Yes, it’s true – in just 30 short days, our time here in the wonderful land of Aruba will come to a close. As shocked as you may be, please know it is okay. We were VERY sad at first but have now accepted it and are excited for our next phase of this adventure we call life which will now take us to Florida.
So why are we leaving? Well, as you might know, it’s quite expensive to live in Aruba and to start and operate a business. SO – over the past couple years, we have put everything we have (literally) into this thing called Full Throttle Tours and when it came time for residency permit renewal this year, DIMAS was aware that our bank accounts no longer meet the minimum requirement so our permits were not renewed. We have already heard the “there must be another way” speech, and yes, there probably is but everything costs more money, which isn’t happening for us here. Therefore, we made the very tough choice to leave this paradise and return to the reality of the USA. Sadness is coupled with extreme pride in what we have accomplished these past few years.
The next 30 days we will be busy enjoying every single second we have left here, enjoying every reason we moved here in the first place, as well as preparing to undo everything we did to move here and return the US. Here we go with shipping our stuff back and all the joys that come along with that. However, this time we are WAY more experienced and NOTHING will surprise us – ha ha!
What will happen to Full Throttle Tours? Well, it will live on as it should with a new owner. It feels like giving your very loved child up for adoption but knowing that the new parents will be the ones who can take it to its full potential. As a birth parent loves their child yet knows someone else has so much more to give, we will let it go and thrive in the arms of the adoptive parents. It will always be our baby.
What do the girls think? Well, Morgan is graduating from high school in just a few more days and has accomplished so much as an online student. It’s tough to “go to” class on your own, be disciplined enough to finish those lessons every day, and she did it with nothing but A’s sprinkled with an occasional B. We are so very, very proud of her perseverence, determination, and getting it done with Honors. She will attend college in Florida, become more of a “regular student” and use the life experiences she has gained in Aruba for all of the great things that are ahead for her.
Maddie has also gained invaluable experience meeting people from all over the world and continuing her love for travel and her extreme talent in photography. She will use this experience in her next adventure of working on a cruise ship and seeing so much more of the world and meeting so many more wonderful people. This has not been easy for any of us, yet here she is continuing to excel and making her dreams come true!
We have no regrets, would do it all again, still love Aruba to the very core, and will definitely be forever fans and returning visitors, just without that silly residency permit. So here we go – back to the USA which was never part of the plan but it is okay. I must admit, there are a lot of things I am NOT looking forward to, but a lot that I am (please refer to beginning blogs about things I will miss – VERY excited about some of the stores and restaurants!)
To everyone we have met these past few years, we appreciate each and every one of you. So many kind words have been shared, true friendships developed and for that, we would never trade a second. Closing out ZIsland Life for now and moving onto ZBay Life in Florida!
Z Island Life 