See-Saw...

…up and down!

(Note: playing on a see-saw with a kid this little on the other end gives your legs a GREAT work-out!)

Anyway. Up and down. At the same time…. Like me. Ha. A lot is going through my head right now.

On the “UP” side, there are so many perfect moments down here.

Like when I have 4+ kids all scrambling over me, some snuggling, or enjoying my rough-house tickles and up-side-down twirls, others just happy to stroke my arm (and others ganging up on me trying to steal my phone, camera, hat, and sunglasses… the little twerps! J). The mutual affection, both having so much to give, and so willing to receive it, is so much rewarding.

Or when I was in the middle of the desert. On the 400^th kilometer of bumpy road, getting jostled to sleep in the back of a Land Cruiser packed with 6 other people, watching the sun set over the peaceful desolation. It was so… harmonious. Just us and the endless sand and the sun, now slipping calmly away from us to attend to the other side of this crazy world.

Or bouncing home in a taxi that probably did not have shocks, enjoying observing the nightlife of the city – loud music coming from little hole-in-the-wall restaurants, tons of little empanada stands, a bunch (20?) fuseball tables set up on the sidewalk… There’s just so much to see here that you don’t see in most parts of the USA.

On the “down” side… Well, it’s one of a few stages, actually.

1) Initial short-term tourist perspective: “Wow, look at all this crazy stuff. This is cool!”

2) Getting hit by the realities of living here: “Ugh, I’ve gotta puke. Why doesn’t the shower work again? The smell of burning garbage is NOT what I need on a nauseous stomach. Why can’t everything just work and be clean??? I don’t want to take a Trufi (public transportation van-bus) with approximately 7 million people crammed inside. Is there any good reason to litter like this? Or honk for who-knows-why? (Maybe it’s a cultural game? “Honk every time you see a stray dog! Honk every time you see “vote for Evo” graffiti! Honk every time your odometer rolls a digit! If you’re happy and you know it, honk your horn!”)

3) Realizing I’ve over-reacted and can be quite happy without some familiar commodities. “I love it here. Stop getting bent out of shape over cultural differences. You know you’ll miss this when you leave, so just start enjoying every minute for what it is.”

I’m somewhere between 2 and 3. J

So… just updating ya’ll here. Less introspection and more action is to follow. Stay tuned! J