Bucharest, Romania - The Podstel Experience

There comes a time when you meet your tribe.
The travellers.
People who are not scared to step out of their comfort zone.
People who go to places where others say it's dangerous, creepy, unfriendly, stereotyped...

The Podstel experience was a tribe gathering. A man and his peers who dared to travel around the world and then invited all the people he met where he was at a time: Bucharest, Romania.

I'll start by telling you my story involving these guys.
When I was living in Greece, I used Couchsurfing to meet travellers. I offered them a bed, a shower and a day trip to the hot srings of Thermopylae. They offered me their amazing stories, they made me dream and they cooked for me.
Dan, Sam Angela and another guy, stayed with me for a couple of nights. They were a bit too many for my tiny appartment but we made it.

Dan had a vision. He wanted to create Podstel. I sensed he was not exactly sure what Podstel would look like. Would it be a Hostel? Would it be a website? What would be it's form? Would it really exist? Would it make sense?

My newly made crazy British friends left. They continued their journey on foot, hitchhiking or cycling through Europe. To find the perfect spot to create Podstel.
One year ago they landed in Bucharest Romania.
A wonderful 1910's building, with an Austrian chandelier in the entrance and a big garden.
A hostel.
To make an idea work you have to start somewhere. This is the start. Grounding a bigger idea.
They touched it up, painted walls, got through the Balkan bureaucracy and created a cosy space for travellers.
Facebook works miracles (when it does not eat you up)
Daniel invited us - people he met on the way - in Bucharest Romania for the 1st Podstel Annual Gathering.

Exhited me, looked for tickets - found tickets - booked tickets - talked to friends about it - got a French friend on board - and counted the days to leave for this scary and heavily stereotyped city called Bucharest.

To get there, we had directions so perfect that could make any travel guide blush. Going through the city on a bus to get from the airport to Podstel gave us the first smells and images of the city. A typical Balkan city which was rich and then became poor, with warm people ready to help you if you need something.

When we arrived, we entered the gadren and there it was. Podstel. Greeted by Jason - the polyglot, multitalented young man. He gave us a warm welcome hug and and asked me an unexpected question:
"Give me the title of your favorite song"
Laughing inside as well as outside I said:
""Respect" by Aretha Franklin"
He put the song on while we gave him our papers and we were officially ready to meet our tribe.
The Travelling Tribe.

We spent three days walking around, eating what the locals ate, visiting churches and sites and choosing our gifts for back home. Bucharest became familiar. Wonderful buildings abandoned and falling apart, waiting for progress to transform them into shiny malls. Electric cables everywhere. Chaotic driving. Endless orthodox churches full of locals. No gypsies, no beggars (well just a few of them), no packs of stray dogs. All of our stereotypes crashed and fell into oblivion.

A loud, colourful city market, a huge Solomonian spa on the other side of the city, the old town with the tourist restaurants and kitch souvenir shops, the enormous megalomaniac Ceaousescu parliament building... It reminded me of Athens and its chaos. A typical Balkan city with many many contrasts.


Last but not least was the Podstel experience. 60 people from 20 countries. All smiling, all ready to speak and to listen, to share their experience of meeting Dan, Sam and Jason somewhere in the world. Such warm hearts, so much love, so many hugs and trusting gestures... Eating together, drinking together, dancing, singing, enjoying the moments.

Podstel is evolving. It is not just a hostel. In Dan's words it is a learning and sharing experience for locals and for travellers. It is a platform of ideas where everyone is welcome and accepted. It was so beautiful to see a boy become a girl the next day. It was so wonderful to see young people speak two, three, four different languages. So much talent and so much love...

Thank you guys for sharing your vision.
See you next year somewhere in the world.
In this big small world we all share.

info: Podstel, Bucharest Romania

About my fellow traveller

I've been writing for four years. 

Today I'm especially proud. 

