/true) perspective.”

The study went on to say;

“Downside—this can lead to distractions…” (Oh-oh) “…on critical tasks that require narrow focus, such as operating dangerous machinery, or airport screening of passenger baggage.” – Science Daily 2009

Whew, had me worried for a moment there! But since I avoid “operating heaving machinery”—mostly because I’m left handed and none of the controls are set up correct for me to use, and as for “airport luggage screener”–I’m way too happy to do that! I don’t need to worry about changing my Rosie… (OMG, that’s what I named my daughter) outlook!

Besides, even if there is something negative… I can always find a positive component…

The negative: Tarantula landing on my head! That’s right, I was sitting on my bed (in the loft), laptop on my lap, watching TV too—multi-tasking, when I felt something land with a plop, on my head, it scurried down my back, then disappeared behind a pillow! Yes, I did the heebee-jeebee dance! Yes, I took pictures of it when it exited from behind the pillow and hung out on the headboard for a while. Yes, I captured it with an empty ice-cream container and sent it on its way—outside!

The Positive: The footprint of my cabana ceiling is approximately 20 ft x 16 ft, the footprint of the top of my head is approximately 4 in x 6 in. Isn’t that like the odds for winning a lottery! Of all the places that tarantula could have dropped—it landed smack in the middle of the top of my head!

I got to experience something unique, aaand; I wasn’t sleeping when it dropped in… To feel it crawling across my face, or have it snuggle up next to me under the sheets. If that had happened it might have been a little tougher to find something positive in the whole event!

This story can also be read at Honduras Weekly

You’ll find many more examples of finding the positive in the Roatan Vortex—an insider’s view of day to day life on a Caribbean Island including:

*One of the ATM’s is on line—page 62

*No coins weighing down my pockets—page 42

*Your luggage isn’t lost… it’s just not here—page 45

*What an orange really tastes like—page 24

*Ant’s clean up the melted candy in my purse—page 53

*Knowing the scurrying sounds on the dark path are just land crabs—page59

I’ve got a million of them… well not quite, but I could, it’s really easy to do. Join me! Just slip on your “Rose Coloured Glasses” and leave “screening the luggage at the airport” to someone else.

Note: Shameless Self Promotion
If you are on Roatan, be sure to contact me or EJ, to get your copy of The Roatan Vortex—an insider’s view of day to day life on a Caribbean Island. If you’re not on Roatan you can order from The Roatan Vortex at Amazon and regardless of where you find it, please visit the Amazon Roatan Vortex review link to write a review, and rate The Roatan Vortex—an insider’s view of day to day life on a Caribbean Island.

Apparently, the more reviews, the higher the book goes in the Amazon Rankings… that would make me really, really, really happy!

Sharing stories about Roatan is what it is all about for me. I coined “Roatan Vortex” to describe my personal experience with what drew me to Roatan. It has since morphed into a phrase used by many to express the way they feel about Roatan.

Before I launched the Roatan Vortex website less than one year ago, I did a Google search to see if anyone before me had combined Roatan and Vortex. At that time—one result came up referencing a sailing log from 2002, about reaching Jonesville Bight and Hole in the Wall.

Today I did a Google search for Roatan Vortex (roatanvortex) and more than 3000 results were displayed—Holy Crap!

Now, I haven’t written that many stories yet, mind you the visit counter on the Roatan Vortex website does read more than 53,400 visits and still counting—thank you all for stopping by!

Of the more than 3000 Google search results I found, even the article for USAToday by Laura Bly (that I did a phone interview with), that article has been shared extensively by other news agencies), and many others are popping up referencing contributions the Roatan Vortex has made to the world wide web.

Most recently:

The Roatan Global Village

* A Guest Post for Expat Focus Blog A classic Roatan Vortex story.

*****View and/or Download Here***** The release of an E-Book Celebrating Latin America at Ground Level. Very excited to have been asked to contribute to this one!

Coming Dec 1, my first story for Pocket Cultures will be posted. I’m looking forward to sharing more details about this one with you! Insight to the Cultural Diversity–from a Canadian’s point-of-view.

*

Not to be forgotten about here is a few more that have contributed to the Roatan Vortex becoming a well known phrase.

