1st Year in Roatan

April 12 was our first anniveresary in Roatan. What a first year we had. New Jobs, new challenges, new friends and so many new experiences.

After a year in the tropics we learned a lot about ourselves. The number one thing we had to learn was more patience. Things move slow and even with the best of intentions personally you have so many outside things that are out of your control. I am not saying we have a zen calm over these things far from it. We get made and impatient but in the end you just do what you can do. The best way I have heard this summed up is the following. When you try to do anything in Roatan you have a 50% chance of getting it done. If you fail and have to try again your chance is still only 50%. The first time I heard this I laughed now I nod knowingly.

Other lessons in the first year included a renewed faith in humans. People are mostly just nice and helpful. If you have flat tire or a problem people actually try to help. If you see someone they stop and talk to you with genuine interest. its refreshing to have more innocent interaction with your fellow man. When people ask us why we moved to Roatan we often start with we really like the people. That has not changed in the first year in fact we say it with greater conviction daily.

Do not get us wrong paradise has its pitfalls. We often say now with a year under our belt that its a hard place to live. You kinda say it with pride like a frontiersman. With the great opportunity you have the balance of trials. So many of these trials are out of your control. Roatan has had more than its fair share of tough times in the last year, especailly with infrastructure. Regardless if you can keep motivated and focused you come away from each day a little better off and accomplished than the day before.

What will year 2 hold? Great question that only time will tell. We are looking forward to it and hopefully to sharing more of it with our friends and family. We were blessed with many visitors in the first year. Come down and be a living part of the blog we look forward to hosting you and giving you a local perspective on our place in the sun.