Spontaneity Burst - New Mexico Roadtrip

I don't know many people in Austin as I've been focused on my spiritual/personal development - on learning and practicing the art of happiness!
My closest friends would be Philip, our (well technically his) cat Moisha, and Joshua.
So, as Philip's chasing tornados, on my last day in Los Angeles I called Joshua to see what he's up to when I get back. Turns out he's leaving to go to a Summer Solstice 10 day Kundalini Yoga Retreat in the mountains of New Mexico - at 11:30 pm that night. Camping, roadtrip first. My flight arrived at 11:30 but the retreat sounded irresistible - the synchronisity beautiful, and the spontaneity more than alluring. He mentioned volunteering in exchange for cheaper cost which made the trip sound more realistic as the price is $700. It all sounded crazy, but I called their office late that Sunday to see how the universe would reply to this option: They offered to set me up with either a financial aid scholarship or volunteer scholarship. The volunteer scholarship had a 6 hour/day commitment so I opted for financial aid as I knew I'd be working for Swift Kick, editing Moseley's book, creating a website for my Aunt, and working on a business plan. Well, hoping and trying to be that productive while going to as many yoga workshops as possible and enjoying the mountains.
2 hours of logistics later, I had a tent, Philip overnighting the wireless card, approval from the bosses, 4 people in the car willing to wait while I packed, a yoga mat, ride from the airport, camelback, and had sent checks to "box pack mail" in Espanola, New Mexico so I could have access.
The other 4 in the trip who patiently waited until 2am are Josh, Sophia, Andrew, and Victor - Josh knew everyone, and Andrew knew Victor, but we mostly were strangers and we had ALL decided that Sunday to go on this trip :-) I had spoken with Victor through couchsurfing as we had hoped to meetup based on our similar interests. He was hitch-hiking through the US.
I never quite decided whether to go or not, just kept my options open by packing and well, I was already packed, and they were waiting, so off we went. The old white volvo stationwagon fit all of our gear perfectly, including a box of tuna the boys got in the dumpster and clothes we found at a Goodwill dropoff.
I did much of the night driving and was surreally surprised at the spectacular early sunrise over the desert of west Texas. If only I enjoyed the sunset every morning - what better way to start your day than awe at the beauty of life and nature?
Our first stop was at a springs only a bit off the highway - in a town that looked somewhat if not completely deserted. The signage was confusing, but we found our way, into a natural springs that had fish and rock bottom but had concrete walls keeping it in for us.
I really wish they would just let the spring be natural - rather than messing up the ecosystem like that. It was fun to swim with the fish! We had a half-dumpster/half-homemade vegan food picnic.
We then practiced various yoga poses on the rocks.... on the diving board... in front of the water.. and near the trees, to take fun photos. The other Texan travelers were pleasantly intrigued and friendly about the hippi city yoga group.
The small towns we saw along the way made me wonder how people make any money there - that there would seem to be a certain amount of cash in the town and it would be hard to make more - I tried to conceptualize the economics of small towns. Would companies owned outside the town be beneficial because its bringing money and jobs in ? Most likely not as the profit goes elsewhere. So helping local entrepreneurs sounds like a great idea, but where are the townspeople going to get the money to pay for the services? I've got to mull on this one a bit more as my spiritual focus has temporarily taken away immediate access to my economic wit.
I realized that I would go straight from the retreat to Colorado for my dads birthday and cousins recital... then I have no reason to return to Austin before going to friend/reunion Wyoming party fest at a farm and the National Rainbow gathering is close. After that maybe I'll go visit Philip and Fitz on the road chasing tornados for an NBC show - maybe see if I can help out!
Next stop was Albuqueque, to sleep on the floor of Josh's former roommates house. We slept in one room as the ferret would purportedly be making quite a bit of noise in the other.
On the way I learned that Victor, the belgian, just finished school in Montreal where he was doing a masters degree in sustainability impact assessment... and as i've taken a class on it we had quite a bit to talk about, in half-french and half-english.
I also learned how Andrew went to a sort of free-school similar to Waldorf and we discussed childhoods, and education and how important it is for children to have their creativity, imagination, independence, and choice.
The next morning we slept in a bit, I did some work and they patiently hung out, and off we went to find the co-op and stock up for another picnic but this time at a hotsprings. We went first to a wonderful co-op where I saw a man I'd met at the Austin World Wellness Weekend and soon realized it was a great friend of Josh's. He gave us directions to the retreat but I'm not sure any of us were intently listening enough as we later realized.
We walked to the costume store across the way... I opened the door cautiously saying it didn't seem right and the owner of 16 years came around the corner to explain that you don't browse... she asks what you're looking for and then brings out your options.. she talked and talked... about how her costumes had won prizes... how they're authentic and she's even created a bigfoot costume.
I really like Albuquerque.. there's something beautiful, enchanting, real and alternative about it. Across the street was a metaphysical bookstore.. but though we hesitated we passed it by as we already have many books in the car on such topics.
We drove north from albuquerque and after a couple asking of directions, stopping at waterfalls, losing sunglasses and skinny dipping in their pursuit, we found the hotsprings.... enjoyed scrumptious watermelon and soaked in the hot water despite the heat. The view was amazing - nature at it's best.
Sophia made an avocado-sprouts masque and massaged it into my hands, and victor and andrew's faces - the sprouts floated around the hot springs like bubbles in the water.
As it was time to move on, we got out of the pools and moments later tons of people started arriving. We continued on to the retreat.
We found ourselves in Espanola, with no map, no internet, and no directions. But you're never that disconnected... we called Andrew's mom and directed her to the website. The directions still didn't make sense, so we followed a sikh woman in a turban to the dollar store and i asked her, after explaining we'd just been swimming as I was in my bathing suit and feeling inappropriate in her presence.
And off we went.

