21 things I've learned living on an island

Well hello there strangers!

Every time I have the intentions of posting on the regular life gets in the way and it gets pushed to the side, terrible excuses I know but true all the same.

So, island life... It's crazy to think that a mere four months ago I was trudging along through Leeds city life not really know where I was going or where I wanted to be, skint as hell and pretty miserable, the only thing that actually got me through was my amazing friends (miss you all ridic amounts) and now I get to live in one of the most beautiful places on earth, I have my dream job, have met some amazing people and am living my best life- YEY ME!

Here are a few key updates...

1. Guava is amazing.

The amount of fresh tropical fruit here is like a dream come true.

2. Watermelon juice cures everything.

Hungover? Tired? Crying over a lost suitcase? Got a cold? Period pain? Headache? Happy? Too hot? Missing Ma, Pa and the dog? WATERMELON.

3. SunBum is the best suncream brand ever!
It smells like bananas, the branding is super cool and I'm not allergic to it!

4. There's no skin problem fresh aloe vera can't solve.
Refer to no.3- allergic reactions to suncream, spots, sunburn, eczema, you name it, aloe helps.

5. Avoid midday sun at all costs when you're a pasty white girl.
The sun here isn't normal sun, we're so close to the equator that you actually get roasted like a batch of potatoes on a Sunday.

6. Never judge anyone by their background/ culture- they might just surprise you!
Ok, so not that I would've classed myself as a judgemental bitch before I moved here but I have learnt a lot more about local culture and my eyes have been opened to a number of differences that I may not necessarily agree with at least now I fully understand and respect them.

7. Aubergine and Cauliflower fritters are a revelation.
When you can't cook and all you food is made for you (sounds pretty good right? But I really miss cooking!), you cherish ice cream Fridays, pizza Saturdays and veggie burger Tuesdays. When there's chickpeas or spinach, it's going to be a good day, when there's paneer curry, it's going to be even better and when there's veggie fritters, you've hit the big time!

8. Everyone needs a little luxury to keep them going- shout out to the island spa for making me feel like a queen.
The island fam bought me a One&Only massage for my birthday, it was unreal! Getting to go to Fanditha for sunset cocktails and humous, Reethi for Italian buffet, and Tapasake for sushi puts a huge smile on my face after a busy day.

9. Golf buggies are really fun to drive.
Obviously there's no cars on the island so we get to whiz about for guest deliveries and such like in a little golf buggy- Pa is ever so jealous.

10. We're killing the environment one plastic bottle at a time- SAY NO TO SINGLE USE PLASTIC!
Ever the ecowarrior I am, I have joined the island Maakanaa Committee (that's the green committee) to help Reethi Rah reduce it's environmental impact and preserve the beauty and habitat we live in. Educating yourselves is the most important thing. You don't think of it as much when you live in urban areas but seeing what humans are doing to these amazing places breaks my heart.

11. Nature is so fucking cool.
Be it glowing plankton at nighttime, turtles, rays, sharks, stars, sun, the ocean, birds, ghekos whatever, it all rules and it's all amazing! I've ticked so many things off my bucket list and done things I never would've imagined since I moved here and it's all thanks to nature and this environment.

12. Double gins here are actual quadruple gins- be warned, stay hydrated.
So you all know I love to party, I have had to try calm down since I moved here, living where you're working and working where you're living can be frustrating but on the off chance we do get to fully let our hair down and party, the staff bar is cheap but my god those gins are lethal.

13. When it rains in paradise, holy cow it rains!
In typical British fashion, one of the items that actually did make it here with me since the lost suitcase fiasco (update: never received, claim was very disappointing, it's a very sore subject, lets not talk about it), was my beloved Rains mac, everyone laughed when I first arrived but by jove when it rains they pipe down when I'm staying nice and dry in my mac.

14. No matter how much you wanna party, getting enough rest is SUPER important when you're 24 going on 80.
Working in the heat and sunshine is exhausting and when your immune system likes to fail you on a daily basis I've learnt just how important it is to stay well rested and look after yourself.

15. Material objects can be replaced and we shouldn't form emotional attachments to them.
This is a big one for me, you know I love my clothes and brands but having lost everything and survived, it's taught me a valuable lesson. Key word being I SURVIVED. I lasted 2 whole months without eyebrows for goodness sake, I had 4 pairs of pants to rotate and had to handwash every day, can you imagine? Thank goodness I have uniform otherwise I have no idea what I would've worn.

16. Surrounding yourself with positive, likeminded people will put a smile on your face every day.
I've met some of the most amazing people while I've been here and this island sure is one emotional roller coaster so being surrounded by people who see the good in everything and pick you up when you're down makes the world of difference.

17. Hard work pays off.
I work hard every day to prove myself, I love my job and even just that one positive comment or thank you makes it all worth while. I've learnt to be more patient and that good things do eventually come to those who wait and work their arses off.

18. You have to love sand.

The stuff gets EVERYWHERE so basically, just embrace it as part of you now. Your feet will never be clean again.

19. The smallest accomplishments still count.

This is especially true if I'm having a tough day, ticking one thing off my ever growing to do list gives me a sense of pride and reminds me that I can do whatever needs to be done. Even if it's something as simple as making it to breakfast on time.

20. The people that really matter in your life understand if you don't speak or see each other every day.

So whether it's the 6 hour time difference, work shift patterns, a party, sleep or the fact you live on the other side of the planet that keeps you occupied those people who truly love you will always have time for you and understand that you don't speak to them everyday. Just because we're not constantly in contact it doesn't mean I don't think about you or miss you. My friends and family have stuck with me every step of this rollercoaster journey and whether it's just a quick whatsapp to say you love them or a 3 hour facetime chat once a month if even, you know who is important and they know they are important.

21. Seize every opportunity, say yes, face your fears.

When I moved to France, I vowed to myself I'd say YES more. It's probably (definitely) the only new years resolution I've actually stuck to. Now I can't speak for everyone who struggles with anxiety but this (and reading a lot of self help books), has completely changed my outlook, it's took a lot of courage but I'm here aren't i?! Say yes to swimming out to the pontoon even if it's far out to sea, say yes to jet skiing even though the sea is rough and you're nervous at first, say yes to driving the catamaran because when else will you get to do that, say yes to snorkelling even if you're afraid of sharks, say yes to staying up on the beach and watching the stars even if you're tired. I've faced fears I didn't even know I had but damn am I proud of myself. 

So that's that, an update and hopefully some food for thought and not just me preaching about how amazing my life is right now because there are days where I struggle, the lows are just as extreme as the highs but having learnt these things and grown since I moved here, I'm surviving pretty well!

Now, peace out, I'm off to enjoy the sunshine.
XO H