Tag: expat life

Posted in Colombia, Colombian life, expat life, glamping, Grief, Healthcare in Colombia, parents of deceased children, Uncategorized, Villa Migelita Ecolodge

Living Fully in Colombia: A Grief Journey

Posted on by hummingsfromparadise

Here we are again. A new year has started, and I am still processing the year before with goals and thoughts on how to keep them. Today is the anniversary of the death of my daughter. Who else feels like time goes by too quickly? Misha will permanently be in my mind as a twenty-year-old, and when I think of her aging, I always wonder where she would be now at this moment in time. Last year, I started focusing on gratitude daily to keep me centered when things overwhelmed me. I can look around and find something to be grateful for in a second. This practice helps me deal with the grief that is always with me. At times, my Glamping business in Colombia, a unique blend of glamour and camping, gets very busy, and I do my regular appointments and life chores while running a hotel, which requires a good team around me. I’m so grateful for my employees, friends, son, and everyone who is always supportive and there for me. Staying focused and breathing works well; believe me when I say this. I know it is hard, but we all need to return to the happy places in our lives, whatever they may be. I have often said I have found that happy place while living in Colombia, but I can still find ways to improve and work on that frequently misrepresented place.

I know that life gets stressful for all of us, but focusing on what we can appreciate will bring back the calm you might lose during an unexpectedly stressful life event, even an event that happened fifteen years ago when that drunk driver killed Misha. I didn’t realize so many years ago when I lost my daughter, that I handled her death with grace and mindfulness. I was overwhelmed with negativity, but I stayed centered throughout. I credit my mother and father for giving me self-confidence while growing up and always believing in myself. During this time, I found myself grieving but also losing friends who didn’t know what I had gone through before her death. The loss of these friends was a painful reminder of the impact of grief on relationships. I made some decisions based on what I was experiencing during that time. If I hadn’t acted on what I needed to do to save myself, I wouldn’t be here in Colombia with the beautiful life I have created! A life that has helped others, including my son, who loves Colombia and wants to continue my business when I no longer can. Again, Colombia is always number one when I think of three things to be grateful for daily. I didn’t realize it until years into my life here, but Colombia is undoubtedly my home. The mind can be a battleground for all of us because we always imagine the worst when confronting and exploring options in life. Then we overthink our decisions; maybe we shouldn’t. Perhaps we should do what feels right even when the outside world disapproves.

I laugh to myself now about the silly questions from old friends who worried about me and my safety when I moved here almost fourteen years ago. I don’t feel threatened by crime, especially the gun violence that plagues the USA, climate change disasters which so far haven’t affected me where I live, political extremism, health insurance, which is fantastic here in Colombia, and medical bills that are non-existent, a stressful lifestyle, inflation, racism, or economic upheaval; my rights are not under attack, and I have no worries about my immigrant status as I am in the process of becoming of Colombian citizen starting this year. After many years of living in a foreign country, I realize now that I am without many everyday things that worry others who live in my former home of the United States.

My health has remained good, but I am thankful for my excellent health insurance in Colombia. I used it a lot this year. In the spring, I fell from a silly misstep and had to go to the hospital. Fortunately, I didn’t break anything, but my hip feels pain when the weather changes. I had a physical in February and am still following up on tests. I don’t usually post much about my health as it has been good, but this is a good paragraph for those who want to know about preventative health care, which is how Colombian doctors practice. During my yearly physical, a youngish doctor ordered many tests for me last year. When I went for the tests covered by my insurance, the examiner would say, “Do you have a problem, and I would answer not that I know of.” Well, they found a problem that I was unaware of. How about that? The doctor ordered a heart halter, and palpitations occur infrequently throughout the day.

I have an arrhythmia, and it is treatable and not dangerous at this time. As we enter 2025, I have had to go to Cali for tests and to visit a cardiologist. I’m not thrilled because someone must drive me to the medical center in Imbanco, South Cali, Colombia. I have an excellent cardiologist who speaks English and is really cool. An internist found my problem during my yearly physical, and it was a series of different tests until I visited Imbanco for a stress test. I was told immediately after the test what my problem was. I like that you don’t have to wait to hear results from another doctor and stay with fears in mind for a couple of weeks. The stress test was no walk in the park, literally! First, I was placed on my side with a lot of sticky patches called electrodes around the heart area. These patches record your heartbeat and connect to a computer that displays the test results. The assistant records my resting heart rate as dictated by the doctor. The doctor, speaking to me in Spanish (I impressed myself with my ability to understand technical, medical words), told me I would now go to the treadmill. He explained when we were done, he would let me know, and I must go very quickly to the hospital bed nearby and lay on my side so he could use the sonogram and get results of my heart’s activity after the physical activity. I started with a simple walk that continued to get more challenging by increasing the difficulty, incline, and ease of walking. I was winded when he gave me the four-second warning to get to the bed. My mind was thinking, “I have something wrong,” as I lay there breathing heavily and feeling the pounding of my heart in my head! Imagine my surprise when the doctor said, “Your heart is very healthy, but you have an arrhythmia.” I have an appointment in February to see the cardiologist again, and I will probably be prescribed a beta blocker for my problem. The moral of this story is to get a yearly physical and to follow up on your required tests. I was slow about finishing appointments because of my business obligations and could have had something more serious. I also realize my health is the most important thing after this heart scare, and I will enter each day being thankful for the healthcare I have here in Colombia.

