I’ve lived in a lot of places. I’ve never stayed anywhere too long. Never really put down roots. Whenever I’m asked why – I always say I haven’t found anywhere I want to call home yet. But what is home? Bricks and mortar (other building materials are available) make a house. But a home is something intangible.
For a little over the past four months my home has been here in Uvita in a long let AirBnB. I’ve had my own ensuite room in a purpose built block of holiday lets (ensuite rooms upstairs and self contained apartments downstairs). I’d initially planned to be here for just two months … and now here I am, four months later, preparing to pack up my life again and move on. Whilst I’ve been here, and especially in the past couple of weeks, I’ve really been pondering what home means.
Being here has felt like home. When I delve into why – it’s because I’ve felt like I belong. I already feel a deep connection with the land here – that’s something I’ve felt since I first came a little over five years ago. But it’s more than that. It’s the little things like walking into El Hornito to get my weekly fix of empanadas and being greeted by name. Going into a local café for lunch and being told that it’s nice to see me again (maybe though that’s a sign I go too often?). It’s about the people. And that’s partly why I fell in love with Uvita to start with – the people.
On my first trip here back in September 2018 it was one person in particular. He walked into my life, shook it up and then walked out again. This time it’s been more than one person. It’s been the community that I feel part of. That community has pretty much centred on where I’ve been living. I’ve got into a lovely routine – and it does make me sad that it’s already changing … Lizette is no longer sat downstairs to give me a cheery Hola as I go down for my swim … Curt and Max have gone away meaning I can no longer gauge how quick or not I’m getting my lengths in based on how long the school run takes … Brandy, DJ and Piper are house sitting so there’s no wagging tail (Piper) to greet me when I come back from a walk … in fact there’s no one here now but me (and a host of iguanas). Not since the gate closed on Curt and Max earlier today. And it feels different.
As I wander around the grounds here I see the echoes of what has been over the past 4 months. Curt waiting for his popcorn to pop. Tanner floating across the pool sat in the inflatable tyre. Lizette waiting for me with a bowl of chicken and rice as I step out of the pool from my second swim of the day. DJ trying to get Piper to come when he calls. Beth floating in the pool enjoying the sunshine. Elizabeth catching a rooster and returning it to the neighbours. Andria doing laps around the car park on her scooter. Pierre Luc heading off on a bike ride as his wife sits on another zoom call. The iguanas scuttling around the pool. The excitement as a toucan is spotted in the garden or the scarlet macaws land on the neighbours almond tree and we all run upstairs to try and get a good view.
I scan across the doors and the different characters that have been through each of them across my time here. All of them have played a role in the story of my time here and some I hope will feature in what’s to come for me too.
I keep being asked what my plans are – when will I be back in Uvita? The simple answer is I don’t know. I’ll be back here again – there’s no question of that. But when? And will it be my forever home? I still don’t know … but I’m open to it. I’m open to wherever the wind wants to take me.
The Eco Monkey 