***Interview at Be More With Less***

***Guest Post at Tiny Buddha***

***Guest Post at Unpaved South America***

And last (but not least) here are a few other websites that the Roatan Vortex appears on:

An excellent site brought together by LaGringa A well respected blogger in Honduras.

***We Blog the World*** A great site to visit with the emphasis on “bridging travel, culture and ideas.”

***TripAtlas *** Another great source of information on travelling the world. This one pays its contributors a little bit too when anyone clicks on and reads my stories posted there! Nod, nod, wink, wink.

And to think they all got rolling because I wanted to share with family and friends (old and new) where the heck Roatan is and to help you out when the Roatan Vortex pulls you in!

Cover Photo Credit: Mikey Stephens

Where better to find “inside information” on those places you want to visit in Latin America than from the people who have already made the journey…

Since I began sharing stories about Roatan Honduras, I have had the great pleasure of connecting with many such people. One of them is Steve Roll at Travelojos. “When Steve’s not busy making a living as a legal editor for a Washington, D.C.-area publishing company, he enjoys learning about all things Mexican and Latin American, including fascinating sites, interesting cultural aspects, and great food. The Travelojos blog allows him to share that passion.”

A few months ago, Steve contacted me and asked if I would like to submit a story for an E-book he was putting together to celebrate Latin America at ground level. I was thrilled to say the least. The list of contributors includes some of the top bloggers and travel writers in the world. The guidelines were simple enough; try to keep it less than 300 words (okay that wasn’t so simple to do), and it must reflect the feel of a Latin American community you have visited or now call home. I got to work immediately, compiling a story. I wanted it to capture the essence of the children on Roatan, and an encounter with one little girl in particular when I was waiting in line at the bank one day, summed up what I wanted to share.

“Child’s Play” can be found on page 31 of the “Latin America at Ground Level” E-Book. The book is free to open, download, and share. You can get a copy right here! Celebrating Latin America at Ground Level

Enjoy each and every story, and links to the contributor’s websites can be found at the end of each insider’s view of “Latin America at Ground Level.”

PS Thanks again and again for asking me to provide a story Steve. Oh my gosh, I’m a published author…Happy Dance Time!

When my journey to Central America began, I had absolutely no idea what I was in-store for, I just knew it was time for me to go.

Saying, “goodbye for now,” to family and friends wasn’t easy. But through the wonders of internet I was able to keep my promise to stay in-touch, and update them regularly through stories and photos.

I started my first travel blog more than 3 years ago now, and, oh the stories I shared. I have since graduated to creating and posting tales of day-to-day life on Roatan at this website, and I’ll never run out of material.

But, I often reflect back to where it started, and the journey so far. I’ve had brief encounters with amazing people, saw firsthand, sights that I was in awe of, and experienced things that were unlike anything I could have imagined.

And now an opportunity to share that journey with you has presented itself through, Gypsy Girl’s Guide–wanderlust, inspirations and musings. “Gypsy Girl’s…is a resource and daily dose of worldly inspiration for women with a passion for travel and a bohemian lifestyle.”

My first, in a series of stories, was posted today! Thanks for asking me to “join the tribe” Alessandra!

Here’s where it began. Just call me Gennyca

I met a new friend last week, her name is Bobbi French. We have so much in common it gives me chills–which is no easy feat on Roatan. Bobbi sold everything, quite her job, and left the familiarity of Newfoundland, Canada to follow her heart’s lead.

As she so eloquently said, “To hell with ordinary, convention, fear of disappointing others and seeking approval. I shall follow in the footsteps of the great George Costanza and live in the ‘opposite’. I will be brave, I will do things I have only dreamed of doing. I will turn my life upside down, shake well and see what comes out.”

While enjoying a coffee and croissant she graciously agreed to answer some questions I posed, and here is what she had to say. Oh, one more thing I haven’t mentioned yet–Bobbi followed her heart to France!

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1. With all the places in the world to choose from, once you decided to take the plunge, why did France win your heart?

Our initial plan was actually to live in Italy. This was always a ‘someday we’ll go for a year’ idea. After vacations we would dream about living in Europe, we both loved the culture, food, wine, and the lifestyle. But France came about for more practical reasons than romantic ones.

