Sydney At Large

Other than the reality of my personal/emotional life being like a roller coaster these days, the fact remains that I am now in Australia—and generally loving it. In many ways, being here feels much like being in the states may, but, at the same time, it’s completely different. If anything, I am enjoying the subtly inherent in the differences between here and elsewhere.

One of my favorite things so far is the Aussie accent and vocabulary. I have had moments (particularly on the phone) where I felt like myself and the person on the other line were speaking a different language. On the other hand, Kristin and I have had endless laughs about different pronunciations, inflections, and words. One of the most endearing Aussie habit (at least to me) is their tendency to add -ie- to the end of words while shortening them at the same time. For example: Uni, margie, sunnies, boardies, the postie, Vinnies...the list goes on (10 points if you know what those all are in their lengthened versions. I know I am also picking up (unintentionally) a bit of the phrasing used here (eg: "have a chat") and some of the words (eg: massive, heaps, swimmers, keen). I could go on forever about these crazy language things, but I suspect it is much more interesting to actually experience than read about.

One of the most simple, but most disconcerting differences between here and home is that the traffic drives on the left side of the street--therefore all road rules, locations, etc are flipped around. I'm actually nearly used to it after about 3 weeks, but Noah is still quite thrown off and I still look over both shoulders a million times before crossing the street, just to be sure.

Approaching Christmas as summer is arriving has been a joyous experience. Having the Christmas season mean warmer days, beach time, picnics, longer days, and summer school holidays definitely colors the season differently than the environment I've grown up with at home. I have decided that mot people are just as overly busy and slightly stressed out as people at home often are at this time of year, but that it is all hidden better maybe in part because there are simply ore hours of daylight to be productive in, so one has time to go Christmas shopping, attend all those holiday fundraising and socializing functions, work, and still have time to sit on the beach for a bit now and then. Plus, no time is spent bundling up or down every time you come in or out of the house :).

Even so, it doesn't quite feel like Christmas as I know it, but I'm OK with that I think. There are fewer Christmas lights and less Christmas music playing in stores, few Christmas fundraisers, and definitely no horse-drawn sleighs. However, the mall and grocery stores are just as packed as they would be at home, the same Christmas tins are on sale, people still have family Christmas traditions (albeit a beach picnic instead of a cross-country ski), and the beaches/campgrounds/national parks are noticeably busier than when I arrived. I'm looking forward to trying on the tradition of a swim at the beach, a movie in the afternoon, and a BBQ for dinner with relatives, it can't be all that bad.

One last word/observation from my last few weeks here involves the coffee culture. (All my time at Pendl's makes me an interested, if somewhat critical customer). To start with, instant coffee seems to be all the rage here. Yuck. (It is what Kristin's family drinks, although they do have a drip coffee maker that is about 30 years old and french press that was buried in the back of the cupboard until I pulled it out.) I mean, the instant is drinkable, but it's not truly coffee. Beyond that, coffee shops are pretty much everywhere and commonplace, but it is impossible to buy a cup of drip house coffee anywhere. The concept doesn't exist. The closest thing you can get is what is called a long or short black (which is most closely equated with an Americano in my coffee lingo and just as expensive as a latte). Other than that, the options are: Flat White, Cappuccino, or Latte, all of which are often the same size, cost nearly the same, and, more or less, seem to be about the same thing despite the different names (pretty much a latte, by my description). This is a bad thing for my budget approach to going out for coffee, since the only options are the 3-4$ lattes...oh well. I also think I will poke into a Starbucks at some point just to see if they do have house coffee, or if that part of the Starbucks identity is foregone here because the market for it may not exist, hmmm...makes one wonder.

Anyway, there are (quite) a few random thoughts by Martha from Australia. Take from them what you will. Merry Christmas to all!!!

