cold front, warm heart

It’s a chilly afternoon and I’m happily cuddled up in bed reading Cuban history and analysis of Marxism and napping on and off occasionally.

The group schedule originally had a trip to the beach (only about 40 minutes away) planned for Saturday but mid-week all of the locals started talking about the ‘frente frio’ (cold front) that was moving in and how it would be an awful week to head to the seaside. I’ll admit that I was skeptical; not actually believing that it would get very chilly but it rained all day Friday and after spending the first two weeks here in tank tops and shorts we all threw on long sleeves and sweaters. It’s a welcome change, really. And it’ll be 90 and sunny again by mid-week, so hopefully the trip planned to Varadero (another beach) next weekend won’t also be cancelled.

Hard to believe we’re wrapping up week two already. Our ‘evaluation’ or check-in of sorts that we do each Friday was really interesting this week. Lots of good things, but there are also some frustrations surfacing. And I could feel it in myself too – I was homesick this week and unjustifiably bothered by little things.

Being away on my birthday is always harder than I expect it to be. Some of you know that I wasn’t sure I’d even tell people here it was my birthday…but since my host family got my passport information before I even arrived, it was never up to me. :) They had plans from the beginning – and since I’m living with the daughter of the director of the MLK Center, there was a big cake at lunch and singing and a formal blessing from my host-grandfather wishing me health happiness and ‘un buen mozo’ (a good husband). In the evening we all went out as a group and after the first two places we attempted to get into were closed we ended up at a third venue and had a blast bonding and dancing until far too late in the evening/morning.

I must also mention that the brightest parts of this weekend were receiving so many beautiful emails from loved ones all over the world. I feel so fortunate for the windy, sometimes unnerving, always exciting path that has been my life up to this point. This last year has been one of enormous learning and of being pushed to be mindful and of realizing how much of a choice I have about whether or not I am happy. I can’t say how powerful of a realization that’s been – something so seemingly simple.

And with all of that in mind I must also say thank you to all of my teachers and friends and inspirers and all of the people that have been the reason that those simple lessons finally started making sense. Thank you.