Today I found out I was an inspiration to one of my readers. She is somewhere in Italy and she said I have kept her flame burning. I have never seen her. But she is also a blogger. And she has been there for me with her comments for the past 3 years. Through my light and through my darkness she was always there. A person in the blogosphere. A supporting energy. An angel. She never judged me. She was just there. Now it's her time to open her wings and fly. I feel so grateful she is my friend. 

Emotional, Inspired, Proud, Greateful, Smiling... I do feel like crying with joy. 

This is what the human reace is supposed to be. We are supposed to keep each other burning, We are supposed to remind people who they are. Not with words. With actions. 

Today is a special day. Be well my friend. Follow your passion!

curiosity did not kill the cat

Curiosity killed the cat.
That's what I thought when I saw a cat climbing on a balcony.

Watching my thought. Analysing it. No, cusriosity did NOT kill the cat.

Curiosity actually led the cat to explore further. Curiosity actually helped the cat jump higher, smell lovely smells, meet other cats, watch the view from the roof top, find food, be alive.

There are some expressions that intergrate in our brains. They seem innocent but they give us unconscious messages. Do not be curious. Do not dare. Do not go further. You will get killed just like the cat.

I'd rather be curious than dead. I'd rather face my fears, go out, explore, talk about what makes me feel uncomfortable, climb the roof, watch the view.

I know I'll fall, I'll make mistakes, I'll do the wrong thing, I'll be embarassed. I'll be hurt.

But I'll get up again and be even more curious than before. I'll ask why did I fall, make mistakes? I'll be gentle with myself when I ask the questions. And then I'll get up for the new adventure. I'll prepare better. I will have the knowledge not to do what I do not need.

Curiosity will not kill me.
It will take me places.

Thinking of Skyros

I did not want to leave Skyros.
Three weeks were not enough.

On my last night, I went to Korfari, the little bar by the sea, run by Dimitris, an interesting guy to say the least. 5-6 locals and me. This is what they do when the tourists have gone and winter is coming. We spent the night youtubing and drinking wine. Everyone contributed a song. We DJed altogether. I sung for them. I was always amazed by the Skyrians' good taste for music. Blues, rock, soul, they all know very much about music and they are passionate about it. The Skyrians are generous, talkative people and they know how to have a good time.

Dizzy as I was from the wine, before I went to bed, I decided to walk on the beach one last time. The sea was calm and the stars were shining bright. As Clio put it, a romantic night with myself. I contemplated all these fine moments on the island. New friends. New experiences. Beautiful images. I also said goodbye to Adonis. All the things we did
together on this island three years ago. Life goes on. I was emotional, but with a sweet feeling that will always come to me when I think of Skyros.

Six o clock in the morning I was up again. I had a long way ihead of me. Four hours of sleep and I still managed to come home safely. I guess I' not so old yet, I can handle it, he he!

I want to say a special thank you to Clio, my new French best friend. She gave me two riding lessons, but I learned even more, spending time with her everyday. She is only 24 but she is a great teacher. She builds confidence in you and the horse. She is very intuitive with horses. But intuition is useless without knowledge. She has worked hard, she has studied and travelled for years. As the years go by, I can see her blossoming into a charming lady, who knows a lot about horses. I am a bit jealous that she found her path so early in life.

I'll never forget our road trip on the mountains of Skyros. Our walk to the beach were Dimos drowned. Our night out in the village until 7 in the morning. Our HUGE breakfasts at 9 in the morning, when fresh bread arrived. We could not move because we ate too much. Her motivation in cleaning the farm. Every day was a new project. Every day was full of laughs and smiles. Everyday was an adventure.

Sweet Georgie, the 19 year old volunteer from Brighton, UK, who knew
a lot about poneys. Always eager to help, always with a smile on her face, always wearing shorts in cold nights, making the old ladies in the village cross themselves as she passed by! One day she worked with Pyrros and made him jump! Here is a lovely picture of the two of them...

I miss Ruth's laugh! The way she used to talk and joke about almost everything... having to repeat herself because I could not understand what she said! Ruth, darling, make sure you tell me the whole sentence next time! You were strong and eager to help, hope we meet someday in the future...

