Lucia Dancing

I feel endlessly grateful everyday for all the marvelous gifts Chile is giving me, for the people I am meeting and the people I continue to love, and the ever-present strength I find in myself. Last weekend, Elise, David, and I went to Chilo é, a cluster of islands in the Region de los Lagos in the south of Chile. Since reading a novel by Isabel Allende when I was 18 I have been fantasizing about going to this mystical, climatically  intense, kind and mysterious island. Actually setting foot on the land of  Chilo é  was remarkable! It was a place of nostalgia and memory, although I have never been before, as every section flooded my mind with images and sensations of places I've been in my past; Vermont, Ocracoke, the cloud forest of Costa Rica, Cape Cod. We met the most lovely humans there, and I truly wanted to buy a little hut and stay there forever, with a garden and a cow and a little row boat.  I love small communities! It was really lovely to get to experi...

Time is a constant theme on my mind here. I feel like its flying by now whereas in the beginning it moved like a caterpillar traversing the length of a palm leaf. Sometimes the little things that are so important get lost in the jumble of flashy and vivacious new experiences, so I wanted to spend some time reflecting on la vida cotidiana here. I am endlessly lucky to live in this house. Watching the babies grow up and absorb the world is a gift; they have such large capacities for wonder and love. My host mom really kicks ass--she is kind, honest, and real. We went out one night the two of us and it was one of my favorite nights of the semester, just sitting and drinking terremotos. I continue to rediscover the power of female friendships and intergenerational companionship. She's lived her life in such a fierce and empowering way and it was an honor to be able to hear some of her stories! This family has taken me to their extended family cookout/party, taught me how to make na...

Last weekend, I went to San Pedro de Atacama, truly one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. Whenever I travel, I can't help but reflect on how incredible this world is! We all have to take more time to appreciate it. Having already been to the far south of Chile, seeing the other extreme was a gift, and especially magical because the landscape and natural phenomena in San Pedro de Atacama are breathtaking. Many times I did not feel like I was on earth, and the fact that I was made it all the more incredible. To be honest, what was really magical about that weekend was the sheer intensity and beauty of traveling by myself! This world tells us women we have to restrict ourselves and move about with fear--and a lot of this is justified, society is filled with violence and pain! But the truth is that it is totally possible and joyful and liberating to travel alone! As long as I was smart and conscious of my whereabouts, it was totally safe. The experience reminded me of ...