What a year this has been and now at the end of December is my 4th anniversay with Coastal Vacations. It was in December of 2006 that I made the decision to get started in Coastal Vacations. Back then life was very different than it is now. Back them I was $50,000 in debt, I had been downsized on around the time of my birthday ( I thought they called me in for a promotion!) I was in the midst of a horrible divorce, my room mate had moved out suddenly, my unemployment had run out, and of course the land lord was trying to get me evicted.
To top it all off, my step dad, who had at one point been a NY cabbie among other things, didnt know where he was when we were standing in front of Lord and Taylors on Fifth Ave! After many test his doctor diagnosed him as having Alzheimer’s and put him on Aricept.
I needed a new life, I needed a source of income, and I needed a lot of flexability. After spending my time researching Coastal Vacations, I took the plung and started at the highest level, Platinum. Like many others starting a business, I borrowed the money. I got it from my 401K which had been doing a nose dive with the market and had exactly enough left to get me started.
Now? well the divorce is a done deal, the debt is all paid of, wow so great to know when the phone rings its someone I want to talk to! Becuase of Coastal Vacations I truly have the flexibility to be there to support my parents and well, I’m in the travel industry! I teach people to travel for wholesale prices, what better way to learn than to go on vacations! 4-8 vacations per year is getting to be the norm. when there are less its because they are 3 weeks or more each.
and Ray? my step dad? he is waking up, his docter this year took him off Aricept. I look at him in the eyes and he is there! such joy I have really missed him. We had a blast in Puerto Rico in November. Went to visit the town he grew up in and he got to talk to the son of his long time friend. Thas was quite a trip. Get in the car with and person with Alzheimer’s for a 2 hour drive to another town on the other side of the island to find a house he has not been to in over 15 years! Yep we got to the town, he remembered what should be where and the locals let us know what changed and where folks had moved to.
Hoping 2011 is as magical and wonderful as 2010 has been!
Happy New Year!
Evelyn Rosa