Remember, any goals we make don’t come fast and easy. When I moved to Colombia, I aimed to open a Bed and Breakfast hotel. Fourteen years later, I have it, and it is a nice business that keeps me busy, helps me maintain this beautiful property I own, and gives me a purpose in life. Despite many blips along the road to success, I never gave up on my dream. The trick is to enjoy each day and appreciate where you are right now. I often look back to COVID-19 and think my business wouldn’t be able to continue, but my new idea of glamping cabins came out of the pandemic. I was surprised by the success of that venture. Always listen to the ideas you find in your mind; they can lead you to more ideas and reshape your goals and personal achievements. I like to impress myself. It is never about competing with others; it is about falling asleep knowing you are doing your best. Again, try to impress yourself, using gratitude, mindfulness, and thinking of solutions instead of complaints. If all we do is think of the bad things that can occur on any given day, we don’t allow our minds to remember the good things that are also there.

Finally, remember that the most ordinary things become wonderful when we appreciate them. Choose to be around people who uplift, enjoy, and love you. Give the gift of you this year. I do every day, whether it is my guests, who I love to see enjoying the place I have created, my close friends who often visit, or a call on WhatsApp from my granddaughter, son, or best friend. Staying in contact with those you love is the best gift to yourself and them. Our way of thinking creates good or bad outcomes; my cardiologist just told me that, mainly when we focus on the positive. It doesn’t mean we ignore the negative, but being positive can overcome the negative, and we all want to do that. Our mind is our biggest battleground. I experienced this when Misha passed so many years ago. I was constantly thinking about what I could have done to change what had happened, but I couldn’t have done anything. We cannot do anything to change fate. We cannot change or control others, just ourselves. We can and should always be aware of our own lives and actions. Challenge yourself this year and how you react to things that bother you. You will grow substantially, and outside experiences will not affect you badly. I am not saying you have to ignore bad experiences; I am saying that you can process these experiences, whether horrible like the death of a loved one or little daily annoyances that get under your skin. Most of all, listen to yourself and your inner thoughts and follow them even if they are outside the mainstream thinking of others. After all, it is your life, and you should live it fully.

With that, I close by saying how much I still grieve the loss of my child. It will never leave me. On this day of her death anniversary, I walked around putting bananas out for the birds. I felt her presence as I listened to the sounds that filled the air. I know she lives in my world as I am surrounded by so much beauty. Sometimes, the hardest part of the journey is simply believing you’re worthy of the trip.

Posted in Achievements, child death, Colombia, glamping, Grief, nature, survivor, Uncategorized

Can it Really be 2024? Let Me Rewind to 2023 as it Went by So Fast!

Posted on by hummingsfromparadise

I have been trying to sit down and write a blog since December about the highlights of the year 2023. I haven’t had the time, as my business has never been so busy as in the past year. It is a blessing and a curse. I have no time to relax and do what I love the most: writing. My business is officially big here in Colombia. I am featured on Google as number one in the Valle del Cauca when you google Glamping or hotels; I never advertise except by my own reels featured on my Instagram, TikTok*, and Facebook* stories. Yet I keep climbing the Google algorithms. I say this with the utmost awe. I never saw this happening when I expanded my business in 2022 and opened my two Glamping cabins.

Many guests return to my place more than once and I have made some close friends. A young couple, Kevin and Katherine, have become my Colombian family. We spent Christmas together. My son had to be in the United States during Christmastime, and spending the holiday with Kath and Kevin was comforting as I missed my son CJ so much. We played games, cooked, relaxed, and relished this special time of year. My friend Vince, a pilot for Copa, returned with his family for a second time. He brought me an Argentinian wine that was super! Another friend, Omer, returned after the New Year and brought his parents from Amsterdam. We started a tournament with the game Rumicube. I do love to play games. Memories of times in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee return to me when I play board games. Colombians are big on playing games, and I have many to choose from at my Glamping place. My best friend in Colombia, Alvaro, came over with his American family and a beautiful gift of hanging solar lights hummingbirds! I have solar twinkling lights all over my property that light up at night. This gift is unique, and I can remember my dear friends every night when I enjoy it. Another lovely guest made a catalog of ten pages about my business. It has all the information necessary for anyone who makes a reservation at my place. I send the link when someone has questions; it saves me so much time! Other guests often share ideas I should have thought of myself and didn’t. I now have little mini bars and snacks in the two cabanas. People can use the beers, soft drinks, and snacks and pay when they check out. You would think I would have known to do this as I spent so much time in hotels as a flight attendant!

