Okay, folks, buckle up because the rollercoaster just took another loop-de-loop! Remember that little “maybe we’re moving to Saba” tease I dropped a while back? Well, hold onto your hats because “maybe” just turned into a full-blown, “pack your bags, we’re going tropical!” situation!
Tuesday morning started like any other. Dave was off to work, and I was settling in for some quality time with my laptop. Then, BAM! Dave calls, practically vibrating with excitement. Apparently, a high-ranking official from the Dutch government (Saba is a special municipality of the Netherlands, remember?) had invited him to connect on LinkedIn. Already a good sign, right? But wait, there’s more!
Not even an hour later, the phone rings again. This time, it’s *the same* official, offering Dave the position of Department Head for the island of Saba! Cue the confetti cannons and the sound of my brain short-circuiting. Holy Moly!
My first instinct? Call my bestie, Jenn. I mean, who else do you tell when your life suddenly takes a hard left turn towards a tiny Caribbean island? Jenn, being the amazing friend she is, initially had a touch of “wait, you’re leaving the country?!” panic. But after a few minutes, she saw the incredible opportunity this is for us. She was genuinely thrilled for Dave and me, though understandably a little sad about the prospect of fewer coffee dates. (Don’t worry, Jenn, we’ll schedule virtual happy hours!) She even sent her congratulations to Dave, which I promptly relayed.
The million-dollar question! What do you do when you’re potentially about to uproot your entire life and move to a speck of land in the Caribbean? Well, the logical part of my brain kicked in (eventually). Since the job offer was still contingent, I decided to hold my horses. At least until Dave was home and we could discuss the who, what, when, and where of telling people.
Ironically, my dad had recently suggested we indulge in some Disney Holiday magic this year with Epcot’s Candlelight Processional. And I was still committed to both our Disney adventure, and Thanksgiving in New Jersey. My plan was to spend Thanksgiving week at the Jersey shore with Dave’s side of the family. Jenn had scored an invitation this year, and we’d really been looking forward to it. Although now it seemed likely that my visit to Dave’s family would occur without Dave being there, as Thanksgiving isn’t a celebrated holiday in Saba and he’d need to work.
I decided that the day after Thanksgiving, I’d drive down to Florida, working remotely at my dad’s house for the week. I’d have Albus as well as my truck, and then midweek I’d sell my truck. The next Saturday we’d do the Candlelight Processional, and the next day or so after that I’d hit the airport for my official move to Saba. Dave, who would have already been in Saba for a couple of months by then, would fly to Florida to accompany Albus and I to Saba.
A Little Saba History (My Saba History, That Is!)
Speaking of Saba, let me rewind a bit and tell you how this tiny island even landed on my radar in the first place. Back in my younger days, when I was just a wee 19-year-old, I went to trade school for travel and airline (Yes, that was a thing!) We learned about every country in the world, and Saba was the one that truly captivated me. I’d never even *heard* of it before, but something about it just sparked my imagination. So much so that I chose Saba as the subject of my oral presentation! (And yes, I aced it. I was practically a Saba expert!)
Fast forward about 30 years, and I’m planning my big 5-0 birthday trip. My dad, being the generous soul he is, gave me free rein to choose the destination. I opted for Sint Maarten, mainly for two reasons:
1. It would finally give me the chance to visit Saba! Saba is only accessible from Sint Maarten via a short (and slightly terrifying) international flight or a longer ferry ride. It’s not exactly a hop, skip, and a jump when you’re only in port for a few hours on a cruise.
2. I needed a rematch with The Yoda Guy Museum in Philipsburg. Seriously, this place is a must-see for any Star Wars fan. And guess what? I even met Nick Maley, the Yoda Guy himself! He’s incredibly friendly and loves sharing his stories.
So, as I mentioned in my previous post, we made that fateful visit to Saba on March 12, 2024. And it was pure magic. Everyone in our group fell head-over-heels in love with the island. The people, the landscape, the architecture – it all felt like stepping into a fairytale. Dave, in particular, was smitten. He couldn’t shake the image of living on the side of a mountain (okay, technically a dormant volcano, but don’t worry, it hasn’t erupted since 1640!) in the charming village of Windwardside, overlooking the Caribbean Sea.
The Necklace
It was also the first time I saw The Necklace. Have you ever looked at a piece of jewelry so beautiful that you actually gasped a bit when you saw it? Neither had I until I walked into a small yet beautiful building off to the side which housed a small jewelry shop. And in the back in its own display case was The Necklace, and my breath caught when I looked at it. I asked the shopkeeper about the necklace, expressing how impressed I was with the design and craftsmanship. The shopkeeper told me it had taken seven years to amass the sapphires and diamonds, to design and craft the necklace, and it could be mine for the very legitimate cost of $54,000. So I whipped out my credit card…just kidding, but I felt like the price was fair for the piece in front of me. It was wearable art designed for a fairy princess, and there’s just no other way to view it.
So, back to today’s reality. The rest of the day after the offer was made was a bit of a blur. It’s like I was running on pure adrenaline and excitement. Naturally, I insisted on a celebration. What’s a life-altering decision without a good meal, right? So, off we went to The Painted Pony for another round of their culinary magic. Seriously, that place is quickly becoming my happy place.
Then came the moment of truth: the phone call. We decided to drop the Saba bombshell on my father. His reaction? Still a mystery. I swear, deciphering his tone is like trying to understand quantum physics. I’m pretty sure he said words, but what they *meant* is anyone’s guess. I’ll have to work on that later.
After a bit of fresh air (needed to clear my head!), Dave, ever the gentleman, wheeled me back inside. I was exhausted, but my brain? My brain was throwing a party. Sleep was definitely not on the guest list.
So, what does one do when sleep is playing hard to get? You put on Pharell Williams’ “Happy” video, of course! But not just any “Happy” video. This one was filmed with footage from Saba! It was like the universe was sending me a little “you got this” message. The vibe was *perfect*.
Unsurprisingly, sleep remained elusive, for both Dave & I, as it would turn out. So, I did what any self-respecting insomniac would do: I dove headfirst into my backlog of soaps. Don’t judge! A girl’s gotta unwind somehow, right?
The looming task of telling my boss about the Saba move hung over me. I was cautiously optimistic. They’re usually pretty understanding, and I was hoping we could work something out. But let’s be real, there were no guarantees. The thought kept swirling around in my head like a rogue sock in a washing machine.
I finally went back to bed around 2am, only to have Dave decide to relocate to the living room. I was blissfully unaware of his sleep troubles once I finally crashed, though. Sorry, love!
Stay tuned for the next installment, where I face the music at work and try to navigate the world of international job negotiations. Wish me luck! And maybe send coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.