Shila Travels: Back to the grind

Hey internet pals

How is everything in Canada these days? Tell me all about it!

Being back at work on Wednesday felt pretty good. Even though I was sad to see my people leave, it does feel good to be in my space and get back into some kind of rhythm with life.

Since being back:

- I finally, FIIIIIIINALLY finished transcriptions! I don't even want to know the total number of pages I have typed. Finishing these is exciting on two fronts: one, I can finally get moving with coding and analyzing, and two, I CAN LISTEN TO MUSIC AGAIN!!!!!!!! And not only my boring old music, but exciting NEW music from my baby brother!!! I love love love to listen to music when I work, it makes me a zillion times more productive, but this past month the only thing on my headphones has been men's voices. So this is pretty exciting for me! New music is the bessssst!

- One of my readers, who barely even knew letters a few months ago, read the word "surprise" this week and really did surprise me (haaaaa)! Such progress.

- Our internet has been super sketchy at work lately, so if you're trying to catch me I may be MIA for a day or two

- Friday my hands were pruney from making paper beads with the kids.

- Saturday I ran a yoga session with the teen club at SSI (www.steppingstonesintl.org). As you may recall, teen club is a support/educational group for HIV positive youth. I still find it emotionally challenging to attend these meetings, the kids are so tiny, but I'm getting better at handling all the feels. One of my readers showed up on Saturday, so that hurt my heart at lot, but it is what it is. The kids seemed to enjoy the yoga, and I loved getting to teach them a few fun poses. The session also included a religious speech from a priest, information about HIV transmission, and a discussion about the impact of alcohol. It was a good session for sure.

- Saturday night rocked. It consisted of star gazing and pizza on cozy blankets by candlelight. Perfection!

- Today (Sunday) was also lovely. We slept in, and then spent the afternoon doing some shopping for groceries and things in Gabs. We had great luck with hitches and it was a super relaxing and smooth day. I feel very content at the moment!

- More scorpions and gigantic spiders at our house this week. Thank GOD Kate and Milena can kill these things. I had a huge ass spider crawl on my hand in child's pose on Friday. Talk about interrupting the zen!

- The heat… the HEAT! Walking in the afternoon is such an intense experience. Sooooo much sweating. And sitting on a combi waiting for it to fill with people, is the ultimate hottest. I feel so bad sweating on people, but they sweat on me too, so it's just sweaty times all around. When the combi FINALLY leaves and wind comes through the windows, the feeling is AMAZING. Mom, dad, thank you SO much for helping us get fans, they are the best purchase we've ever made.

- Headstands? Hells yes. I need a wall to help me balance, but they are coming along. I didn't expect to get into a headstand so soon. It's cool the way progress is happening

Other than that, a trip to Cape Town is on the horizon (eeeeee! excited!), and I'm feeling great with life overall. The reality of me leaving in less than two months is starting to cause me some mild panic, but I'm trying to keep my head in the present and not think too far ahead. It's just SO interesting the way my feelings have evolved since arriving here. When I got here in June I was scared shitless. The knowledge that I was home in six months was so comforting. But now… I'm all over the map. I genuinely feel at ease with our lives here, daily challenges and all. I'm content. And as much as I'm DYING to see certain people/do certain things upon my return, it's scary to go back on account of having no life plan.

It's also that time is slipping away. There are all these things we still want to do, but it seems like every weekend is over instantly.

Sooooooooo. There is also that.

Life is so interesting.

Send me your thoughts!

shilaleblanc@gmail.com

Sending everyone peace and love vibes

Shila