Well I do believe that it has been about seven months since I have arrived in Buenos Aires. Que raro!!! This has been the fastest year of my life and everyday continues to fly. Could it be being at the age of 27 as opposed to 22? When I was fresh out of college with the new realization that there is huge world, nobody is going to make a plan for me but my own ambition, no classes to lay-out my path, a desire to see all that I can, and all the choices that I personally have to make and was determined to decide on my own to make sure I was being true to myself. Not to mention the necessary life pauses that I was forced to take right after college in hopes of breaking through some intense obstacles. Well, at 27 I feel such a diffence in focus, calmness, optismism, motivation, and self-assurance. My heart has softened and I feel confident in my direction. Buenos Aires continues to inspire me and the knowledge that I am amongst the international traveling club, where the travels and adventurous souls are not the exception but rather the rule, has become more evident. However, all is done with purpose and the goal of constant growth and knowledge.
I have been so lucky with a great group of friends here that offer constant support, laughter, conversation and basically....a home away from home. This group consists of Ramiro from Cordoba who is an artist, musician, and sign-language interpreter for the deaf. Javier from Buenos Aires, whom has a house here in San Telmo Buenos Aires, where we constantly gather to cook, eat for a few hours, and converse. Katrina from the US who started a yoga studio here, Meghan from the US who is another constant inspiration to me. Our nights consist of going back and forth from Spanish to English, but depending on who else comes to dinner, is mostly in Spanish. It's wonderful. They have introduced me to a great deal of people here and we have built an internatioal fellowship.
Besides that main family group, the other friends I spend time with always consists of an international table and gatheirng. Always. There is never just one culture surrounding me. French, Peruivians, Colombians, Argentines, North Americans, English, Spanish, Swedish....no exageration.....it is a constant mix of cultures. This has become the norm to me and I love it.
Great news! My mom and Aunt just passed through Buenos Aires for a week and are now on their way up to Peru. How amazing to have my mother and aunt here! The week was a hectic array of social gatherings so mama could meet my friends, Tango shows, dinners, taking her to meet my students, and of course, eating good food! My mother is an amazing woman whose strength constantly amazes me. How lucky that I come from a traveling family. It's not hard to get them to come see me and I know this is so fortunate. It feels normal to travel for the Barnes family and as hard as it is to be away, my parents have shown so much pride for what I am doing. My mom loved my friends, students, and life here.....and now that she saw it face-to-face she told me she can go home happy and know that I am where I am supposed to be.
We had a wonderful visit and there were many realizations that I detected within myself. One being....I have grown up.
No comments:
Post a Comment