Last year, we had a definite change in the climate at my Glamping business here in Colombia. It rained so much in 2022 that we thought we would never see the sun again. The new year brought the sun to us here in the Andes Mountains, so much sun that we forgot we did not have it the year before. We were grateful when it rained! My Avacodo tree made fruit, and flowers bloomed that I didn’t know I had. The distinct temperature change continues into this new year of 2024 and is quite shocking. I even see mangoes grow on my mango trees. The temperature consistently averaged around 74 degrees during the day, and now it averages 80 degrees here. In direct sunlight, it can actually feel hot. Because of this shift in temperature, I made changes around my property. More areas give shade, including a new roof over my big patio area with games, lounge chairs, and a hammock. I am constantly updating my place with improvements. I just finished a new walkway and revised some of my gardens. I organized my laundry area, updated my outdoor kitchen, and added a beautiful firepit that my guests love to grill and cook San Cocho, a favorite Colombian meal. The climate makes no difference to the bookings at my retreat. People love nature, and they love the beautiful sounds of the birds sharing the rustling breeze and the cool temperatures at night. Not to mention the incredible views of the mountains and the Valle del Cauca seen from every angle here.

Now, for the most fantastic news: I am featured in a docuseries by international Award-Winning Author, Filmmaker, and Empowerment Specialist Toneal M. Jackson* called “I Survived it ALL.” I am one of the women who share their story in the Death segment. The premiere date for my part of the docuseries is March 1st. This docuseries will include stories from myself and other women about Death, Discrimination, Depression., Domestic Violence, and Devastation. The premiere date for my part of the docuseries is March 1st. When Toneal contacted me last year and asked me to participate in her documentary, I said yes. I recorded my part in April. I look forward to the premiere and trust Toneal in her artistic ability to tell my story of grief and gratitude. I will say this, it has been a long journey of healing for me. Some days I wake up and embrace my surroundings, other days I wake up and miss what could have been if Misha had not died. It is a forever part of my personality. I hope that by sharing my thoughts in this docuseries I will help others who have lost a child, grandchild, family member, friend suddenly and without warning. It is something I have accepted and live with day to day. I do the best I can to live my best life while honoring the memory of Misha. I know she would love that I have shared my journey on film and a rememberance of her. The title is so apt because anyone who has lost a loved one knows to keep living is to be a survivor. Feel free to share your own experiences with grief in the comments below. I would love to hear how you have overcome the obstacles that you faced.

If you would like to buy a ticket for any of the series the schedule is on the photo below. I can get a ticket for you, and you don’t have to go to Chicago. I will have a private link on YouTube for anyone who wants to see my survival story, or any of the others that are offered. Please contact me here or on any of my social media sites below.

Facebook: @Michele Huffman Carson or Glamping at Villa Migelita Ecolodge, Colombia

TikTok: @villamigelitacristalcasa

Instagram: @villamigelita-cristalhouse

LinkedIn: @Michele Carson

You can follow Toneal on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

@MyNameIsToneal

Booking.com awards

Kath and Kevin
Alvaro and family
The docuseries schedule
Posted in Colombia, expat life, glamping, Uncategorized, Villa Migelita Ecolodge

Different But the Same

Posted on by hummingsfromparadise

Your life without a computer: what does it look like?

Recently my computer crashed, and I had to take it for repairs. It was old, but I loved it and hoped I didn’t have to buy a new one. I learned I needed it to write comfortably and quickly to change settings on certain apps like booking.com or Airbnb. I discovered I could get by for a few weeks without it, but I was delighted to have it back, newly updated. I need it for my Glamping business, and I had problems without it.

Did I miss it daily? No, I didn’t. I use my phone much more than my computer. I make short videos and can even use my phone to write, but it takes work. I love a keyboard to type on. I can answer emails on my phone, too.

During the time without my computer, I spent less time in my office. I even closed the door early most days. I exercised a little more, relaxed a bit longer, and loved being out of the office.

Posted in Colombia, Colombian life, country living, Dogo Argentino, Entreprenuer, expat life, farm life, Glampingcolombia, mountains, nature, Uncategorized

A Snake or Two?

Posted on by hummingsfromparadise

Scour the news for an entirely uninteresting story. Consider how it connects to your life. Write about that.

I read this prompt yesterday, and I had nothing, but because I am an avid news junkie, I wanted to write a post. Today, I was skimming the news, and there was a story I immediately felt a kinship with. A snake lands on this woman’s arm! A hawk attacks! Last year in Colombia, where I live in the Andes Mountains, I had a few encounters with snakes. I know, the horror!!! 2022 was a strange year for our climate here in the mountains. We had only three of four weeks of sun where I live. I didn’t have constant rain, but it was intermittent most days. We had those three weeks, and the snakes came alive. Now, I want to emphasize that I had only seen a snake at my property one time before this year of snake sitings. When I first moved here, there was construction going on. I remember my workers pointing out a coral snake. I was fascinated but not worried. After that one time, I would occasionally see a snake on a hike or while riding a mountain bike. Nothing to cause me any concern.

