Salty air, sand in my hair.
"Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink the wild air." -Ralph Waldo Emerson
Standing in the shower and laying in bed are the times I realize it most. Most people would hate every second of it. Most people would try to rid themselves of it every day…. To no avail. It may be uncomfortable, sometimes painful and almost always annoying. It doesn't bother me, I kind of love it. It will be an identifying memory of this huge adventure.
The way I never feel free from sand. There will be a whole week that I don't go the beach, and I am still picking sand out of my hair. My clothes are full of it, and my bed has a layer of prickly kernels, no matter how or when I wash my sheets.
Every time I realize it, I smile. It reminds me that this is not vacation. This is my life, and I love every second of it.
I came to the realization very quickly that there was only one other time in my life that I had this feeling for an extended period. Cadiz. Cadiz was the next largest adventure that I have ever had after this one. It was fun and liberating and amazing and I wouldn't have changed anything about it if I could. Especially the feeling of grainy, crunchy sand everywhere, for the entire 6 weeks. After the sand connected the experiences for me, many thoughts of similarities between the two places surfaced.
Both cities were built around ancient Arabic cities. Both have a feeling of old and new connected. There is a sense of collaboration between cultures in both places. In both cities, the ancient parts of the cities were my favorite places. Both are artsy and crafty places in their regions. Both are cities on the sea. The Mediterranean sea to be exact. I chose to live in both of these places, and both of them feel like home.
I don't live under the belief that everything happens for a reason. I like to think that people can make their own destiny. Do I think it a coincidence that I ended up choosing to live in Tel Aviv and Cadiz at different points of my life? No. There is a reason. And I am determined to make the connection.
"Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink the wild air." -Ralph Waldo Emerson
Standing in the shower and laying in bed are the times I realize it most. Most people would hate every second of it. Most people would try to rid themselves of it every day…. To no avail. It may be uncomfortable, sometimes painful and almost always annoying. It doesn't bother me, I kind of love it. It will be an identifying memory of this huge adventure.
The way I never feel free from sand. There will be a whole week that I don't go the beach, and I am still picking sand out of my hair. My clothes are full of it, and my bed has a layer of prickly kernels, no matter how or when I wash my sheets.
Every time I realize it, I smile. It reminds me that this is not vacation. This is my life, and I love every second of it.
I came to the realization very quickly that there was only one other time in my life that I had this feeling for an extended period. Cadiz. Cadiz was the next largest adventure that I have ever had after this one. It was fun and liberating and amazing and I wouldn't have changed anything about it if I could. Especially the feeling of grainy, crunchy sand everywhere, for the entire 6 weeks. After the sand connected the experiences for me, many thoughts of similarities between the two places surfaced.
Both cities were built around ancient Arabic cities. Both have a feeling of old and new connected. There is a sense of collaboration between cultures in both places. In both cities, the ancient parts of the cities were my favorite places. Both are artsy and crafty places in their regions. Both are cities on the sea. The Mediterranean sea to be exact. I chose to live in both of these places, and both of them feel like home.
I don't live under the belief that everything happens for a reason. I like to think that people can make their own destiny. Do I think it a coincidence that I ended up choosing to live in Tel Aviv and Cadiz at different points of my life? No. There is a reason. And I am determined to make the connection.
Left picture is Tel Aviv, Right picture is Cadiz