I cooked for the girls everyday. Spinach with rice. Chickpea soup. Trachanas with feta cheese. Pastitsio. Cockerel in wine with pasta. Brocoli and cauliflour au gratin. Pasta bolonaise with pepers from the garden. Rocket salad with cherry tomatoes and walnuts from the garden.
Dimos's garden was alive and producing. My speciality became a sweet I call salami. Chocolate with biscuits inside. when you cut it, it looks like salami. One day, I found an aubergine that looked like a chicken! It went into a pasta sauce, but will be here for eternity, as I took a picture of it!

My body got stronger and my skin darker. October was hot in Skyros.

Every morning, 7.30, we would go out to the field. The ponies were waking up. The stallions were waking up. The sky would be pink. The moon was out there. As I went into the field, a pony would come and say hello. I would hug and kiss the pony on it's nose. The nose of a horse is soft and tender.

For a couple of days I was saying goodbye. To the cats. Hitler, Hunter, Charlie, Martha, Mary, Stachti and the rest. We buried Muesli. He died a few days before I left. I found him just as he was leaving for his next life. Goodbye to Heidi, the goat. I'll miss you. Goodbye to the mares.
Sylvia, Kaya, Marika, Milly, Nefeli, Glyka, Clio, Lavender, Georgia... Goodbye to the stallions. Victor, Apollon, Ermis, Dias, Dimos... Goodbye Pyrros and Ira, the big horses... I wish I had more time to remember all 38 horses and all 15 cats with their names. Goodbye to the dogs, Ruba, Chara, Filio. Goodbye chickens, thanks for the food! Goodbye to all the strange creatures of nature, especially this praying mantis that looked like a piece of wood... He was scary, but beautiful...

It was indeed strange being in the farm without Amanda and Stathis. I missed all the conversations I had with Amanda. But then again, it was a different experience.

My last night on the island. My last morning on the porch of their house. My last sunrise. Waves gently touching the shore. Going out of the house, thinking you will hear the traffic. But all you hear is the waves. Last moments. For now. Next time, I promised myself a vacation on Skyros. Not working, just enjoying the beach, the people and the wine.

I drove back. Alone with Freeda in the car. Aretha Frankin. Etta James. Loud music. The sense of freedom. I am driving myself home. I have to thank myself for the gifts I am giving me. Being alone and strong. I deserve the joy. I deserve life. I deserve the things that make me laugh. No more compromising. No more waiting for help from out there somewhere.

I miss them already. The people, the animals and the smells. The harsh earth beneath my feet. The warm sun in my face. The stars. The sea. I
miss them all. I'll come back, I promise.

A wonderful journey: short film project

At the begining it was just an idea.

I had seen an advertisement about a short film festival.

Me and my new friends from the theatre where really exhited to be toghether, to learn about the art of the stage.

"What if we made a short film?" I thought.

I had no idea how to make a short film. But I did dare to dream and think about it. I even spoke out loud about it.

The idea was soon forgotten. But it was up there. Out in the open space.

Some days later, the idea confronted me again. My friend had come up with an idea for the plot.  She was going to write the screenplay. It sounded
really interesting and funny. The idea had grown a bit.

It stayed in the open space for a little bit longer.

Being the social bee I am, I met a photographer.We started talking about photography - I do love taking photographs. She had warm blue eyes and a big smile. She looked like a fairy princess. She told me she was also a film director, she had just finished her studies.

The idea grew even bigger when I asked her if she would direct our short film. She said yes!

The idea was a bright pink ballon on the sky now.

Months went by, but the idea was there and could not be ignored.

Fifteen actors had been cast.

It was time for the idea to come down from the sky. Become a reality.

Our budjet was tight, our time was limited. But then miracles started to happen. We found microphones and lights, we had our moms cook and friends helping us with little details. Our team was ready to proceed.

Filming started. One more journey. The traveller inside me was thrilled. A whole new world opened in front of my eyes! I felt like Alice in Wonderland! No. I WAS Alice in Wonderland....

There were days we felt exhausted. But there was this spark that gave us strength to continue.