So about last year, I was told by my employees that snakes love the sun and they will come out of hibernation when the sun is out for days. I remember I was resting, reading a book in the afternoon. I have property cameras and saw my cat Geisha jump in the air on my first-floor balcony. The movement caught my eye, then I saw this vast snake moving through my planters. Cash, my Dogo Argentino, appears next, going crazy, as you can imagine. I felt immediate fear for Cash as he is a hunter, and I certainly didn’t want him to be bitten by a snake. Like a mother bear, I ran downstairs to stop him, but he was immediately gone. I saw him near my fence as this snake approached the other side. I will never forget the snake’s length as it slithered through the holes. Cash was smart enough to leave it alone. My gardener reviewed camera footage, and it was a “good snake” who eats rats, frogs, and small animals (thank God, not my cat), and it was in the boa constrictor family.

My subsequent encounter was a week later! I left my dog’s bowls on top of a closet downstairs and went to feed them. I picked up one to fill with food, and there was a small snake curled asleep under it. I screamed and called my gardener at home. “Come quickly”! I put the bowl back over the snake. This snake was called an Eckes and was very dangerous. I was lucky not to have been bitten. Saulo showed up and had to kill it because we couldn’t risk having it hang around my Villa. Animals are constantly bitten by these snakes in Colombia and lose their lives. Again, thinking of Cash, my Dogo Argentino.

This year we have had nothing but the sun. Now, I know that snakes are around living here in the jungle. The good ones and the bad ones. We have a product that my gardener sprays around the perimeter of my land to keep them away. It works, and when my customers ask me whether I have snakes, I have to tell the truth. They live in the forest, and I have seen them. They are rare, but this is their forest, and I am the intruder. I respect all nature, but I don’t like snakes! My nature retreat is filled with hummingbirds and beautiful tropical birds, but somewhere in the jungle. Snakes do live and sometimes interact with humans; it is scarce, like a lightning strike, but it can happen.

Posted in Colombia, country living, glamping, hummingbirds, typical day, Uncategorized

Typical for The Andes Mountains of Colombia

Posted on by hummingsfromparadise

Was today typical?

Today a Long-billed Hermit hummingbird entered my office. In Colombia, I live in an open household. My doors and windows open onto covered balconies where hummingbird feeders hang. Hummingbirds often enter my living areas, but just as quickly, they leave through an open window or door. Temperatures range from around 60F to 74F, I don’t need air conditioning living in the Andes Mountains. As my day progressed, I was doing typical activities, such as filling my many hummingbird feeders, and I glanced over at my feeding tables. A beautiful Blue-crowned Mot Mot was eating a banana. I went to set out more bananas and noticed all the flowers that were blooming nearby. I had to stop to cut a beautiful red rose to bring inside.

I finished my morning chores and went upstairs to do Yoga. Listening to the sounds of the birds singing is soothing, especially when practicing Yoga. I could hear the Venezuelan Turpial singing one of its songs. They have five distinct calls and are the only birds singing while it eats. They seem to be so happy all the time. After Yoga, it is time for me to catch up with my emails and bookings at my Ecolodge here in Colombia. I view my hummingbirds and the Valle del Cauca, Colombia from my office window.

I don’t write as often as I should, so I started this blog. That isn’t a typical day for me. I have so much beauty around me that I must write down what is ordinary for me on any given day. I started this blog and went to fill the feeders again. I fill them four to five times daily; around thirteen species visit my place. The cover photo is unique and wasn’t typical when I found two juvenile siblings on the ground. I was able to have them in my hand for around five minutes. I think they thought my palm was the nest they had left. Magical moments are a normal part of my day, and this certainly was one for me.

As the day ends, I am finishing my thoughts about my typical day here in Colombia. I have my two dogs who need to be fed, more hummingbird feeders to fill, and more bananas to set out for the tropical birds, and then I study Spanish for a while. On many days I do all of this and have guests who arrive from around three to five pm. But today was simple, no guests, just me and my lovely nature that I immerse myself in. I couldn’t be happier. The sun is setting, I am watching the sky turn from blue to a shade of orange, and then it is almost dark. The decorative solar fairy lights start to illuminate in the trees and in my gardens, and balconies. All is beautiful and where I want to be on any typical day here in Colombia.

