What do you miss the most?

What do you miss the most? Of all the questions I receive about living here on an island, I think that “what do you miss the most?” is the most common.

There are the two most obvious things: family and friends. There are the less obvious things: Target, Whole Foods and the occasional opportunity for a night away from home – you know a date with my husband.

However, more important than the people and things that I do miss are the things that I do not miss. I do not miss working for someone else. Working for myself is far superior than working for “the man”. I do not miss driving a car or the traffic I used to experience while driving a car. I like the fact that I do not have to deal with any of those issues. I do not miss television with commercials. We have opted, for the time being, not to get subscription television of any kind. Our television is limited to that which we can download or purchase on a DVD. As such, other than the brief previews on DVDs I do not see any form of visual advertising. It is really nice not to be bombarded with all of the latest and greatest pop culture has to offer. If I want to find something I have to go looking for it.

Fast Forward - March 2007

Fast forward to March 2007, we have been open for business for close to two years. Last year we experienced a tropical pregnancy and birth abroad of our daughter Boty. So now we have a beautiful eight month old daughter who is a dual citizen of both the USA and Panama., a precious bilingual three year old son and a wonderful life.

I went to the beach last week with some family and friends who were visiting. As I walked along the beach checking out the gorgeous views I realized how lucky I was. I have a very rich life even if I do not have much money in my pockets.

We have daily challenges but we face them head on and do what is best for our family and our business. We have become environmental stewards and our business is slowly becoming a success. Each day I am thankful for the fact that I met, fell in love with and married a very determined man. I am happy that he had a dream and the guts to follow that dream. I am happy that I adopted the dream. I am happy that we are raising our children in such a fabulous place and attempting to leave them an incredible legacy. And honestly, I am happy that I am just a little bit crazy.

2005 - Operations Begin

At this point, we attempt the transition from construction to operation. Installing communications, building a website, finding employees, and establishing a client base takes time.

Setting ourselves up to have communications on a Panama island where there are no other utilities was no small feat. We researched the equipment necessary to send an Internet signal from one island to another. We determined that we would need a radio tower over 100 feet tall to clear the tallest trees on Isla Bastimentos in the line of sight from the radio tower on Isla Colon. We researched different voice over internet protocol phone providers to determine which company to use. We purchased all the necessary equipment. We had the tower constructed. We did large amounts of rework on the tower as it was not completed to our standards. We determined how the tower would need to be installed and supported. We installed the tower and hooked up all the communications equipment. The day we went live on the Internet was a really big day for us.

Next came the website – get as much information about what we have here in Panama on the web as possible. Add photos to help describe what we have created here. Given that we didn’t have any background in this area it was just another area we took the time to learn and attempt to master.

Finding the right employees takes time. They need to enjoy living in our secluded pristine environment. We have spent an extended period of time getting the right people here to help us. It will be an ongoing challenge but for now we have a good group.

Establishing a client base requires providing a good product and spreading the word. We are working on both on a daily basis.

Small bites, we are together. Are we crazy? Yes, a little bit. Are we happy? Yes. Are we tired? Yes. Would we do it again? Yes.

2004 - Together at last

We begin to really see the light at the end of the tunnel however as we get closer it feels like someone pushes the light just out of reach. The infrastructure work is completed. Main dock construction begins and is completed. Finish work in all the buildings is ongoing. Stefanie and Scott move in with Jay’s parents in preparation for the move to Panama. Stefanie quits her job. We set dates for the move.

Jim comes back to Houston to collect me, Tres, Wahoo and Bimini. I am sure that everyone on the flight with us would have preferred we leave a few things behind. We have the maximum luggage and carry on baggage allowed. Bitzser the cat moves in with Jim’s stepmother Marilyn. Jim’s mom makes the trip to Panama with us so that she can help with Tres while I set up house.

Prior to our arrival Jay gets the main building as clean as possible and puts in foam mattresses and a crib for Tres. I begin the arduous task of unpacking all that has been sent to Panama. We are still operating with the small propane refrigerator and a small generator, but we are together at last. Jay returns to Houston to get Stefanie and Scott. When they arrive, we move to the regular refrigerators and turn on the full size generators.

2003 - Main lodge building construction

2003 rolls along and the construction on the main building continues. We are expecting our first child in our tenth year of marriage. Interior work begins on the cabanas. Jim and Jay move in to the staff quarters building and out of the rancho – still camping but more like in a trailer rather than in a tent. Jim sleeps in the staff quarters and Jay sleeps in a tent in one of the unfinished cabanas so that they both might have an ounce of privacy. I make my last trip down to Panama before the birth of our child and then go back to Houston to do contract work. I find out I have Gestational Diabetes and must watch literally everything that enters my mouth so that I do not grow too big a baby and put it at risk. While work as a contractor was more lucrative it was also much harder. I move into a garage apartment at my in-law’s house as we think that it will be necessary to move out of Jay’s house soon after the baby is born so it is much easier to move pre baby rather than after the baby is born. James III (aka Tres) is born on November 4, 2003. We send a second container full of stuff down to Panama one week after Tres is born. The guys start on all of the infrastructure work to tie the lodge facilities together.

2002 - Building an eco adventure lodge

Somewhere along the way we have moved into the second phase – building the lodge facilities. Jim and Jay install a toilet in one of the cabanas to improve living standards a bit. The guys build pathways, five more cabanas and begin the main building. Scott Harrison Viola is born on September 6, 2002. He comes home to live with his mom and his Aunt Renée. I conveniently get myself laid off so that I will be ready for the move to Panama. My severence date gets pushed back several times as other attorneys leave or go on maternity leave. Jim has lost almost 40 pounds on a four-bowl diet and constant construction activities. They eat out of camp bowls for each meal – one at breakfast, one at lunch and two at dinner. Jim and Jay sit around in the dark and debate or come up with ways to solve the world’s problems. As they are sitting outside using a light would attract bugs so they learn all kinds of new skills which may be completed in complete darkness. Eating without actually observing your food, advanced mathematic calculations in their heads, and how to make Spam Pad Thai among other things.

2001 - time flies

2000 passes in a blur. The grounds are cleared, the Environmental Impact Study begins and the guys begin an almost five year camping experience.

2001 is used to finalize the Environmental Impact Study and submit it for approval, building a barn and the first cabana. Things move slow and take a long time. We remind ourselves we are taking small bites. We purchase materials for the other five cabanas and the main building in Houston which was a huge undertaking. Then we ship those materials down to Panama on a Chiquita Banana boat and move them out to the property. We do not have any heavy equipment. Everything must be transported by boat out to the property and moved up a very high hill by manpower.

The holiday season 2001-2002 is the last time Jim and Jay come to Houston at the same time. Trips to and from Panama are spread out thinner over the year in order to keep the project moving – we sometimes go as long as three months apart. Jay and Stefanie are expecting a child in September 2002. Questions continue – do you know what you are doing? Stefanie gets put on bed rest for the last part of her pregnancy. Day to day life can be challenging. We all deal with the issues in different ways. I do a lot of yoga, work quite a bit, have lots of migraines, discuss things with family and friends over a few adult beverages and tear out pages from magazines for the house that I will have some day. Jim and I talk about things – but we NEVER entertain the idea of quitting. Quitting isn’t an option. We have sacrificed too much and look forward to life ahead – so we push on.