I woke up yesterday morning to crystal blue waters, humidity (a very welcome contrast to the Santa Ana winds we were dealing with in LA), and an exciting note from Green School in Bali. (You can read more about the school in my post, Where Did You Come From.) They are building a new bamboo structure on campus – The Heart of School. This will be a beautiful structure encompassing the library, computer room, and additional classrooms. John Hardy’s vision when creating the school was to provide truly equal opportunity learning experiences for all children. He shared a story with us: when he was 8 years old his choir teacher told him he couldn’t sing, he would never sing, and forbid him to participate. John always wanted to sing and to this day “can’t.” That experience impacted him so deeply that he understood instantly the importance of allowing children to explore their passions. Everything about Green School holds true to his vision, giving all children the foundation and space to grow and cultivate their talents (even if others don’t recognize them as such). It’s always nice to receive updates from the school as they continue to maintain and expand upon John’s vision.
After reading that note, I decided it was time to do some exploring of Turks & Caicos. Apparently when you’re staying at Club Med, you’re supposed to stay at Club Med. Thankfully, Day 1 I met some people who were up for a little adventure and exploration. When I travel to new places I like to connect with the locals and see the real deal – immerse myself in the culture. I’ve never been one for your run-of-the-mill tourist vacations so it was a great to meet some like-minded spirits.
Our taxi driver, Lofton, stayed with us all day, taking us to various villages and “settlements.” He took us to “the ghetto” of Turks & Caicos, after sharing the disclaimer that “there is no ghetto in Turks, but if there were, this would be it.” Lofton explained that this area is inhabited by illegal immigrants, who squat on the land. This occurred shortly after he took us to “the most exclusive area of the island” where “rich Americans” were spending an average of $3 million for ocean-front homes. Let’s just say: the squatters got it right! They pay nothing, for an even better location on the ocean.
But here in Turks you actually can by a nice piece of ocean front property for $185,000 or a 2 bedroom, 2 bath townhouse for 495,000. Yes, I did stop by a realty office my first day here! And there are no property taxes on the islands. If you’re a “Belonger” – the original inhabitants of the island (most of whom were brought over as slaves), the government gives you a 75% discount on the land. So we saw some amazing ocean front properties where the locals live.
One of my favorite things I saw yesterday was the Peace Tree. It’s… a tree…. where locals sit and smoke pot. But what’s special about this tree is it’s also where people share their concerns, fears, and things they’re letting go of. The locals carve their thoughts on pieces of wood and hang them from the tree. It’s quite a sight to drive by and a reminder that no matter where you live, people are essentially concerned with the same things: love, money, health, family, work, and life/survival. The ironic thing about the tree is that it’s directly across the street from the police station. I’m going to attempt another visit to the tree before I leave – I’d like to speak with the locals and get some pictures.
But it’s not all education and culture here…. rest assured, we’ve been having A LOT of fun.
From the side of the pool, with a pina colada, typing to the beat of the music,
Colette
When you look around you, at those in the world who flourish, thrive, laugh, and love – with friendships, adventure, even abundance – aren’t they, more often than not, first and foremost, the dreamers? -Anonymous
Ahhhh.... the water!
This is what I wake up to every day
My Travel Tales 