Posted in Achievements, camping, Colombia, Colombian life, entrepeneur, expat life, glamping, Glampingcolombia, hotel, Live your best life, nature, Uncategorized, Villa Migelita Ecolodge

One Year Ago

Posted on by hummingsfromparadise

Last year in October, I was putting in place all the things needed to start my Glamping cabanas. I was in the beginning phase of a new thought process about my business. I could never have imagined the success of my creation. It would take off from day one of the openings of Cristal House Glamping. It would be successful with time, energy, advertisement, and word of mouth. Word of mouth was all I needed to bring me enough income to build my next glamping cabana, Aventura Treehouse Glamping. As I have said in my previous blogs, I wanted to share my beautiful place filled with nature. Many of us had businesses slowly recovering from the Covid debacle, and ideas were at the forefront of my mind to begin again. It is much too beautiful here in Colombia at Glamping at Villa Migelita Ecolodge to enjoy alone.

I appreciate everyone visiting my Hotel and Glamping cabanas. However, I must give a shout-out to my Colombian visitors. So many different walks of life: creative people, doctors, engineers, veterinarians, retirees, lovers, LGBTIQ+ entrepreneurs, life coaches, designers, musicians, and more have one thing in common: their love of nature, especially hummingbirds. I hear many personal tales that they share with me. I even ran into one of my past guests while shopping one day, and he told me he was asking his girlfriend to marry him soon. Here are some of my stories:
Recently I had a Colombian-American visiting from the USA, and we became great friends. He invited my son and me to a party at his family’s house the next day. Then there was the guy who visited with his girlfriend who helped me when another guest locked a bathroom door that didn’t have a key. He used a ladder, climbed through a little window, and dropped into the bathroom to unlock the door. I laugh and think it is all in a day’s work.
Or the flute-playing Colombian Yoga Instructor came with his girlfriend from the Netherland Antilles. They decided to take the little boat out at night and almost sank it! The woman was 6’3″ and fell into the lake when entering my tiny canoe. While filling hummingbird feeders the following day, I saw the boat immersed in water. When asked, they told me of their mishap. They fixed the dinghy, bailed the water out, and shared other experiences with me. It turns out the woman is quite an accident-prone person. They had me in stitches with stories. When anyone arrives, I tell them they can use the boat during the day only.
The family that came after their beloved daughter and sister had just passed is especially dear to me. As a mother of a deceased child, I knew their pain. We went on a two-hour hike along the nearby river the next day. They stood under the flow of the small waterfall that was nearby. This family took in every moment, including stopping in small natural pools to breathe the fresh air and live in the moment. I still think of them and hope they are healing from their loss.
The couple with the antique Volkswagon Beetle that I felt I knew my entire life upon greeting them. Their Beetle was the same color as my cousin’s one when I was a young girl. The memories it brought back were so wonderful.
The guy who visited with three of his best friends will always be in my heart. He took a picture of himself with the angel wings painted on my Villa in memory of my daughter Misha. He used that photo as a profile picture for many months on Instagram. I explained that everyone who shares a picture of themselves with the wings also shares her memory with others. I loved seeing that.
I know all young people love tattoos worldwide. The tattoo artist with thousands of followers on Instagram that visited was so much fun. He had a special bond with my dog Cash. He was my first social media influencer, he shared my place in his stories, and I got many followers.
The older couple celebrating a birthday hiked more than any of the young ones! They were up early, walking, and enjoying their time together. They were around my age, and sharing stories with them was excellent. Many Colombians live in the city, and the lack of noise here is nirvana to them. I often get repeat customers.

My most recent visitors are from Germany and came on bikes. They started cycling in Ecuador, crossed the border into Colombia three weeks ago, and have plans to cycle through my adopted country. They didn’t speak Spanish, only English, and German.
I had a couple visiting from Spain that got engaged while staying here. I can’t wait to see photos of their wedding!
I loved the couple who visited from Los Angeles during Superbowl weekend! One was a video editor who worked on the famous Suits with Meghan Markle; her partner was a structural engineer. We spent the Superbowl playing a card game and cheering on the halftime show. They were the same age as my daughter Misha and knew all the songs during the halftime show. Now they are engaged! I love following their Instagram! Congratulations to Rhoda and Sarah; I wish you a lifetime of happiness!
The mother and son guests who visited early at Cristal House Glamping were wonderful. He is a choreographer in Munich and a native Colombian who brought his mother to my nature retreat.
My guests who came from Aruba were so much fun! My son met his girlfriend while she was visiting Glamping at Villa Migelita Ecolodge. I met all of her family who lives here in Colombia near me in the Valle del Cauca.
My dear friends Carolyn and Cindy visited when we had strong Earthquake tremors. My other friend Iryna was also visiting and staying at Aventura Treehouse Glamping. We all ran outside, as were my instructions for an Earthquake, and met up with each other. My son checked out all of the property; fortunately, there was no damage. That is a memory for all of us to remember when we have a glass of wine!

