I Found Roatán

On Roatán time stands still, while things change so fast. Five years ago the Roatán Vortex© pulled me in, I had no idea what laid ahead for me, and I thank the Universe every day for the gifts bestowed on me.

By Genevieve Ross
Where I live, on Roatán, when I open the door to the bedroom there is an ancient termite trail etched into the floor -- it’s only a couple of months old, but will be there for evermore. Perhaps scrubbing with a wire brush and a harsh chemical concoction will remove traces of it, but for me, in my minds-eye I will always see it -- and that makes me happy. There was a time that I had no idea what a termite trail was, or how it may look. More than seven years ago I heard the word Roatán, I had no idea what that was, but I was intrigued. Why? I don’t know. I just was. Thanks to modern technology, I was able to Google it, which was a challenge in itself since I had no idea how to spell it. When sites started popping up describing an Island, off the coast of Honduras, nestled in the Caribbean Sea... I had found Roatán.

A year after that, I lost my beloved husband, his final words to me, “I’ll find a way to get you there". For the next year I gave no conscious thought to Roatán, or anything for that matter. And then I came back to life and realized Roatán was patiently waiting for me. I quit my job, sold my house and all that stuff, said goodbye to my family and friends, boarded a plane and moved to Roatán.

My first encounter: stepping down a set of stairs that doubled as the door of a prop plane, to be greeted by a wall of humidity beyond anything I had ever experienced before, exiting through the only gate, to an area teeming with taxi drivers vying for my attention, followed by a drive through lush jungle, crowding the only paved road, to a village called West End. Along the way I saw: chickens scratching along the side, stray dogs, entire families on scooters, children walking along the edge of the road (no adults watching over them), land-crabs challenging each and every vehicle, and a man riding a bicycle balancing a propane tank on the handlebars.

My accommodations, at the time, I described as quaint, and now describe as typical. Honduran pine from ceiling to floor, a fan spinning in each room, no glass windows -- just screens with wooden slats (that only a few of them will close), tropical print sarongs used as table cloths and wall decorations, a kitchen full of rusty utensils, a can opener that didn’t work, and ants. The bedding smelled musty, air-conditioning cost extra, and the TV worked–but everything was dubbed in Spanish.

I really had no idea why… but I had found... home.

That was almost five years ago. I settled in the community of Sandy Bay, and learned how to battle bats, got used to making the mad dash in the middle of the night to close the wooden slats as a “Nor-Easter” roared in, did the heebee-jeebee dance when a tarantula landed on my head, and marvelled every moment at the hoards of hummingbirds and butterflies greeting me when I sat on the porch.

I eventually found a place to buy coat hangers, and came to know the best place to buy pillows and Nutella was at the hardware store. I sat on a curb (of sorts) handing out melting chocolates to local children while my neighbor and I waited for the guy to take our flat tire, by taxi, to be fixed after we had finished grocery shopping and found the vehicle un-derivable.

Ants, of all sizes and varieties, iguanas, monkey lalas, gecko’s chirping and pooping in my home became my norm, as did mosquitoes, sand fleas, and ticks. I never did get used to and will always check under my pillow when I go to bed–for scorpions!

Power goes out: fill buckets from the soon to be empty pipes, forget about checking Facebook, and go read a book by candlelight.

The ATM’s are empty or broken -- no shopping today.

The road is under repair, or there is a marching band blocking the only route. Oh well, go hang out on the dock until it passes.

The president has been removed (in his pj’s)... Most Hondurans cheer, knowing that he was going to set democracy back. Watch in disbelieve as the rest of the world condemns the rightful and just actions of the Honduran government. Learned that the world media agencies settle for nothing less than sensationalism to broadcast -- making it up or abandoning the story when there aren’t enough people suffering and dying to boost their ratings.

Felt the full force of a major earthquake (7.3) jarring all inhabitants of Roatán awake in the middle of the night. I watched in horrific fascination as an easel back mirror walked across my loft bedroom, while my few wine glasses smash to the floor in the kitchen below, and I couldn’t walk a straight line to escape my cabaña that I was sure would collapse around me.

Spent the day shopping with friends, stepping in deep puddles, finding fresh strawberries at one of the grocery stores -- bonus! Only to later wonder if I hadn’t picked through the basket of strawberries perhaps we wouldn’t have been the victims of a head on crash that should have killed us all. Time to put the medical care of Roatán through the paces; broken bones, concussions, black eyes (that would do any boxer proud) torn ligaments, whiplash, and a host of other injuries, all treated with compassion, dedication, and a strong medical knowledge, even when there was no running water in the Emergency Dept. and you had to bring your own sheets to the hospital.

