cafenervosa Posted January 16, 2006 Share Posted January 16, 2006 Hello all,Just thought I'd share some thoughts with you all and maybe get some feedback and advice from any who can offer... I've moved down to grand Cayman in Dec. 05 from Philadelphia. I lived in Philly for 3 years and prior to that I was in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Clarksburg, West Virginia, and from my hometown Ft. Myers, Florida. I've been out on my own and around for a while now, but this is the first time I've ever made such a huge life changing committment by moving out of my country to this tiny little British colony, this itt-bitty island in the middle of the Caribbean Sea. Now, I've met some really great people here and I'm very happy with my work here, so far. The place is really beautiful, but I've started getting really despondant and homesick rescently. My wonderful boyfriend is back in the states, currently getting ready to take a job in Wyoming. I miss him, I miss the states, I'm homesick, plain and simple. Anyone here ever doing anything like this? Have you ever had any real bouts of homesickness? How did you deal with it? I'm not in a position to leave and will be here at least a year, so I have to make the best of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
compassionategirl Posted January 16, 2006 Share Posted January 16, 2006 sorry you feel so homesick. VF and vb&F can be your cyberspace home away from home, so whenever you feel homesick, login here and "come home" for a lil while. We will be waiting to greet you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted January 16, 2006 Share Posted January 16, 2006 I grew up in Fairmont WV. I've lived in 10/15 places including an island for a year. (Crete.) Currently I'm living in Los Alamos, NM which is one of the worst places I've even been. Except I'm with my wife, which makes it OK. Crete was the best place I ever lived I think. I was forced to be stuck in Minnesota last year (alone) while working on my PhD. I really only have bad memories of it. I worked so hard just to have my former boss destroy all my work. I have no good memories of the entire year. If I had it to do over again, I don't know what I could possibly do to improve it, except find another job and just quit. I think I've learned that once a bad situation is over... it's not really over. You're stuck with the memories the rest of your life. All my life I've been told to just stick it out. I think I've been told wrong. Life is very short. Don't fill it up with bad memories. That's not what you were looking to hear but it's all I have to offer. The cayman islands sounds great to me though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xar Posted January 16, 2006 Share Posted January 16, 2006 I grew up in France, and am currently living in California...I have felt homesick for a long time, but after a while you get used to it.I hate the place I live in, however I know better times will come. Once my wife is done with school, then we'll move to a better place.The bottom line is, try to make the most out of it and then just move on. You're the one that can make a place liveable or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaSiren Posted January 16, 2006 Share Posted January 16, 2006 I was a Navy Brat so I moved every 18mo. home has always been where my "stuff" is. I remember leaving friends behind and having to make new ones (of course this may explain my not wanting to socialize much). Until I moved here (OC). I have moved to Florida and North Carolina for brief periods when I was first out on my own, but kept coming back to "home", the first time in my life where I felt the land was part of me. It does get better. Maybe you just miss you fond memories of a certain place or someone? What drew you there? What do you find endearing about your new location? What brings you comfort there? I hope your have found your "home" and just don't know it yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cafenervosa Posted January 16, 2006 Author Share Posted January 16, 2006 Oh, don't get me wrong, the Cayman Islands is beautiful and the people are great. However, there are a lot of depressing, deplorable areas. I have never seen so many neglected and abused animals anywhere else. It really depressed me. There are no gov't regulations or enforcement here and I just began to really start to miss home a lot because of it. I guess I'll just have to learn to enjoy the good here as much as I can. And yes I will definitely be making here and veganfitness my new "cyberhomes"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
compassionategirl Posted January 16, 2006 Share Posted January 16, 2006 I have never seen so many neglected and abused animals anywhere else. It really depressed me. what is being done for these animals? Are there no grassroots efforts to spread a message of compasion and awareness? Any animal rights groups or Humane Society types of organizations there? Do the animals there not have anybody watching out for them a lil? if not, perhaps a group of vegans can get together and create such a group/organization? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cafenervosa Posted January 16, 2006 Author Share Posted January 16, 2006 I have never seen so many neglected and abused animals anywhere else. It really depressed me. what is being done for these animals? Are there no grassroots efforts to spread a message of compasion and awareness? Any animal rights groups or Humane Society types of organizations there? Do the animals there not have anybody watching out for them a lil? if not, perhaps a group of vegans can get together and create such a group/organization? I know of no other vegans here as of yet. Really there is nothing being done about the animals. They are horses mainly. There is a Humane Society, but they are a private group with no gov't help support or regualtions. This is a colony so it governs itself and most of gov't is corrupt or lazy or just doesn't care. It's sad. Nothing get done unless you are connect. If you are a native Cayman no one touches you. You can starve and abuse your animals and no one will do anything about it. Not only that, what can be done? There is no where to take or care for these animals, horses especially don't belong here. But they're here, and it's depressing and I miss my horse back home. I miss having the ability to help animals like I could back in the states. It's the stuff like that that makes me sad and wish I was back home. I need to learn to either overlook or deal with it and make the best I can here. There is a lot of beauty here and it is a really nice place. I guess I just feel very sad and helpless sometimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarz Posted January 16, 2006 Share Posted January 16, 2006 Crete was the best place I ever lived I think. Jay - did you ever read up on the WWII battle during your time there? A fascinating battle. Fascinating island, so much history. I'll get round to visiting one day..... Cafenervosa - sorry you are homesick..... I didn't know Grand Cayman was a British colony. Then again we ( in some cases still do) had numerous outposts in the days when Brittania ruled the waves.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hero Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 I moved across the entire country after spending about 16 years in pennyslvania.i get homesick from time to time, especially missing my little sister. i talk on the phone, look at photos, and basically try to enjoy myself where im at, and not worry about pennsylvania. i'll go back to visit eventually. try getting your mind off of it. listen to music, go for a run, lift weights, do somthing positive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaSiren Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 I didn't know Grand Cayman was a British colony. Then again we ( in some cases still do) had numerous outposts in the days when Brittania ruled the waves.... Ahem! I did....maybe I could give you a geography /history lesson sometime and teach you where the British colonies are...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
compassionategirl Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 I didn't know Grand Cayman was a British colony. Then again we ( in some cases still do) had numerous outposts in the days when Brittania ruled the waves.... Ahem! I did....maybe I could give you a geography /history lesson sometime and teach you where the British colonies are...... Score for the north american! So much for Jonathan's theory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarz Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 I didn't know Grand Cayman was a British colony. Then again we ( in some cases still do) had numerous outposts in the days when Brittania ruled the waves.... Ahem! I did....maybe I could give you a geography /history lesson sometime and teach you where the British colonies are...... Do you realise just how many British colonies they were/still are? Apart from the main ones ( India, Australia, Canada, S. Africa, NZ etc ) they were numerous smaller territories, some just literally a piece of rock in the middle of the ocean. I'll be very impressed if you know all these Seasiren - Ascension Island, South Georgia etc etc?? So if so, yep give me a geography/history lesson!! Me thinks you are just aware of Grand Cayman coz it's in the Caribbean, and probably a nice lil diving spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarz Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 I didn't know Grand Cayman was a British colony. Then again we ( in some cases still do) had numerous outposts in the days when Brittania ruled the waves.... Ahem! I did....maybe I could give you a geography /history lesson sometime and teach you where the British colonies are...... Score for the north american! So much for Jonathan's theory. You forget though that the North American's got a minus point for you thinkin Ireland bordered Scotland, so it is still 0-0. Seasiren, probably a wise move to jettison CG from your team ASAP. There will be no advantage to be gained in having Nat on your team, only wrong answers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaSiren Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Do you realise just how many British colonies they were/still are? Apart from the main ones ( India, Australia, Canada, S. Africa, NZ etc ) they were numerous smaller territories, some just literally a piece of rock in the middle of the ocean. I'll be very impressed if you know all these Seasiren - Ascension Island, South Georgia etc etc?? So if so, yep give me a geography/history lesson!! Is someone getting defensive? Me thinks you are just aware of Grand Cayman coz it's in the Caribbean, and probably a nice lil diving spot Mmmm....maybe Seasiren, probably a wise move to jettison CG from your team ASAP. There will be no advantage to be gained in having Nat on your team, only wrong answers. I have faith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarz Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Do you realise just how many British colonies they were/still are? Apart from the main ones ( India, Australia, Canada, S. Africa, NZ etc ) they were numerous smaller territories, some just literally a piece of rock in the middle of the ocean. I'll be very impressed if you know all these Seasiren - Ascension Island, South Georgia etc etc?? So if so, yep give me a geography/history lesson!! Is someone getting defensive? Me thinks you are just aware of Grand Cayman coz it's in the Caribbean, and probably a nice lil diving spot Mmmm....maybe Seasiren, probably a wise move to jettison CG from your team ASAP. There will be no advantage to be gained in having Nat on your team, only wrong answers. I have faith Nah, not defensive at all. Just curious to know how much you know about the British Empire. I've never doubted you are a clever lass, just trying to establish how clever by gauging the true extent of your learning on the British Empire. I admire your solidarity in stickin with CG, but I think your faith could be somewhat misplaced. Let's hope you don't regret it. I'd hate it if you had to carry CG........