Unpredictability Knocks Again

What a crazy two weeks the last two have been! The most relevant hectic-ness started after returning from camping. The next few days were grey and rainy and Kristin was busy with some side work, family responsibilites etc, so I had a lot of time to sit and think (which isn't always a good thing). What I found out though was that I was suffering from a case of (gasp) homesickness. I hardly even knew what to make of this. It is such a strange experience/emotion and so far out of my normal experience. But, as is often the case, the first step to recovery is admitting there is a problem and those few listless days resulted in some drastic, overall positive changes:

1. Noah is now in Australia with me. He arrived on the 15th (we bought the ticket on the 10th) and I think both of us are alternately in shock that we are now in Sydney together, but are both happier for it. We are still staying with Kristin and her family who have been absolutely amazing to me/us over the last month. It is already a home away from home here, which is great. We are planning to stay here through at least the 8th of January because Kristin and I have tickets to see a Cirque de Soleil show at the opera house that afternoon, and I have no intention of missing out on it. After that, who knows.

2. Since the whole reason Noah hadn't planned on coming to meet me earlier in the first place was his lack of funding, I am subsidizing his spur of the moment holiday. (As my wonderful sister pointed out to me though, using my nest egg in this way makes sense; the core intention of saving up was to buy myself a period of time with the complete freedom to do whatever I wanted to/made me happy and helping Noah afford to be here with me fits that bill.) At the end of the day though, we will be living the cliche of young, in love, and broke--although right now we are only young, in love, and poor, but a couple of months here will change that. The ultimate upswing of this is that South East Asia will likely be happening some other day on some other adventure and that (barring a lucky lotto ticket) we will be returning to the States at the end of February when my Aussie visa expires. At that point, it follows logically that we'll head back to Driggs, at least for a little while so, at the least, my parents can meet the person that has caused their rather level-headed, reasonable daughter to behave in a rather abnormal manner the last few months. (It does help a little though that no matter how logical I am, I have always been a bit unpredictable). Don't hold me to any of that though, I'm not hedging bets on anything going as "planned" these days.

3. I am truly happy, although still often conflicted with myself over the rapid, extreme change of events over the last few months, but that is almost to be expected I think. I am still a bit homesick for mom, dad and Robin at times, especially thinking about the upcoming Christmas holiday that I have never spent anywhere else than at home with the three of them. I am, however, not at all missing the winter weather and continue to revel in the beach and sunshine aspect this Christmastime has to offer. Other than that, I am blown away by life, myself, Noah, and, more generally, the Universe at large. Here's to the last couple weeks of 2008!

Welcome to Sydney

Well, let's see. As previously mentioned, I am staying at my friend Kristin's house (we were fellow Guatemalan language students back in Xela.) She grew up in a suburb North of Sydney called Mona Vale and has just recently returned from her own extended overseas experience. We have spent a considerable amount of our time simply hanging out and chatting, eating, laughing...and chatting. It's been great. She is not working right now, so we are essentially both on "holiday." Other than showing me around her stomping grounds (downtown Mona Vale, the beach, both about a 15 minute walk away), Kristen has taken me to the nearby touristy area of Manly, where we sat on the beach, had Fish & Chips for lunch, and enjoyed people watching.

We went into Sydney proper last Thursday via bus/ferry and visited many of the stereotypical sites (Walked out on the Harbor Bridge, by the Opera House, through the Botanical Gardens, visited the Sydney Christmas tree, Pitt Street Mall, Darling Harbour, the Conservatorium- where Kristin attended "Uni"-you get the idea). Later that day we met up with a student from Peru (Marco), whom Kristin met through a language exchange, and all three of us spent some time chatting in Spanish and then English (my Spanish is rusty!). We have some tentative plans to give salsa dancing in the city a try this weekend. All in all, I am so happy to be here and very grateful for the hospitality of Kristin and her family. It is just the environment I need to be in right now.

This weekend we went camping with a group of Kristin's friends. We drove up to Myall Lakes National Park, about 3 1/2 hours away. Half of the group went up earlier in the week and one of the guys owns a little speed boat. We arrived way after dark and met him at the dock to have us and our stuff zipped across the lake to a campground area where no one but our group was staying. It was wonderful. We were camping in high style and basically just hung about on Saturday, swimming, eating, reading, napping. It was fun to meet Kristin's friends, many of whom she attended both primary school and high school with. I caught a quick glimpse of a baby Dingo in the morning (aparently they will sometimes drag coolers (aka in Aussie-"Esquis") into the bush and eat all the food) and we had a small Goanna (similar in looks to an iguana, but not quite) hanging around after smelling the eggs we had for breakfast. It was a beautiful area and fun to get out into the "bush" even if in luxury.

