48 Amazing Moments

Today marked the 6 Month Mark!! I cannot believe that I have been living on the amazing Island of Dominica for SIX Months! I can still remember the moment I met my 'Island Mom'for the first time outside the Peace Corps Office, on the dark and quiet streets of Roseau when she greeted me with a HUGE Hug and at that moment I knew I would OK! The first six months has had many up and down! Times I was stressed out and ready to stream while other moments I was so Thrilled and Excited you could hear my joys off the top of Mountain!

Below is a list of 48 Events that I have had in the past 6 Months that I more then likely would of not done if I was still in Michigan!


Forty-Eight Moments I Have Had That I Would Of Not Had If I Was Still Living In Michigan (Some are Serious, Most are Funny, A lot are Random, but they are ALL me)

1. Seeing A Waterfall
2. Meeting 6 other amazing strangers that are in this journey with me and we will develop an unbreakable bond
3. Truly feel the love of my family even 2500 miles away
4. Bake Homemade Bread
5. Finding Contentment (Still Working on that one but getting better)
6. Enjoying Little Moments
7. Killing a Crock Roach without even blinking an eye
8. See Dolphins playing about 5 feet away from me in their natural habitat
9. Sweating at 8:30AM
10. See a LIVE cricket game
11. Walking with an umbrella everywhere I go
12. Greeting almost everyone when I pass them on the street
13. Learn the power of a Hug when you need it the most
14. Be in a River, Sea and the Ocean ALL in the same day
15. Knowing you found your true friend in moments of meeting
16. Trust, I mean REALLY trusting the saying “It will ALL work out”
17. Walking to town because that is my only option
18. Dancing and enjoying live music into 7AM
19. See true selflessness every day
20. Knowing what chicken the eggs I ate came from
21. Once I knew the Chicken I was eating
22. Moments that give me goosebumps
23. Feeling so far away but feeling like I am right where I belong
24. Being Cold on an Island
25. Picking fresh fruit directly off the tree that I have never seen and sometimes never heard the fruit
26. Appreciating the power of touch
27. Being OK with me (Just starting the process but it is moving well)
28. Eating Beans
29. The power and calmness holding a new born as she is falling asleep can bring to your soul
31. Solely relaying on Public Transportation
32. Making decisions based basically on me and me a lone
33. SCUBA DIVING!!!
34. Moving to a new area where nobody knows my name, where I came from, who I am! I could become this brand new person but I found I like who I am- everyone will meet that Amazing City Michelle girl I am with a little island twist!
35. Going on a Boat Ride
36. Feeling- For one of the first times I am really trying to let myself feel and observe moments- sad, angry, happy, joyful, or calm- whatever the emotions I am learning to let myself FEEL it instead of hiding it in the gut of my stomach until someone pushes me over the edge
37. Seeing a DOUBLE Rainbow while playing volleyball
38. Not sprinting to the nearest shelter when it starts raining but letting it pass knowing it will stop in moments (usually)
39. The nearest shelter is usually a LARGE Tree Leaf
40. Taking a HOT SULFUR Bath!
41. Going and Enjoying Hikes!
42. Being in River so Calm, Clear (and Cold) that I can see every last detail of my big toe and the fish swimming around it
43. Picking out my OWN piece of fresh fish from the Sea across the road and having the cook, cook it to order
44. Sleeping outside under a Mosquito Net
45. Witness Sunsets that Color the Caribbean Sea shades of red, pink, orange, and blue
46. Standing on one island and looking into the sea to see another island
47. The power of a horn- it tuts to let someone know not to back into the- to say hello, to warn someone when they are going around a curve- it is used to flirt- to grab someone attention- but rarely used for aggressive or road rage!
48. Did I mention I live on an island…