Curaçao: Home is where vacation lies

 

I often think about the places where I’ve been in the past few years and believe that I’m quite blessed to have visited so many different countries. From zip lining in San Juan, to riding on elephants in Bangkok, and featuring in a short film in Mumbai, I believe that I’ve experienced an incredible travelling journey that is yet to unfold. However, I am deeply grateful to be living on Curaçao, the island that has been my home for the past 15 years. I left Toronto at the age of 2 and moved to Curaçao, an island with an average temperature of 27 degrees Celsius just off the coast of Venezuela. From crystal clear beaches to stunning architecture, Curaçao is a gem of a country with a unique history and culture.

In my 15 years of living here, Curaçao has always seemed to me as an amalgamation of various countries due to its diverse communities and cultural events that happen on a day-to-day basis. Curaçao respects the various ethnic groups and religions, while forming a global society with a population of approximately 150,000 people. Despite such a small community, the island is filled with talented individuals that inspire the country to excel in their fields of study, such as Curaçao’s prominent baseball team(s) who continue to make us proud today. Due to such a diverse and welcoming community, I can proudly say that I have friends and acquaintances from such disparate backgrounds, which gives me a wider perspective on their customs and traditions. These are often quite interesting, which evolve into learning traditional dances and devouring the unique food.

Going to the international school on Curaçao has allowed me to become familiar with languages that I probably wouldn’t have learned had I lived in another country. Learning Spanish, Dutch, and Papiamento (the local language of the island) has given me the ability to appreciate the cultures associated with these languages, to the point where I celebrate the birthday of the King of the Netherlands and attend the local Carnival, which is the representation of the premier cultural and party festival on Curaçao. Being of Indian origin, these events often seem quite intriguing to me and it’s fascinating to see how different backgrounds are united and integrated through these events.

These celebrations in Curaçao are symbolic of the population’s respect to different cultures and how well they embrace this culture to adopt it as their own. Remarkable, isn’t it? Despite living here for the majority of my life, I like to believe that I’ve always lived like a tourist in Curaçao, discovering something new about it as the years pass, as well as learning more about its culture by connecting with the locals. It’s safe to say that Curaçao is like a treasure chest; the deeper you dig, the more things you discover about it. From hiking up on Christoffel Mountain and viewing the highest point on Curaçao to scuba diving by the reefs, the island has always offered me a new and adventurous experience, one that I will always cherish and value. I am forever grateful for having the opportunity of calling Curaçao my home, and as I travel to other countries over the next few years, I will get to experience new cultures and communities, which will hopefully fulfill the items on the bucket list!

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