All of my guests love my dogs. Cash and Kira are a common bond. Cash would be an excellent therapy dog. He loves to put his massive head in their laps for affection. I often look out in my social area and see guests sitting and chatting, Cash at their feet, attentive to their needs. Kira is the same; she loves the Treehouse because she can climb the bridge and sit as a guard at the top. She crosses the little bridge to the bottom area and sits with the guests who are relaxing in the hammocks. The dogs sound and look intimidating, but everyone is in love with them shortly after meeting them. They give all the love they can to every customer. I even had one couple who asked me what breed they were because he had an adopted dog precisely like Cash. He showed me a photo, and he has a Dogo Argentino also! He had no idea, but his Dogo was as sweet as Cash and had one black eye like a pirate. Some of you wonder if I have had any awful experiences with guests. I have had two times where I was uncomfortable. The first was an Airbnb guest who snuck in a child without permission. He was also a host, so that made it even worse. He never paid for her, and I had to report him to Airbnb. I got paid for the extra charge and a mark against his own business. Another booking through Airbnb was for a European couple that made a reservation two months in advance. They ignored the rules in my Airbnb profile and were rude. They have been my only lousy review, and I responded by stating, please read my rules and suggestions in the book I have on my site. When anyone reads this review, they will go to the little book I have on my site that gives everyone good information about my Glamping place. We are not a city hotel, and people who want more freedom and nearby restaurants should not book my place. In all, I have had wonderful experiences with everyone.

Now that I have established my business, many people write me on my social media sites for business reasons. I have a high ranking on Google, which keeps me too busy. When I worked as a flight attendant, I rarely worked more than three days a week. In the first months of this year, I was busy on the weekends but not during the week; I loved that. It was extra money, but I had my free time, also. Slowly that changed, and now I am lucky to have two nights without people here at my nature retreat. I have many requests for people who send their parents here as gifts or want a voucher to give to loved ones. I have a hotel group starting to help me organize my business with a calendar and bookings. I get offers for capital to improve and grow my Glamping place, but for now, I am happy to stay small and focused on what I have. It is not easy to find employees when you live so high in the mountains as I do. Expanding the business could happen in the future when my son wants to give more of his time.
I am focused on enjoying myself and nature with all the lovely visiting people.

Aventura Treeehouse Glamping
Cristal House Glamping
Posted in Achievements, Alternative Lifestyle, Colombia, Colombian life, coronavirus, Covid-19, Entreprenuer, exercise, expat life, freedom, friendship, Live your best life, Uncategorized

Reflections on Growing Older

Posted on by hummingsfromparadise

Reflecting on the years past happen a lot lately. The months spent in the Villa as Covid ravaged the world brought to the forefront a lot of thoughts about my age. I found myself remembering times in my life that shaped me and the future I made for myself. So much whirled around in my head as life seemed to be running like a freight train speeding towards some final destination of which I could only guess. Years pass by quickly as we get older, and not so much when we are young. When my dog Marley started declining this past year, I felt the pressure of time take root in my mind. He passed away in December and took many years with him. He had been a constant companion through a lot of upheavals.

I am the same age that I thought was old when my parents were alive. I could always call them for anything I needed; advice, money, babysitting, to hear them tell me they were proud of me and my independence. How is it that I now am the one giving advice? How is it that I see so many of my daughter’s friends with families, buying homes, advancing in their jobs, doing what I did at the same age? It became clear to me during the year 2020 that I was now accelerating in a different direction, towards old age. My granddaughter grew into a teenager; while my son was learning to speak Spanish and help me with my hotel. My years on Earth are no longer passing without hurry but like a parachute falling from the sky.

How is it possible I have lived in Colombia for ten years? I look at photos of when I first arrived in this lovely country, and I see glimpses of the changing years in my appearance. I am no longer a skinny redhead filled with the need to appear more youthful than I am. I am similar to a bird in flight, searching for what will be my next landing place. I have learned to navigate my business, my life, and my thoughts without so much emotion. I don’t hold grudges; I eliminate anyone less than worthy of my time. I have concluded it is nice to be independent and fully capable of a good life which I direct completely. I land like a bird in different spots depending on the day and my needs. It is part of living life with a degree of flexibility. We all need to be flexible during this unusual time of the Pandemic. We also need to be patient. I still try to accomplish being patient, which is a struggle I acknowledge about myself.

Yielding to life’s changes doesn’t make me weak. I can differentiate between what is necessary and what is not. I find my day is not complete without coffee and photography in the early morning while enjoying my birds at the feeders. If I have plans, I give myself enough time to enjoy this part of my day. I have found that a sudden thunderstorm here in the Andes Mountains of Colombia is exciting. I know I have to expect lightning striking nearby, and sometimes so much rain I have to use a squeegee to remove water off the balconies. Sometimes, I need to push my Dogo Argentino, Cash off of me too! He is a big baby when he hears lightning and thunder. I need to exercise almost every day. I am feeling the pains of my youth and the dancing and exercise I subjected my body to. Yoga helps me, especially for maintaining a calm demeanor throughout the day.

