Amusement Park

Do you remember the feeling you got when you were a kid and you were about to go to an amusement park the next morning. It used to be Opryland or Six Flags, for us. We would get our clothes and swim suits ready. The only time in our lives that we would ever lay out clothes the night before. We would wake up super early - no alarm clocks were necessary. We were too excited to rollover and go back to sleep at the first crack of daylight. Sometimes, depending on where we lived, we even got up before the sun came up. We would be up and ready early. It was the only time our parents didn't have to remind us that we had to leave soon. We would eat cereal or toast and wait with excitement of what the day would hold. We gladly loaded up in the van with everyone else and continued with anticipation of the soon-to-be thrill of the roller-coasters, water rides and fun with our friends or siblings. On these mornings, there is no dread of getting out of bed or thinking about all the things you need to accomplish before the day is over. There is only anticipation of what new adventure lies ahead.

This is how I feel every day now. I do not use an alarm clock (at least regularly) to get up in the morning. When the sun rises, it shines in my bedroom - this is how I know it's time. I stretch while I check out the ocean through my open window. Is it calm or choppy, is there a strong breeze on this side of the island today? I always know it will most likely be the opposite conditions at work, since it's on the other side of the island.  I throw on shorts, a t-shirt and some deo, brush my teeth, grab a water bottle and my bag of granola or a bagel, slide on my flip-flops and head out the door. We walk to down the sandy path (some call it a road) along the beach up to the main road that runs through the narrow island. We say hello to our neighbors as we pass their houses. We say hello in Spanish and they say hello in English. Something about this delights me every morning.

When we make it to the road, we cross the street and wait for our ride. These early morning hours, standing by "the road", still makes me happy every day. Most days we ride to work with my great friend, and an awesome instructor, Giaco. (Other days, when he's not working, we catch a taxi and typically pay 50 lempiras (about $2.50) to Barefoot Divers, where we all work.) On the days Giaco picks us up, the whole family is in the back of the truck. Other instructors from our dive shop, divemaster interns and sometimes the boat captains. If you are standing on the side of the road when Giaco drives by, you join the clan in the back of the truck. (This excites me just as much as riding in the van to the amusement park.) We are always eagerly greeted by Giaco, "Good Morning, Family! How are you doing on this fantastic morning!" We climb up into the truck and squeeze into a spot for the ride in while exchanging "Good Morning" greetings with everyone in the back. As we pass by the rest of the island, I enjoy the breeze and the simple fact that I get to be in Roatan one more day. I watch as some islanders sweep off their porches, send their children to the road for school, workers congregating for breakfast belliados and waiting for their ride, cruise ships docking in Mahagony Bay, taxis getting ready to handle the influx of tourists, and the wonderful group of people in the back of the truck with me. This makes me happy.

We pull into Barefoot and everyone hops out of the back of the truck, thanking our mate, Giaco for yet another ride. He usually responds with, "No problem, I love you family." Yep, he's kinda corny like that, but we love it. We unlock the dive shop and everyone gets to work. The rinse tanks are filled, all the doors are opened, and we all congregate around "the board" with the list of divers and activities for the day. This is very similar to standing around the Six Flags map once you get to the amusement park to make a plan of action for which rides are priority and in who will do what. We stand around the board in the same way - divvying out who will do what for the day. The excitement is still building. Once we decide who is leading which boat and teaching which course, we decide what dive sites we'll be visiting.

Loading the boats up with tanks and gear is no different than waiting in line for a ride. It doesn't really seem like work. It's just a means to an end - the ride. Guests start showing up and we delight in conversation learning more about them as we prepare for our first adventure of the day. The boats head out, we're all suited up for the ride.

The anticipation has not subsided, the excitement is full throttle…this is my every day.