I grew up just south of Dayton, Ohio USA. I have always been an independent person and not afraid to try new adventures - well with the exception of things that have to do with heights. So no jumping out of airplanes, but zip lining in Hawaii I would recommend for sure!! That was a blast. Once I pried my arms from hugging the tree top, I was on my way. I am a natural athlete and was privileged to pay my way through college on an athletic scholarship. From there I graduated with a degree in Human Factors Engineering and began my career in Manufacturing Leadership in several different industries. Along the way I learned a great deal about people and business and completed masters degrees in Engineering, Engineering Management, and my MBA.  I have worked in several areas of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and China. For pleasure, I always found the Caribbean appealing and enjoyed vacations in places like Jamaica, Turks and Cacaos, and the Cayman Islands. It has only been recently that I came to Belize.

My first trip to Belize was both personal and about vacation from my corporate career. I came to Belize to meet my Aunt that I had never met before. She decided to retire here in Belize after her military career. So I was not really looking for anything from Belize other than a chance to get to know my Aunt. The vacation part was icing on the cake. In the same time frame of my life that this opportunity came about, I was also in search of a new direction for my life. I was living to work and not working to live. My days and nights were consumed with work and more work. Another 24/7 work life with little to no balance. I believe this happens to many people in the USA and around the world. And I had recently challenged myself to look at my life and reevaluate whether the benefits of a corporate career outweighed the opportunity to spend my time differently. After all this is not a dress rehearsal. You only get one chance to live your life. I always said that if I was to have a mid-life crisis, I was going to manufacture it myself. That way I could substitute the word "design" for "crisis". So now I am on my mid-life design journey. 

I had a great visit in Belize, felt like I had known my Aunt all my life, and decided to come back to finish my vacation time for the year here in Belize. So I spent 3 more weeks here and met many new friends, experienced much of Belize, and decided that this is where I should spend some of my life time. Fast forward a few months. I have since left my corporate career, become certified through the National Association of Realtors as a Resort and Second Home Property Specialist, obtained my designation in Green Properties with a commercial emphasis, and completed my Certified International Property Specialist designation. Armed with my new knowledge specific to International Real Estate, I am now using my many years of leadership and operations experience to support Belize Rainforest Realty and lead others to find their own dreams. In addition to helping others find their dreams in Belize, we do a lot to help our community too. So there is balance and privilege in knowing you can make a difference to so many here in Belize and for those making the adventure to Belize from abroad.

I am now in a transition point where I spend time between the USA and Belize. I like being able to spend time in both places since I have family and friends in both places. I get the best of both worlds that way. I travel when I want to now, go where I want to go, and get to spend a lot more time with my family and friends on special occasions. I use to have to "fit" my family and friends into my corporate outlook calendar and missed a lot of life. I also ditched the corporate crackberry! I have been to 5 weddings between 3  US states and two countries this year. Absolutely unheard of  before my "mid-life design".

I consider myself to have two homes now. The USA and Belize. People ask me what my plans are for the next few months and I have to say that I do not know. I do not focus as much on planning the future. I use to do that all the time at the expense of living in the present. I did not plan to be where I am today I just trusted my intuition and gave myself permission to try something new. I decided to get out of my own way and live life. This would be the advice that I would give others who have been trained in the "rat" race to run the wheel 24/7. Jump off and quiet yourself long enough to remember who you are again. Don't get me wrong, I loved my career and am very blessed to have experienced such benefits. I just forgot somewhere along the way that it was a job and not my life.

Belize is a wonderful country still untouched in many areas. You should come visit and feel it for yourself. I will borrow a quote from my friend. "Belize is not for everybody, but it is everything to some people". I live inland in the Cayo District of Belize. There are beautiful Mountains, Rivers, Rainforest, Caves and Ruins to explore. And if that is not enough for you then take just a two hour drive east and go to the Islands for some world class deep sea fishing, snorkeling and scuba diving. The second largest barrier reef in the world and the Blue Hole await you.

Now I had an obvious advantage when taking my journey to Belize since I had family here. So for those who want to move overseas no matter where you choose, do your homework first. First find a reputable person who will help you not only buy a home or land, but someone who will also be your relocation specialist. It is very important that you really know that you want to be somewhere before you invest your hard assets. I would also give the advice to go and rent a place where you think you might want to live for at least 3-6 months. This gives you a real opportunity to understand if you are in the right area and what the "real" culture is like outside of the tourist community. Immersing yourself in the culture of any country is an honor. Otherwise why would you leave where you are currently living. Do not go somewhere else and expect it to be like what you left behind. That just becomes a miserable and expensive mistake that nobody needs in their life. Additionally, it is not always what a destination can do for you. I would advise you to find a way to give back to your new community too. Now that is the real balance in life.