Journal #9 - Turks and Caicos

As you can probably already tell, I like to question the idea of nature. What actually constitutes this idea of nature? It seems so simple, but when we think about it in more detail, what actually is nature? It is difficult to put a finger on, and it is subjective. The perception of nature varies from person to person. Something that I might view as nature may not be thought of as nature by the next person. The concept of this is extremely interesting to me.

Beginning this class, the first things that popped into my mind when I thought of nature were a lush green landscape. Somewhere that is not surrounded by the city but instead is completely on its own. Since the beginning of this semester, my ideas of nature have expanded, but also narrowed at the same time. I do not believe anything manmade is nature. I believe that nature has to have certain benefits that one receives from it—a sense of peace and perspective. This was something I had never thought of before. Additionally, there’s certain types of nature that I never would have considered nature before, but I do now. My desert landscape from back home, for instance. It is something that I had gotten so used to growing up in that I never considered it nature.

Another place that I wanted to expand upon more is somewhere I visited this summer. I never would have considered it nature, but the feelings I had while I was there, and the characteristics of it all add up to it being nature.

This summer, I visited the Turks and Caicos Islands for a weekend. It was beautiful. The water was pristine and blue; the sand soft and white. I had never seen such a stunning place before.

There was something about the lifestyle at Turks and Caicos that just moved slower. This island moved no where near the pace of the hustle and bustle of London that I lived in for a summer. People lived their lives relaxed and unstressed. There were no pressing deadlines—just a beautiful island to enjoy life on.

But beyond this, the beach I went to was completely deserted. It was not one of those resort-y type beaches that was crowded with tourists. It had barely any people. All I could hear were the gentle waves lapping against the ocean. All I could feel was the warm sun beating down on my skin. All I could taste the salty air. Everything was so simple and I loved it.

Immediately stepping on this beach, I felt at peace. Serenity washed over me. I forgot about all the stresses of my life and just took in the beauty around me. I was in absolute awe of how beautiful and diverse the world could be. From the desert of my home in Arizona, to the lush green forests of Switzerland, to this. The world is truly amazing.

I sat on this beach for a long time. My first day here, I watched the sun set on the ocean. As I sat there, I was not thinking about much. I was just happy. Happy to be in Turks in Caicos. Happy to be surrounded by such great friends who I travelled with. But most of all, I was and am grateful to be alive. Our world is beautifully diverse!

Look at this view!!