Kind of a Big Deal

It is with much excitement that I officially announce that I really, really am going to the Seychelles at the end of June for six whole, entire, straight uninterrupted months. With even more nervous excitement, I am officially announcing that I will be blogging about my preparations to depart the country here on this lil' bloggy website thing. Then, once I am settled in the Seychelles (pronounced like "say-shells," not "seech hellies" which you are probably thinking) I hope to continue this blog to keep all three of you updated on my whereabouts and activities in a place I like to call "paradise." But much of that will depend on my access to internet there, which at this point is one of the many questions you probably don't have, but I sure as hell do. To answer a few of them, here are the basics...

Who: ME!! Just me, myself and I
What: Marine Conservation Divemaster Expedition volunteer program with a company called Global Vision International  (GVI). While Global Vision International sounds a bit like that fictional company created by Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly in Stepbrothers and GVI does sound a bit like a bowel obstruction, I assure you, it is a very reputable company based on that one website/blog I read before sending off my check to secure my spot
Where: THE SEYCHELLES!!! Oh, you've never heard of it? Probably because it is an archipelago of 115 small islands located approximately 1000 miles from nowhere, in the middle of the Indian Ocean near the equator. It's somewhere north of Madagascar, east of Tanzania/Kenya/Somalia, west of Indonesia, and south of the Middle East. Also where William and Kate spent their honeymoon on a private island. Oh that is Seychelles? Yes, yes it is.  And I am moving there.
When: Program dates are June 30 - December 15 2012. I'll leave a few days before, and come home a few days after
Why: WHY NOT? No really, why not? I love the ocean, have always wanted to live abroad, I've dreamed about visiting this magical Seychelles place since I was 15 and well, why the hell not? Adventure used to be my middle name until my mother changed it to Eleanor. Also, I love scuba diving but never make the time for it, so instead I'm just going to sell everything and move to a tropical island where I can scuba dive every day, while collecting valuable data about the local fish and coral reefs for the marine research institute. I'll also be learning skillz that might come in handy for a new career to be determined over long walks on the beach and coconut drinks. No really, one of the first things they teach you  is how to crack a coconut so you can drink the coconut water and eat the meat - gotta survive in paradise somehow!
How: By taking many chances, facing many fears, selling lots of things, working many hours, saving lots of money and as a wise Bon Jovi once said, livin' on a prayer.

Four months from today, I'll be on my way.

Learn Me Some Stuff

"I wish you would use all means at your disposal - films! expeditions! the web! more! -- to ignite public support for a network of marine protected areas, hope spots large enough to save and restore the ocean, the blue heart of the planet." - Sylvia Earle, TED 2009


Since I committed to spending half the year swimming in the Indian Ocean, I have reignited my love for all things ocean related by reading, watching, and listening to anything on the topic. I'm currently reading  The Human, The Orchid and The Octopus: Exploring and Conserving Our Natural World by Jacques Cousteau (you know, the famous ocean explorer who invented the AquaLung so that people like me can breath underwater).  


I've also spent the better part of many days listening to various TED talks on the ocean. I love TED talks, they are on a wide variety of topics and are informative, entertaining, quite often ground breaking and sometimes even heart breaking. If you've never heard of TED, I urge you, no I DEMAND that you immediately go to their website, explore and watch a few videos on topics that interest you. Come back and finish reading this post when you are done.......




.......pretty cool stuff, huh?   I bet you watched this one didn't you. Figures. Now, back to the ocean! 


Below are a few of my favorite TED talks that contain valuable information about the state of the oceans, marine life and what we need to do to preserve the precious oceans for future generations. These aren't just about "save the turtles!" though I fully stand behind that. These are about preserving the earth's most valuable resources and how we need to stop treating them like giant garbage dumps that are void of life. If we keep acting the way we are now, the oceans will be void of life before we know it.


Watch, listen and learn! 


Sylvia Earle - an urge to protect our oceans



Brian Skerry - the oceans' glories (and horrors) 


Mike DeGruy - how his love for the ocean began


David Gallo - underwater astonishments 



Captain Charles Moore urges you to think twice before you buy and toss another plastic water or soda bottle. "All the king's horses and all the king's men will never gather up all the plastic and put the ocean back together again."  



More Information on the Ocean Garbage Patches:
Indian Ocean Garbage Patch
North Atlantic Garbage Patch
Great Pacific Garbage Patch

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Bonus! For watching all those videos, you now get to check out some incredible ocean photography that makes me want to grab my mask and snorkel and jump in! 



http://brianskerry.com/
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/08/bahamas-caves/skiles-photography

Happiness in 2012

No eloquent ramblings about how I hope to find true happines on a beach this year - just one simple, straight forward quote I stumbled across today:

"There is NO reason  in 2012 to do the shit you hate. NONE. You can lose just as much money being happy as hell." - Gary Vaynerchuk

Well put!

The Four Agreements

I just listened to The Four Agreements by don Miguel Ruiz - love love loved it! Do it, you won't regret it.

*photo from  http://www.miguelruiz.com/index.php?p=Resources 

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. 

Ticket to Paradise

It has come to my attention that I am turning 30 in two short weeks. (I know, I was surprised too. I don't look a day over 23.) As my birthday present to myself, I will be spending the second half of 30 scuba diving in the Seychelles, becoming a PADI certified dive master, learning about marine conservation and possibly interning at a local dive shop. 

Wait, WHAT?!!!!! 

Basically, I'm moving to paradise. If you want to read about the program I am doing, here is the link. It starts on June 30, 2012 and runs through December 15, 2012. 24 weeks of hard work and bliss. Conveniently, my lease here is up on June 30, 2012. Coincidence? I think not! 

In the mean time, I will be selling almost everything I own (except a few swimsuits), continuing to work on the project that I am currently on, donating plasma for $$ and doing anything and everything I can to earn a few extra bucks to buy my ticket to paradise. Oh and convincing someone to take care of my cats (for $$) while I am gone. Anyone want to hang out with two adorable but low maintenance fur balls for 6 months in exchange for everlasting gratitude and a little cash? 

 I have seriously never been more excited about anything! Seychelles is THE paradise I have dreamed about for my entire life, and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to live, learn and work there for 6 months. Oh, and possibly jump start a new career in adventure travel or something even cooler that I haven't encountered yet. 

Follow me as I prepare to embark on the greatest adventure of my life!