After doing the long term stay thing for 10 years now its become formula - for every month I'm there, that's a week of "re-entry" I need to deal with...whether I have that luxury or not.
This year within 5 days of coming home I was back on a plane to NYC during some of the most miserable weather I have encountered there in years. So this year's re-entry was tough.
I too do not have to deal with weather issues but lets face it, it still gets down into the 30's and 40's in the mornings and evenings here in bucolic NoCal...and when you're used to the temps in JA that can feel MIGHTY cold. I'm looked upon as the town weather pussy as it is...when I come back from JA after a few months in the sun I'm bundled to the max and stay that way for weeks.
My biggest heart-ache is missing my friends and community. But...I am always glad to be back in California because, let's face it - I'm really just going from one soft spot to another. I am blessed to live in one of the most beautiful spots on the planet, rain or shine - be it on the Carribean or on the Pacific.
My biggest take-away for my three months on-island is how to "lose" those first world problems and how to connect with myself and my husband on a more simplified meaningful level. I love sweeping my floor there - I love cooking there - I love just SITTING there...none of which I take the time to do when I'm in the states but being concious of it, each year I make more time to do just that.
In case anyone is wondering I'm not a trust fund kid, an alimony case or a drug dealer. I'm just a hard working gyal that takes what she earns and spends it as she needs - I'm willing to bet my 3 months in Jamaica costs less than 2 weeks in some of the fancier/expensive AI's. And I've never (knock wood) had to stress over finances there. I'm a realist so I know what to expect, what I can and can't do during my months on island. I have a good time, like I do at home, without having spend oodles of money. Its one of the reasons I opted out of a seven year tradition in going to Rebel Salute this year. I'd rather rent our motorcycle for a few weeks more and make a special trip with special friends to parts of the island I have not seen yet.
I never take for granted that I'll be back....February to November is a lot of time when anything can happen. I'm fully planning on returning this winter, fully planning on spending the same amount of time, in the same yard with my friends and community. But having just buried another friend this month before his time...I know that anything can happen to anyone at any time.
Life is short. Trip hard. And never forget to be thankful.