Current Location: Nusa Lembongan, Indonesia
I’ve long desired to write and share some sort of monthly newsletter. I have a few mentors and role models who share in this way, and I love it. I adore getting a taste of what is fresh in their worlds and hearing their voice in my head as I read. Having been nomadic for the past 3.5+ years, finding ways to stay connected with folks (and give my family some “proof of life”) has been tricky at times.
As it can be with many goals, this baby seedling desire lived in the realms of wishes not yet fruiting…until now.
Email inboxes can be busy places, but I hope this monthly email will feel like a friendly dollop of whipped cream on your inbox pancakes—a small, but sweet, sample of my current musings and eventually upcoming offerings.
So, for this first month, I will share a bit about my accidental Eat, Pray, Love trajectory.
(Side Note / Fun Fact: This happened to be the first book I read when I booked my one-way ticket to Switzerland in July of 2021… it’s only taken me almost 4 years to get to the last two locations as outlined by the fabulous Elizabeth Gilbert. If you don’t subscribe already, I highly recommend her Letters from Love newsletters - it’s a beautiful practice.)
One of my dear friends has lived in Bali for the last several years and it has taken me until now to finally buck up, buy the plane ticket, and sit my bum on some planes for 24+ hours to see her world.
Here in Indonesia, the air smells like incense, offerings to the land and gods are scattered everywhere, the waters are turquoise, and the smiles of these people make your heart melt. I have been surrounded here by some of my closest chosen sisters, soaking up this time with friends as much as I can. Living on the road for so long has meant I tend to spend a lot of time on my own - so it’s a big treat to have such consistent company. And giggles.
One of the greatest gifts is that most of the gals I am with eliminate the stress of choices and decision making for me. They live here either full or part time and have the answers to questions like: “Where should I stay?” “Where should I eat?” “What should I do today?” “How do I get there?” all taken care of.
This is not something I take lightly, usually having to navigate 100+ decisions like these a day while constantly living on the road. I am savoring the gift of this support and simplicity. Thank you, April, Johanna, Rachel, and Sofia! And my sweet, new Swedish sister Storm :)
Soon, in just two weeks, I will be jetting off to India - a long awaited journey. To deepen my practices as a student of Yoga and Ayurveda. As I’ve told people my itinerary, they reminded me of Elizabeth Gilbert’s similar pilgrimage to Bali and India back in 2004. While I don’t technically have a 3rd country devoted to eating (....yet!), I can guarantee food is a huge motivator for most of my travels.
Some people set New Year’s Resolutions, I have a goal to drink so much chai in India my blood smells like cardamom and cloves. Period.
Well, with that, I am not sure where / how I want this newsletter to evolve just yet, but hey! Thanks for listening, thanks for caring, thanks for being my friend/family/fan/whatever you are! I’ll wrap it up with these highlights from the past month:
Giggle of the Month: Sometimes the stray dogs of Bali can be a bit aggressive and charge you. My friend April taught me that to get them to back off you should pretend to pick up a rock and act like you’re about to throw it.
I asked her - “Should I throw it?”
“No! Don’t throw it!!!”
... It’s an imaginary rock, y’all. But them's the rules. I don’t make the rules.
Fun Fact of the Month: Indonesia is an archipelago with over 17, 508 islands. If you wanted to visit them all, it would take over 47 years by visiting one a day. Better get going!
Gratitude of the Month: Sisterhood.
Phrase(s) of the Month: “Terima Kasih!” aka “tuh-ree-mah kah-see” means “thank you” in Bahasa Indonesia.
… and “bike bike motor bike!”
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