Escaping the Constant Gloom

I love Washington, don't get me wrong. It is beautiful and green and clean and nature-y here. Though it's taken me many years to get to this point, I do appreciate the scenery. But in order to have the year-round greenness we have to have a METRIC F*CKTON of rain and gloom. So. Much. Rain. I am a California girl at heart. I am not made for this constant grey. I deal, since it means we at least have pretty trees and grass and blooming things in return.

However, when I wake up to yet another grey, cold late May morning here in the depressing Pacific Northwest, I can't help but be ecstatic that the temperature in the BVI averages between 77F in the winter and 83F in the summer. Yes, there is rain, but less than 50" a year. Besides, this is what you get in return:

Now that is MY kind of weather!

The Hunt!

The hardest part of this whole ordeal, I think, is going to be nailing down a job and getting my work permit in place. The fact that I'm going down and will have the chance to meet employers face-to-face and do a practical helps me, but I'm worried it will be difficult as I'm not going to be moving for another few months after that. "Hey, I want to show you how awesome I am in the hopes that you'll have a job for me in the very near future!" I'm just trying to keep my chin up and trust that everything will work out.

The BVI has very stringent work laws. If not, they'd just have people move there to bum on the beach. So as a foreigner coming to live and work on their beautiful island I have to obtain a work permit that is quite pricey and kind of a hassle to get. Luckily, as an employee my employer should pay for my permit and get all the ducks in a row there. I just can't be on island until they have the permit in their hands. I'm also lucky that I have someone (my boss) that has lived and worked there and knows the process, so it won't be as unknown for me.

Please take comfort that I will not just be moving there with no gig and no plan. I have to have a job before I go, or I'll get stuck on St. Thomas and sent back to WA.

SOOOOO! The first bit of job excitement is that I heard back from Sole Day Spa (where the eff is the accent mark? There should be one over the "e". Gah.) yesterday, and the owner definitely wants to meet with me in October but would like to Skype with me sooner! Woo! This is the spa that my boss worked at and helped to open, and she was extremely excited to hear that I had not only contacted them but that they got back to me so fast. Jenni would just die if I worked there. It'd be very cool. Sole is a small day spa, unlike the other places I'm sending my resume to (big, giant resorts), but it's the place all the locals go and it's right in the heart of Road Town. It'd be a GREAT gig, and I could always work there a few days a week and a few days a week at a resort. The owner seems very nice and I'm looking forward to "meeting" her via Skype.

Also, I just want to point out that today is my Failiversary. I would have been married 4 years today. I will be officially divorced for one year as of Saturday. I have, for the most part, grieved that relationship but I still feel that twinge of pain in my heart. However, if it weren't for that massive upset in my life I wouldn't be pursuing this amazing opportunity. Gotta look for the silver lining, right?

Taking the Plunge

Well, I'm actually doing it. Putting the wheels in motion to leave everything and everyone I know and love. Leaving the comfort of this cocoon known as the US to become an expat. Heading to the British Virgin Islands, 3799 miles from my family and friends.

I couldn't be more excited.

As a massage therapist I have the most incredible career. Day after day I make people feel happy, healthy, better, special. Service to others is my call in life and it's just taken me a bit of time and soul searching to confirm that the best way for me to do that is by continuing in the spa industry. By the end of the year I'll be an esthetician as well, making me more useful and marketable. I'm single, no kids, no mortgage (the ex got that in the divorce!). I need to spread my little wings and fly. Why not work in paradise for awhile? Or forever? Shoot, who knows what the future holds?

So, I have booked a trip to the BVI for October 14-21 to scout out the islands, see where I'd want to live, and hopefully interview with a number of spas. My esthetic schooling will be done at the end of December, my 30th birthday is February 24th and I'd like to be with my family for that, and my lease is up as of March. My plan is to let places know that I'm available as of March 1st. Really, that's 8.5 months away. Not a lot of time to plan and execute a move to a foreign country, let alone a little island.

Today I sent out my resume to:

Peter Island Resort and Spa

Ixora Spa on Scrub Island

Sole Day Spa

Guana Island

I'm still researching and figuring out where else to contact. It seems so far in the future but in reality it isn't. My October trip is less than 5 months out, and hopefully my move will be only a few months after that. Crazy, crazy stuff.