Pictures: I Know Y'all Want to See Pictures

 

Four Places in One Week

 Wow. Just wow. What a week this has been. As you know from my last post, we had to switch hostels because they overbooked. Let me take you through the journey of our sleeping quarters this past week, my friends:

Bed Square and a hotel that I cannot remember the name: Overbooked and no room at the Inn

You basically know the deal with this one. They often get overbooked by Hostelworld, "so thank you for booking with us, but you must leave." This new room: hard-as-heck beds and a bathroom smell that would make any garbage man (or woman) gag. We were jet-lagged, though, so no big deal.

Another hotel (and no, I don't remember this name either)

Was this a step up? Absolutely. Soft bed, lovely smelling bathroom. But wait--let me tell you about the music. Each night we stayed there, there was a beautiful (but loud) African band playing upstairs. I want you to imagine horse clattering and loud bellowing...for three hours. Sigh, no sleep here.

Workaway stay--free apartment in Casablanca!

Part of our mission this year is to use our services for good. What are our services, you ask? Well teaching, of course! So, we signed up for three weeks volunteering our English-speaking mouths for Moroccans learning English. Basically, we just need to chat with them a few times a day. It's lovely--at least for the one day we did it.

Harim, our lovely host, showed us our apartment right next to the school. What did it entail, you ask? Well, three mattresses, some suspect sheets, and two pillows. Oh, and a lot of dirt. Needless to say, we didn't sleep well last night. 

Thankfully, Harim thought we would be better off in El Jadida (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Jadida), so we packed our bags and left at 8:00 a.m. this morning to drive to this city. This drive only took 4 hours because Harim had to do some errands: new neon lights for his pool and some new steel gates for his farm. Sigh. Travel--a beautiful blend of seeing new sights, nostalgia, and waiting....endless waiting.

Another free apartment in El Jadida

We have arrived to a better living situation (see below picture), and with a little soap, some scrubbing, and some reorganization, we can see ourselves finally staying put for the next three weeks (we have tickets out to Senegal on the 20th of September).

Whew. What a week and so many lessons learned. It's as if we haven't traveled before and all the things we knew vanished from our jet-lagged and tired brains. We'll get there, though. Thankfully, El Jadida is a port city, so there is some familiarity--palm trees and ocean breeze. Oh, and it's sardine season...have mercy!

Morocco or Bust!

We have arrived, dear followers! After one car, two planes, one train, one taxi, and one wandering around a purposely confusing old city (https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/cultural-space-of-jemaa-el-fna-square-00014), we arrived with a big sigh to our BOOKED hostel.

Unfortunately, the hostel overbooked us, but "No worries, my friend. We have another place for you." So, one short walk and one lesser quality hostel room, we got to set our backpacks down. After walking around for a bit and promising Sila we would come back for the famous night market (we didn't come back--promises broken: 1), we settled onto our hard beds and pretended we wouldn't fall asleep at 7:00 p.m. (we did). The beds might be the hardest surface I have ever slept on (other than a floor or bench). Thankfully, the Griffins like hard beds and a dark place.  

Today is another day, though, and we're feeling good. We saw a famous tomb (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saadian_Tombs), got some tea, and figured out our game plan for the next few days (we're staying...just in a new space).

That's it for now. I'm trying to figure out Sila's "education" for this week and help him navigate his first blog post: https://worldstories2022.blogspot.com/. If you know of good websites, games, and educational activities, post them below!

Ugh. Here is my first post! Griffins take off again.

Okay, friends. Here is my first f-ing post! Yes, I procrastinated, and no, I didn't forget about putting you all on my blog-distribution list. The truth of the matter is that I have been busy. So.very.busy.

Those who know me well know about my lists. I have lists for everything, and for the last two weeks, I have had a daily list that is insane in the membrane. Want to know what tomorrow's list looks like (the day BEFORE we leave)? Well, here it is!

And, if you're able to click on and enlarge it, you'll see some surprising last-minute stuff. Get visa photos? Really? We waited until the day before to get something so important? Yup, we did because in addition to all the lists, we have also been having fun. Pool parties, friend gatherings, music weekend with MAD Libs/Nicole/Monica, and dinner and dancing with the Riveras and Tucks.

Anyway, I digress. Most of you know that Conan, Sila, and I are (in theory) going around the world in the next 8-9 months. However, we know nothing about our trip other than the first two nights hotel. That's how we roll. So my reference to "in theory" means we have no idea where we'll actually go. We could end up never leaving Africa. Or, we could end up camping on Antartica. All are real possibilities.

So for those who don't know, we're starting in Morocco. We'll spend about a month there, and then there is talk about a quick trip to Europe before going deeper in Africa. 

So, I finally ripped the bandaid off. My first post is written. It's short, but it's where I'm at right now. I have another one in mind, so who knows when that will be written. I plan to make a blog-writing schedule. I'll have to put it on my next to-do list, though!

Well, I'm signing off. Wish us all good travel luck. We'll be thinking of you all. Let us know you're reading about our adventures, and come out and visit if you get a wild hair up your butt!!

The Love Project Manifesto

So here goes: I don't know much about manifestos, or the "rules" that govern them, and what I do know is through Jerry Maguire (and his rant against the man) and through a brewery called TrimTab, where I initially mocked their quest to change the world through drinking beer--a very American thing, indeed. If you want to check it out, you can here: http://trimtabbrewing.com/about_us/#post-370-title

Anyway, I have wandered. What has sparked me to write this manifesto (and to see it bloom in other areas of my life) is war, specifically war against our fellow man (or woman). As with most wars, I of course learned about it on Facebook. I hate Facebook, but yet get on it. I know; I know. But the other day I got on and saw the most sickening thing yet: people defending our "American-ness" and our rights by weighing in on the Syrian immigrants issue (specifically, bringing them to America). Long story short, I was SHOCKED by the ignorance, hatred, and exclusion I saw. People I was so-called "friends" with were posting petitions to sign, touting our safety was not to be jeopardized by bringing refugees to America. ARE YOU SERIOUS? Did people not learn our American history? Do we not remember how/why the Puritans got here, and do we not remember that we actually weren't here first, and that our country is built on the foundation of immigrants/refugees? Shocking.

