It Just Makes Sense

“It takes practice to hear your true desires. Your passion will often come as a whisper or serendipitous event that reminds you of what's important and what makes you happy.” —  Eckhart Tolle

Ambergris Caye, Belize - May 2007

Why wouldn't I sell everything and move to a group tiny islands in the middle of the Indian Ocean? It just makes sense, really. 


I have always wanted to visit the Seychelles. I used to get one of those "Islands in Paradise" type calendars almost every year growing up and would gaze at the white, sandy beaches and turquoise waters daily. I quickly figured out that the best and most pristine beach pictures were always from this magical place called the Seychelles, so I decided that I would someday visit this tropical paradise off the coast of Africa. In fact, I used to (jokingly) tell my parents that I would not get married until I could afford a destination wedding or a honeymoon in the Seychelles (this was YEARS before William and Kate honeymooned there, by the way). My friend Sara and I first bonded over the fact that we both knew where the Seychelles were and kept ourselves sane on brutal days at work by emailing photos of the beaches back and forth. And the ocean, oh how I love the ocean!


My fondest memories usually involve the ocean; vacations to Panama, Belize, Bermuda, Hawaii, and Florida snorkeling, kayaking and hanging out on a boat waiting (im)patiently to jump into the crystal clear blue water and explore the world below. I would spend hours hovering above the coral reef watching the fish dart in an out of their little hiding places, watching the sea anemones sway with the waves, waiting patiently for a sea turtle to come visit or holding my breath as sting rays and nurse sharks gracefully floated by. Then there were the parrot fish with their brilliant colors and funny beaks.... I could go on and on about snorkeling, but as someone once told me - snorkeling is like watching your favorite game from the side lines, but scuba diving is like actually playing the game. 


I finally got my open water scuba diving certification in 2007 before a trip to Belize where I did my first ocean dive. Though the waves were choppy and it was a bit rough on the boat, I was THRILLED and couldn't stop smiling (which make it hard to keep the regulator in my mouth to breath) as we swam through the reefs 30+ feet below the surface, getting and up close and personal view of the marine life down there. There was nothing like swimming with the fishes and not the mobster sense, and being a part of that world (insert The Little Mermaid song here). Except for the eels, I could do without the eels, showing off their sharp ugly little teeth. Those things are like the snakes of the sea, ugh. I loved my diving experience and wanted to do more, but it is an expensive hobby, so I told myself that when I was rich and retired, I would scuba dive around the world.


Fast forward to a few weeks ago, I was researching vacations and opportunities to volunteer abroad next year and stumbled across a nice little six month marine conservation program complete with a dive master internship in a place called....the Seychelles.  My first reaction was, "that sounds UH-MAY-ZING, but I could never do that!" After thinking about why I held such silly limiting beliefs, I realized this is actually my dream come true and combines so many things that I love. So I applied. And now, I'm going. It just makes sense, really.