We had vague directions and it wasn't on a map.

Rashes in the jungle...

On my second day in Brazil, my sister took me to Pequeno Principe, or, The Little Prince. It's a community in the forest, which has a kindergarten, kitchen, workshops, garden, many buildings, and german volunteers.
OH, and one swiss volunteer who I went to school with 10 years ago ! we are still friends with the same people though we dont remember each other being in different grades.
It~s like a mini paradise... with banana trees and many plants I've never seen before.
We took the bus with a group of children from the favela where my sister lives, who were getting a once in a lifetime chance to go to this paradise community for 3 days.
It was a strange feeling that I can go there after one day, and they have waited for years for this opportunity.

Schools in the favelas have three different sessions, morning, afternoon, and evening, because all of the children work. The organization that my sister works for, has many kindergartens and art workshops, thus theres quite a waiting line. Around 50% or so of the children are children of the workers of the organization.

Yesterday, Livy was surprised by the amount of light in the favela near the organizations center.. overnight there was a new lightpost which actually worked, bathing the children playing soccer, in light despite the late hour.

Back in the forest.... there's a volunteer house, more like a magical cabin, with a pond in front, and two adorable kittens running around. There are only male volunteers here, all very friendly and fun, and we speak a mixture of portuguese, german, and english. And sometimes swiss-german.

My portuguese is getting alot better, at least I think it is, though understanding native portuguese speakers is harder than those europeans speaking slowly.

I hadnt eaten much, so when we walked down the forest dirt road, unsafe to females by themselves, but fine with our group of guys, I searched for some vegetarian food at the stores below. Only bready cheesy things if i dont eat meat.
I drank my first Caiparinha, which ive surely misspelled. Its the talk of the country, and of travellers lucky enough to explore Brazil. It was glorious and worth the fame.

The next day, yesterday that is, it was sunny! and hot! All the other days I was quite quite cold here in winter! We laid out near a grove of banana trees, on a yellow fuzzy blanket, hand-in-hand, writing in our respective books. Dreaming of singing happybirthday in portuguese to our mother and enjoying the sunshine. The sunshine put us in a happy daze, which the crunchy apples woke us up from. I definitely got some sun. magical.

We found our friends, who'd been busy at work and were now off to give a workshop on making dreamcatchers. Livy cut her hair and I wandered after our friends, not saying much because of my sleepiness which spawned a bit of confusion when thinking of what language to use. Words coming to me in different languages quicker than words forming one sentence. Fortunately all the volunteers, all 5 or so, speak portuguese, german, and english.... and Manuel some french and of course swiss-german.

At this point I noticed a rash allover my body... little red bumps, bespeckling me like bodyart.

We went into the woods to break off long winding branches, or perhaps vines is the better description. Not too green, and not too dry. My swiss-army knife in my CarHarts came quite in handy once i remembered I brought it with.
We trampled back, my arms full of big rings of these vines. The children from the favela and surrounding community trickled onto the field, about twenty or so, but I have no quantity concept really.

I hadnt made dreamcatchers for many years, so I thought I would just watch. But the children knew better and I was soon in quite the demand, with so many eager quick learning children, and three of us able to show them. My portuguese was quite confusing i'm sure, mixed with spanish and hand gestures.. but the result was beautiful dreamcatchers, a cut on my finger which spurred a much needed conversation regarding vaccines I still need to get, and some happy children.

We took the 1.5 hrs or so bus ride back home, walking down Silva Aurujo street, bustling with people and capitalism, and sang happy birthday in portuguese to Mom through a bad skype connection. We tried.

At around 11pm we went to the community center for theater. It was all in fast portuguese, reminding me that I really dont understand much at all... though Livy confirmed she couldnt either and shes basically fluent. We were warned thered be nudity probably, and yes, one actor was naked, covered barely by a white apron. much passion and from what I could tell, was a social commentary.

Alrighty, enough gas fumes today.
love