It would take me a long time to tell you about all of the experiences that I had in the past 33 yrs. of my life since I decided to pack up and leave to find something "better" than what I was leaving behind. I wouldn't have missed one single experience I had, the good and the bad for anything, but the real winner is that all of that just made me realize that I didn't really need to go anywhere looking for it, and I only found that out after I had been gone for so long and once I got back home.
A couple of months ago I started heading down slow first from Israel to New York on my way back to San Diego. I can't explain what it felt like to land in New York, even though I'd only been to that city a few times in my life, just landing there made me feel I was back where it started to feel like home from a very far away land =) simply because I was. The first thing I noticed is that I felt that everything was back to easy for me, I understood the language perfectly, amongst other things...
OK so Diego (a rescued dog off the streets of Tel Aviv) and I arrived to San Diego and there is my ex-husband's girlfriend to pick me up at the airport. That's the part where everyone always keeps telling me that I'm crazy, but I actually believe that I'm the sane one, just think about it, what are the end results of getting along so well with my ex-husband and his girlfriend as well? the result is first what values we're teaching to our kids, no matter what I love and respect my husband and always will, and as for his girlfriend, she treats me like a sister, makes me feel at home in what now is her home and has been more helpful to me than any friend or family member. So I say if the end result of our efforts and appreciation for maintaining a close and loving relationship is getting love and care and good wishes, to me that seems very sane don't you think?
Back to the Story where were we? oh yeah we are at the Airport in San Diego, me and Diego, he is finally out from his confinement ordeal, poor little one, good thing I managed to take him out at the Airport in NY just to pee :)
That first day in San Diego was INTENSE, my senses and thoughts were on overload. I was making a few stops along the way, but this time I was going to go back home, home was calling me, I was now stronger after that Water River Rafting period of my life, living a much more normal and exciting existence, but I started to miss home I believe for the first time since I left 33 yrs. ago.
The rest of my visit in San Diego was just like a dream, and a very intense one at that. First I was invited to my girlfriend Jackie's house for the second time, she opened her doors to me before I left for Israel and then again once I got back. I'll forever be grateful to her and her son Jack and lets not forget Dixie, sorry girl for Diego invading your space, and thank you for gracefully sharing it with him ;)
The end of my stay I spent with my ex and his girlfriend, they have a lovely apartment right downtown with views that never end. Well deserved you guys!!
But the real reason why I was back in San Diego on my way home was my son. I had been visited by my daughter while in Israel but my son wasn't able to take time off and I missed him TERRIBLY!!!!! The first time I got together with him after not seeing each other for almost two years was a feeling of complete joy, warmth, trust and comfortable familiarity, in a way as if you never left except that because you did you appreciate it that much more. We talked for hours, we had so many things to share. We saw each other several times again and each time I felt better knowing he was content with his life and always moving in the right direction.
Paty was at the Airport in Mexico City waiting for me, then took me to eat "Quesadillas del Maria Isabel". Now that to me was the best welcome back home I could have had. Who needs a Parade when you can have "Quesadillas del Maria Isabel." ;) I was excited thinking about the High-school reunion we were having in 3 days and all the friends I was going to see again.
So how was the reunion you ask? where are you now? what have you been doing for the past two months since you got back home? have you gone anywhere, done anything special, it hasn't been that long after all!!!!
Well let me tell you that what I have seen, been to, accomplished, experienced etc. etc. mostly thanks to all the people who have crossed my path in these past two months has been an astonishing realization of longtime dreams. I'll start by saying that no matter where these present realities take me, they just came into my life to show me that no matter how long you dream a dream, if you persevere, if you maintain them alive, if you don't lose the faith or the patience, and just relax in the thought that one day they will happen while always continue to move in their direction, remembering never to listen to anyone who tells you that you are too much of a dreamer.
The reunion was fantastic, there were more people than we expected. I love these reunions because it makes me realize that with a very small and yet enjoyable effort, for a few short hours of our lives, we manage to go back into that place in our hearts where we still hold our childhood, in which we are surrounded by people who were part of our history and after all these years and whatever life has brought to each one of us, we are always happy to share on each other's success as well as being there in times of need.
The rest of my stay in Mexico City was also a dream. Paty was like a sister and we did so many things together in that phenomeal 'City of Mine!!!!' almost nothing looks the same as it did when I grew up there.
We went to Tepoztlan, a very quaint town that reminds me of Sedona, Arizona, spiritual healing, crystals, spas, photos and interpretation of your aura, beautiful crafts, the town was lovely and us three girls had a grand time.
Went to Cuernavaca to visit my dad, that was a very memorable day for me. I spent 8 hrs. making my dad and two of my aunts I didn't know were there very happy to have company, they live in a Jewish retirement facility that I've known since I was a kid, but only this time I was visiting my dad. Right there, in that place I decided I will always do whatever it takes to be independent and live home hopefully with a partner by my side!!!! until the day I'm ready to kick the bucket ;)
In DF we went to many restaurants, to do the Hair Salon thing, got a new look for myself, visited places and ate things I had been craving for years. I went back for New Years and we had a BLAST!!! with other friends from the past.