Neil already spoke French (and Spanish) and had actually lived in France many years ago. Our most recent vacation had been in France and it was then we met a woman who presented a job opportunity for me. Add in a good health care system and this seemed like a good place to start. Instead of running away for a year to Italy, France seemed like a place where we could actually live and work for an indefinite period. For me the work piece was crucial. After 3 years of looking for a way out of medicine this was the only lead I’d ever had! This was not about retiring, I’m broke as a joke after paying for all my years in medical school. This was about creating a new life.

2. I noticed that in the comments section of your blog, quite often people refer to you as being courageous. Do you feel you are courageous for doing what you are doing?

Hmmm. Everyone always says this and I never know quite what to say back. Courageous is how I would describe kids and their families coping with and surviving mental illness. Every day I witnessed amazing acts of strength that I know I could never have achieved.

As for me, the whole thing has been quite surreal. I somehow turned off my head and turned on my heart, stopped over thinking everything for once and suddenly the plan had a life of its own. Of course it’s scary to uproot yourself and leave everything you know, the safety of secure income and all that. But I can tell you this: moving to France was a hell of lot less scary than staying in a life that seemed all wrong for me. My life was so serious and didn’t fit me anymore. I was scared of being at the end of my life full of regret.

I’m a bit scared every day here but I figure all I have to lose is money and things and some pride as I butcher the language! Not a bad deal from where I sit. If it turns out badly, I’ll just start over.

3. Before you left the Great White North, I’m sure you envisioned how it would go. Is it coming together the way you thought? Or no? And are you okay with that?

The key for me was to let go of any expectations for this journey. This was an active process because it’s soooo easy to romanticize and fantasize about a place that you’ve only visited for vacation. I did a lot of reading and connecting with others who have moved here so that I could get a sense of the good, the bad and the downright ugly bits. So far, so good.

The locals have been far more welcoming than I ever dreamed possible and the paper work, while daunting, is not so bad. Of course having a person fluent in the language really helps! It’s quite a challenge to get used to the pace of things here, everything closes from 12-2 pm and for the whole day on Mondays. Things don’t happen in an instant like they do in North America. And the language, let’s just say it’s an uphill battle. But that’s the whole point, to fully experience another culture. The food and wine make up for it. I’m taking it one day at a time, a new strategy for me a recovering compulsive planner!

4. What is a typical day now, compared to when you lived in Newfoundland, Canada?

My days couldn’t be more different!! Because I haven’t started my new work yet I’m still in la-la land. I have no set schedule and I spend a lot of my time eating, blogging and trying to find an automatic car! I try to learn a little French everyday, then eat some more. I have been riding my new bike, observing cows and chickens, quite a dramatic shift.

The biggest difference in my day is the lack of frenetic pace. I have control of what I do each day. In Canada I was a very busy doctor at a major academic hospital often working until 10 at night. I have finally come down from that stress but only just and even after 3 short months I know that I can never return to that life. Never again will I carry a pager or have to make life and death decisions every day and that brings me great peace. The other big change is having no income. It’s fine, I just don’t spend money, there’s no mall to go to. I’ve stopped shopping online although I long to have a wine budget. I’ve discovered that I don’t need very much and it’s quite a liberating experience.

Nowadays, life is slow, lots of reading and relaxing. That will change when I start work but for now I am LOVING it.

Bobbi's Blog Central'

5. You now call yourself a “Blogaholic” do you find it is the best way to stay connected with family & friends back in Canada? Does having that line of communication make it a little easier to be so far apart?

Oh my, the Blog!! What started as a convenient way to keep in touch has turned into a monster. It’s the new love of my life. I don’t know how it got to be such an obsession, I never could do anything by halves! It’s a great way to stay in touch with loved ones and friends but it’s also an amazing way to connect with people all over the world who are doing the same type of thing or dreaming of doing it. It creates a real sense of community and support. It’s also a great way to get practical advice about moving to a foreign land. I know that when times get tough, and they will, the blog will be the glue that keeps me together. It’s a great way to laugh at yourself and for others to laugh along with you.

