Hello,
I have researched how to connect to a machine behind a router and have arrived at this conclusion. In order to connect to my home machine from a machine at another location through ssh, I would have to set my router to forward the appropriate port to the machine in my house.

OK, but now here is the twist.

I live in a small, somewhat technically savvy, town of about 100 people. Our town/homeowners association, provides wireless satellite internet to each home.

My IP , as provided by the person running our internet service, is a 192.168.x.y number. So, my router is set to receive 192.168.x.y. From what I understand 192.168 numbers are local IP's used on local networks. Subsequently, that should mean that the internet arrives in our town and is then split up to local (192.168..) numbers via a main town router to each home....right??

OK, now the real question.

Since I appear to have a machine at home under my personal router, that is then under the main router of the town, which should be the gateway to the internet.... How do I connect to a particular machine in my house. If I sent an ssh connection, it would hit the "main town router" first, then what? I cannot forward that router, as I have no access to it.

Thanks

Correct.
If you do not have access to the router, I don't think you can do this.
You could try going to whatismyip.com to find the internet address of your community's modem/router and then see what happens when you try to ssh to that IP. You'll probable be refused, or dropped, in which case you acn try being nice to the person who can set up the router.