Dreamy lounging bed at Tikki Beach

Several times in my younger years I was wondering how my life would have been if my parents were rich: taking the family on an annual holiday to Florida, Mexico, or Barbados, or perhaps Dad would have a kickass offer with his growing business employer and we would have move to Atlanta, or Hawaii, or Japan for instance. I would’ve need to start a new life at a new school with new friends, a new accommodation, a new park, a new grocery store and a new everything. It is something I would’ve love to do. I mean, my soul, even as a kid, was always on the go. Day dreaming was my major obsession and I was good at it. Any classes at school were topped up with a dreamy quote. Although science and mathematic were not of my best performance, I was hitting records in writing production and story telling. Falkor (the flying canine dragon from Never Ending Story) was reaching me the paw from the class window and ask me, come, come fly away with me. Yup, imagining a world I didn’t have: a Mom and a Dad, brothers and sisters, a house full of energy and family portraits. Vacation in the sun once a year with white teeth smiles captured and posted on the staircase wall. But came reality and was my life: me, a single mom, a brother gone travelling the globe, a wild orange cat and plenty of dogs. I wasn’t unhappy with what I had, I knew better from looking at my friends’ grass. My mom had a solid interpretation of life. She worked hard and loved me harder. We didn’t have money really but she taught me gold. I didn’t have a Dad, but I had better. I had a unique life and I thank my Mom for that. But still, being a kid watching those American TV programs and films, all about big families, money, big universities with palm trees. What if I want to taste a bit of that? Is that it? Can’t I even get a little piece of it? As pretentious it sounds, I always wished for more and hoped for bigger. I believed that there was hope to realize every dream I have. I wished of growing within a big family. I wished of living in luxury. I wished to live overseas…

When I moved to Whistler in 2003, I left all behind to conquer the unknown. I had no plan and no idea of what I was about to do. All I had was a backpack with my life on my shoulders, and the young adventurous heart of a 19 year old. After scrubbing toilets and serving spoiled brat guests, I got offered a job at one of the best patio restaurant in town (one that caught my attention my very first day while dropping resume, but due to my juvenile English, a customer service position was to dismiss). After sharing a living accommodation with an unknown guy in a garage, I moved into a luxury condo right on the mountains, a very luxurious pad. I had a master bedroom, king size bed, my private fireplace and patio overlooking the snowy mountains. I was living the life of a princess! A couple years later I met my boyfriend and we moved in a house with his brother and his girlfriend and some very close friends. The house was big, with 3 fireplaces, a pool table, a movie room, massive backyard and a gigantic kitchen. An 1.3 million dollar home. And I was part of it. We shared dinners, moments, years together. We were a family. There it was: a wish came true. I had my big luxurious house in paradise with my brothers and sisters.  I got to laugh, fight, cry, converse about life. The feeling of comfort and of acceptance, of mutual support and respect. I felt like home. And I thank you all roomies for that.

But living in Whistler and having all I ever wanted, wasn’t enough for me. I travelled to the other side of my own country. That was easy. I set camp and met family. Worked and made money. I was 26, had a good position at my job, a boyfriend that I loved very much, a dog that I am intensively emotionally attached, amazing friends, a reliable car. We were busy sledding, boating, camping, fishing, adventuring our surroundings. I had a life filled with relationships, activities and toys. But I wasn’t fully happy. My boyfriend once looked at me and expressed: ‘’Capu, you are not happy. You are in need of a new experience’’. As much it was hard for him to say and for me to hear, he was right. I couldn’t stop myself there. I had to go back in that roller coaster of life and jump right into a scary steep line.

Packed my bags and left again. 9 years of life building behind me. A new departure point. New territory. Guess this is where life wanted me to be.

A few years ago while living the life in Whistler, I had dreams of living in a land of palm trees, owning a Jeep and a nice bungalow on the beach. I dreamt of my friends to come visit me in the surroundings of sun, beaches, tropical birds and ‘’Ya Man’’ world. Well, here I am. Haven’t got the Jeep or yet friends that came to visit. But I withdrew myself from that moldy old hotel room at Treasure Island and found myself a piece of paradise in the condos nearby. I wake up to the sound of waves and wind blowing through palm trees and grab a latte coffee on my balcony overlooking the Caribbean sea and tell myself: Wow. Life is great. With determination and persistence, I got want I wanted. Once again.

37. Live and work overseas √

Updated: I did get my roofless Jeep and friends (and mom) that came to visit. 🙂

My new backyard