Editing the film is another journey altoghether. Our wondeful director and the editor that came on board, are working overtime to give the film a final touch.

It has been a wonderful journey and it is not over yet.

I feel honoured to have such talented friends who know how to work as a team.

Thank you
Nadia, Evi, Aggela, Liana, Kostas, Stavroula, Lena, Lilia, Artemis, Athanasia, Greta, Ivi, Vaso, Rodoula, Mitsos, Giorgos, Apostolis, Dimitris, Dimitris and all the ones I forget now,

for playing such a big part in my life. For making my idea come true. For being such talented individuals. You are my creative family.

Thank you for the journey.

My first driving trip

Everytime I do something new, it rains.

This time it was driving the car in the national highway, to the north of Attica.

My father was beside me. My safety net. It was raining hard. He was of great help.

I felt a bit stiff, but I arrived safely.

In the past, I had to rely on friends to take me and Freeda on long trips like this. I was longing for my own car. I wished I did not need anyone to take me there. The time has come.

I am greatful for all the friends who helped me in the past. I will take anyone with me next time. I promise.

For now, I will enjoy the sea water and play as much as I can.

I'm having a nice day. Do you?

on talent

"I decided to stop moaning and do something about it."
Lately, I hear this phrase very often.

Young, beautiful, prosperous. Deprived of dreams and hopes. Yet, they decide to get out. Meet others. Use their talents.

They form small groups.

They are farmers, photographers, actors, painters, puppeteers, writers... Whatever the talent, it is put to use. Not for money. For salvation. Our talents are a life vest. Many talents put toghether are a life saving boat.

In my reality, there are lots of life saving boats. Warm smiles. Clear, sincere eyes. The ocean is really hard. The waves are big and strong.

But we will make it.

The theatre journey

 I don't really know what drove me into joining the amateur theatre group of my city.
Or maybe I do know.
I missed the stage.
Till then, my experience was mainly musical, in choirs and rock/soul bands as a singer.

We started off with lessons. Acting, improvising, dancing, history, speech training...

The thratre gave me much more. it gave me friends. Lots of different characters. Whatever their luggage, they reserved their big smiles for these precious weekends they "sacrificed" to be in the classes. My first surprise was the lack of ego. Εgo is a big problem among artists. I had bitter experiences in the past by overblown egoes. This crowd was here to learn, to laugh, to make friends, to have fun.

It was a big surprise - and a secret longing - when we learned we would be in an actual play. To rehearse for a real performance. I ended up in two plays. A theatre play and a dancing performance...

We are going on stage in a couple of months. The pressure is already building. The rehearsals are a daily routine. We have to remember the steps, to express the feelings... There is a lot of tension and a lot of sweet moments. There are fights and tears. There are bravos' and congratulations. There is encouragement and tiredness and shouting. There are smiles.

There are precious moments in the process. Diving into the theatres' underground wardrobe/cloakroom to find the right garments for our performance. The smiles and teasing. Touching the fabrics. Funny hats, serious hats, striped ties and extravagant garments.

It is the proccess that matters most to me. We have a fight during the rehearsal and then we go and have a beer toghether, to fight off the exhaustion and cool off the tension.

Both our directors are charismatic people.
Our dance teacher/director has a unique way of pulling off our energies. 3-4-10 hours non stop she encourages us and yells at us. She is trying to bring out the best from us. She has the whole play in her head. She choreographed a half hour performance. Such a gifted choreographer/writer... At the end of the day it's her smile that counts.

Our second director is more of a chaos organizer. He takes chaos and he makes it into a performance. Very young but very passionate. Younger than me. There are times I want to smack him in the face. He has taught me to be patient with people. At the end of the day, the performance is starting to look really cool, whatever my aesthetic dissent. My ego was checked. I had to step back and conform for the sake of everone. Our play is a comedy and it is turning out to be hilarious.

