Whispering wind - Dancing mermaids

I laid the book down and took a deep breath in, closed my eyes, and drifted with the wind inside the cracks of my skull. I breathed out and I could see for miles inside my body. Every grain of sand in my spleen smiled. Every crevice in my kidney clapped for joy as the thunderous voice in my head roared, “listen to me!” Ritualistically, I came out of reading “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho in a healthier place, mentally and spiritually, than when I went in. Those heart-numbing lines would stay with me all day, and while it only took about three days to finish, it was a journey. The book follows an Andalusian shepard boy and his quest. Such themes that arise include: following omens, believing in yourself, and finding your Personal Legend. After I put the book down, I decided to get up and go.

I left my house at midnight on Friday (or Saturday…or Allday, depending on your perception of time) with no set plan, rather a motivation to go with the flow and see where life would take me. In my bag, I brought patience and confidence, openness and fire. I hoped on the first bus I saw, which was the 152 heading south into the capital. I watched people get on and off; I read their energies, and tried grasping the moment. As the bus got more and more crowded, I started feeling more and more distant from everyone around me, even as we were physically squished together. I rode the bus until Retiro when I saw a gorgeous park to my right, quickly jumped out, and strolled through the luscious trees. I had never been there before. And what beautiful trees they were! I looked for a street sign: Maipu. I began my journey on a different Maipu next to my house! Synch! I kept reading signs and energies and strolled by the old clocktower, observed the pores on a baby tree, and followed the half moon to Puerto Madero. This extremely rich spot is a nice place to walk around at night with your lady. I, solo, followed flashing lights to the futuristic white bridge and examined gorgeous water reflections, but still, felt a sense of loneliness. I continued on towards El Centro, and this is where my story gets a bit darker. I have always hated El Centro; at night it transforms into a scarier more dead zone of poverty and overall sketchiness. As I was heading towards El Obelisco, I remembered a line from “The Alchemist” that reads, “If something happens once it will never repeat. If something happens twice, it was repeat again and again” (mas o menos) I remembered Isa and my glorious night during the bicentennial with her. Looking at the monument from a distance, I knew I would not find love there. Nothing could match that celestial night. It was one and only. Suddenly, I felt extremely isolated, vulnerable, and alone. I hailed a cab to Plaza Italia and walked to a new pizzeria. When I entered, I looked into the eyes of man with long wavy black hair and a rascally looking face; he smiled a crooked smile and winked at me. I would eat some of the best pizza I’ve had in BsAs with him, Eduardo, and his friend Santiago. We discussed lots of things. The two of them were learning how to juggle claves (juggling is a huge part of Buenos Aires culture) and gave me great advice about northern Argentina. I definitely was drawn to Eduardo’s energy. His Inner Light was shining in that pizzeria and I knew I had to keep following it. All the loneliness I felt in El Centro vanished. We made plans to meet on Sunday.

I awoke at 1 and headed to San Isidro. I took the bus there for the first time (I usually go train) and walked to the main plaza on a different route. I met with my close friends Sergio (the violinist) and Cora. Cora (short for Corazon – heart) is like my Argentinean aunt/mom/godmother. It might be the Judaism connecting us, but whatever it is, there is something special there. She really loves me, has so much faith in me, and wants me to succeed. She has enforced no smoking marijuana in public in Argentina and not to break girls hearts and respect my lovers. If she were my age, we’d probably make a good couple. Although I like my ladies older, she is a little too old. Anyways, she, Sergio, and I gathered around mate and talked (mate really does bring people together - Argentinean culture is so loving…). Cora paints signs-for-the-house on wood with acrylic colors. They are really nice and cute signs. I gave her some ideas to use in English like “Welcome home” and “King of the house”. She speaks English and Spanish and we talk in both. She gave me one her signs (“Bienvenidos” - ironic since we were departing) We said a lovely goodbye and went our separate ways (for now, at least). I followed the setting sun towards Tigre.