Buy oranges from a street vendor, the ugliest looking fruit I’ve ever seen, cut into one and try a taste… as the perfect orange flavour bursts in my mouth, I now know what an orange should taste like, it may not be pretty, but it is real. Mangoes, bananas, sweet peppers, and carrots, from the fruit and veggie truck, rice and beans with most meals, seafood, fish, chicken, Honduran beef and pork, and coconut milk.

I had no idea that I would learn how to slow down, and enjoy each moment for what it was exactly at that moment. Standing in line for hours to complete the simplest of tasks… oh well... bring a book to read while waiting, or better yet chat with friends also waiting their turn. Have a plan to get things done in the afternoon but abandon that when the call goes out to meet friends at the beach instead.

I had no idea how many lifelong friends I would make on Roatán; we became family. Together we celebrated special occasions and the simple art of getting together -- just because. Speed dial on every cell-phone guaranteed no matter what’s needed the entire community would answer the call.

I got involved with various projects and programs: Public Hospital Benefit Concert, Miss Peggy’s, Familia Saludabas, The Roatán Daycare, The French Harbour Public Library, and most recently The Roatán Vortex Breakfast Program; and learned what really matters in life. I had no idea, but quickly discovered they gave me far more than I could ever gave them.

On Roatán time stands still, while things change so fast. Five years ago the Roatán Vortex© pulled me in, I had no idea what laid ahead for me, and I thank the Universe every day for the gifts bestowed on me. I discovered a passion for writing, and sharing on Roatán Radio. And the time has come for me to take those passions to a whole new level, I’ve known that for some time now, but have been afraid to move forward and act on it. Then I went to Spain… and while there I found true love. I suspected I would, but resisted, after all to be with my love means I will have to leave Roatán, I will have to return to Canada and a way of life that is now foreign to me… How could I leave Roatán? How could I consider moving backwards instead of forging forward?

Sitting on the balcony of my hotel room in Malaga, Spain, unsure what to do, a book that I had been meaning to read for some time fell out of my suitcase when I reached in for a sweater to ward off the cooling evening. I started to read “The Alchemist” the tale of a young man who embarks on a journey, in a quest to fulfill his destiny. He travels far from home, a specific location etched in his mind where his treasure will be found. Along the route he gathers experiences, makes lifelong friends, assists those he can, and learns from those who know more than he. Only to discover that being willing to take the journey was the treasure.

I’m not going backwards returning to Ontario. I take great pride in the journey I took to Roatán; all that I’ve learned, all the strength in myself that I could have only found here, the lifelong friends I have made, and knowing that if I choose to come here again I will be welcomed with open arms.

The time has come for me to wind down Roatan Vortex©. Just like so many things that came my way as a direct result of moving to Roatán, I have loved sharing the Roatán I have come to know and love with everyone. But I have put off concentrating on writing memoirs and novels in order to keep up with Roatán Vortex©. The good news though is that I will be starting a new website devoted to my first completed novel, Family by Choice© and others that I am working on.

And while the focus won’t be exclusively Roatán, there will be a broader overview of life in general, I think you will enjoy what I’ll be offering, links to The Roatán Vortex© Breakfast Program, and the Roatán Daycare will be carried over to the new site too. I’m not completely leaving Roatán Radio either, we are in progress of setting up for DJ Genevieve to narrate audio books, which will be aired on Roatán Radio in instalments and posted on my new website. Name and layout of the new website, dates and times for the new radio show, and assorted other details are yet to be worked out. I will update you as I have the info.

The day I arrived on Roatán almost five years ago I knew no one, DJ Genevieve and Roatán Vortex© were unimaginable dreams. Now, they are a part of my reality, known by many, more than three hundred thousand people have visited the Roatán Vortex© website, and read my stories about life on Roatán at Honduras Weekly, Trip Atlas, The Latin America Travel Blogger E-Book, Hecktic Travels, Tiny Buddha, and others. Even Fodor is including a couple of roatanvortex© quotes in their 2011 Honduras & Bay Islands Gold Guide!

Thursday, December 1, is my going away party, The Roatán Vortex Reversal Party, at Infinity Bay Resort, hosted by Roatán Radio, all are welcome, even Vladislav is stopping by to see me off.

Note: The author is a regular contributor to Honduras Weekly. She is a Canadian expatriate living on Roatán and writes a blog called The Roatán Vortex. She is also a disc jockey at 101.1FM Roatán Radio.

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