The cicadas here are everywhere and so loud, so much so that I almost stopped hearing them over the weekend. On the camping trip I made a comment to this effect and one of the girls along said the noise was one she had always associated with Christmas time. It is a noise I associate with the jungle... We returned Sunday with plans to make another few excursions of the sort over the approaching summer holiday. (The school year, just like the seasons are backwards here, which makes total sense, but was not something I had thought about.)

I am constantly reminding myself that it is December and am enjoying the month (and, by extension, the Christmas season) so much more than I often do. The longer days, warmer temperatures, approaching summer holidays, and layed-back attitude seems more appropriate for the holiday season. Plus, I am enjoying discovering subtle differences in the way of life while still starting to feel a bit at home. For not being busy, time is still slipping by quite easily and I assume it will continue to do so.

New Zealand...or not...

Last Saturday (or, actually, two Saturdays ag0) watched me see Noah off at the bus station in Charlottesville, pack up my stuff, return the rental car, and head to the airport, to end up in LA later that evening. One night in a hotel (thanks mom and dad), and 13.5 hours of flight time later, I found myself landing (in the future) at the Auckland airport in New Zealand (home is 4 hours ahead of me right now, but a day behind, weird). I was fortunate enough to sleep a great portion of the long flight, but still landed with massive jet lag, as is to be expected. I caught a shuttle to Bamber House where I had booked a reservation before leaving the states. The office was closed when I arrived (because it was so early in the morning) and as it turned out, I didn’t get a bed until about 1 that afternoon, which meant I fell asleep on one of the lounge couches for an hour or two in the morning and barely made it to the grocery store that afternoon before falling asleep for the night.

Upon landing and getting oriented, the strangest thing happened. I realized that I didn’t really want to be in New Zealand right now. I was, for some inexplicable reason, not feeling the vibe of traveling here, right now. I tried to pass off that feeling the first day to jet lag, missing Noah, having no plans etc, but it didn’t really go away. After waking up the next morning to find someone had taken the $60 US cash I had from my wallet overnight while I slept, finding out that a friend from the states I had hoped to cross paths with wasn’t going to be in Auckland after all, and still having this sensation that now was not my time for an affair with New Zealand after having slept a solid 12-13 hours, I decided to honor the gut instinct. So, I did what had to be done and got my flight switched to take me to Australia on the 30^th (which is today, I am writing this at the airport where my 5:45 am flight was delayed over two hours, but not soon enough for me to know I didn’t have to get up at 2:30 in the morning to get to the airport, oh well, the joys of travel).

What that means is that, ironically enough, my New Zealand experience has consisted of 5 days in Auckland, which is, they say, the “worst” part of the country (I have consistently received advice to get out of it into the countryside as soon as possible). I haven’t thought it was too bad as far as cities go, although I have admittedly been fine with staying fairly low key. Between recovering from the jet lag, getting my head sorted out (or starting to) what with all the craziness of the last month, and enjoying the warmer weather and interesting company one finds at a hostel, the last 5 days has been actually quite needed and pleasant. I managed to climb the volcano Mt. Eden three times (it was right nearby, and more of a walk than a climb) and there is a great view of the city from up there, plus cows grazing all over it. Another day I walked around the city with someone else from the hostel, seeing at least part of it on foot. I was inspired by a fellow backpacker (who didn’t know what it was) to make pumpkin pie in honor of Thanksgiving; a mundane, tasty adventure though. I actually had to buy pumpkin and bake it, as canned pumpkin puree is apparently not something one can purchase here. It turned out quite well though--despite the square baking pan--and it is always fun to share stuff like that; anyone not from North America had never had pumpkin pie (pumpkin pie is sweet, not savory?) and it made for a good afternoon activity. All in all, I’m sure I’ll be back to New Zealand sometime in the future, but am feeling quite glad I listened to that first instinct and decided to move on. I feel grateful I am in a position to do so.

