tidbits

Well. I haven’t avoided anything with this much success in quite sometime. So sorry to those of you who have actually been reading and waiting and re-reading and re-waiting for me to stop playin and put some info on here that is more than just a notice of the fact that I’m still avoiding writing something. Now, you must understand that this whole “blog” thing is quite the new and kind of taboo thing in my life right now. Honestly, it’s not very cool or as easy as you may have thought. But, listen, it is difficult. Mostly it’s just really scary to have to organize my thoughts for other to read. Further more, my Spanish goes up and down. There have nights where it has been tired to sleep because Spanish is running through my head replaying the day and making up conversations or things I want to tell people. My English goes up and down as well. This Blog will be very important in keeping my English going well. It isn’t even that I’m speaking Spanish SOO much that it’s become hard for me to switch over or something miraculous like that, it’s just that…I’m not actually sure…I guess I just don’t think about English as much anymore…and so my eloquence has taken a turn for….a lesser level of greatness! But, more about this place I’m in.

1st of all. Our trip to Cienfuegos, Santa Clara, Trinidad, El Nicho, and Tropes de Collantes. All of these are places in the south west part of the island and are now very damaged from the storm se llama “Ike” and probably also from “Gustavo”. The former came last week and the latter passed through about a week or so before….before the former. We were VERY prepared for a fatty storm when Gustavo was on it’s way, but we were fortunately disappointed by the light rain and minimal wind that was only the result of the leftovers. However, we did experience 2 or 3 days without power and inconsistent use of running water. Then, during Ike we have crazy winds and crazy rain and zero electricity for about four days, followed by a dry spell of purified water jugs that we have been O so privileged to have….this is a dry spell we continue to be in. And, most importantly, because of the lack of electricity and availability of goods and due to the two hurricanes a.k.a. “Ciclones” there has been a large shortage of ICE CREAM. Chocolate Ice cream. That goes quite deliciously with the quite strong coffee. They were made for each other. But I’m being patient….it’s not like they know me in the kitchen as the girl who asks at every meal (including breakfast) “¿Hay Helado?” (Is there Ice Cream?) or anything crazy like that…. * Wink *….. (you have to do things like that in a blog)
Anyways, I was actually going to talk about the trip we went on. This is where I get stuck and watch Top Chef and don’t keep writing because it’s starts to feel insincere when writing about an experience that was actually super beautiful and super difficult.
But, that’s what I signed up for….I guess. So.
One of the most beautiful, empowering, calming, closer-ing-to-god tings that happened on this 5 day trip was going to the waterfalls in El Nicho. At this point, we were all still getting to know each other and maybe, maybe, feeling a little overwhelmed. We had cameras and flip-flops on with our backs out and eyes open to see this water. There was a muddy open path that ran all the way from our van to the mother load of waterfalls. Magnificent. It was crashing, against itself, the rocks and whatever was in it’s path. There was an air of mist and various rainbows. Absolutely, pure beauty, strength and tranquility all at once. Those, to me, are the most amazing things…the things I have to bust out all kinds of adjectives for.
So, also, again with the water. On our 1st day of the trip, who traveled in a van type bus thing with the cooooolest driver man named Alexandro but we called him Alex but the x is not really pronounced. And he played the BEST music. Best meaning super annoying after about 5 minutes but really fun because we would clap and make noise and he felt really good about him self and we all had fun making him feel good. He was really into it. It was like….techno re-made beats with also some soundtrack music to Cirque De Soleil (probably spelled wrong).
Ok, so El Nicho was the last stop and before that was Trinidad. This experience was the most frustrating and upsetting trip that we’ve had to date. Trinidad is famous for it’s architecture, sugarcane production and tourism. What a combination. Most places that are very run down and lacking financial stability are places that once were flourishing with colonialism…now, Trinidad has been abandoned and left to drown in the pale faces touring through on busses that shake against the coble stone roads and scare the men riding horses. The digital camera count was sick and the people were watching. Every move, every assumes thought, they didn’t care but yet were longing to sit next to us. And they, we, sit on the steps next to a fat church with a thoroughly decorated Jesus shrine, thinking and being angry. In our selfish thoughts we do not know what to do with OURSELVES. Wanting to distance ourselves from the tourists in cargo shorts and visors, rejecting our urges to snap shots at the old men with cigars in their mouths, or the little boys running through the town asking for money, dulces and whatever else from all the foreign language speaking white faces. What struck me the most was the amount of beauty that was in the background of all this nasty history and present depiction of what we humans have done and are continuing to do. That five day trip was soooo packed and now seems so damn far away. Here we are about to start octubre, and I have a shiiiit load to share. I will have more next week, but until then try and swallow my jumbled writing above. thanks!

nothing but love.


Out of a great need, we are all holding hands, and climbing.
Not loving is a kind of letting go.
Listen!
It is far too dangerous for that.

~ Hafiz