My mind thinks like my twenty-something self. I might have more years, but I am still youthful in my thinking. I have many younger friends, and I appreciate what they bring to my life. They have given me the ability to see what an extraordinary life I have designed for myself. They deliver laughs; while giving me a lot of great ideas! I improve my business as they offer me new suggestions, including event planning at my beautiful Villa. I have to continue to grow into this uncertain future during the time of the Covid-19. Life might have changed throughout the past year, but I have adapted.

Finally, I continue to improve my Spanish language skills. I am living in Colombia, my first language of English is not my first language here. I have read learning a new language can keep the mind fresh. I think in Spanish as much as I use my native English now. I continue to grow as a person as much as I continue to march onward in years. I don’t want to be that older woman who longs for the “old days.” What fun would that be? I want to be part of the future of this evolving world. I believe that means that I must adapt, grow, and enjoy life as it is now in 2021. I will continue to refuse a stereotypical role of what some deem correct for a woman my age. I will accept growing older as part of the elegance I have strived to achieve my entire adult life. As I have always said, “I want to look and be the best I can be, no matter my age.”

Posted in Achievements, chaos, Colombia, Entreprenuer, expat life, life lessons, Live your best life, Materialism, minimalism, Uncategorized

Materialism vs Achievments

Posted on by hummingsfromparadise

My guests at Villa Migelita Ecolodge of Colombia always ask me the same thing. “How did you do this?” By this, they mean my move to Colombia and opening a hotel in The Andes Mountains. Many of my customers come to see in person what I have achieved. Curiosity about living in another country along with the love of all things nature is a driving force for many of us living in what is a chaotic time in the world. As I said in my last blog: Living Your Best Life, we must stop trying to impress others, we must breathe, live, and be ourselves. We must give up what we think others expect of us and do what we enjoy. We must change, materialism and achievement are two different things. Materialism is a preoccupation with or emphasis on material objects, comforts, and considerations, with a disinterest in or rejection of spiritual, intellectual, or cultural values. Achievement is something accomplished, especially by superior ability, special effort, great courage, etc.; a great or heroic deed: both are definitions from the dictionary. I believe we all have it inside of us to achieve the goals that we set for ourselves. It might take 8 years as I have done, or you might be able to achieve your goal in a matter of weeks.

We should reflect on achievements in our lives and not materialism. I am a spiritual human being. The Universe is my religion. I am not a believer in organized religion. I am not saying it is unacceptable, it is just not for me. I believe in a God of all people who made the beauty of nature that surrounds me in Colombia and the rest of the world. I am worried about the upcoming generations and what is happening to our climate. Spiritualism is my way of life. I do not expect others to follow my beliefs. I do believe we should be civil to each other and respect the Earth. I have shown this is possible by my lifestyle change. I live what I write.

Achieving my goals took time and I have a beautiful hotel. I worked hard and went through difficulties to get to where I am. I didn’t do this when I was young. I did it in my 50’s and now I am a senior citizen according to the definition. I don’t live as a senior. I play volleyball, I hike, I include myself in many adventure travel activities offered at Villa Migelita Ecolodge. I am surrounded by many young people. I work with them, and I have them as guests. I laugh when I realize they don’t ever consider my age and expect me to keep up on all things adventure. I am thrilled they feel this way. I enjoy my life and all that I have accomplished. I am doing what I love, and you should aim for this too. Do what you love, do not look at other’s lives to decide what you need for your life. Do what makes your heart happy.

As for materialism, let it go. You don’t need a new outfit for every occasion, or the latest phone, car, jewelry, or whatever is the flavor of the moment. Living in Colombia has made me see how superficial we all can be. I was that way. In Colombia we wear the same clothes over and over, we don’t have new cars. I joke with my guests about the Toyota truck I drive. They actually say they love my truck. Then they see it is a good investment needed to do all the adventure travel options offered at Villa Migelita Ecolodge. I wish I could have given myself this advice years ago. Being older has a lot of advantages, especially when you have lived through a lot of changes: good and bad. Take my advice and let the good things that surround you bring you joy, not material objects. Fun with your family, the beauty of a perfect day, frolic on the beach, in the mountains, or just play games with your children. We play volleyball almost every single day at Villa Migelita Ecolodge, even with our guests sometimes. It is the little things that bring joy. Not material objects.

Posted in Colombia, Colombian healthcare, exercise, expat life, friendship, hip surgery, Journal of surgery for hips, life lessons, strength, Uncategorized

Fast Healing

Posted on by hummingsfromparadise

There is something resilient about me, and it is a quality that I like about myself. When I decide I’m going to do accomplish something, I do it. Sometimes it might take me awhile but I do what I say I’m going to do. I also don’t dwell on negativity, bad energy, or the mistakes I’ve made in my past. I just get on with my life. We should always put ourselves first before anyone, so that we can enjoy healthy relationships with others. To love oneself, to respect oneself, and to achieve respect from others are great gifts in life. I have suffered, but through my suffering I have become very wise.

