Hello, I'm a superhero.
So, most of my blogs won't be about solar. I AM the Solar Super Mama, but let's face it. There's loads of articles about climate change, renewable energy, and solar panels being written by people way smarter and more knowledgeable than I am. I post those on my fb page all the time. If you want to switch to solar, I'm the mama that can hook you up, but I'm gonna talk about some other things I know and love. Being a mama, location independent work, relocating to another country, traveling with little kids and teens, unschooling, that kind of stuff. I'm gonna talk politics sometimes. I'm a woman, and the personal is political, so there you have it. And, in all honesty, I'm super passionate about solar and its arch nemesis coal, so we'll probably talk about that at least a little.
My backstory
I’ll just get right to who I am so those of you not interested or slightly afraid can just skip right on out. I'm originally from South Carolina. I was raised in the baptist church by a Reagan loving mama and (separate house) a Carter loving, lefty, agnostic dad. I've also lived in Indiana, Colorado, North Carolina, and now Belize. I'm more into metaphysics now, but I still love Jesus. I'm so far left, I might fall off the end of the rainbow any day now. I love this planet and all the beings on it, even the assholes, except sand flies and dr flies. Screw them. I swear a lot, but you won't see the f word because my mama might be reading this. I love my kids more than anything or anybody else. I have four of them between 3 and 19, and they're amazing and also drive me totally insane. I love beer a lot. I mean, I love rum, tequila, and wine too, but beer is my favorite. I love to play. I believe in the power of play to connect people, and I also believe play can be a whole lot of different things. Like all good southern girls, I love my family, and they love me even though they mostly think I'm nuts.
Me and four of the most amazing kids you've ever met
Now we can move on to the topic of the first chunk of blogs. Relocating to another country and traveling with kids. I started the journey with five kids in my crew: 18, 16, 13, 3, and 18 mos. Just me and them. I know, right? No clue what I was thinking.
The morning after we left the US in March 2015
Moving abroad with kids, aka, perhaps I lost my mind
Moving to another country is a pretty big step. Moving to an underdeveloped country with 5 kids is like jumping off a skyscraper in one of those flying squirrel suits. Exciting? Yes. Potentially deadly? Most definitely. So, you have your little suit on. And you think you got this. And then you jump, and you think maybe you really don't got this thing. And then you wonder what the ?&$@ you were thinking jumping off this big ass building with nothing but a damn squirrel suit.
I moved to Belize from Spartanburg, SC. When you live in a place like Spartanburg, it's really easy to assume many of your challenges are a result of living in Spartanburg. As it turns out, challenges follow you to paradise. Every day I look at Palm trees, jungle, Caribbean Sea. I hear monkeys and frogs almost daily. I also look at a messy house, dirty kids, bills, work, empty pots and bellies needing filling, and relationship challenges of all kinds. I hear more Pj Masks, Paw Patrol, whining, and screaming than I care to talk about. This isn't vacation, friends. Nobody is gonna come clean this shit show up when I leave in five days. And it's got additional challenges of immigration, work permits, a different culture, an unimaginably wide variety of insects and wild weather, and missing things you're accustomed to.
The first scorpion I killed
So we begin this blog looking at what it really takes to make it, what the honest challenges are when removing your family from the mainstream developed world. Don't get me wrong. It's also beautiful and full of so many benefits. For me I wouldn't change a thing. I love it here totally and completely, but I maybe could have planned a little better. If you're impulsive like me, it may be wise to read on before leaping. Here's hoping you're more prepared than I was.