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenix Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 ahh...another brat. I know exactly what you mean SeaSiren, I was an airforce brat and we were always moving...Sardinia, Germany, Switzerland. As a kid, you're always in a state of upheaval. cafenervosa, sorry to hear about that. I was on vacation in St Maartin for two weeks and although it is a beautiful place it just seems to shrink smaller and smaller and you begin to feel trapped, somewhat like the natives I suppose and it could get you down if you let it. I don't know if you are into meditation or anything like that but that might be something you might consider taking up. It would be a beautiful place to meditate. I've learned that our freedom is very much inside of us as is the universe. My kids were up to visit me one w/e in the summer and I was telling them about this sort of thing but explaing that there are universes within universes. They didn't believe me so we went to the shore and started exploring the little puddles that form in small pools along the shore. I told them each of these little puddles contains a universe for the inhabitants there. So all of us were on our hands and kness peering into these little puddles and sure enough there was all kinds of activity going on. I guess what I'm tryin to say, as many others have said, is that you decide what your universe is going to be. You decide its complexity and its beauty. You decide what you are going to accomplish in your universe, whether its a jail cell a large metropolitan city, or an island in the caribbean. And if you think that you have explored all there is to explore, simply expand your awareness and you will find another and another and another. It sounds like a wonderful opportunity because it is so challenging. You chose to accept it and you've accepted if for a reason. Now it's up to you to find out why you are there..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cafenervosa Posted January 19, 2006 Author Share Posted January 19, 2006 What a lovely way to think about things, Phoenix. Now that I have moved out of the big city (philadelphia) I have found life to be so very much less stressful. I'm financially tapped out right now, trying to get my life started down here, so it's a bit depressing not being able to enjoy all there is down here because I can't afford it. But I will take your advise and learn to just relax and meditate and see things in a whole new light. I must say, though, in the whole course of things, I feel more at home here than I ever felt in Philly. I guess I just miss the feeling of being of being in the United States and all the varying landscapes and being able to take long road trips to other states. This is such a tiny little place, the landscape never changes. But it is beautiful... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenix Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 I believe that you've given yourself a gift and you just need to surrrender to the fact that it is a gift. Awareness to surrender to peace. Something that I like to keep in mind is "that which you resist, persists" so stop fighting it and enjoy it. A little trick that I use to help stop me thinking about myself is to find something else to think about wow, that's deep eh?? You could start growing things, I love plants, you coud find some seeds and just start caring for them and pretty soon you'll find yourself caring more about them and worrying less about yourself Peace.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 Jay - did you ever read up on the WWII battle during your time there? A fascinating battle. Fascinating island, so much history. I'll get round to visiting one day.....Nah, I'm afraid not. I used to think war history was the part of history there is the littlest to learn from. Changed my mind now, war is neverending. The guns and bombs are just a slight escalation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
compassionategirl Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 (edited) I didn't know Grand Cayman was a British colony. Then again we ( in some cases still do) had numerous outposts in the days when Brittania ruled the waves.... Ahem! I did....maybe I could give you a geography /history lesson sometime and teach you where the British colonies are...... Score for the north american! So much for Jonathan's theory. You forget though that the North American's got a minus point for you thinkin Ireland bordered Scotland, so it is still 0-0. Seasiren, probably a wise move to jettison CG from your team ASAP. There will be no advantage to be gained in having Nat on your team, only wrong answers. After all this time, Tarz, you still don't know when I'm playin? I think Seasiren gets me betta than you do! Editted to fix the above. should have originally typed "you still dont know when I am playin?" Edited January 21, 2006 by compassionategirl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaSiren Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 I think Seasiren gets me betta than you do! I've got your back Babe! Us stilletto wearing gals gotta stick together! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
compassionategirl Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 I think Seasiren gets me betta than you do! I've got your back Babe! Us stilletto wearing gals gotta stick together! Damn straight we do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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