Dear Friends and Family,

It’s been a long time since I’ve written. But as I am officially solo traveling now, I’m reviving my blog. I have many more stories to tell from the Caribbean, each of which deserves their own entry. This letter though is more of a general update, which will hopefully put me back in the habit of writing. I aspire to get into a flow of personal writing that would allow me (one day) to write the sort of travel memoirs I love reading — writing that reflects the joy (and loneliness) of being fully with oneself and fully in a place — writing that is so very much about the particular and the personal that it becomes universal and speaks to everyone. High aspirations. Until then, I’ll at least be making a record for my own memory. And, of course, to let those close to me know that I am alive and well. 

I am alive. I’ve been healthier than I am now, though. After an intense and rewarding month in France as a leader for Putney Student Travel, I flew to Barcelona to catch up with some friends from Martinique, Laura and Thomas. We spent a couple days in the Barcelona area (including one night out in Barcelona, featuring Ben, another Martinique comrade) before we set off on a road trip across Northern Spain. After a week of good times I caught a cold which — combined with a good dose of exhaustion from France and the road — knocked me out for a couple of days. I arrived in Madrid voiceless and sleepy. I’m now on board the train from Madrid to Lisbon, still voiceless but regaining more energy everyday. 

My last couple of months in the Caribbean were wonderful. Martinique continued to feel like home with my favorite neighborhood beaches, more sailing lessons, and some high moments in my job as an English assistant. I had the chance to travel to Dominica during the Easter Holidays. I fell totally in love with this island. I’ll leave my full reflections for a longer form post, the experience deserves a full description. The end of my time in Martinique was a long set of goodbyes as each person left at their own time. 

Luckily, I didn’t have to depart alone. I had the chance to leave side-by-side with Victoria and Laura as we set off for Mexico and Costa Rica. We spent a jam packed five days in Mexico , visiting Puebla and Mexico City. I was thrilled to be eating delicious food, seeing ancient pyramids, and lots of beautiful colorful buildings. Being in a massive city was a bit overwhelming after months of small towns and wild spaces. I was happy to get back to the forest when we moved on to Costa Rica. The dense rainforests were in many ways similar to those in the islands, except that I could feel their expanse, that they stretched on and on over the mountains. 

Despite the beauty of the forests, they were the first place I experienced cold in a long time. It was not pleasant. The lushness of rainforests and cloud forests come from the presence of, of course, rain and clouds. After being soaked to the bones quite a few times it was a relief to arrive in sunny Samara and stare off at the Pacific Ocean. In this surfers’ town full of young travelers and old American expat hippies, we met up with Ben whose been lucky enough to bounce from a job in one beach town to the next. We hung around a few days with Ben and Hugo (Ben’s friend who appears to be simply a taller copy of Ben — both have nailed that goofy skinny British guy act). A return to the ocean did me good.

At the end of May I waved goodbye to Laura, Victoria, and the tropics to return to the US for a month. My last 24 hours in Costa Rica involved an early morning wake up, a long bus ride on a bus that continued to break down, and a night in a strange hotel in San Jose (but it only cost me $5!). All of this didn’t bother me too much, especially compared to the hellscape of Miami International Airport. MIA is the very embodiment of chaotic evil. I was very happy to eventually be back to the calmness and comfort of my childhood home. 

The month of June was filled with it’s own busyness. I went to a training and prepared for my job with Putney. I attended my college 2-year reunion and graduation ceremony and caught up with my friends and family in Portland. (Felt a lot of emotions and tried to wrap my head around the strangeness of time while visiting Portland for the first time in two years). And, I tried to catch up with friends and family in CT and Massachusetts as much as I could. 

A month always seems a long time when you’re looking forward to it, but it flies by while you’re living it. June flew by and contained far less rest than I hoped. July was full of traveling through France with my students, always trying to be prepared for the next thing, while still engaging with the present moment. Even as I’m about to sign off and date this letter, I realize August has nearly passed by again without my noticing. 

Time to listen to John Prine’s “Summer’s End”, or maybe Joni Mitchell’s “Carey.” Or David Coffin’s version of “Yankee Whalermen,” just to “say farewell and ado to the fair Spanish ladies.”

I hope you’re all well wherever you are.

Sending love,

Janet

20 august 2022, on a train from Madrid bound for Merida, Spain