I could go on for hours telling you all I did in DF and surrounding towns, went downtown to see the decorations for Christmas, of course Sanborns has to be in the equation a few times, so was visiting with my dearest friends from my Jewish organization, and my girlfriends from school and work, I wouldn't want to miss seeing them, and what about my cousins, most of all Jane, she knows how much I love her! my visit to the Cementery to see my little brother, my grandparents and all the friends and family members who left before we did, may they all rest in peace....but my biggest and most rewarding surprise of them all was my visit and subsequent reconcilliation with my brother. We had been at odds with each other for some time now, but that afternoon he invited me to his office and I agreed to go visit him there, everything negative I ever felt before just melted away and he became my big brother again. That alone was worth the trip.
We go through things we move to places, we meet new people, we take new risks, but we NEVER give up on the dream, and literally as everyone who talks about this says "When you LEAST expect it..."
In San Miguel I had rented an apartment on the internet and am lucky enough to have great neighbors, we've adopted each other!!!
One day my neighbor and I, we hang together every day at some point and this time we wanted to see if we could broaden our horizons as far as people were concerned.
We picked a social lunch for people who get together every Wednesday at 2 pm. to eat and experience different restaurants. There can be 5 people who show up or there can be almost 30 people like there were that time, so we walk in at 2 and everyone is already sitting around this gorgeous garden restaurant, they've already ordered drinks, which tells me they've been there for a little while at least, there are two places visibly open for us to sit, I wonder if they knew we were coming ;) but the places happened to be strategically apart from each other. At that moment I thought to myself, what on earth am I doing here, this is not normally my scene, and on top of it I have to make small conversation with these people around me, who live around town, pretty soon I'll be walking down the streets and waving like Evita Peron at everyone I've met, and all I really wanted to do was have a good meal and make comments about it with my friend, and she was way out there at the other end meeting other people as I was.
The woman next to me was very interesting, I wanted to hear more about her life. She had lived on a boat a few years, then came here and became a psychologist, she works through Skype mostly abroad, does laughter therapy and she is 77 yrs. old, like my mom was when she passed away, I'll have to ask her to teach me a few tricks, I bet you I can learn a lot from her, and well, laughter is something I do all the time anyways, so that should make the learning easier.
On my other side were other nice people, one lady had the same name as an aunt of mine my mom used to love a lot, we grew up around a lot of family so it brought good memories from childhood, I know whenever I see her again I'll know her name and that's a good feeling :) I was finding myself enjoying the experience more than I expected I would and then at the other end a woman stood up and introduced herself, she told us her name, who she was, hold long she'd been living here, what type of business she had, and asked if we would introduce ourselves. We went around the table until they got to me, so I told them who I was, where I'd been and ended with what I wanted, which was a job, maybe my own radio talkshow, I wanted to do voiceovers and translations, and just like that the woman who had started the introductions said, come to my office I'll hire you.
My friend and I finished lunch and left, we went to look for an apartment first but it wasn't available so we said lets go see about that job and we did. When we got there we were directed to a small office upstairs. There was a large wooden table, large enough for say 8 people, she was sitting at the head, to her side was a young man who was next to her at lunch and another guy who was there too, so I knew then they worked for her as well. They quickly explained what they did and it seemed to me that I had found a nitch, it was what I knew how to do plus what I wanted to do which was translations and voice work. I was anxious to start and see where this experience would take me, but what I wanted more than that was to find out who the guy sitting on her left was. She had introduced him as her attorney but did he work there? was he single? Who was that handsome Argentinean? Moriah and Laura would be wondering as I'm sure are all my other friends ;)
I started the job the next morning and I got to do things I always wanted to do, however I quickly realized I'm better off doing it as a freelancer, that way I can do many other things and keep a balanced life which is exactly why I came here in the first place.
So as we stand right now I have a lot of things going on all the time, I'm out there in the World trying to "Make My Life Happen on Purpose" I try to visit DF at least once a month, yesterday I celebrated one of THE MOST memorable and enjoyable birthdays of my life, I had a gorgeous bouquet of flowers brought to me by a handsome Argentinean who cooked a delicious meal for me and invited my neighbors to share on the feast. You should have seen the dining room table, it looked like those parties that my mom used to throw now and then, the one thing she would always do was make sure that there was TOO MUCH FOOD!!!!!! I also got cards and calls and messages from a lot of people who always make me feel loved and cared for, ESPECIALLY MY KIDS!!! it's for all my friends and family, to whom I don't often have the opportunity to write and keep you up to date with my adventures, that I write this entry, with an ENORMOUS sense of appreciation to each and every one of you for being a part of my life. I always try to make sure to be in appreciation, and to let those who have in any way impacted my life know that I'm truly grateful.
I owe a lot of you who have asked me for a short recount of my two year life experience in "The Holy Land" I will try to write it soon and will name it "Roaches, Humidity and Bats... OH MY!!!" we'll see how fast I can get to that. In the meantime I take this moment to encourage you to follow your dreams no matter what they are...
And now I'm off to continue to "Make my Life Happen on Purpose", and in pursuit of new dreams. I have places to go, things to do and people to see. I can't wait to see what life has in store for me :) Next time I go to San Diego I have to remember to take a picture at the beach and this time write on the sand the words "BEEN FOUND!!" and change it for the picture at the opening of my blog ;)
Hope to hear from y'all soon, or better yet, come visit!! :)
Hugs,
@nit@
