In Spring of 2006, I met the white guy (I guess you could call him Ryan) pictured above on a dragonboat paddling team we both happend to be on. Ying brought Ryan on to the team so I guess I have to thank Ying for introducing him to me. Thanks Ying! Back to the story. By September of that year we were officially ‘dating’. Unfortunately at that time he also had planned to live down in Grand Cayman for 3 months effective immediately and had to leave me from the get go! Ironically at the time, we both ended long-distance relationships to pursue yet another long-distance relationship with one another. I flew down fall 2006 for a week and we had our ‘first date’ there in Grand Cayman, at Eric Ripert’s Blue Restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton. Pristine waters, pure white sand and tropical climate aside, this place has a near and dear place in my heart because it was where our relationship started.

Since then, I’ve forced Ryan at gunpoint (kidding, kidding!) to travel with me across various points on the globe and we’ve had the opportunity to visit London, Paris, Hong Kong and other beautiful cities in North America. Of all the places in the world we’ve been to I’m drawn back to this place and have kept expressing my desire, much to Ryan’s frustration due to my constant ‘expression of interest’, to go down and live here. Well folks, the stars AND planets have finally aligned and we’re going! My work has approved a 3 month leave for me so that I may work on my honours thesis. I GOT IN TO THE HONOURS PROGRAM (note the caps to indicate a significant achievement). My thesis just happens to be situated in an environment down there. Work approval, school approval, honours supervisor approval…now all I need is ethics approval from SFU – it feels like I’m trying to move Burnaby mountain with that one though. 

So come January, we’re packing light and moving ourselves down there till springtime. Best part of all? We’re bringing our dog! He’s pretty excited at the prospect of chasing chickens, geckos and frogs around the Caribbean.