IPFW Alumni Trip
Trip & Scenery
Nature Cruise
Alumni Party
Seashell Class
Getting To Know Island Time
By: Andrew Welch
For those of us who like to enjoy a vacation here or there (e.g., away from work, out of town, somewhere warm—you know the drill), I would define us as the normal people in life.
It’s only natural to always want to be on vacation, right?
With that, I must be honest and tell you I don’t think I knew what a true vacation was until my most recent trip.
Until that point, I was the guy who was searching for the nearest wireless network or Internet connection, checking in with work to help out with anything I could, and making sure projects were on track to meet their deadlines.
Until that point, I was the guy who had to have a plan going into a vacation—being sure that I was taking advantage of the time I had wherever I happened to be.
Hello, my name is Andrew Welch, and I am a survivor of “workaholism.”
I am here to shed light on what finally opened my eyes to what it truly feels like to relax, be away from work, be out of town, and be somewhere warm—all at the same time!
The answer. Two words: PALM ISLAND.
I had the great opportunity to take the annual IPFW Alumni Trip to Palm Island this February, and I have Alumni Relations Director Jennifer Bosk to thank for bringing the trip to my attention beyond the ads, postcards, or mailers we get as alumni.
I don’t want to give her too much credit, though, because it’s not like she had to twist my arm to go to Florida. I just had to be sure that I could fit it in the budget for the year.
It’s so simple when you just let it happen.
Do it for yourself, if anything. I plead to you, for your own personal health.
Imagine this… leaving the Fort Wayne area (with a -18 degree wind chill) and two hours later, stepping into a paradise of sunny skies, palm trees, and a comfortable 80 degrees.
Maybe you’ve experienced something like this before? Try this… being on what seems to be the deluxe, rich-and-famous version of Survivor. Shall we call it Peace-n-Leisure? The resort spans two miles of private beach on the Intercoastal Waterway on Florida’s southwest Gulf Coast, and the only sounds you hear are waves crashing onto the shore, crickets (or other random nature sound effects—insert your favorite one), and the breeze as it ruffles the palm leaves.
That’s right. No traffic. Once you get to the entrance of the resort after being transported to the island via water taxi, you are whisked away on a golf cart with your luggage to a privately owned villa. The only traffic that exists is people walking and the occasional golf cart humming by.
This is the deserted island of your dreams, although it’s just deserted of the things that you really need to get away from—the stress and the cold.
Together, on this fourth annual trip—in a nutshell—we were able to:
- Take a nature cruise with dolphins jumping alongside our cruise boat. I would share the most unbelievable photo of two dolphins jumping right next to our boat with you, but believe it or not, I accidentally deleted it from my digital camera. And Jennifer loves to remind me of this, countless times over, with good humor of course. Also on this cruise, we witnessed an unusual DUI arrest at a dock where we had planned to stop and feed the fish. So, no pictures of fish or dolphins. But I do have a picture of the man in handcuffs. Hey, don’t expect utopia here.
- Walk along the beach with Professor Emeritus Tom Granata (Manatee Community College) for a seashell class on the beach. I didn’t have high expectations for this, but let me tell you, I was thoroughly impressed—mostly with his energy and enthusiasm about everything he had to share with us in such a short time.
- Enjoy a delicious meal and drinks at the Luau Party on Sunday afternoon, where dozens of IPFW Alumni living in Florida travel in from the mainland to join those of us who are spending a few days in the sun. IPFW’s Chancellor was in attendance to give us an Oscar-worthy, interactive update on the state of IPFW (who our students are, who our faculty are, and where our campus is heading in the future).
But what I miss the most from the island already, just a few days extracted are:
- Countless hours at the pool, hot tub, and/or beach in peaceful quiet, warmth, and sunshine. I would sit for hours at the pool in the morning before anyone else stepped foot into the pool area.
- The drinks. The Rum Bay Smash and Hurricane were my two favorites, although there is a laundry list to choose from to put you in the tropical frame of mind.
- The lunches and dinners at Rum Bay Restaurant. The Swamp Sauce (their own take on barbecue sauce) was out of this world. Jennifer announced in advance that she would be having their ribs at almost every meal. I wasn’t a believer until I witnessed it. She may still have some Swamp Sauce-stained apparel to show for it, unless she has put her Clorox Bleach Pen into action.
Have you ever wondered if a so-called paradise exists? I don’t have the answer to that, but today I declare Palm Island my paradise, and I am already making plans to attend next year’s fifth annual Alumni trip to the island. Join me.
I was able to finally redefine what vacation means for me, and one literally loses track of time.
Wouldn’t you enjoy some Island Time?
Andrew Welch, B.A. ’00, communication, B.S., ’03 business, is operations supervisor/graphic designer for IPFW’s University Relations and Communications. Have you traveled somewhere interesting recently? We want to hear about it. Send your Mastodon Tracks information and a photo to alumni@ipfw.edu.
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