6. Your tag-line is “A Psychiatrist’s Pilgrimage to Joy.” Is that what you are finding?

I have been blessed so many times in my life so joy is no stranger to me. But I am seeking an inner peace, a joy of spirit if you will and so far I’m right on the money. I have never been happier than I am right now. I know that, in this moment, I am where I need to be, doing what I need to do. While I am grateful for the privilege of my life as a doctor, I needed this change and I am embracing it fully. I am actually quite proud of myself. Although I am sure that yet another hilarious and humiliating scenario is right around the corner. The main thing is that my life is no longer so serious and that feels like joy to me.

7. You mention your understanding, loving, strong, and accepting husband in pretty much every post. If he announced he wanted the two of you to leave France and move to the most remote jungle, where you would have to live in a straw hut suspended on bamboo poles, and scrounge under fallen tree stumps to find grubs for your dinner—What would you say?

I LOVE this question and it’s a tough one. My first reaction is “write often my love” but because there is no true joy without Neil, because he is the real deal and because I made him a promise, I’d have to say “as long as you’re cooking the grubs, I’m in!”

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Question or comment for Bobbi? Post it here…her new job hasn’t started yet…she has time to answer. Oh, and Bobbi, I grabbed some pictures and quotes from your site. Hope you don’t mind!

Through the wonders of the internet and world wide blogging, I had the good fortune to find Bobbi French when I read a guest post she did for Tiny Buddha Coulda Woulda Shoulda. You too can follow Bobbi’s ‘Pilgrimage to Joy’ at her blog Finding Me in France and on Twitter at @BobbiinFrance

I’m working on a new posting re: some helpful (I hope) information on visiting Roatan from Canada. But in the meantime, I am very excited to share this link to an interview that Courtney Carver of BeMoreWithLess generously asked me to do.

Her site offers a wealth of information and ideas on living your life to the fullest with less.

Please click through to read Interview from Paradise

I went to the bank the other day. Just needed to make a small deposit and
get my bankbook updated. Should only take, uhm…an hour or two!

Where I used to live, Ontario, Canada the same transactions would have had
me in and out in a matter of moments. But now I live on Roatan, the largest
of the Bay Islands, Honduras.

I stand in line, waiting my turn, glancing at the line reserved for those
with special needs; the elderly gentleman—leaning on a walking stick, the
young woman—her skirt stretched over her protruding belly.

There are two other wickets open. A shop owner stands at one, pushing his
hand through his hair, waiting for the teller to stamp and re-stamp his
papers. Next to him, a construction worker, his boots caked with red clay,
his jeans streaked with the same, watching the teller count out his monthly
pay.

Ahead of me, eight people wait their turn to be served. Beside one of them,
a little girl, her dark, long hair plaited, her smock—simple, on her dusty
feet—flip flops. She holds tight to her mother’s hand. I smile at her; she
smiles back, revealing a gaping hole where two front teeth will soon emerge.

Twenty minutes later, the little girl still holds fast to her mother’s hand,
and has begun softly chanting a Spanish nursery rhyme to amuse herself.

Another hour goes by, and the little girl and her mother stand at the
counter in front of one of the tellers. The little girl with the plaited
hair waits while her mother does her banking.

She hasn’t complained about how long it takes, she doesn’t whine that she wants to go play, or to McDonald’s for lunch.

She smiles at me again as she skips out of the bank—still holding tight to her mother’s hand.

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This story was also submitted to Travelojos – The Latin America Travel Blog by request, for inclusion in a free E-Book in the works to Celebrate Latin America’s Pleasures and Endless Contradictions.

May 28, 2009, at 2:30 AM, I was jarred awake by my husband, Dave trying to pull me from our bed. As I tried to grasp what he was doing, I became aware of the roar of (what sounded to me like) a freight train careening through our loft bedroom. But there wasn’t just the sound of a train; there was also the violent shaking.

Our wooden cabana accepted the assault, bending to the force, as a blade of grass will bend to the wind, and we were as helpless as ants, trying to hold on. But for the 45-60 seconds that our home was resigned to the attack, it was impossible for Dave and me to maintain our footing.

With every step we took, the loft would shift position, tossing us side to side, while the train continued to roar. I still didn’t understand what was happening, and as I tried to make my way to the stairs with Dave, I watched with surreal fascination as our easel-back, stand-up mirror shuffled across the room like a penguin or Charlie Chaplin would.