So, as it goes, here comes Australia! I’m actually feeling quite a bit more excited than I was for New Zealand, for whatever reason. I am planning to stay first with my friend Kristin (from Sydney) who I met in Xela on my Guatemala trip last year and have stayed in touch with. After that, who knows, but I’ve got some ideas, we’ll see how it works out.

I did write this post at the airport in New Zealand on Sunday (or Saturday for most of you reading this), but have not had the time/chance to get it up and posted until now. I made it to Kristin's house easily and am loving being here. We are having a great time together, her family has been nothing but welcoming, and the weather is all warm and sun-shinny. I think if anything, it looks like I'll be staying with her for a while and I'm feeling like this is more where I should be!

Crazy Life

Wow, hello world. So much has happened in the three weeks that I last put a post up here, I hardly even know where or how to begin. Well, I guess the easy one first--we elected a new president! Whew! Looks like I'll be coming back from Australia after all. It was sort of nice to be at the Ashram for the time leading up to the final election day. We were not totally removed and there were shuttles to the poles all day and people were talking about it, but none of the mass media drama from the last weeks of the campaign made it through and it was nice to not have it totally dominating life. I hope our country made a wise decision. It does feel funny to have the election debate and drama of the last two years sort of over. Life does just go on.

Well, other than new leadership of the country on the horizon, another major change has jumped into my life, or more than anything, materialized and moved in like it had always been there. His name is Noah. He and I started the LYT program at the Ashram on the same day, and, as I am on this independent adventure I'll call my life, with plans, goals and desires all my own (not to mention the fact that dating is "prohibited" in the LYT program) I thought nothing of the cute Canadian hanging around all the time--at least for a little while. And then all of a sudden it was like he had always been hanging around. The whole experience has been totally unreal and there are plenty of moments where I feel like I must be dreaming or am an actress in a movie, but it is real; he makes me so happy and, as cliche as it sounds, I sort of don't remember not knowing him and we have totally fallen for one another. (Needless to say, this is a total curve ball! They always say you find it when you aren't looking for it and least expect it...) I could go on and on, but there is really no need. The point is, he's not going anywhere too soon and will, I imagine be a recurring character in my blog from now on.

Whoa, Martha, back-up (I know that's what some of you are thinking). Is this really the Martha I know? Didn't you just meet? What does all this mean? What's the deal, what now, what about your plans, what about traveling, what about you?! No worries, anyone who asked me to change my dreams at this point wouldn't be for me...I am still leaving this coming weekend for New Zealand and will be there the 25th of November (I still have no clue what I'll be doing, but I know it always works out, I've got a good start on some ideas). Noah is leaving this weekend to go back home to London, Ontario where he plans to work like crazy (he's a commercial house painter) and then plans to come meet me in Australia the first part of February. From there, we'll head to Thailand/SE Asia together, and from there...who knows-the whole world will be waiting for us and I can't wait to see where life takes us! I know it sounds totally crazy (and it is) and that this plan is, in many ways, easier said than done, but, as he says, "I've never felt so good about being crazy before." Hope crazy works out!

Other than meeting Noah, Yogaville turned out to be a totally worthwhile experience . My last post gives the gist of what it was all about there and, as with most things, there is more to be said, but that catches the main essence. It is a special little bubble of stability and security full of people with open hearts and, for the most part, open minds. I met some very special people there and imagine I will be back someday, even if for a short visit. Everything about my experience or the place was not of course perfect, because it never can be, but I signed up for the program looking/hoping for certain things and ended up getting everything I wasn't expecting but I think it was all just what I needed. I did a lot less yoga overall than I was anticipating, but spent much more time and effort on mediation than I envisioned. I had so many interesting conversations on random topics and cherished how much time I was allowed to just be--both on my own and with Noah, simply getting to know one another, and by proxy, myself better. Fall was beautiful and it is just the last 5 days or so that things have finally cooled off and started behaving more like a winter season (still no snow, only a couple more days and I've made it scott free!). It is beautiful countryside out here.