Last but not least, my fellow players, my peers. There are no words to express my gratitude to these amazing people. Everyone was casted so perfectly for their corresponding roles. Learning their parts... all these pages and pages of script... I always found it difficult to learn the words for a song, let alone a page of script! I was lucky not to have much script in this play... And I have deep admiration for all the others who have all these words to learn!

I am enjoying the proccess so much, I do not want it to finish. The final performances are going to mark the end of these tense rehearsals. I hope they never come. This is one of the best journeys of my life. It's not the destination that matters. It's the love and hugs of the journey.

Thank you everyone, I bow before your greatness.

Happiness is a matter of focus

this is a flower, not an insect

Happiness is a matter of focus.

Talking lately with some people, they asked me how do I manage to be so optimistic, so happy.

Got me thinking. How do I do it? I guess I focus on the positive. On my friends' big, honest smiles. On the beauty of team work. I focus on the small details that make my day better.

I know there are difficulties. I listen when someone is in need. I know there are bad news. I choose not to reproduct and spread them. I train myself not to feel overwhelmed by the bad stuff. This too shall pass.

Being optimistic, brings happy people my way. The bright side of life can only bring you bright experiences.

We are bigger, stronger than we think we are. We can make a difference.

As spring approaches, I am driving, rehearsing and teaching. three things I have never done before in my life. I am learning, getting out of my comfort zone. The reward is smiles from the kids I teach, smiles from my fellow amateur actors, smiles from my inner self when I manage to park the car or complete a difficult manoeuvre.

To travel is to learn. To travel is to change perspectives always.

fairytales

Yes, the five-year-old inside me likes to make up fairytales about monsters and dragons and locked up princesses! The five year old gets stressed and the adult is not there. I would not have this blog if I did not like fairytales and stories. 

I do admit it.

My beloved monster was there and now it's gone back to its' cage. 

Two free mornings and the stress is gone. No, not free mornings. Mornings working for myself. Work for my classes. My beloved classes. Research. 

My Monday Art History class for adults. The difference between Baroque and Roccoco. Johannes Vermeer. My Friday Crafts class for kids. Leonardo Da Vinci. He drew the first parachute. So much fun. So much love. So much relief.

The smile is back on my face. 

Have a good day!

last year - now

 Time is an illusion. However, we tend to review every passing year. Where were we? What was going on this time last year?

Last year.
2011 going to 2012.
In the hospital. A dying boyfriend. New year presents in the hospital. Trying to keep hope alive. Trying to make a dying soul happy. Trying to understand our own mortality.

Then February came and his death came.

What was I going to do? How was I going to live? Was I going to live the life I always wanted? I changed everything. Moved to a new town, a new house. My family was close. Old friends where deep inside my heart. New friends were just around the corner. Elina emerged. Started living again.

This years' christmas celebrations were intense. I said yes to every invitation, I would stay out all night. No alcohol, just drinking the moments. Drinking life. Being happy in a dull moment, as well as, a sparkling moment. I sang and danced and had a good time. Defying mortality.

Enjoying nature. Enjoying the river. Enjoying the sunny crisp cold weather.

Breathing.

In less than a week my hectic schedule will start again. And I'm greatful. I'll start teaching more kids and hopefully more adults. Theatre classes will beging again.

And a gift to myself. A driver's licence. I never allowed myself to drive anything else but a bicycle. I was always expecting someone else to drive. Someone else to lead the way. But now I dream of having my own car. Get into it, get Freeda inside and off we go. Anywhere.

Have a good day and happy new year!

This quiet happiness...

December. Nine months in this city. This city that keeps giving me thrills and joys. I used to hate this city. I was 17 and the world was ahead of me. It was normal.

Now I'm back here. I'm different and so is the place. I keep meeting new, wonderful people. I miss my friends in Athens. But I'm here now.

This crisis business will either work positively or negatively. There are two kinds of people.

One kind sits and adores its misery, indulging in worst case scenarios and blaming everyone else.

The other kind is perpetually searching for a deeper meaning, finds light in the dark, creates from ashes.

