Thank you S. Florida & in particular, Miami. I was pleasantly surprised and fell in love with you (all over again). Your art, architecture, music & people fascinate me---and I want more of that!
As I prepare to return to Hawaii for a few more months, reflecting on my time here with family & friends (new & old and somewhere in between), I am happy to report that I call this place home. It became complicated on many levels when I met people and they asked me "where are you from?" And from where I am standing, my roots are wide and deep and originated here when my mom's grandparents took a chance, an adventure, and drove their Model T, with kids in tow, from Indiana to Miami in the 1920's and stayed on, even after the hurricane of '26. My paternal grandmother came here with her sister from Minnesota, as young women right out of HS. She worked at the Walgreens on Flagler & met a Coast Guard man. My maternal grandmother met her navy man while in school here. Both raised families here. My parent's, born and raised here met at Miami-Dade. They eventually moved away for work, but returned with two young daughters in the late 70's-early 80's- check out the history books....a lot was happening in Miami during this time. And there are plenty more family stories, just ask me, I love to talk about them.
We moved away to Atlanta, a place I have called my hometown for years, by virtue of having lived there the longest. But, as I get older, travel more, recognizing movement is in my blood and fumble over my words when I'm asked what is usually a simple question- Where are you from? I'm all for simplicity in 2016. I'm from Miami, FL.
I've always seen my life travelling (and it's always been that way), yet with a basecamp, somewhere to call home. Well, since I'm seeing myself in this next chapter on the sea as opposed to land, I'm calling S. Florida Home Port.
Friends, I'm officially announcing (& if you've read this far...thanks) I'm hopping aboard a 50 ft. sailboat named Atraxia, sometime in April enroute to the Mediterranean. From there....who knows. I plan to travel overseas as long as I can and make the money to support it as I go. Fulfilling one of those childhood dreams that, I for one, don't want to be laying on my death bed regretting having not done it.
This dream, from what I remember, originated from the beginning. I wanted to be a pirate, finding buried treasures. I watched Jacque Cousteau and ran around Key Largo with my Grandma; salt in my veins. I had a short lived pursuance of marine science at the University of Tampa on a swimming scholarship, wanting to be an underwater archaeologist. My own "failure to launch" in college (maybe it had to do with access to the 90's club scene) and struggles in math and science led me to drop out and return to Atlanta for my 20's. As the story goes I met a boy and on my second attempt to be in the water, achieving PADI scuba diver Instructor status at age 21- he asked me to come back to Atlanta, rather than take that Club Med job in the Caribbean. And yes, I did.
Cut two....I spent 12 years in the desert and I spent the past year working in Hawaii, after a 5 day sailing trip last Christmas in S. FL, spending the holidays here. Doing a lot of inner work over the past year, not coupled up with anyone for the first time EVER for any significant amount of time, the clarity of hearing one's heart's desire is crystal clear. And the bonus has been the discovery of home.
The city in me considered something a little less extreme than sailing across the Atlantic for what is essentially my first blue water sailing trip, but I know if I just tooled around Florida and Carribean I would still want this, so why not just do this-now?!
Two things you might be asking:
Are you coming to visit me?
The answer is yes. I made a promise to a bunch a folks several years ago that live outside of the U.S. that I'd love to visit. And of course if you're in the vicinity, please join me too. There is so many cultures, places, art, music and dancing to see & do!!
The other question: How and the hell are you going to fund this?
This is a lifestyle choice and whatever I do will be Fun, creative & multi-disciplinary. I'm researching several traditional ways to travel and earn income, as well as, open to suggestions and resources from others & most importantly designing something that is unique to me. More on that later.
With love,
J
#believeinyourself