If you hadn't gathered, I am no longer at Yogaville. Noah and I left nearly a week earlier than we were scheduled to and have rented a great little log cabin about 6 miles from Charlottesville for the week (like, I said, crazy). We also rented a car and have been basically hanging out. The time together has already been so valuable; although we are still living in a bit of a dream world, it has been important to be around one another in an environment outside of Yogaville before I leave to fly halfway around the world. I have been able to see my friend Laura Carr again (who is in med-school at UVA in Charlottesville) and that has been beyond fabulous. Noah and I actually stayed at her house last Friday night and having her-and even her roommates-meet Noah has been really good. Everything is really working out the way it feels like it is supposed to, at least for now. I am getting a little nervous for my impending travel, but mostly find myself extremely excited for everything and am excited to be leaving for New Zealand to discover what adventures wait for me there.

I think that about does it for now. Life is crazy wonderful. In tribute toYogaville, the classic ending for nearly every event (or sometimes even the beginning).

May the entire universe be filled with peace and joy, love and light.
May the light of truth overcome all darkness.
Victory to that light.
Victory.

Welcome to Yogaville

As they say here, Hari Om. Welcome to my Yogaville post.

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!!!!!!


Yogaville is proving to be a total retreat from the real world while somehow managing to confront it at the same time...

I like it here, for now. It is quite and serene and full of positive vibrations--although definitely a different world than that I just came from. I arrived two Fridays ago and let out a sigh of relief as I unpacked my backpack and moved everything into a dresser (I could hardly believe my great fortune that I would be getting an entire dresser to MYSELF, what an extravagance!).

The tone of here is definitely spiritual and the place reminds me a little of a monastery except with a larger variety of people, more yoga, and general openness. Yogaville was established by Shri Swami Sachitananda (which some of you may know of; I myself had not heard or known much of him before arriving, but you learn fast here) and is based on his concept of Integral Yoga. Sachitananda is super well know throughout the world in a number of circles (eg: he opened Woodstock and has also met with the Pope, more than once). He died in 2002, but the lessons don't ever die and, I imagine, will be carried through time by his followers. In his life as a spiritual leader, Swamiji (as some call him) was dedicated to cultivating interfaith relations and that belief is clearly felt here as the tone is very open and accepting to whatever you do or don't want to believe--which is a good thing for me. Actually, the diversity among ages, faiths, beliefs, and reasons for coming here are so varied, it makes for neat atmosphere.

The program I'm doing is called the Living Yoga Training Program (LYT) and there are currently 12 others in the same program (although only two others started the same day as me, it's an ongoing program). Other people here are simply guests, or maybe support staff, or involved in more long-term service program like the Karma Yoga Program. In addition there are all the Swamis (reverend/monks...) and a number of general community members that live either on or near Yogaville property. So far, I'm enjoying everyone I meet for a variety of different reasons.


Life schedule is pretty simple and regular here with not too much to worry about. There are regular mediation and yoga classes scheduled everyday. As a LYT I have to attend a certain number of both, but am finding no issue with meeting the "requirement." I've been waking up and going to a 5 am mediation session, then from there to a Hatha Yoga class, then to breakfast. There is another meditation session 45 minutes before lunch in a variety of locations and another yoga class and/or mediation in the evening. Mixed in between that I have my service hours (generally working in with housekeeping or in the kitchen). Besides that, there are a few special programs and the schedule remains pretty simple and regular. In many ways, the days are floating by.

The style of yoga taught here is definitely different than the Anusara from home that I am used to. The Hatha yoga classes offered here are much more mellow, slow and relaxed--plus we do almost exactly the same practice in every class, with only slight variations. So far, I think both types of practice have there place and am enjoying exploring a slightly new look at yoga in the classes here and, no matter what, I can already feel my body opening up because two yoga classes a day cannot be bad for me at all!


