A little over a year ago I wondered around this base meeting up with friends, going to the pool, the beaches, collecting seaglass, kayaking, boating, welcoming newcomers and sadly saying goodbye to good friends. Whew! This could easily happen in one week. I thought coming here I would have more time to get crafty, read, and do nothing. NOT! No regrets, no regrets. I like where I live.
Most people arrive here and are welcomed by their new neighbors, the spouses club, and a plethora of amazing people too happy to have coffee and share some of the wonderful things we can do here in Guantanamo Bay. To this most newcomers respond with "everyone is so wonderful, so sweet, so giving" and "I just love it here and all the great people." We all say that when we arrive.
We are people, all with our own standards, morals, values and belief systems. Eventually we begin to weed through the masses and we find those who are more like us. It's natural to do so. I am generally surrounded by positive, happy, energetic people. I believe I attract this personality because that's who I am. Now don't get me wrong. I don't purposely go out separating people into groups, mine and theirs, I simply leave it up to the other person to decide if they can handle my energy and optimistic mentality. Plus, I sometimes put my filters down and together with my friends we get into the unspeakable dirty talk... that usually generates a lot of laughter, exactly the result I want when I'm with my friends.
Fast forward a year. My huge group of friends has shrunk, changed, and now we know more about each other (maybe that's why it shrunk.) Oh well. I am happy to be surrounded by this select group. I am fortunate to have these women on my side. I didn't pick them, they picked me and that makes me happy. In a period of 4 months we accomplish what takes most in the civilian sector years to reach... close, personal friends who can be trusted, who will cry with you, laugh with you, and look super silly with you.
Truth be told, I have had a few moments of "I really want to leave now" revelations. My hubby responds with ... well with nothing because we really don't have a choice. We're here another 18 months so I have to make a choice between being miserable and being happy. I chose the latter.
I hope I can continue to give my friends everything they continually give me: friendship, patience, laughter, happiness, hugs, time to vent, time to recover from fun night out :-) and so much more.
Yup. I still like where I live.
I would like to thank you for straight forward blogging about Gitmo. We have followed your blog since we first were offered orders. I must say you have helped make the move easier. We arrive in June and I look forward to thanking you in person.
ReplyDeleteI would also like to thank you, I too have been following your blog since we found out that we will be stationed at Gitmo. We still have over a year, but it is still fun to read all your stories!
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