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LivingNotes
“ We l l , a r e w e c e r t i f i e d ? ! ” - Fa u r a d i d n’ t n e e d t o v o i c e t h e q u e s t i o n . I t ’s a l l ov e r h e r f a c e. Yo u c a n s e e i t e v e n t h r o u g h t h e mask. M y h a n d v i c t o r i o u s l y w av e s t w o d i v i n g l o g b o o k s a b ov e m y h e a d . “ C o n g r a t u l a t i o n s ! ! ! ” - Fa u r a ’s e ye s l o c k o n B o b by ’s f a c e. “ We l l d o n e ! ” T h e s e w o r d s m e a n t h e w o r l d r i g h t n o w. S h e k n o w s w h a t h e ov e r c a m e. Fa u r a c o u l d n’ t f i n i s h h e r c e r t i f i c a t i o n . C l a u s trophobia. …. “ M y f av o r i t e p a r t o f N a i a ? ” - m y m i n d i s r a c i n g t h r o u g h t h e l a s t 9 d a y s . B o b by ’s question caught me off guard. “ I … d o n’ t k n o w i f I c a n c h o o s e o n e ” , memories from the last week and a half r u n t h r o u g h m y m i n d , c h a s i n g e a c h o t h e r. I m e a n , h o w c a n o n e d e c i d e w h a t ’s b e t t e r, a hike that almost “killed” us and shown us Belize from one of the most incredible a n g l e s w e w o u l d h av e n e v e r b e a b l e t o s e e ourselves, or dinners at the restaurant, with incredible creative menu, composed by yo u n g a n d t a l e n t e d c h e f s N a i a h o s t s a n d f o s t e r s , o r m o r n i n g c h a t s w i t h Fa u r a a n d t h e s t a f f , w h o d o n’ t e v e n f e e l l i k e “ r e s o r t p e o p l e ” , t h e y f e e l l i k e f a m i l y, o r s p a , where a walk to it is an experience of its o w n , a p l a c e t o m e d i t a t e, g e t t i n g l o s t i n yo u r t h o u g h t s , r e c h a r g i n g a n d r e c o n n e c t i n g w i t h n a t u r e, o r S a t u r d a y n i g h t d i n n e r parties where a guest chefs creates Michelin star menu and the entire community g a t h e r s f o r c o nv e r s a t i o n s , i n c r e d i b l e f o o d a n d j u s t t o e n j o y l i f e. A n d t h e n t h e r e i s k a y a k i n g w i t h A a r o n , w h o t a k e s yo u t o an entirely different world of Naia. His “church” is the only one that resonates w i t h m e. “ I c a n’ t c h o o s e ” , - a s m i l e m a k e s i t s w a y t o m y f a c e. M y e ye s f i n d B o b by ’s . “ I w a n t to come back here again. This… feels like home”. A barely noticeable nod lets me know that B o b by t h i n k s t h e s a m e. N a i a , w e l ov e yo u . We w i l l b e b a c k s o o n !