Needless to say, that day, I unfriended a few people and vowed never to get on FB again. But, I soon realized, that doesn't make sense. How can I really make a difference if the gazillion people on FB don't see anything different than ignorance or hatred? So I am going about this a different way, and I'm pretty positive it won't make a difference, but I don't care. What I can do amidst this chaos is show love. Love for myself, my relationships, and for all people in this world. And I intend to do just that.

The Love Project

This manifesto is quite simple: focus on the love. With that comes a focus on the positive and on the happiness of each blessed moment we have on this earth. 

I will share my love in different ways, and I will live my life in a way that shapes a positive perspective of and toward my fellow man. If I can show and recognize the multitude of ways that love is present in my everyday life, then maybe I will make a difference. 

Love. Happiness. Peace.

Fear is, Well, a Bitch

Fear is one of those things that just sucks. It stops you in your track and prevents you from moving forward. Sometimes, fear can be a good thing because maybe it stops you from going down that dark alley or going home with that guy.

But most of the time fear sucks.

Here is the fear I'm grappling with: the fear of being tethered somewhere because what I have is "too" good. Can two full-time jobs, a car, a home, and a family all be something that is fearful? I think so.

A friend said over the weekend that it's never good to want to be "happier than happy," but I disagree. Why is happy where we stop? Why can't we be happier than happy? You know why--fear. Fear that happier than happy might not actually be better, so instead, we settle on happy because that's safe.

But is HAPPY enough? Is it okay to be fearful of happy if your intuition tells you "this can't be it"?

Fear can be a motivator as long as you don't get stuck in it. If fearful of the unknown leaves you never seeking anything than the known, then you're stuck.

But fear is good. Fear is a healthy, normal emotion that we all experience. For me, I am currently fearful. I don't know what is out there for me, but I do know that right now, right here is not enough.

So I'm going to face my fear and be vulnerable with it. I'm going to let it creep in, but then I'm going to take it by the balls and shove back. Because I know when fear is around, I can be the boss of it. I get to tell fear when enough is enough, and I get to thank it when it makes me realize that I'm on the right path when I feel it.

Happiness

I've been thinking a lot (okay, slightly obsessed) about happiness. I've had this nagging feeling that there has to be more. Yes, I'm happy: I have a pretty awesome husband, great kid, great job, house, etc. The list goes on. BUT THERE COULD BE MORE.

Is this wrong to think? Desire? I don't think so. I hope not, at least.

I watched Hector and the Search for Happiness last night, and I saw yet another example of the quest for happiness. His list in the movie is the following:

1. Making comparisons can spoil your happiness
2. Happiness often comes when least expected
3. Many people only see happiness in their future
4. Many people think happiness comes from having more power or more money
5. Sometimes happiness is not knowing the whole story
6. Happiness is a long walk in beautiful, unfamiliar mountains
7. It’s a mistake to think that happiness is the goal
8. Happiness is being with the people you love; unhappiness is being separated from the people you love
9. Happiness is knowing that your family lacks for nothing
10. Happiness is doing a job you love
11. Happiness is having a home and a garden of your own
12. It’s harder to be happy in a country run by bad people
13. Happiness is feeling useful to others
14. Happiness is to be loved for exactly who you are (People are kinder to a child who smiles)
15. Happiness comes when you feel truly alive
16. Happiness is knowing how to celebrate
17. Happiness is caring about the happiness of those you love
18. Happiness is not attaching too much importance to what other people think
19. The sun and the sea make everybody happy
20. Happiness is a certain way of seeing things
21. Rivalry poisons happiness
22. Women care more than men about making others happy
23. Happiness means making sure that those around you are happy

The biggest idea, however, that I took away from this movie (and also relates to the kid's movie Inside Out) is that happiness occurs when all the emotions are in play. When we are feared into action, recognize sadness that is and/or could be, and see the happiness right in front of us. It's the true, authentic living of life that brings about happiness. And that means feeling ALL the emotions that come with it. 

It's the feeling, I think, that's so hard for people. We all have become really good at numbing our feelings and experiences. We take excessive amount of pain pills, change our hormones so we don't have cramps or acne, pull out our phone and technology to "witness" the good, the bad, and the ugly. But do we ever just SIT with what is going on? Not share it, numb it, or anything else? Is this the secret to happiness? Being alive and experiencing everything there is to experience while being alive? I think it might be.

I'm reading a book entitled 10% Happier, by Dan Harris (I told you I'm obsessed with happiness), and so far it's an interesting read. He hasn't talked much about HOW to achieve happiness, but there are snippets here and there. 


One part I loved (and he was referencing someone else) was that he said our demons might have been kicked out of the house, but they are in the parking lot doing push ups. Brilliant. Why? Because it's so true. Our demons are never truly gone. They are always there, waiting to come back into the house if we let them. And I believe we let them by numbing ourselves or by taking the easy way. They are always going to be there unless we keep experiencing life and facing all the emotions we have (and valuing each and every one of them as an important and integral component to happiness). 

So there you go. Happiness and my pursuit of it, which, in a sense, is a fault in itself. I suppose I need to stop pursuing and just start living. Living my true, authentic life and embracing everything that comes with it.

Much love to you.