The train ride away from my summer trip to Europe was one of the most depressing times of my life.
My friends in 8th grade used to tell me how great high school was going to be. How we'll start over and make new friends. But really we were just changing schools.... If you want a clean slate, go to another country for 6 weeks. You can tell whatever story you want. You can be from anywhere you want. You can be anyone. But then I had to ask myself who I wanted to be. How I wanted to be seen. I chose to be in the moment. In a positive and a confident mind. Beside my sister I felt as safe as a baby holding it's mothers hand. Yet I was countries away from my mother and 9 hours ahead. The people that I met and places I went won't amount to anything else. Every moment was so unique and rewarding. In Germany I saw the most efficient living. A safe place. The most beautiful country I've ever been to. It looked like I was seeing the hills through an enhancing camera filter. The health of the land blew my mind. I melted into it, though I couldn't understand a single word anyone said. But most everyone spoke little English and it was not an issue anywhere to find help. The sun the moon and the stars there were stunning. The universe was different from that side of the earth. The air that passed through my lungs in Germany was like a fog of life force. I felt better I felt like I was a part of the earth that grew beneath my toes. There was no asphalt blacktops that covered towns. Cobblestone maybe, but it wasn't the same. People were responsible for themselves even the children. I saw 4 year olds out in town alone on their bikes. From birth the children learn to fend for themselves. They're taught how their own actions effect themselves and others.
Awareness was a virtue that everyone I met had. The woman that hosted us (my grandmother in law) said that it was her home away from home. For me I couldn't relate to her, but I had grown a strong connection in just 6 weeks. The feeling that I found instead was almost just the opposite. I had the feeling of no home away from home. My home was a resting place, to rest before the next journey. I felt that away from home I could lose myself in culture and language that I could only understand with my eyes and my emotions.
Meandering through the streets of Cadiz and getting lost through the cobble stone roads, was a high. When we left Cadiz, it was after the market, and we had ran to the hostel to grab our things in time to catch the train. It took us 2 minutes to run in, drop off our keys, and run out; on our way to the station. I was going through things in my head that I might have forgotten but I knew I had everything. It was all there on my back. Everything I needed to survive. I didn't need to go home and grab anything, because then, I didn't have a home, the street I was walking on was my home, the backpack on my back was my life. We picked up some necessities from the store: nail clippers, food, and soap, other than that everything I needed was in a backpack on my back. My sister Ruby walked beside me with the carry on bag (her little backpack and my camel back with the water).
Everywhere we went we would bring containers and save any food we didn't eat. Restaurants in Europe didn't have to go boxes. It wasn't a natural occurrence to waste things.
I didn't have an expectation for the trip. I had life changing experiences everyday. Yoga practice everyday. Sending love to my friends and family many times a day.
My ability to feel gratitude expanded. For those who raised me, for those I have learned from, and those who have given me opportunities, like going to Europe for example. All of the people in my community have contributed to my thoughts and my thought processes. Having watched others experiences and hear about them has given me the chance to take my own experience from it. I had a chance to put my own first hand experiences in my book. Being 15 years old and traveling to Europe and out of the states for the first time some may say it's early, or wow you're so young. But my whole life I've seen things from the bottom, looking up, trying to see things through everyone that was above me.
Now I can look down at my niece go through stages of her terrible tantrums, and becoming harder to handle than I could ever imagine. Katelyn (my older sister) has my utmost respect. She is inspiring and I know I will only continue to connect deeper with her. Ruby and I had a conversation in Chicago before boarding our international flight to Spain, suggested by my mother when saying goodbye in San Francisco CA. Getting to know my sister even more gave me a chance to see how I have influenced her and even how she has influenced me in ways I have never known. It was perfect timing before spending nearly 7 weeks straight with her. Now we are on our way back starting the journey home. Beginning the 4 days of continuous travel back to Auburn California.
Not being able to understand the language spoken around me has given me a chance to understand my own language. The language I speak to myself. The language I speak to the universe; and the words I say without opening my mouth. Speaking to myself about my manifestations. About what I'm learning from my past. And then maybe attempting to share those stories with someone I already share trust with.
Being thousands of miles away from my loved ones might have made me miss them, but there was always Skype, FaceTime, or some means of communication that put them just inches away from my face.
I thought about what I miss most about everyone back home. What they might miss about me. Maybe something I did that makes them smile or cry. I thought about things that I do that make me cry, or smile. I was thinking how could do more of the things that make others and myself happy. It comes down to doing what I feel is right in the moment, and following my instinct. People have to have a strong instinct while traveling on trains, especially when the announcements are in a different language. There were points where Ruby and I got off a train and got back on again. Or had planned to stay two nights in Seville, and after getting there and looking around we decided to get back on the train. We ran through the doors seconds before they closed. We boarded the same train as a family who was getting picked up and driving past our destination. We ended up hitching a ride and conversing with what little Spanish we knew. It turned out that the people we got a ride from knew our hosts. It's a small world.
While traveling I got the feeling and the outcome of holding positive intentions in my mind, being confident in my actions, and being in the right place at the right time; because if it wasn't for that ride we would have waited a while perhaps a day to get back. Going with whatever comes up unexpected, and being able to accept it and not hold too many intentions is crucial when traveling, I've learned.
Many thanks to everyone who contributed to this trip!
