Yesterday I was trying to take the train to Faro to meet a jewelry designer, Filmeno. It was my first time taking the train here so I decided to trust google maps to find the station. I've been in town a week and have figured out daily life things pretty well despite my lack of Portuguese, until yesterday. I followed all the google directions and ended up on a dead end street in the middle of nowhere and in order to take a right, as google suggested I would've had to climb over a 6 foot stone wall into someone's front yard and climb down a hillside. Whoops! The train station was actually on the other side of town and there was so way to make the train time. I decided to be flexible and enjoy the chance to walk around a different part of town. I started taking any random street and happened upon an older woman surrounded by grocery bags yelling at a front door. As I got closer she started yelling at me in Portuguese, all I understood was something about not being able to get into her house. I didn't know what to do (or how to get away) so I just started speaking to her in Spanish. I was asking her if anyone was home, anyone to call...all the questions just led to more distress so I took her key out of her hand to try the door. The door opened on the first try. She stopped talking immediately, grabbed my face with two hands and gave me a passionate kiss on each cheek. I said "de nada" and turned to walk away (glad to have escaped relatively unharmed. ha ha!) just as her son was coming to help. She told him "oh never mind!! the little spanish girl helped her."
You can't worry about plans when you travel, things will either happen or they won't. When things don't work out there's always some sweetness or a moment of connect that help you let go of expectations and just be present.
Do LESS with MORE intention.
This is my lesson of the week! The signs (reminders) of this are everywhere in my new town. This has been a challenging transition, s l o w i n g down from Boston to this quiet/calm/chilled o u t little town. It's so beautiful and inspiring here I just feel ready to GO - DO - MAKE but that's not the pace of things here. I've been wondering what to do with my time - wondering what I should be doing - how much should I be doing because I really haven't done much in these first few days but u n w i n d - rest - sink into myself. I was sick for a few days and found myself forced to be alone in my house - feeling guilty at first that I wasn't out and about and then s l o w l y I started unwinding into the joy of being by myself. To be stuck in my head and to let go of time and expectations - it is liberating! I don't know the last time I was allowed that and whenever it was I was not in a place to appreciate the richness of it.
I don't really get it here yet and I'm not even sure what I'm doing or what will come of this but I am finding so much beauty in all the little details, my daily exploratory walks always lead me to some magical discovery and I'm amazing by all the ways that this little mysterious place is meeting me just where I need, even in ways I didn't know I needed. This is where I am suppose to be right now and I'm grateful.
Thanks for following along with me.
I arrived in Tavira yesterday afternoon and felt like I woke up in my teenage european fantasy! I have wanted to come to Europe forever - here I am, 31 and finally here! This trip just seemed to fall into place for me and to be honest I really don't know what will come of it. I have some hopes and intentions for this time but who knows - I think this trip will be as mysterious and magical as it's arrival. No matter what evolves/appears/reveals from the next 8 weeks I am already grateful for it.
For the chance to S L O W down -
to realign my energies -
to refocus my path/direction -
to practice M O R E gratitude -
to be more O P E N -
to G I V E time to discovering the story of my art
to E M B R A C E impermanence
to R O O T deeper into myself
I'm excited to share this time/experience with you all. Thank you for all the love and support.
