I have had my 2011 Honda Fit for 7 days and it already has 600+ miles on it…consider it broken in. My Fit came at a perfect time, just days before my mini-vaycay up to Monterey. I was thinking that my thoughts were getting in the way of me thinking clearly. I got two nights in Monterey, giving me the option to just enjoy the nature beautiful that is beautiful, if not boring Monterey…but more importantly it gives me access to the roots of my passion, Frank Paul in Salinas. Luckily I got some tax money so I was able to buy a nice hotel room…however, I forgot the layout of Monterey and instead of getting a hotel by the beach, I got a hotel by the mall…keep in mind, I can still see the water…not all bad.
I have never done a drive to anyone farther than LA by myself, so this whole thing was a new adventure…keep in mind, I can fly to Peru alone, so I can drive to Monterey. The drive was only really notable for two things: 1. I got to see the oil rig field that looks like baby dinosaurs have been enslaved, and I tried to go up highway 1, but there had been a landslide and lovely California hadn’t put up a detour so I had to back track 30 miles to get back on track.
This is not my first trip back to the 831 after having spent a year here, but much like Peru. I am not visit, trying to grasp at something old, I find myself, a new person, experiencing novel familiarity.
Day 2: I have a lame breakfast at a lame restaurant where the waitress didn’t give me coffee and wouldn’t take me check…but then I got to sit in traffic for way too long. Finally I ended up at Frank Paul, I was nervous that everyone I had known there, had moved on or wouldn’t remember me. Some of the kids recognized me, and the teachers where great too. I was sad because most of the kids I knew where on a fieldtrip to San Francisco…so I will have to make a second trip tomorrow…which is on the agenda.
The main highlight of my day was when I visited the gym I coached at for a few months. I went in just to see if I remember anyone, and if they remembered me. I hadn’t anticipated my reaction to my visit. First thing I see are three coaches I really liked, we said our hellos and then I was bombarded with a hug by one of the team girls. I had known a few of the team girls, but they all left for college. I forgot about the younger ones…once I looked at her though, I completely remembered her. I had only planed on stopping by for about an hour…when in fact I stayed for almost 4 hours. I spent most of my time enjoying talking to the team coach and helping coach the team girls on some of their skills. I didn’t want to leave, a feeling I didn’t expect to feel. I forgot how much I liked this gym, and the team coach, and coaching team….I am more connected to Salinas than I thought…which still confusing me, because living here is hell…but what do I do? My heart wants what it wants…which is? Who knows!
ONE WEEK LATER:
My Salinas trip had the impact I was looking for. My mindset has changed, not drastically but enough to have cleared my head and given me a new focus. Subbing at Alisal and coaching at EGA…sounds pretty good. If I found an online program, then I could be felixble with my schedule…however, who knows…life is stressfull. Applications are stressful….stupid Pearson testing is stressful, takes 3 weeks to get my scores that I got a year ago…why not just post them online?!
Random Factoid: I got a fun visit from my cool Aunt this week.
La Cultura Cura