I am living in a dorm room with two other ladies, one who just turned 50 and another girl a couple year older than myself. Living in a dorm again and eating at a dining hall is something both so familiar but so not what my world has been the last couple of years. I am enjoying it though.

The Ashram is very rurally located and feels removed from the bustle of life both physically and mentally. The scenery is
beautiful and the fall colors are just starting to reach their peak, although they have already been thoroughly entertaining the casual observer for the last couple of weeks. The temperature is starting to get a bit chilly and the number of cold weather clothing items packed in my backpack is being pushed a little, but nothing too tragic. I am immensely enjoying everything from the squash in the dining hall to the nip in the morning air and colors on the trees. I think I will continue to do so as long as it does not start raining everyday (and I'll be feeling on top of the world if I never see any snow!).

It occurs to me every once and awhile that I will be in New Zealand a month from now doing who knows what, and that blows my mind a bit; then I forget about it, because I figure I have to get through now in order to get to there. It is something fabulous to look forward to and I think, in some ways, I don't think about it just because I have no idea of what even to expect! Well, that's all for now, love to all and a friendly reminder among all of this...

GO VOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Off to Yogaville!

Well, I leave for Yogaville in a few hours. The last week here with Laura and a tad with Carly has been great but change is a comin'. I stopped by Monticello, played my guitar, made friends with the german shepard at Laura's house (they are training her to be a service dog). I have no idea how much or little contact I will have with the outside world while I'm finding my inner yogi so this may be the last word for a while. Chaiu!

Thank Goodness for Fall

I seem to be starting off my "year of summer" with an extended fall season. I find this rather appropriate. I am enjoying fall so much more than normal because I know it will be followed by summer rather than winter. I have always liked the season--albeit hesitantly( because it precurses the cold, snow, and grey that I dislike). This year I am falling in love with fall because it is not carry the impending doom of winter on it's back. I am feeling particularly grateful at the moment for my extended fall before summer because I spoke with my parents today and, back home in Driggs, they are looking out their front window at 25 degrees, three inches of snow, and more coming down. I, on the other hand, am sitting in Virginia enjoying 75-80 degree weather and anticipating the explosion of beautiful fall colors that is just beginning to creep into the vast spread of deciduous trees common to this part of the world. The sunshine makes me happy.

The last week or so has remained entertaining and relaxing at the same time. I was glad to leave Seattle and find myself in a warmer climate with new friends and places to see. I spent the last week with my cousin Coral and her family just South of DC. It was such a pleasure to hang out with her two young children ("let's play rock-star, ok?" read: will you go bang on the piano downstairs with me?), my other cousin Carl (her youngest brother with a knack for engaging in conversations of depth/debate often centering around religion, politics, gender relations and other simple topics-both exhausting and enjoyable), and Coral and Johnny themselves. We all spent part of the weekend in the city, taking ourselves and the children on a paddle boat ride, walking around the mall, visiting the National Cathedral and enjoying one another's company.

I went back into the city another day on my own for some more sightseeing, so me of the day's highlights being the botanical garden and the Post Office Museum. I am absolutely fascinated by the mail system and have always found it incredible that so many packages and pieces of paper get sent around the country (and world) with a fairly high rate of success and efficiency. What I hadn't ever thought about was the mail system's location in American history and how it both affected and has been effected by the changing American landscape. For example, the first mail system in the states was a colonial mail system owned by the British Crown. When whispers of defiance and revolution began to run through the colonies, the Crown began intercepting and reading correspondences between revolutionaries, making widespread coordination difficult. Therefore, a need for an independent, non-Crown mail system emerged (the beginings of the USPS, to be made official by the Second Congressional Congress) and also the reason we have a law making it illegal-even today-to open other people's mail. Anyway, call me a nerd, but I highly recommend the Post Office Museum if you are ever in DC.

I was a little sad to say goodbye to the Faradjians and have an unsigned, verbal contract with Jack (the four year old) that I may possibly be able to visit again after he is six years old. (He was a shrewd negotiator and I several times found myself nearly agreeing to a contract that would have me for sure returning when he was five and in kindergarten, as that was a more agreeable contract on his end. I was unable to successfully explain how this would be impossible-"I'll be far away on a trip to Southeast Asia when you are five, so can't come back then" is not a valid excuse for a four year old--"Then fly in on a plane...").

