Greetings from paradise.

Where do I live? I live in paradise.  I said this to a pen pal a while ago, trying to explain to him where I live, what it’s like, and where it is on the map.  I told him; go to YouTube and search Curacao, click the first video and get back to me.  This was the video he saw:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPYXKmWpNYw


After just a few minutes of waiting, I got my reply; “Ok you do live in paradise, now where on earth is it so I can go there!”  I explained to him that Curacao is a small Caribbean island 30 miles off the coast of Venezuela, is next to Aruba and Bonaire, and is part of the Dutch kingdom. 12º 10N, 68º 93W.


Curacao is a very unique place, most of the world doesn’t know about it, yet they do know about our sister island Aruba. Curacao is home to a rich culture, the largest natural harbor in the western hemisphere, one of the largest oil refineries in the western hemisphere, beautiful coral reefs and turquoise water. No other island can be compared to it, called the hidden treasure of the Caribbean; Curacao has a relaxing vibe that just can’t be found anywhere else.
Being from such an island is great, people never believe me when I say I am from here, or they say I’m pretending the place exists, and I always tell them, “you wish you were from there”.
I think being raised in such a place puts a very different perspective on the world, everything seems chaotic, obscure, lonely, and overpopulated. Countries with their 12 lane highways, 50 story buildings, millions of people, and a ladder structure where basic kindness to your fellow man is no more.


Growing up here is special, small schools where you can know everyone and everyone can know you, close nit neighborhoods where you’ve known your neighbors your whole life, family living no more that a short walk away, and my favorite part; going to the beach with the boat every Sunday to drink and relax while meeting up with friends and going wake boarding.
Of course like every other country on earth there are problems, robbery’s, car theft, the occasional burglaries, drugs, corruption, every problem every other country has, we have to. This should not discourage people from coming here, the island so small it’s hard to actually find yourself in a bad situation.


The law (or the lack of it) is what makes this Island such a great place, here you can’t be arrested for drinking on the side of the road, you can drink beer openly on the beach, an open can in your car is not a felony, and oh yea, you have to be 18 to buy alcohol. A good 5 years less than in America and this has clear affects on how people drink. Because beer isn’t seen as such a wanted commodity, getting it is not a problem, making over drinking redundant and stupid. Not to mention people here can hold their booze way better than in the US.


So why is this paradise? Because you don’t get arrested for having fun under the age of 23.
And because of the water.