Thoughts and Rambles: November 2009

Friday, November 27, 2009

headed to Africa!

I just read my last post, written on November 21, 2008. Not long after that entry, I returned to my lovely Guanajuato and had Christmas with dear friends who have become more like family. In the year that followed, I continued to be in love with the lifestyle and the people, and I think I am forever changed; more open, more loving, more me. It was my life, and as it was now normal life I guess I didn't feel the need to blog about it. But now I am returning to being a blogger, this time in order to chronicle my next adventure...

Though some scary experiences led me to announce to my parents 15 years ago that I would never return to West Africa, travel in recent years has made me curious and hungry for more. I remember the fear I felt while there as a child and a young adult, but now after a decade and a half away, I feel an interest in reconnecting. Part of me is terrified, remembering the big guns and those who had no qualms about putting them in our faces, and other close calls, threats of jailings and the ever present concern of kidnappings. But each time I get on the phone with my aunt and chat my hellos, I feel a little twinge, a feeling that it is time to go with my Dad and try not to be afraid, see my family, consider it an adventure instead of being fearful. 15 years away - I guess it's time. I've tried to revive my French with novels, a course on the computer, and conversation meetup dinners. My passport is newly adorned with visas to Benin, Togo, Burkina Faso and Mali. I have had my immunizations and I have an extra memory card and battery for my camera. For 2 months we will be a father-daughter team, and I will reunite with family and visit places that I once saw as a child and other places I have never seen. I mostly look forward to the Voodoo Feast in January - this religion originated from my father's country, Benin. And this annual festival is a great opportunity to learn, watch ceremonies, and discuss Voodoo with the priests and those who study this important part of the Benin cuture. So, welcome back to my blog, this way I can take you with me on this next adventure...

PHOTOS

All photos in this blog are those I have shot myself (unless, obviously, I am the subject, in which case I will cite the photographer - except for a couple cases where I simply handed the camera to the person next to me to capture me in the moment- unfortunately there are a few of those where I do not know the person's name). I currently use the Panasonic DMC-FZ28. It is a great camera with a quality lens and good portability, and I get really nice shots with it.

It's not the most advanced or powerful camera, and it's not a large fancy SLR, but I've found that the trick to getting a good shot is not always just about the camera. As a photographer I can achieve great shots by keeping in mind composition, angle, and understanding the computer inside the camera and how to manipulate it for what I want in the final shot.

Perhaps one day I'll have my dream camera, but until then, I'm doing alright with a really great "almost SLR".

As you read the blog, enjoy the photos I insert here and there to help you visualize my stories. I have so many more photos, but only so much space for them on this blog.

Life... or Lifestyle?

thank you Allie, for this story, which reminds me of why I tend to feel so frustrated with the traditional American rat race…

There once was a Mexican fisherman who would get up in the morning and go fishing. By lunch time he had caught enough fish for the day and would come home, sell the fish, eat lunch with his wife, spend the afternoon playing with his kids and napping in the shade and in the evenings he would go down to the bar and play music with his friends.

One day he met an American who asked him, "Are there more fish out there that could be caught?"

And the Mexican said, "Yeah, but I catch enough before lunch so I stop fishing and come home."

The American said, "You should fish all day and catch more fish so you could increase your earnings."

The Mexican asked, "And then what would I do?"

"You could then buy another boat and hire another captain and catch twice as many fish and earn twice as much. Then you could start to sell your fish to the large corporations."

And the Mexican asked, "And then what?"

"You would keep adding boats until you had an armada and then you could build your own fish factory and ship your fish world-wide! Then you, of course, wouldn't be able to fish any more, you could move to the US and run the company. You would be making tons of money!"

And the Mexican asked, "What would I do with all that money?"

"You would save it!"

"What would I be saving it for?"

"So one day you could retire, move to a Caribbean island, fish in the morning, eat lunch with your wife, spend the afternoon playing with your grandchildren and napping in the shade and in the evenings you could go down to the bar and play music with your friends!"

And, there's the rub. My mother used to tell a story like this, except it was about an African fisherman (appropriate, as my father is African and this story was a comment on how one can trade the good life for a promise of the good life). Is it the African Connection that draws me to a similar lifestyle in Mexico?

Now I am living with and in the experiences, enjoying each day, and loving the moment.

I shared this sentiment with folks and they say "well, sure, but then there's reality."

Whose reality?

Should I find a way to live, really live, and enjoy and learn and love each day, whether it is in the States or in Mexico or elsewhere, I will always remember to embrace each moment and find a way to enjoy those moments. I refuse to continue on the rat race so that one day I can find my paradise, whatever it may be. I may not have a lot for show, but I love each day, and this is what is really important.

Thoughts and Rambles

Friday, November 27, 2009

headed to Africa!

PHOTOS

About Me

Guanajuato, Mexico at sunset

Life... or Lifestyle?

Blog Archive