This city is giving me good photographs. And lots of inspiration. One day, I saw my friend Sophia's photos. She had taken her photographs and put them as cover to some notebooks. It was a really great idea. And I took permission to do the same. My photographs haven't been used for a long time and it was time to do something about it. I worked on it, made samples, got help from a graphic designer and made them. The result pleases me and I have already sold many. If you want to know more about my new notebooks, check out my artifacts website here.

This crisis blessing - as I prefer to call it - has made many young, talented, inspired people to come back to their roots. The more we are, the more change we will bring in the city. We are educated, we have travelled and we have the strength to make some changes. Sometimes I can feel the magic sparkle when I meet someone who has just arrived or is here for a year or so. The sparkle of recognition. The sparkle of someone who probalby feels the same. A sparkle that we can make into a fire. This fire might burn the old. I am a dreamer. I believe that this town I used to hate can be transformed into the town I love. The town I will always have as a base between my travels.

I am quietly happy.

do not leave your blog without posts...

It's good to have blogger friends, you read their posts and you get the feeling you want to write too.
Except you don't always have a subject.
No.
You have too many subjects and you don't know where to start.

This past week was spent near nature. Near the sea. Away from my life. I was blessed with good company. I was blessed to be able to do it. To travel. To see landscapes from the buses' window. I love passing landscapes. Different colours every season. This time it was red and orange and all the hues in between. I even got to see the sea. We forget the sea. I wish I could live next to the sea and see it's colors all winter long. See how she changes with the seasons.

That does not mean I do not work. I had to prepare for my next lecture in art history. I literally get lost in Renaissance images. I am re-learning all the religious games between the Popes and the Protestants. The propaganda behind the masterpieces. I think my mind is mature enough to filter through the information. When I was younger I did not grasp all the sociology-philosophy behind the imagery. It is more exhiting these days!

Hope your days are bright and filled with love!

travellerlina revisited

When my teacher, Jonah, told me three years ago that my purpose in life is to be a traveller, I took the term "traveller" quite literally. For two years I named a blog travellerlina and set out to travel literally, no matter what the cost.

I did not hear my frends' voices who were saying that there is another meaning to travelling: travel gracefully through the coincidences and the deeds of life in a more general way.

Three years later, I come to consider and reconsider "travellerlina" the difficult name I have chosen for myself and no one can pronounce properly!

We are - I am - in constant movement. Life drives us here and there, we "travel" through the days and the months and the years... Whether we like it or not, we are not the same; moment after moment. Whether we get on a plane to fly somewhere or just day-dream looking at the ceiling, we are still on the move.

I still don't know what that teacher meant and I don't know whether I'll ever get the true meaning of his words. The one thing I have gained, though, is that I see eveything I do, every choice I make through the "travel" prism.

I always have my camera at hand. I am an eternal "tourist-traveller". In awe of my neighborhood. In awe of my city. I try to see everything as fresh and new as I would a foreign country. And believe me, there is beauty in the city I once thought as boring and ugly. I used to go through Athens trying to see it as a tourist would. And it gave me nice litte surprises always.

We are all travellers through life. So we may as well enjoy the process!

When you feel too comfortable in your drama it's time to let it go

There is something I realised. I am sooo much in love with my drama! Enough with the drama.In the past two weeks I have felt the love of friends. We cooked toghether and we ate toghether and we had some wonderful conversations on life, on love, on spirituality, on... everything!

It made me think I haven't written anything positive in a while. I haven't honoured my talents and my creativity. I haven't honoured the special person that I am. Depression has funny ways of deceiving us. And unemployment lowers our self-esteem.

These days I have been feeling my friend's loving energy. They want to help. They are looking on ways to help me. Isn't that wonderful? We are going through difficult times. Solar storms and financial depression. Some people, who are more powerful, want to make us feel useless. But we are not useless. We are miracles who live on earth. We are teachers and healers. Yes there are a lot of people who belong to the mass consciousness, who eat genetically modified foods and watch too much television. There are people who are easily manipulated by the powerful. I send my loving energy to them and hope they will find their way to the light.