We finally made it to the stairs, and clung to the railing with both hands, while we descended. Although I now appreciated the need to get out of the cabana, the sound of glass smashing when it hit the floor, and larger items falling over with a thud coming from below, was so terrifying that I hesitated, actually froze when I was only part way down the stairs.

If the circumstances had been different, I would have been mad at Dave for being so bossy. But I was grateful for him insisting I keep moving. We sidestepped around the shards of glass and made our way out of the cabana. The moment we were outside—the shaking abruptly stopped.

We had just been hit by a 7.3 Earthquake on the Island of Roatan, Honduras!

Now, there are some who say it was 7.1 and the duration was anywhere from 30-60 seconds (depending on who you ask.) There are others who have insisted that I am wrong to say Roatan got hit by an earthquake.

Regardless of how powerful it was (according to the Richter scale) or how long it lasted, or even, what is appropriate to call it—I first-hand experienced an earthquake.

In the grand scheme of things—we can say we were lucky!

On Roatan the threat of a tsunami never materialized, there was no loss of life, and for the most part damage was minimal. Compared to other countries in recent and past history that not only endured the terrifying experience of an earthquake but also watched in horror as loved ones were lost and their homes collapsed—my sincerest sympathy and condolences to all of them!

If you were not on Roatan on that fateful day, May 28, 2009, you may be asking yourself, “What earthquake? I didn’t hear about an earthquake on Roatan.”

That’s because within minutes of it happening, news agencies around the world CNN, BBC (to name two) posted a news-alert, but then dropped it when they called people on the Island and found out that there wasn’t enough death and destruction to deem it newsworthy. But, it was newsworthy to those of us who experienced it—which hopefully will not repeat in our life-time.

Should we leave Roatan, just in case? Should you avoid coming here?

Earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes (name a natural disaster) happen all around the world every day. Do people abandon their homes out of fear of what might happen? Of course not!

Roatan is my home, I sure as heck didn’t like what happened, but…Roatan is where I want to be. Besides, I’ve heard that since the earthquake last year, the odds are in our favour that another of that magnitude won’t happen again for a hundred years.

Monday, May 31, 2010 The Roatan Vortex Show on Roatan Radio the theme will be When Your World Gets All Shook Up.

For those of us on Roatan, a year ago, it was an earthquake. But earthquakes aren’t the only thing that shake up your world–what’s shaken yours?

This story was also expanded for a guest posting at Tiny Buddha

I found a great site 1000 Awesome Things and really enjoy reading all the everyday things that deserve to be recognized as, well…awesome!

But when it came to relating them to Roatan, it doesn’t always work.

The driver ahead of you nudging forward at the red light so you can make a right hand turn, doesn’t work because we don’t have any stoplights on Roatan.

Someone covering you with a blanket when you fall asleep on the couch isn’t relevant either. Here on Roatan it would be a hammock, and the last thing you want is a blanket on you!

So I’ve started a 1000 Awesome Things about Roatan, and here is the first one on my list.

#1 When Ants Clean-up the Melted Candy in My Purse.

I made the mistake of forgetting that I had put a cellophane wrapped peppermint candy in the side pocket of my purse. That is definitely a no-no. On Roatan, the heat dictates that anything that can melt…will. So the next day when I reached into my purse pocket (to retrieve a pen) I pulled out a sticky, gooey, syrup coated, peppermint scented BIC ball-point.

The purse is hand woven Guatemalan fabric, the pocket lined with nylon. Darn, how well will it hold up to being washed?

I decided to set it aside until tomorrow. I learned that approach on Roatan!

When tomorrow came, I picked up the purse and resolved to clean it up. I cringed as I reached in the pocket to take out the sticky pen and tell-tale empty cellophane wrapper. Both were still there but not a hint of gooey on either! My purse pocket couldn’t have been cleaner. My pen, no longer resembled a repeatedly licked candy cane.

And then I saw them…hundreds of tiny ants marching single file, away from my purse, across the floor, and out the door. They were carting every spec of melted sugar with them!

When Ants Clean-up the Melted Candy in My Purse was the first of many that inspired me to create a new page. While the things I list are all pretty awesome, I’ve changed the title to Things That Pulled Me In.

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This story also at Honduras Weekly retitled, “Island Ants are Awesome.”