Flight cancelled, ate,walked, found a Spanish class, ate, listened to dad say he would walk, ate, watched a female dog in heat attempt to keep male dogs away, walked, found a great yoga studio, ate, saw a cool beach and ate a seafood feast, enjoyed a cerveza at another beach, ate, walked, hiked through the botanical gardens, ate, and had a waiter tell me that he could spend the rest of his life with someone like me. Oh, and I ate.
All in all a decent couple of weeks, right?!
While my time here has been a bit more involved, but the above is fairly accurate (full stories on request)! ;) It's been interesting and great fun, to say the least. Yet, I have found myself feeling behind. Behind on the blog, behind on my research for "what's next", my email, and plenty of other "to-do's." After realizing how ridiculous this sounded since I have a limited time here, I decided to give it up and just enjoy. I'll get to it and "it" will be fine... whatever it is. So, here are some of the realizations or friendly reminders that have hit me so far:
1.) Perspective is a funny thing - It really is about how one handles things and not about what happens. On my way to the San Diego airport at 5:30AM on Jan. 2 to catch my flight down to PV, I learned that my flight had been cancelled and re-booked. I didn't realize that I had been re-booked on a flight two days later until I was at the airport. After a 45 minute wait with some seriously frustrated travelers, I was called to the counter. I smiled and asked for help getting to Puerto Vallarta THAT day. The agent initially didn't have any options until the following day. After offering to refund my ticket so that I could find a way to LAX to fly a non-partner airline to PV, she miraculously found the best option that I had. It was not ideal, but it accomplished my goal. I flew to LAX and to PHX, before arriving in PVR. The trip was a bit more complicated as I had to change terminals on two different occasions and barely made connecting flights, BUT, I made it! Once at the airport all that I wanted to do was go to the condo and go to bed. Unfortunately, I had to wait an hour for my dad to arrive with the car at which point we stopped to see Felipe and Teresa for a hour or two (I had given up at this point). Keep in mind that I was exhausted and recovering from a seriously nasty cold... and on about 5 hours of sleep. After finally arriving at the condo building, I carried all of our luggage (4 bags - Yes, I over packed) down the 40ish stairs to the condo since Dad was nursing a hernia. Once the bags were in, all that I had to do before heading to bed was to warm up the food that we had just brought home from Felipe's. That's when we realized that the microwave was unplugged and dead. Surprisingly, the Birria was still good cold :)
A few years ago, I would have been a hot mess and most folks that I came across during such a trip would have known it. At the end of this day, I looked pretty tired, but I was just happy to have made it to PV and to bed. Whether its age or perspective - Its an awesome feeling to know that I can choose what I put my energy into.
2.) I have an amazing family I just spent two weeks with my dad in PV (I kind of crashed his vacation - oops!). It was awesome! I mean, I can't speak for him, but I had a great time. What am I saying?! Of course he had fun - this is me we are talking about! ;) Anyhow, I'm not sure that I have
actually ever spent this kind of time with my dad and to be honest, I was a little nervous going into it. Funny enough, it was more of an adjustment when he left and I found myself here alone. I'm grateful that my trip worked out to include that time with him and even more excited about moving closer to home.
3.) I LOVE the sun I might actually worship it. I'm just sayin'... I'm the first out of my chair when the bell rings for break at school. Yes, there is a bell at school. That sounds so odd, especially since the first week there were a total of 4 students. Regardless, I am the first out of my chair because I can't wait to get outside... in the sun. I love Nashville, but it is somewhat curious that I have made it as long as I have in a climate that is so cold. I'm not much of a morning person, but I just about bounce out of bed in the mornings. It's amazing how much easier waking up is when you know its sunny AND warm... it also doesn't hurt to have a view of the ocean, or a rooster! I think this means that I am moving somewhere with LOTS of sun.... or a rooster?!
4.) I only have rhythm when I stop thinking and listen to the music... or drink alcohol? Solexico, my Spanish school offers salsa lessons. I, of course, am taking them. Problem is... I suck. Even the teacher says so! Well, its more of a "mejor," "no, no," "Esta bien," "No, escuchar la musica!" This all is with a lot of head shaking and a really sad look across his face. He initially told me that I would leave the first class ready to head to JB, a popular salsa club in the area. I think he has since retracted this statement. I'm somewhat worried that this may apply to all dancing that I do, but its too late to start worrying about this now! Instead, I plan to keep going because I will eventually stop thinking about what I am doing and listen to the music long enough to make it through an entire class or I will get wise and have a beer or two before class! Either way - its fun!
6.) I walk really fast I mean really fast. I could win fast walking competitions, if they existed. Someone should get on that. I mean, it is somewhat upsetting that fast walking doesn't translate to fast running. Oh well... I guess we all have to excel at something. Too bad mine just lends itself to random expats and locals commenting on my ability to move through a city. Oh, and creates confusion as to why I don't like to walk with family and friends. It isn't that I don't like you - I just walk fast! I promise. Ask the guy that I passed this morning on the highway. Oh, and while I'm at it - walking on cobblestones down a highway with the ability to reach out and touch a bus that is barreling down the road is quite an experience. You should try it. Welcome to the way that I start my day. This is after the rooster and the 110 steps down to the highway. I love every minute of it.
7.) Everything happens for a reason and I get further when I trust myself I met a very eclectic girl in Spanish class this past week that happened to be from Seattle (coincidence... I think not!). The girl wasn't someone that I would ever choose to spend my time with, and if I'm being honest, she irritated the hell out of me. :) She had characteristics that weren't appealing, but she was a reminder to get my butt to yoga, and for that I am thankful! On the flip side, last month I met this amazing guy while boarding my plane in PV and today, I met a well connected woman that recently moved to PV from San Diego and has stated a business here. She may have an opportunity for me, but has already invited me to an event tomorrow night. It's odd to think that if I had left the beach 20 minutes earlier, been on a different flight, or my trip had started a few weeks earlier or later, I might have missed meeting these people. I'm not sure what will come of any of these experiences, but I am pleased to announce that the girl from Seattle has left Vallarta. ;)
And Finally...
8.) Socks have an uncanny ability to hold things For some unknown reason, I put a sock over my face wash when I traveled to California for Christmas. The ONE container that I covered with a sock, leaked. Fortunately, the sock caught most of it. Initially, I was planning to wash the sock and chalk the lost face wash up to a causality of traveling, but then I had the brilliant idea to put the sock in a ziploc baggie and use what I could in the shower. I have used this "face wash" sock at least 10 times. It's like the gift that keeps on giving. I'm so excited by this experience that I had to share it. It may be helpful to know that this face wash is sold in one store in Nashville, that I know of and is not cheap. I promise I wouldn't be doing this if I could buy it at CVS... well, maybe I would ;) I am my mother's daughter!
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