Who doesn't love an appealing alliteration? It just gives a little spice that seems to make any title or phrase more savory. Speaking of fun and flavors, the past couple of weeks have been filled with lots of novel, satisfying things alongside some delightfully familiar experiences. I might even say that things have been busy with one event after another. But instead of what I usually mean by busy (i.e. stressed, annoyed at everyone, trying to do it all), I mean a lot going on simultaneously.
While we are indeed fully engaged and not worry-free with homework, with Ryan taking a 2-hour round trip bus ride to campus every day, with working on grad school stuff, and with trying to keep our life in order here and stateside, I have not used the word "busy" to describe our days much. The direct translation for "busy" in Spanish is "ocupado" or a cognate of "occupied." Huh. It makes me think of how I often reply to the question of "How are you?" with "Busy." Thus, the response mistakenly communicates that I'm not open to conversation or a connection. Ouch. So, while the past two weeks have unfolded with a steady stream of logistics and details, I hope that I don't lose sight of how the infection of being "busy," for me can take the place of appreciating the privilege of having choices and opportunities in the first place.
Getting off the soapbox now and into the sharing:
hermanito y cuñada
After a wedding in Cancun, brother/uncle Brian and his bride Kyleigh took the bus to Merida and spent a couple of days in the "white city" with us. We got to try some new eats, strolled some local markets, listened to Trova music, toured the cemetery, and finally took a tour of the city center "el Centro" (only took us 6 months!). It was a blast sharing this city we love.
the wild west of the Yucatan
We also had the chance to cross off one of our top bucket list items and saw FLAMINGOS IN THE WILD! We have been postponing in the hope of better viewing during the migration season to be in full swing. It was well worth the wait. Located in a protected reserve the Ruta Flamingo is a treasure trove of wildlife. We had hoped to swim in a nearby cenote, but there were not one but TWO crocodiles seated alongside the mangroves. So, after our boat ride admiring these orange-pink wonders we went to the beach and waded in the water there instead.
Because the flamingos are off the beaten path of easy public transportation, we rented a car for a couple of days and also took full advantage of our own set of wheels. We went to the Zoo Animaya and got to know the more rural, but full-of-charm towns of Celestun, Sisal, Hunucmá.
small moments
The end of this month also brings the stark realization that we have almost exactly three months remaining in Merida. Such a long and short time. It amplifies the need to appreciate moments like noticing an artwork, swimming with friends, or paying attention to when the kids are getting along. Luckily with the help of our everpresent cameras on iPhone, we can capture these nuggets in real time to revisit later.
Thank you for reading and sharing the past and future moments here. It is a gift beyond measure to be sharing and experiencing them. Until next time!
I'm so happy to see you got to go to Celestun, Flamingos, and beach. !!! Fabuloso !!!