Oh, hey there. Guess what? Contrary to what many of you seemed to believe by the content of your emails, I did not die here in Honduras! I am still alive and kicking (and definitely knocking on wood). I am healthy and happy and all is well.
Pardon my pause in posts for the last two months (eeeek…yikes). You’ll have to trust me when I say it just got away from me. After a few weeks it just felt weird, and I let it keep going and going like when you keep watching a Friends marathon and after hour 6, you’re not quite sure why you’re still sitting there, but there you are. Not that that’s ever happened to me…
Sometimes I feel like I don’t have much else to say on here about expat life on Roatan. I’m nearly at 3 years here, and this month I’ve celebrated my 3rd blog birthday. I’ve been writing here for three fucking years about mostly the same stuff. Are you guys bored of it yet? And sometimes I get mad that I can’t write about things like where I spend the majority of my day now and current events on the island, because there’s always some asshole here who has a problem with me and uses my blog to put fuel on their fire. It sounds dramatic but I guess it kind of can be. At this point in my life here I’d rather just shut up and avoid problems. I’ll leave them tucked away until the day I leave for good.
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Every year I run into more and more people on Roatan who shyly (or rather boldly, if we’re in a bar and it’s after 10pm) come up to me and ask if I’m Rika from Cubicle Throwdown. YOU BET YOUR ASS I AM!! It makes my day to meet readers and while it’s always a little weird that you guys know so much about my life and I don’t have a clue about you, it makes me feel like a celebrity… and just in case I haven’t said it before, I have always wanted to be famous. And I have no problem settling for quasi-internet-famous because I still get to turn to my friends and say, “SEE!?! People KNOW me!” while they shake their heads over their beers at my high level of ridiculousness. Honestly though, it’s so hard to explain the feeling I get when people tell me that my blog and I have inspired them to execute their own cubicle throwdown, to pursue scuba diving as a career (side note: is now a bad time to tell you I don’t work in diving anymore?), or just to plan a vacation to Roatan. The fact that I, some random girl on the internet, have had even a tiny effect on people’s lives is humbling. For those of you just joining us, or my die-hard readers who have followed this roller coaster ride for three years, all I can say is THANK YOU for being a part of it. It’s been an interesting three years.
I have lots to fill you guys in on, so I hope you’ll stick around – and on my end, I promise it won’t be another two months before I post. I have a trip to Miami to tell you about, a brank-spankin-new FAQ for the Roatan FAQ section, and most importantly – everything about my party-to-end-all-parties amazing 30th birthday bash, island-style!
In the meantime though, I’ll be here for a little bit, doing what I do best on Roatan:
Chat soon, rockstars. xo
We have our own CIA – it's CSIS 🙂
I did know that the C.I.A. hired Canadians?
You're right Fab – it IS sad and it is annoying! The world would be a better place if everyone would just mind their own business and not worry so much about what others are doing, wouldn't it!? Ah well, lots of material for when I leave!
Hahah don't worry girl… it will make for a lot of good stories on here once I'm actually off this rock!!
I am getting in some fun diving from time to time but I'm no longer working in it full-time. Diving can be pretty hard on your body when you're doing it all day every day!
Who the hell is bothering you? I'll beat their asses! Lol It's always somebody isn't it? Don't mind not blogging. Like you said you end up feeling like you're going on about nothing when you've been there for 3 years. I used to want to write about stuff then think they don't want to hear about me doing this. Or I would have something that I wouldnt dare share. Ha! You find yourself trying to find "exciting" things to write about. No te preocupes. We just wanna know you're okay.
Umm…not diving anymore? I almost choked myself on my own spit when I read that.
Well it's like you say, if you are to be afraid about even telling us about your new job…because others might try and take advantage of the situation, you are stuck between worlds when it comes to writing about it. Bit sad, and also pretty annoying when writing a blog. Nevertheless…I always hope that you are doing fine! Keep doing what you need to do. 🙂
Thanks Karyn!! Slow train wreck is a great way to describe it. And then once it grinds to a halt you're all, ok, so what now? I just gotta get back into the groove (and get out and do more exciting things like I used to!)
I don't think I've EVER had that problem hehe!
Aww thanks Lauren! And you have been doing a lot of reading, so I definitely am glad to hear you say that 😉 Thanks for the birthday wishes!
Haha, still trying anyway!
Super stoked for the day of eating all the things and all the rum. I feel like it's coming!!
xo
I don't find your material repetitive in the least! Three years is an impressive run for a blog so I say kudos! It sucks to hear some jerks try to jump down your throat for wanting to speak your mind. Happy belated 30th birthday!!
Maybe I would get bored if you would wrote too often… 😛
Still killing it, obviously.
I have yet to be recognized from my blog, and I think I like it that way. I'm WAY too anxious to deal with that! I feel like you would balance me out if we ever met in person, i.e. whenever our paths cross somewhere in the world where we will be eating everything in our path. And all the rum.
Can't wait to read more of your news.
Keep living the dream girl!! x
Welcome back! Don't worry, you're definitely not the only one who hasn't posted in a while. I'm about to launch a brand new blog and so I really feel meh about my old one. I just have no motivation and even though I'm doing stuff I could certainly write about, I'm really struggling to see the point. My new blog will be about other topics as well as travel and so travel really isn't exciting me the way it used to. So I totally get the way, once a few weeks goes by, it just gets awkward and just continues, like a slow train wreck.
I am really keen to hear how things are going and if you have any future plans for anything so I look forward to your next entry.
Thanks Charlotte!! AHHHHH that is amazing that you're going back to Japan – I am SO EXCITED to hear all about it!! Please eat all the things for me.
YAY!
I will never find your blog boring.
I would love to go visit you and tell your friends how you're basically the Beyonce of the diving blog world. But I just bought tickets to Japan (return 300GBP!!) so that's my Big Vacation booked.
Hi Lucy, thanks for the comment! I am glad you are not bored 🙂 I'm trying to keep it entertaining haha. Everybody starts out somewhere – when my blog first started I think my mom's friend Carol was the only person reading all my posts (and she still does to this day – thanks Carol, I know you're reading!) but it took a couple years to build it up to where it is now. I'd still like for it to be bigger!! I love getting to reach so many people and hopefully provide something valuable for them.
Glad you can sympathize with island fever – I imagine Key West would be the same!!
Haha vodka soda Joe, vodka soda!! The rum and cokes were provided by friends so I couldn't say no 🙂
Thanks!! I also do not like having to get out of my pyjamas… maybe that's a legit topic?? 😉
welcome back! I know how you feel. Now that we're settled in at home, I'm struggling to find topics that don't relate to me complaining about having to get out of my pajamas.
Rum and Coke? I thought you were a Vodka Tonic woman now! Times change I guess! 🙂
Well I have not been following you for three years, but I am not bored yet! And I am kind of jealous of you quasi-famous self – we only have 10 followers of our blog (and it is all people we know) so that sounds pretty darn cool when strangers recognize you! Or creepy… i can't decide. Anyway, you are inspiring! But living on a small island or area can be tough- I lived in Key West and had some of the same issues! Thanks for writing and I am glad your not dead.