As I am typing this, I am sitting at the bar of the Surinamese takeout place in the inner court of the bed and breakfast place I am staying at on Bonaire. I am here to represent Stichting Uniek Curacao and my own Yu di Tera’s project Hòfinan di Ser’i Otrobanda at a Mangrove Maniacs Mangrove restoration workshop. An unexpected trip and would not have wanted to miss it for the world. That things don’t go as planned has been affirmed about most everything about this trip. I am in BON, that is about the only thing that is certain. And I had a wonderful experience!
I lived on this island in a very interesting time of my life. My mom had just been diagnosed with a chronic illness and I wanted to be closer. My almost 4 year relationship had just ended quite badly, I was out for the winter with my airline and I was a bit searching about the next step. And then the ad looking for experienced Antillean flight attendants came by. Bonaire was close enough to home, or so I thought, so why not! I can say with certainty I did not appreciate this island when I was living here, I was always busy to get the next flight out after my shift to go to CUR.
But being here 15+ years later, and driving around in another little blue car, I realize how much of this island got under my skin. I thought I had exaggerated the clear water in Playa, but nope, it is exactly as clear as I remember. My old running routes are still there, the supermarkets have gotten a bit better, but it is still a 4 supermarkets trip if you need something specific. The roads are still wheel eating (2 flat tires within an hour yesterday), but at least now there is Road Services. The mural at Trans World Radio is prettier now. The stars are still as impressive as before around the bend after WEB. And the soundtrack is still in my head. Funny thing is, even before I knew this trip was going to happen, I was at my parents, as they were clearing out for a bazar and came across a whole collection of cd’s that apparently survived all earlier clear outs in the last 15 years. Among those was the BonairExel soundtrack cd, that my then boyfriend made for our PJ-XLL and PJ-XLM ATR’s intricate music system that you could not skip through. So you always heard the first song at least 12 times every shift.
Besides that forced musical connection, Bonaire has a engraved track playing in my head. With different songs for different roads. My first Maroon 5 songs I heard here (Harder to breathe). Bigger than my body by John Mayer was playing a lot before we got our certification to fly and were grounded for a few months. Dove by Moony and Milky with Just the way you are came on every hour. And Playa will always have Santana playing, only to be disturbed by a little bit of Rumba band when walking across Karels. I fell in love here, the hardest and unhealthiest I ever did and it is good to be here now and be able to just think happy thoughts and have good memories.
Between me being here now and the last time is at least 10 years, if not more. And in those years many, many things have changed. I fell back in love with my healthy self and had to let go of that Bonaire love story and in doing that met my husband. I left the area and went back to school. I have owned my own companies.
I have set new goals and let some dreams go. I have travelled the world. I have lost friends and made new ones.
I came back to the area and am now deepening my knowledge and continuing my education both in and out of school. I have an equal relationship I am proud of, that fits both our busy, sporty, entrepreneurial lives and personalities. To start with we had the same ideas about the big stuff in life and could talk about everything else. In the years I have known this man, I have seen him develop and grow, all the while caring and providing for our household and furry roommates. I have had someone tell me not too long ago, that my husband is a lucky man. My answer: I am the lucky one. He is my better half. He out-kinds me, out-patience-s me and out-hugs me for sure. From my side I aim to take better care of him than he does himself, push him outside his comfort-zone, broaden his horizons and will be there for him unconditionally. We make each other better people, and together we are a force to be reckoned with. Not all agree, but that is another story for another time. But in the tradition of vague-posting, the title of this blog says enough. (ABO TA DIMI!)
The seed for this blog was planted a few weeks back while I was hugging my peeps in the Netherlands in September. That is always a complex time. I am home, but still not home and it takes a lot of emotional stretching to get in that plane back to the deep south. Because I know that the hangover will kick in. And the countdown has to restart to repeat the same process in a few months.
But I digress. I was talking about the good things. The time in Holland was particularly emotional, I don’t know why. Maybe some pandemic exhaustion? I only felt like being home and nesting with my Kweks. And nesting we did. The Hornbach had a good time with my hard-earned florins. But I converted the household to a inside plant household and planted bulbs for the new year.
When I think back, we did a lot. We painted, hung pictures, and built closets. We talked and drank wine. And watched a lot of eye roll inducing series while making jig saw puzzles. But my fondest memory is jumping in the car in our sweats, to rush to the IKEA to buy stuff to finish project makeover before the kids got back home. Speeding down the highway with load Antillean music, singing along at the top of our lungs. Uncombed hair, don’t care.
As I am continuing this blog, it is now a few hours and a flight back home later. I am sitting on the couch, already with some cat hair on me, with sore cheek edges from smiling so hard the last few days. Bonaire was awesome. Professionally and emotionally speaking. I met lovely and incredibly smart and dedicated people and laid foundations for beautiful things to come. I was at peace with not being part of Carmabi (another love story with an ending) and was proud to be there as Yu di Tera. Growth shows itself in many different ways, and sometimes you just need to take a step, or flight back to see it.
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