From DC I took a train down to Richmond, VA. (Trains are my new favorite method of transportation. There is something quite romantic about traveling through the landscape by train and the comfort they offer is far superior to a bus. However, train travel is not reliable if showing up on time is extremely important; I don't think they are ever supposed to arrive on time.) My friend Hilary, from Whitman, met me in Richmond where she is now living and attending med-school. We spent Friday night at a free folk festival down near the river (how often do you get to hear bluegrass, reggae, Taiko drumming, and African blues in the same evening, live, for free?). We woke up early Saturday morning and drove into the Shenandoah wilderness for a beautiful hike called Old Rag. There were a ton of people on the trail, but the scenery was gorgeous and the hike entertaining. About half of the uphill portion consisted of some pretty serious bouldering and rock scrambling and definitley kept things interesting. The trees are just starting to turn color and it was a beautiful, clear sunny day. She dropped me off in Charlottesville on her way back to Richmond at my friend Laura's house (another doctor in the making) where I am right now. She is, unfortunately, starting finals tomorrow so I am trying to support studying rather than being a diversion...we are sort of pulling it off.

My yoga stay starts this Friday and I have one more friend to see before then. I really have no idea what to expect at the yoga Ashram, but am getting ready to be in one spot with a regular schedule for (gasp) an entire month. (The name of the Ashram is Yogaville, if anyone is curious, google it and their website comes up.) I'm constantly in the process of deciding what exactly I will be doing once I fly overseas and am not yet sure. It will work out though, I think of it as my "job" right now--not too shabby of a job if you ask me. The biggest concern at the moment is my 24 hour layover in LA, since I don't really want to pay for a hotel, but won't really be able to get in through security until half-way through the layover...if anyone knows anyone in LA that would be up for helping out a stranger/friend of a friend...let me know. Ok, that's enough for now. Here's to Fall before Summer!

From Portland

Well, my month long affair with the northwest will be coming to end quite soon as I fly back to DC/Virginia for the next installment of my-transition-time-in-the-states-before-flying-overseas phase. In a sense, I feel like the real trip will start when I check in at the yoga Ashram in Virginia on the 17th 0f October (I did, finally get accepted) because, at that point, I will be saying goodbye to the couch-crashing with no agenda in particular other than getting to catch up and hang-out with various friends and family installment of my trip.

Most important news item number one: I have, indeed, purchased--or rather, invested in--a real live ticket that will take me from New Zealand to Australia to Bangkok, and back to LA during a time span of 1-1 1/2 years. I give that time range because I can change the dates of travel for very little or no extra cost (with fine print I have no need to go into) that would allow me to stay abroad until March of 2010. Right now though, I'm scheduled to come back the first of September next year. Guess we'll see where the road carries me, and, for now, it is nice to know the flexibility exists. So wow, no turning back now!! I fly out of the country on the 23rd of November.

Most important news item number two: I have voted! I sent in the ballot this afternoon, signed sealed, and clearly marked! I've done my part as an involved citizen! Now I can leave the country.

In other, potentially less important news: The last week or so has been quite enjoyable (I am finding time a bit difficult to pin down for a count of ten the last few weeks, so maybe it's actually been two weeks, or maybe only four days, I can't quite tell, but however long it's been, it's been enjoyable). I finally mailed a few boxes home of random items and am down to WHAT I REALLY NEED--or at least think I need. That feels rather exciting. I had a wonderful visit with my cousin Nicki and her husband John and stayed with them for three nights (Happy almost Birthday John!). I left their house with all my stuff on my back, guitar in hand for the first time since leaving home and headed off to Bainbridge Island again where I met my friend Sandra, hopped in the car and headed down to Eugene for a mini-reunion with our good friend Paulina. We had a fabulous time visiting her, went out dancing, lazed around the pool, went to yoga, watched a movie, ate a lot of good food and basically caught up. From there we zipped up to Portland and she dropped me off downtown at my friends' apartment (she then spent a night with some folks she knew in the area, we had lunch together today and said goodbye-she headed back home, I'm still in Portland).