My friends in 8th grade used to tell me how great high school was going to be. How we'll start over and make new friends. But really we were just changing schools.... If you want a clean slate, go to another country for 6 weeks. You can tell whatever story you want. You can be from anywhere you want. You can be anyone. But then I had to ask myself who I wanted to be. How I wanted to be seen. I chose to be in the moment. In a positive and a confident mind. Beside my sister I felt as safe as a baby holding it's mothers hand. Yet I was countries away from my mother and 9 hours ahead. The people that I met and places I went won't amount to anything else. Every moment was so unique and rewarding. In Germany I saw the most efficient living. A safe place. The most beautiful country I've ever been to. It looked like I was seeing the hills through an enhancing camera filter. The health of the land blew my mind. I melted into it, though I couldn't understand a single word anyone said. But most everyone spoke little English and it was not an issue anywhere to find help. The sun the moon and the stars there were stunning. The universe was different from that side of the earth. The air that passed through my lungs in Germany was like a fog of life force. I felt better I felt like I was a part of the earth that grew beneath my toes. There was no asphalt blacktops that covered towns. Cobblestone maybe, but it wasn't the same. People were responsible for themselves even the children. I saw 4 year olds out in town alone on their bikes. From birth the children learn to fend for themselves. They're taught how their own actions effect themselves and others.
Awareness was a virtue that everyone I met had. The woman that hosted us (my grandmother in law) said that it was her home away from home. For me I couldn't relate to her, but I had grown a strong connection in just 6 weeks. The feeling that I found instead was almost just the opposite. I had the feeling of no home away from home. My home was a resting place, to rest before the next journey. I felt that away from home I could lose myself in culture and language that I could only understand with my eyes and my emotions.
Meandering through the streets of Cadiz and getting lost through the cobble stone roads, was a high. When we left Cadiz, it was after the market, and we had ran to the hostel to grab our things in time to catch the train. It took us 2 minutes to run in, drop off our keys, and run out; on our way to the station. I was going through things in my head that I might have forgotten but I knew I had everything. It was all there on my back. Everything I needed to survive. I didn't need to go home and grab anything, because then, I didn't have a home, the street I was walking on was my home, the backpack on my back was my life. We picked up some necessities from the store: nail clippers, food, and soap, other than that everything I needed was in a backpack on my back. My sister Ruby walked beside me with the carry on bag (her little backpack and my camel back with the water).
Everywhere we went we would bring containers and save any food we didn't eat. Restaurants in Europe didn't have to go boxes. It wasn't a natural occurrence to waste things.
I didn't have an expectation for the trip. I had life changing experiences everyday. Yoga practice everyday. Sending love to my friends and family many times a day.
My ability to feel gratitude expanded. For those who raised me, for those I have learned from, and those who have given me opportunities, like going to Europe for example. All of the people in my community have contributed to my thoughts and my thought processes. Having watched others experiences and hear about them has given me the chance to take my own experience from it. I had a chance to put my own first hand experiences in my book. Being 15 years old and traveling to Europe and out of the states for the first time some may say it's early, or wow you're so young. But my whole life I've seen things from the bottom, looking up, trying to see things through everyone that was above me.
Now I can look down at my niece go through stages of her terrible tantrums, and becoming harder to handle than I could ever imagine. Katelyn (my older sister) has my utmost respect. She is inspiring and I know I will only continue to connect deeper with her. Ruby and I had a conversation in Chicago before boarding our international flight to Spain, suggested by my mother when saying goodbye in San Francisco CA. Getting to know my sister even more gave me a chance to see how I have influenced her and even how she has influenced me in ways I have never known. It was perfect timing before spending nearly 7 weeks straight with her. Now we are on our way back starting the journey home. Beginning the 4 days of continuous travel back to Auburn California.
Not being able to understand the language spoken around me has given me a chance to understand my own language. The language I speak to myself. The language I speak to the universe; and the words I say without opening my mouth. Speaking to myself about my manifestations. About what I'm learning from my past. And then maybe attempting to share those stories with someone I already share trust with.
Being thousands of miles away from my loved ones might have made me miss them, but there was always Skype, FaceTime, or some means of communication that put them just inches away from my face.
I thought about what I miss most about everyone back home. What they might miss about me. Maybe something I did that makes them smile or cry. I thought about things that I do that make me cry, or smile. I was thinking how could do more of the things that make others and myself happy. It comes down to doing what I feel is right in the moment, and following my instinct. People have to have a strong instinct while traveling on trains, especially when the announcements are in a different language. There were points where Ruby and I got off a train and got back on again. Or had planned to stay two nights in Seville, and after getting there and looking around we decided to get back on the train. We ran through the doors seconds before they closed. We boarded the same train as a family who was getting picked up and driving past our destination. We ended up hitching a ride and conversing with what little Spanish we knew. It turned out that the people we got a ride from knew our hosts. It's a small world.
While traveling I got the feeling and the outcome of holding positive intentions in my mind, being confident in my actions, and being in the right place at the right time; because if it wasn't for that ride we would have waited a while perhaps a day to get back. Going with whatever comes up unexpected, and being able to accept it and not hold too many intentions is crucial when traveling, I've learned.
Many thanks to everyone who contributed to this trip!
No comments:
Post a Comment