the sound of a whirlwind / gettin' back.

{photo by arthur machado}

Come to think of it. I don't know what I've been so busy with since we arrived home six days ago, but sometimes life gets real busy like that. But I do have one big update. Aside from all of the gorgeous bits of love waiting for me in my inbox and post box when we got home, there was a skinny letter from the U.S. embassy in Santiago. Dated about five days after I filed the stacks of paperwork to prove that we "entered into a bonafide marriage." Romantic, right? Love letters, financial documents, travel photos, congrats from family and friends all graced this massive packet. 

 

The crazy fast news is *the* interview is already set! October 13 in Santiago. We bought our tickets back to the capital yesterday. Remember how I said no more horribly timed 1 or 5 a.m. flights? Well, just one or two more times (ida y vuelta). Sometimes you just can't argue with the price. Thank goodness humans are so capable of forgetting past discomforts + grueling experiences! Sometimes it's good to be able to do it again...

Yet, some plans foiled... About two years ago, I took a vow of silence for 10 days. No reading, writing, listening to music, knitting, nada. Only meditation. Sitting (oh, it's surprising how much marathon sitting can hurt!). The style of meditation is called Vipassana, and they hold 10-day sessions all over the world. I won't go on about what a purifying experience this was. Have you ever done anything like this?

I wanted to do it again. Just once before I return to the States, because having a job with only a couple weeks vacation (way to make real travel impossible...) pretty much precluded me from wanting to spend that dear vacay in silence, meditating. Really, I like a good party break too! Besides international lifestyle and families, we'll be back and forth to Turkey and likely Chile along with wanting to explore... I had been trying to get into Vipassana courses for several months (always attempting to register too late). Finally one day, I was in and registered! 

{meditation by c.mariani}

A couple of weeks later Serkan decided he'd like to do it together! Say, what? I was over the moon. I couldn't think of a more amazing experience for us to share--by that time all 2.5 of us! Men and women are strictly separated during the Vipassana retreats, but just knowing that we are there doing it together... Hello beauty (and support and synchronized calm)! Since there wasn't any more space in the Santiago course I got into, I relinquished my spot. We hunted for another. After a couple of tries we found one in Buenos Aires and planned a big roadtrip for it, scheduled for September 29. 

{photo by lenaah}

After looking at funds and timing, it's too much to do the visa interview, get all the medical exams that we need in Santiago, and meditate in silence for 10 days near Buenos Aires. Bluely, I let loose that little dream yesterday morning, as we purchased our flights to Santiago. Our afternoon bike ride in spring (for here) weather cheered me up. I hadn't ridden a bike since May! 

Wishing you all a still-warm entrance into autumn and a sunny welcoming of spring! 

{unattributed photos : unknown : please let me know if they're yours}