I was. I am. It’s just that Sandy scrambled the schedule. She ripped the island a new one less than a week before our departure, so we had to postpone. Our training trip is now Jan 10-22. May as well go ahead and get the rest of the schedule communicated, because that's what I'm most often asked about:
Jan 23-Feb 12—Chile (nonwork)
Feb 13-26 Cuba
Feb 26-Mar 5 --- Uruguay? (if the opportunity to go somewhere really exciting arises, Uruguay can wait)
Mar 6- 19 Cuba
That’s as far out as they have scheduled me.
The deal is, the company I work for will fly me anywhere I want for my two week layover between trips as long as it costs less than a ticket to my home airport, which is Montevideo. I’d be a fool not to take advantage of this given that I have nothing tying me down to any one place.
That's how I ended up in Brazil….it’s like this: My beloved cabaña was to be rented out for the tourist season starting Dec. 20th, which meant I had to find new living arrangements. Option one: go back to the tent from whence I came. The owner of the bush I was staying in last year said I was welcome to camp there again, but I think I’m through the tent stage of this journey. It served its purpose. I confronted my fear of being without all the securities we are taught to put before living with passion (a steady job, health insurance, a house, a 401K, a vehicle, etc). I have proven to myself that I can detach from the safety of the material and be just fine. So, I’m graduating myself from tent school and moving on to higher education, which is option two: life on the road.
Via the miracle of Face Book, a former kayak student of mine has kept in touch for several years. She moved to Brazil about the time I came to Uruguay and has been inviting me to visit since she settled in. Given the circumstances, it seemed like a fine time to take her up on it, so I packed all I need to be on the road for the next three months.
As for Chile, I’m not sure why I chose it for my layover other than a very strong, intuitive voice came out of nowhere and said, "Go to Chile!" Some grand experience or maybe even the love of my life (wouldn't that be something!) is waiting for me there. I'm certain my time in Chile will be something more than dressing for a naked hotdog.
It's been months since I sent out an update, so I'm not even sure where to begin. I started a travelogue after Thanksgiving entitled, “I Will Give Thanks Again, I Swear” that narrated a long drawn out story about my first trip to a Uruguay hospital. About thirty minutes into it I thought, "Whaa, whaa, whaa....who cares.? I ain't dead." Truth is, I tire easily of hearing others ramble on about their ailments. It's a downer. I have friends I dread calling because I know the conversation will turn to a ten minute recap of the last medical report I got followed by a thirty minute pain by pain replay of how shitty they have felt since last time we talked. So, I erased that travelogue.
The four days of feeling poopy were fated though, I think. They were a prelude to appreciation for feeling fabulous. Shortly after the yucks, I attended a weeklong retreat at a spirituality center in Costa Azul (three hours from my town). Seven days of vegetarian food, no alcohol, only a tad of caffeine, frisbee on the beach and lots of interaction with cool people of the same mindset balanced me in a way I've never felt before. The program covered it all: the physical, the emotional, the mental and the spiritual. I really have noticed a shift in my perception of life and spend most of my time conscious of the present moment from a grateful and joyful place in my heart.
So that I can get this thing sent out and head off any more of the "Brazil??What are you doing in Brazil" bafflement, I'll end by reporting that at present I am having my first couchsurfing experience in Foz de Iguacu. Supercool! I am staying with two Brazilian guys in a very poor neighborhood rich with simple living. They live in a rented house in front of an evangelical church. As I write, the preacher is squalling out a message of salvation at the top of his lungs. This will be followed by a very off key gospel rock song and then more preaching. This blessing takes place every night 8-10pm.
I came to Foz de Iguacu to see one of the seven wonders of the world and it is amazing:
I plan to stay with these guys two more nights and then cross the border into Argentina to see the Falls from the other side. I'll depart from that airport to start my new Cuba job. Sooooo psyched!
While I was at a bird park, I thought I would take a stab at getting over my fear of snakes.
As you can see the boa was as afraid of me as I was of it. The ranger guy had to remove it from me the first time, tell me to relax and then try again. Can't say as I enjoyed it, but I feel good about facing a fear that keeps me from exploring beautiful places sometimes.
That's it--church service is over, so I can get some sleep. Happy New Year to all!
Much love, G
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