Today we walked up to the Rose Gardens mid afternoon, then caught some dinner and my first experience with bubble tea. (The tea experience, by the end of the glass--when the tea part had all disappeared--began to feel like a war I was fighting with my beverage, desperately attempting to suck up the tapioca balls through the large over-sized straw without inhaling one and choking--which nearly happened. It was tasty overall though.) The evening attraction was a show put on by the Vaux Swift population living in a chimney of a local elementary school. They are these pretty cool little birds that can't perch on trees so fly all the time and travel in very large flocks. At night they sleep "standing" up attached to walls of old hollowed out trees or chimneys--depending on availability and cost of real estate. We watched them swoop around in the sky for some time, twisting and turning and slowly flying into the chimney one by one for a good night's rest. Megan and Alex tell me the show was far less than it's most impressive since it is near the end of Vaux Swift Season here--apparently they migrate further south since it starts to be winter in the Portland area soon.

Mixed in among the stays mentioned above, I've also managed to catch coffee or a drink or a just a random conversation with different friends and acquaintances. I feel I have been doing a lot of talking, listening, philosophizing, laughing, and talking again. I can't quite remember what information or story I've told to which person, the plot lines are getting all tangled up in my head and tripping over one another (a little like Seattle traffic).

I'll be catching a train back up to Seattle tomorrow, staying with Lizzy one last night and will then be getting dropped off at the airport for a cross-country flight and the last leg of friends and family. It really has been wonderful to get to see so many people over the last month and I am so grateful for everyone's hospitality, company, conversations, couches, etc. It has all been greatly appreciated and enjoyed.



Paulina, Sandra and I--out on the town etc. We have a
mutual friend who is a regional director for the Obama campaign
and we stopped by to say hi one night. We thought a picture was
appropriate.


Portland Rose Garden


Me, Alex and Megan in P-town

And now...

So, what now? I made it out, I'm away, I survived my final commitments to the world of my last year. I found a ride to Seattle with a friend from home, stopped in Boise, ID and Walla Walla, WA for some quick hellos and mini-adventures. I did it. I left. Now what?

Now, I guess, I start the adventure...

A little transition time has been good though. Getting to catch up with friends here in the Seattle area, being able to mentally re-arrange the grey matter in my skull and physically re-arrange the items in my backpack (yes, mom and dad, you will be receiving a package of items I left home with, but have already decided I can live without) has been- and will continue to be-a worthwhile venture. It, unfortunately, has been cloudy and rainy at least half of my stay here (Seattle is never one to disappoint) but what can you do. I have managed to see Phantom of the the Opera with a good friend, take a bike ride on a guitar purchasing mission, catch up on sleep, do some last minute shopping, explore Bainbridge Island, watch movies, get my salsa dance on, and mainly catch up with different friends and enjoy hearing about the various paths we are all cutting through life.

I have another 5 days here, and then am mini-road tripping with a college friend to visit a mutual friend in Eugene, OR. We plan to stop in Portland on the way back up and then I fly out of Seattle October 3, headed for Washington DC/Virginia. I am hoping to stay a month at a Integral Yoga community in central Virginia, but do not know if I have been accepted into the program yet. The thing is, airfare only gets more expensive, so I figured I might as well go, hope for the best, and figure I'll find a way to entertain myself back east for a month plus if that doesn't work out. I do have some family and college friends out there to say hello to, and I'm looking forward to visiting them. I'll be out east until the 22nd of November at which point I will head off to LA. Theoretically, from LA, I will fly immediately to New Zealand (I do not have a ticket purchased yet, but that is the plan). So, I guess that gets me on the road and a couple months down the way, let the adventure begin!



Robin, me, and Leora after a round of Frisbee
golf in Walla Walla


Skinny dipper hot springs-a side trip with Evan
near Boise on the way to Seattle.


Full moon view over from Bainbridge Island


Myself and Sandra on the Bainbridge Ferry