friends

I am starting to realize that it is becoming harder and harder to be a transit body. Not for the means of uprooting your home and belongings every so often, that part isn't so hard for me. It is the constant "goodbyes" to the people that you meet. My brother likens my blog descriptions of various people I have met to a "Lost" episode, being that new characters are constantly being introduced. It is true, when traveling you are constantly meeting new people, finding new groups to do things with and just as you become a part of the community it is again time to say your goodbyes to those people. All said with promises of writing and keeping in touch, but in the back of your head you know it is not always that easy. Life will eventually take over and the keeping in touch will fade with time. The people I have met thus far have become such a part of my life for the time, and have all had an impact on the experiences in the towns, but still it becomes difficult to say the inevitable "goodbye". But even worse is the goodbyes to the friends who have come to visit you, those who bring a bit of memory of home with them.

After a week my good friends Erin and Michael from Seattle have left the sun, sand, and inevitable "siesta" to return home. Stepping off the airplane they brought for me the small needed items from the States, the news of the homefront and the energy to see what Mexico is about. When leaving, they were able to, if not for a short bit, get to walk a week in my life.

The got to meet all the various people I have befriended in this small town, they got to experience the difficulties of not knowing a language, the hesitations of ordering food from roadside taco vendors, the noises that have become blended into white noise for me (I am sure they will miss all the rooster noise through-out the day and night) and the numerous other "mexican" things that make you smile or frown. Hopefully the trip opened their eyes to a foreign land and the opportunities travel can bring.

Our times were well spent; from dinners at home with friends (new and old), to bonfires up in the jungle, from seeing hidden beaches to visiting towns that have suffered from massive growth, from watching a small band at the Sayulita lounge to dancing their hearts out at a show put on by Collectivo, a band that has 15 members from around the world and sings their reggae+mexican+french+old fashioned middle eastern carnival music to fans from around the world. They were able to be fit into this town and by the time they departed they too were given waves by familiar faces passing by. They also exchanged emails with people with promises to keep in touch, which I hope they do. But thankfully I always know that I will forever remain in their email and phone book. I will miss the fact that I am with people that know me inside and out, and that make me laugh until my stomach hurts, but I also know that my times must go on and the opportunites to meet more people are on the horizon. So as sorry as I am to say goodbye to friends new and old, it seems to be my life, for now.

So to my Sayulita friends, Michael, Marshall, all the people at the Sayulita lounge (and there are lots), Lillianna my Spanish teacher, my fellow classmates, Fury the Canadian who knows more about American history than I do, Gabby and her children, my various neighbors, and the countless others...thanks...for everything. I am sure the last days here in Sayulita will be entertaining and the goodbyes will be heartfelt, and the tequila will smoothly go down my throat...or so I have been told.

H&M

PS, for all of you musica lovers out there, click on this link to read about Colectivo: http://cdbaby.com/cd/colectivo