Ode to Sint Maarten

Our time in Sint Maarten is coming to an end. As the hours wind down, I am reflecting on the beauty and the strength of this island and the people that live here. Seeing the island recover after Irma with nothing but sheer grit and determination is an inspiration. Everyone has a recovery story and I am yet to tire of hearing about them. Jim, the neighbor who monitors his solar power consumption grids, rebuilt his generator and powered the whole boatyard right after the storm when the island was dark. His wife, Kathy, is always armed with a heartwarming animal rescue antic.

Chris Mullins, our Godsend of a contractor, may be one of the more interesting people I have ever had the pleasure of getting to know. He has lived all over, travels anywhere and everywhere he can, and in his spare time, he loads up his truck with electronics, wood scraps, and various gadgets and drives over to the poorer side of town and teaches the local children how to repair and rebuild things.

The island has a life about her. You can feel it in the streets and driving over the mountains. You can hear it in the hymns sung all day in the heavy Jamaican accent. It’s admittedly a bit of a dirty island, but in a blood, sweat, and tears kind of way – every home and every building reeks of hard work.

Maybe you have been to Sint Maarten, maybe it is on your list of places to go, maybe it has never even made your radar, but if you do come here, be sure to keep an open mind. This is NOT America, but that’s okay. Far from third world, but not quite first. This island, like many in the Caribbean, depend on tourism for their economy to function. Appreciate her beauty and her character, made up of the melting pot of the people that call Sint Maarten home.