I often get asked by my stateside friends how long I plan on
living down in the Caribbean. More
specifically, they want to know if I’m planning on living here forever. I find it rather baffling that this is where
their mind goes, as the world is getting more and more transient, so I don’t
typically expect anyone to commit to one home for the rest of their life. Regardless, I usually respond by explaining
that forever is a long time, but since we just bought a house here, I can say
with certainty that we won’t be moving back to the states in the foreseeable
future. Although, if I have to be
perfectly honest, I don’t see myself living in St. Thomas forever, and there is
one main reason for this. September.
I know that I have complained before about the heat and the
bugs and the mugginess that this time of year brings. Frankly, I don't feel like I have a right to complain,
because I don’t have much to complain about.
My life is good. Really
good. However, the month of September is
terrible on this island, and it brings with it a general sense of overall discomfort
every year. Allow me a chance to indulge
in some catharsis because this month, of all the months, is when I miss Chicago
the most.
First, let’s start with the heat. This morning, I was out the door for a run at
6:30 am. Before leaving, my husband
asked me if I was going to “push it” and do 2 laps, rather than 1 on our usual
course. I responded by saying that I was
“pushing it” by simply getting up and doing the run. I have nothing to prove. “Pushing it” for me these days is a 10 minute
mile, maybe even 10 ½ minutes.
Seriously, I can go back to the states and run mile after blissful mile
at a pace that is at least 1 ½ minute faster.
A cool breeze, a flat surface and one of those fancy sidewalks, and I
could actually be 2 minutes per mile faster!
To put this in perspective, during the USA vs. Portugal game at
the World Cup this year, they had the players take an unprecedented water break
during the game because the weather was so warm. These were professional, well-conditioned,
world renowned athletes. FIFA had NEVER
allowed a mid-game timeout for water before, but they granted an exception
because the game was being played in the Amazon. In fact, a Brazilian court ordered that timeouts should be granted when it's 89.6 degrees or warmer. I made a mental note of
this. Flash forward to today. The heat index today in St. Thomas is 97 degrees. So,
I’m not even being sarcastic when I tell my friends that I’m running in Amazon like
conditions.
I’d like to summarize this point by relaying the notes I
made from my run this morning, via the Run Keeper app, which I highly
recommend. They were, ‘Brutal. Humidity is
extreme. Muggy nasty day.’
Let’s move onto the bugs.
I’m scratching my ankles as I write this because I’m covered in bug
bites. I’m also covered in scars from 3
years of getting these vicious bites. I
truly cannot think of anything that I loath more than biting bugs.
Given the humidity, the rain, the still air and the heat, the
bugs are out in droves right now. It’s
not just mosquitoes, but it’s also those stealthy no-see-ums, or sand fleas. What kills me about the bug situation is that
I’m getting bit inside my own home. Last
night, while trying to watch TV, Kevin got bit so badly by the bugs that this
morning his back was completely covered with bites. He has literally painted his body pink with calamine
lotion.
Unfortunately, there is no escaping them. This is because here in beautiful, sunny St.
Thomas we don’t use central air. It’s
too expensive. Instead, we leave our
homes open to the elements year-round. I
refer to it as ‘camping inside’. In
fact, Kevin went to Home Depot over the weekend, looking for a thermostat for
our non-central air, bedroom only unit (long story), and they don’t even carry
them. We have to order one on-line.
How I haven’t gotten dengue fever is utterly perplexing. With all the bites I’ve gotten, I expect to
contract it any day now. Last week, I
read in the Wall Street Journal that Japan had diagnosed 2 cases of dengue - 2. They immediately responded by sending out a
crew of people to spray the streets for mosquitoes. I find this to be a perfectly appropriate
reaction. Like the Japanese, we too
should be in full panic mode.
To top it off, this is hurricane season, and tourism is at a
lull. Many of the business owners close up shop
and head up to the states. Kevin and I literally
had to try 3 restaurants in St. John this weekend before we found one that was
open. These shop owners are escaping the
heat and the low season by visiting lovely, quaint places that serve fudge and have American
Flags hanging from them. Places that have perfectly manicured lawns that smell like freshly cut grass. Places where the AC endlessly flows to the
point where you can blow dry your hair and put on fresh makeup without breaking
a sweat. Places where you don’t have to cake
yourself with a chemical, whether it be sunscreen or bug spray, in order to
head outside. A place where one shower
per day will suffice, and where you can wear blue jeans every day.
But, I digress. My
point is, I can typically take the hassle of living on this island. I have accepted that the
power goes out sporadically, that it’s insanely expensive to live here, that the crime rate is high and that the local
people don’t always make me feel welcome.
But, the fact that there is a bug biting the back of my neck
right now, while I sweat through my clothes to write this blog? No. That’s just not okay!