When I arrived, I continued my omen-reading which lead my to a huge concert along the river. Loud drums banged and banged out rhythms at high speed. Mermaids contaminated with garbage danced with toddlers. Without questioning anything. I laid my backpack down, leaped into the circle and let my mojo loose (shaking, jumping, thumping, and whomping around). The concert was established to promote recycling and promote awareness about river contamination. It was sweet, the concert that is. Being there made me feel happy talking with 4 year olds and I liked to goof around a bit. My friend Ines came to find me during a crazy beautiful Indian fusion band/show. We walked to her house singing The Beatles and I met her family. Ines is one of my good Tigre friends. We then went to a very “underground” show in Tigre. This recital celebrated Argentine culture and Murga – Carnival spirit. This was a very local show and I felt like I had dropped into the heart of Tigre: great folklore bands, crazy Carnival celebration with amazing costumes and dance, and buena onda! The food and drinks were super cheap, too. We finished four huge cups of Fernet and Cola and two liters of Brahma. Very nice…

We left the show feeling amazing. I was riding very positive energy and decided to act on it. Still, the confusion constantly pounding in my head about a loving relationship (something more) with Ines OR Rosio (gosh, you have no idea how attractive they are. I have liked both of them so much my entire time here and the confusion of yes – no, which one, had been clawing at me muchisimo). So, we went to Tigre Cantobar (which I found out is not actually called Tigre Cantobar…whatever) and things made started to sense. Rosio had been feeling very down when we met up that night. Something along the lines of family issues and parents fighting made her visibly sad. We talked inside Cantobar and I gave her hope. I told her what Juan had told me on the eve of my birthday - that there are two points on a cycle – great and terrible and the ball moves in a circle. The good will end and return to the bad. Climbing out of the bad times is much harder, but it can only be done with some faith and positive thinking, like visioning an image that makes you feel happy. We also talked about the concept of falling in love. If anything made sense from our conversation, it was that Ro and I are meant to be friends, nothing more. She is gorgeous, but that doesn’t mean I can’t have a gorgeous friend. I wouldn’t want to mess anything up with that. Also, I would not want to start anything more right now, right before I take off. The same goes with Ines. Also, I think Ines is a bit confused with what she wants in life. Right now, she wants to be completely understood by someone else and I can’t fill that void for her - especially when she can’t understand herself. So, I left Tigre with lots of love, happiness and a better understanding of my status with my two friends. I slept on the bus back home and missed my stop. Ahh geeeez!

Today, I called Eduardo and we met up outside Muki. As he walked up, he looked like a pirate washed up on concrete roads. Such a cool guy. We walked to the river, which I suggested it since I had never shared time at the river with anyone else. We drank mate, shared fabricas (croissants) and talked about life; he helped me understand where to go in N. Argentina and plan a timeline; we also talked about boy things and the economic crisis of 2001. Eduardo is the man. He teaches kids with special needs and has tons of patience. I really respect him and am glad we crossed paths in the pizzeria. He invited me over this week for pizza. He lives only ten blocks away from my house in Vicente Lopez. Keep it rolling…

I leave this blogpost fulfilled that I have finished telling my story, and if you are still there, I thank you so much for listening and sticking around. I am so glad you read these posts and get something out of it, whatever that feeling may be. I feel like I am in a good place right now. I know I will leave Argentina much different than when I arrived, and will return here in a different state as well. We are constantly changing. We are constantly affecting others around us. As Aldous Huxley says in The Doors of Perception, “We live together, act on, and react to, one another; but always and in all circumstances we are by ourselves.” I do not completely agree with this, but I do like to think that we constantly affect others and learn from those and that around us, all in the hope to further ourselves. I feel like I have grown tremendously since I left The States, a personal journey. Still, I am looking for her, possibly him, to share this life with. Like the boy in “The Alchemist”, I will continue to follow my path. I am an adventurer.