Seeking a simple and natural way of life, a family of six from Utah, USA, sold their belongings and moved to a secluded 300-acre jungle resort in Belize. Business strategist Lance Walker and his wife, designer and licensed general contractor Chrissy Walker, decided to make a major change in their lives after experiencing health issues, a devastating fire, and the impact of COVID-19 on their business.
“We were drained emotionally, no longer enjoying our work,” said 37-year-old Mrs. Walker in an interview with The Epoch Times. “We needed a big shift to do what we truly love.”
The couple didn’t want to wait until retirement to pursue their dreams, so they took the leap and began creating a resort beneficial for health and well-being in the local area. They met their future business partners, Derrin and Nicole Hill, in Belize, who shared a common business vision with the Walkers. After conducting on-site visits, the Walkers decided to sell their properties in Holladay, Utah, and move with their four children – Crew (14), Cambridge (11), Eleanor (10), and Willow (4) to Teakettle Village, a 500-year-old Maya jungle located 3,000 miles away.
Their journey to start a new life wasn’t smooth initially as they faced unexpected delays in purchasing real estate in Belize, leaving them homeless for the first three months. With 18 suitcases in tow, the family moved from one rental to another before finally acquiring their current residence, the Jade Jungle Resort.
For Mr. Walker, the “period of uncertainty and unease” during those three months was stressful. However, both he and his wife remained steadfast in their decision to start a new life in Belize.
“When you make such a significant life change, it’s like that,” Mrs. Walker said. “Things rarely go as smoothly as you expect. Unexpected setbacks and challenges always present themselves, and you have to face them because it’s part of the whole process.”
The past year in Belize has been a stark contrast to their fast-paced, convenient life in Utah. In Belize, the Walkers’ living space is only 700 square feet with one bedroom and one bathroom, much smaller compared to their previous lifestyle.
“This is really small compared to the space we used to have, but it has brought our family closer together,” Mrs. Walker mentioned.
Additionally, they have to plan ahead for purchasing daily necessities as all items take about a month to be delivered after ordering.
“Belize doesn’t have Amazon’s two-day delivery service,” Mr. Walker said. “It’s more like the items are shipped to a warehouse in Texas first, then consolidated, and finally shipped here.”
Although they miss the controlled environment and their big house in the U.S., the Walkers have begun to appreciate everything the jungle life has to offer.
“You feel different here,” Mrs. Walker said. “You really sense the difference in air quality and physical well-being.”
Mrs. Walker starts her day at 5:30 a.m., practicing yoga on the rooftop, enjoying the expansive jungle views, while Mr. Walker enjoys running or engaging in physical training in the jungle.
Following this, the family of six performs inversions together before heading to the resort for breakfast.
“We don’t have our own kitchen, so every meal is taken care of at the resort’s restaurant,” Mrs. Walker said.
Work starts at 8 a.m., with Mrs. Walker overseeing construction, housekeeping, and social media accounts, and Mr. Walker managing the business operations, including customer service, marketing, finance, legal affairs, and sales.
While their children are homeschooled by a full-time nanny until noon, learning subjects including art, math, English, science, Spanish, and geography.
After a one-hour break for lunch, the Walkers dine with their children and then engage in games together.
In the afternoon, the kids indulge in their respective interests. Crew enjoys building fortresses in the jungle while also embracing farming and writing novels. Cambridge is a singer and songwriter, Eleanor dreams of becoming a fashion designer, and Willow is an energetic little one who loves climbing and tending to her garden.
“It feels like summer year-round here,” Mrs. Walker said.
By 5 p.m., the Walkers conclude their workday, have dinner together, and put the children to bed at 8 p.m., followed by an hour of rest for the parents.
During their leisure time, the family enjoys all the amenities offered by the Jade Jungle Resort, including swimming and hiking on jungle trails.
“I love our jungle paths. Walking through them is like stepping into ‘Jurassic Park’,” Mrs. Walker said, having already spotted a black panther twice.
For the Walkers, the past year has been filled with wonder. The move deepened Mr. Walker’s view on pursuing happiness over materialism.
Through shared experiences of international relocation and resort development challenges, their marriage has grown stronger, with deeper mutual understanding.
“Overcoming challenges has made me more humble,” Mrs. Walker said, pointing out that their Christian faith has provided them strength when facing difficulties.
“We are trying to embrace the belief that everything happens for a reason,” Mr. Walker added.
The move has positively impacted the Walker children, who initially felt anxious and hesitant about jungle life. However, slowing down their pace of life has given them more time to be close to nature and engage in activities they truly enjoy.
“Having this freedom and more family time is amazing,” Mr. Walker said.
While they lack peers their age nearby, the children have grown socially by interacting with resort guests and staff.
“They continually meet people from around the world with different cultural backgrounds, languages, and perspectives, engaging in sincere and meaningful conversations,” Mr. Walker shared. “This kind of interaction is far more beneficial than being absorbed in Instagram during their formative years and feeling jealous or unhappy due to likes.”
The Walkers document their daily life on their social media channel “Chasing Wild,” acknowledging their lifestyle in Belize.
“We encourage everyone – no matter how outlandish that idea in your mind, or how grand that dream that scares you is – to take a small step towards it and see if success could be waiting for you,” Mr. Walker remarked.
Their life vignette video:
(Courtesy of Chrissy Walker)