#2 Will Work For Shells...

I guess I could be called somewhat of a free spirit and admittedly it's hard for me to stay in one place though I haven't always been this way. I was perfectly content after living in San Diego for 20 years, yet, when the opportunity to live in Manhattan dropped in my lap, I didn't hesitate. In six short weeks, I was gone. Again, I believe in signs and when one door opens that widely, it's hard not to run straight through it.

I knew the day I stepped foot onto the island of Manhattan in 2008 that I belonged here. A subsequent series of opening and closing of doors then led me through the best years of my life: opening my own business and meeting my husband. Trav and I had such exciting times in Hoboken, yet, when Hurricane Irene took our apartment, I knew it was a sign that it was time to move on. The yellow brick road then led our lost souls straight to the quaint beach town of Long Beach, New York and we knew instantly that we had found our new home. Our hearts beat strong here for a couple of years and then a few harsh winters put a freeze on our summer-lovin. The feelings of belonging had slowly faded and I began to feel like I was watching the facade of New York crumble away and what was being revealed was its underbelly, and it was wearing on me. I was praying for a sign. I was praying for an open door that would lead us out of New York.

The sign came while I was in the shower, of all places. Trav called, as he does every night as he was walking to the train. I asked him how his day was and he then asked how my day was, even though every day is exactly the same. It's the married couples' dance that occurs in households across America between 6 and 8p. But tonight, our normal changed. He mentioned that the VP of Operations had randomly reached out to him to offer him the possibility of becoming the new Food & Beverage Director of their new property in the Bahamas. We were both vaguely familiar with the project.

Rewind.

We were sitting at a table in Kauai, while on our honeymoon, waiting for the Luau to begin, when a colorful southern couple, *Janet and *Roger, joined our table. Janet was the type that lit up a room by smiling from ear-to-ear. Roger smiled from ear-to-ear too, but more in an endearing, silly way, or like he had just raided the mini bar when no one was looking. They then became that couple that seems to have your exact daily itinerary at the resort. We constantly bumped into them and wound up chatting for long periods of time. Oddly enough, they kept a boat in the Bahamas full-time and made frequent trips. I listened to their island escapades with such envy! It sounded like the life you only dream about! In other words, the life that other people live. Roger owned car dealerships across the US and a younger looking Janet, called him "Daddy" and not the "related" kind. They mentioned that they had just been invited guests to a star-studded ground breaking event for a new conglomerate of hotels that's revolutionizing the Carribean. They looked at models and plans for the project and said it was going to be amazing. They couldn't stop talking about how incredible the property was. Travis and I knew the hotel group he currently worked for was working on a high-profile project in the Bahamas and remarked on the coincidence. I now have a feeling that won't be the last time we toast Janet and Daddy poolside...
*names changed to protect the innocent (or possibly married) ...

Fast Forward

I hung up the phone with Travis and stood in the shower a little longer. The gravity of such an incredible opportunity falling in our laps enveloped me like hot steam. I had been praying for a way out and this seemed like a perfect answer, but I tried my best not to get overwhelmed with my emotions. I needed to think logically about such an undertaking so I took to Google.

That night, before Trav got home, I learned all about the Bahamas from a different perspective. I Googled "Dog Quarantine" in Nassau, which if present, would've killed the deal immediately. And each Google search led me to another new discovery and began to get me excited about a potential new chapter in our Salt Life.

When Travis got home that evening, we talked about everything we could think of. We couldn't find one solid red flag so we made the decision to take one step through the newly opened door. Maybe it really is, Better in the Bahamas...

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