I knew returning to Roatan was going to be a dramatic change for me. I would be going from living in the Big ATL with its 4 million plus inhabitants to living on an island with something like 45-50,000 people. I knew I would have to make some cultural readjustment in order to get back to the rhythm and pace of the islands. I knew being an out gay man could probably rub some of my small town fellow islanders "the wrong way." I knew I would have to make some compromises and do without a few things I had become accustomed to.
HOWEVER, I'm realizing now that this could very well be one of the richest and most amazing experiences so far in my life. For example, here are some of the items on my Roatan "to do" list:
>> take Paya Bay to the "next level" of development. really understand how to maximize its potential, and courageously take the steps needed to unleash its formidable potential
>> do my utmost to connect with my uber-introspective father and try to develop a healthy, happy relationship with him
>> join the battles my parents has been fighting for over ten years now with two evil Americans who are attempting to do us wrong
2 comments:
It looks like you're taking an interesting path. My partner, his sister and I had lunch at Paya Bay in June. We were very impressed by its beauty and serenity.
I hope you continue to blog as you re-enter Roatan life being "out". Your prominent position will surely make things a bit better for others locked in closets across the island. We own a vacation house in Sandy Bay now and look forward to retiring on the island in three years.
We always feel very comfortable on Roatan. However, it may be because we are both low-key, nevertheless we never felt the least hostility.
As you are aware, the island is changing rapidly. I think mostly for the better, but only time will tell. Best of luck.
thanks for the feedback, kas. one of the conditions I put on myself in returning to the island is that I would not "go back in the closet." Heck, I've been out of the closet so long now, I don't even know where my closet IS! But, seriously, I am really, REALLY proud of being gay. It's the card I was handed in Life and (I long ago decided) not only am I going to embrace it, I'm going to show the people around me that being a gay man is, actually, quite an amazing thing.
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