On the other hand, there are wonderful people, who care about each other. Who care about the earth. Who are trying to love themselves unconditionaly. Who search in their deepest darkness to find the light. This is the person I try to be. And I know I'm not alone. I'm sure there are bee-hives all around the world, let's call them human-hives in which the honey of a better future is made.

I hope each and everyone of us finds or creates a human-hive where he or she is accepted and loved exactly as he or she is.

So I'm kissing good bye my beloved drama. I promise to use my creativity in life. I promise to respect and love myself no matter what the situation is.

I exist in a bright reality

I' m very proud of myself. I like the photoghraphs I take, I like the words I write, I am in love with myself! I'm having the time of my life in Skyros...

It's my day off today and it was spent swimming in the sea and helping a friend find a job as a massage therapist. So I was his model and I had the priviledge of having a free oil release and relax massage on the beach! The result of the day is that I am perfectly relaxed, I am completely clean from the sea and I am perfectly happy with everything that surrounds me. Today I am the perfect example of someone who is on vacation and is enjoying every moment of her life.

My plans for the future are to write my adventures and get paid for them. Another crazy dream that I will work to bring to life. My life is a dream and I am very proud of myself. All this work for myself, all these difficult dark moments when I thought I was falling apart, all brought me into today. The happy today that is my life now. All the force and enthousiasm that is me. I exist and I travel through life with the exitement of a child. If I can make one person happy and inspired with this words, then it is all worthy.

I'll buy myself a pizza and celebrate life to the fullest!

Life and love and dance and good times

Friday 16 July 2010

Love. Having a relationship where you do not expect anything and nothing is expected of you. With its ups and downs. In a relationship where both have the freedom to express themselves. It brings great joy to my heart.

Thank you to all these wonderful people who have shared the fact that they cried while reading. You remind me that life is worth living. You encourage me to keep writing and keep doing what I do.

After a night full of dancing and laughter and fun and love, with just three hours of sleep, I am now ready to go back to the remoteness of the farm. Back to the horses. Back to myself.

One needs to go back inside sometimes. And then outside. And then inside again. A never ending circle. The sea we call life. Hope your summer is as rich as mine. Please make it so. Please live out your dreams. You deserve to. Maybe no one has ever told you that you deserve the best in life. But you do.

Why? Just because you exist. I say that. My teacher Jonah says that. You should say that to yourself. Start by going in front of the mirror. NOW.

Children

I had an encounter today with two children.
Curious about my dog.
Afraid of my dog.
Big eyes looking around them with curiosity.
No parents around, they were free to express themselves.
I decided to listen very carefully.
Learn from them.
They are afraid, but they want to try.
And they feel grateful for whatever you allow them to do.

I trusted the little girl to take the leash and walk around the park with me and my big friendly dog. I saw her taking it very seriously. A usual walk had become an adventure! She was proud and laughing. She had that awe in her eyes...

I wonder how much time we - adults - spend looking around us in awe, for all the "usual" things that are going on around us!
How much love and responsibility we are allowing our children. How much love and responsibility we were allowed as children. How many times other people "new better" and they did not listen to us...

Even now, in my thirties, I feel like a child. I look at the sky in awe about a great, dramatic sunset. Even now, I see blossoming trees and smell their fragrance. And I feel great! I see people smiling and I smile back at them. Like a child.

Some people don't like this very much. And they don't stay around much. They can't stand a smiling adult child. They can't stand happinness... It's a pity, but I cannot do much about them. It's their choise. I love them anyway. That's why they go away.
I kiss them goodbye...

Toward a new understanding

While I wait to see how my path towards travelling unfolds, I'm having fun. I walk in the park with my dog breathing deeply the fragrance of trees. I'm having positive conversations with loving friends. And I bought a big gym ball! I'm gonna have some fun in my living room, imagining that I'm already there: in the middle of the desert, eating a meal with the women of Siwa dessert. I just spent the day with them weaving, laughing, watching them go about their bussiness. Life is beautiful, summer is here. I promise myself that I'm gonna breath as deeply as I can and play as much as I can. Good day to all there is!