I have realized since I started writing my book that I cared too much about what others thought, and not enough about  what I need. Now, when I encounter situations that are unexpected, I figure out ways to fix the problem if there is one, or to embrace good news wholeheartedly with joy in my heart. I also have found what real friendship is since moving to Colombia. My friends in my tiny little pueblo have been contacting me every single day to see how I am. Some of the people who have contacted me I didn’t even know they knew I was having surgery.  I love this quote “when someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time” Maya Angelou. I believe that I have people who truly care for me here in Colombia and I also believe I’ve earned the respect of many with what I have accomplished and continue to accomplish.

I don’t necessarily believe that the goal in life is to have unconditional happiness. I believe that life is about learning and growing. I don’t seek out anyone with persistence, in fact I like being alone with my contemplations. I allow myself to have space and time when I’ve made mistakes to ponder what I can do differently the next time. Oftentimes, it is listening to yourself and not letting others influence you in decisions that should be yours alone.

I wrote about being afraid before my hip surgery in my last blog. There is one thing I’ve counted on all of my life and that is exercise. I envisioned not being able to hike  nor do Yoga because of the rare hip condition I developed. Exercise is sanity to me. It is healing to me. Exercise is a habit I can’t imagine being without. As I write my book, l realize it is integral to everything that is part of my history, both good and bad. So I had a basis for my fear. Once again, I needlessly worried and my results have been spectacular. I have steadfastly done what the doctors have asked, including taking a lot of medication that makes me sleepy, and exercises that physical therapists showed me while I was in the hospital. I’m free of the pain in my hips and I have not even started my 20 days of special therapy ordered by my surgeon.

Yesterday l walked two blocks down the road to the hairdresser with my crutches, and of course Jazmine was with me. I was slow, it was a bit nerve wracking because I thought maybe I’m doing too much, then I walked back up the hilly road. Today, I could walk without crutches if I wanted to, but I’m not going to. I’m following instructions. I’m certainly surprised by my progress. I am hoping that perhaps I won’t have to stay as long in Cali, Colombia when my surgeon sees me next week. That perhaps he will release me after a short time of therapy here to finish physical therapy in Palmira and I can be back to my Paradise and my animals. If he won’t I am ok with that too. Oh, and this morning a hummingbird came to the feeder I put outside on the patio. If that isn’t a good sign I don’t know what is.

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My quiet little neighborhood 

Posted in Devastating sadness, Disappointment, Entreprenuer, expat life, Grief, life lessons, parents of deceased children, sadness, Uncategorized

Jail Time

Posted on by hummingsfromparadise

That time I went to jail I have never written about. People who are close to me know. I am writing a chapter for my book now about my 36 hours in Broward County jail.  It is still so fresh in my memory. It was horrible, I was shown a side of society I didn’t know existed. Jail was something I read about in books, or watched in movies. The reality is very different. No matter your place in society, the treatment is disturbing from the moment you are arrested to the time inside the jail, the lack of compassion, the complete cruelty I experienced by the police and the people who worked in the prison. However, the other inmates were pretty darn cool with me. It was obvious to them I didn’t belong there. They comforted me, they gave me a lot of reasons to write it down, but I never did. I have never written about it before because it shows my daughter in a way that is not flattering, something that I have not wanted to do. I need to heal myself, recent events have made me realize I have not done that. Even with therapy, my move to Colombia, these moments in time exist and they bring me to places I only think about when I awake at night and cannot sleep.

I was arrested on false charges. I was an innocent to what the rules are when the police show up at your door. I had no clue about anything about police visits to your home. If I had known, this experience would never have happened. It was a nightmare that you dream and then wake up with your heart beating fast inside your chest. Surreal, incomprehensible, I am sure my mug shot exists somewhere even though all charges were expunged. I didn’t even understand that they were taking my mug shot. I was sobbing uncontrollably. I didn’t understand all that was happening and it was very harsh, with a lot of merciless treatment by all involved who work in the system of Broward County, Florida.

Now I am writing it down in a chapter for my book. I am leaving nothing out. The dreadful side of my daughter, the crappy friends she had, one who has my sweet grandchild in her care right now without any legal papers of custody. I am telling the story. All of it, the lessons I learned from experiences I had no control over. Including my daughter meeting the father of my beloved grandchild. I am going to tell you the entire experience from the time of my arrest until I was let out to the street outside the jail of Broward County without a charged cell phone, no shoes, and no money.

A wonderful cab driver gave me a ride with my promise of payment if he could just take me to my house. I didn’t even have a key to get inside my own home! I will always remember the kind treatment I received from the other inmates, from that cab driver, the father of my grandchild: who when he heard what Misha had done made her immediately go to drop the charges. This is hard just to say in a blog. I went to jail. I was 50 years old, I could have lost my job, that is what Misha did. Wait for it. Coming soon to all who want to buy my book. I am writing the chapter now. It is funny at times, but it is also very terrifying to anyone who might think it could never happen to you. It can and I experienced it.