A million planes and finally Hom... no wait... just Chicago

I always have "interesting" stories when it comes to travelling by air (and land, and sea, and plasma). But anyways, after a changing flights for the fourth time I finally landed where I was supposed to land (seriously, wtf, karma). America... the continent, the country: US-fucking-A. Gringowland.

After gathering my bags at the funny serpent thing, while listening to some dubstep, I rushed to the counter: "I'm sorry, señorita, but the plane has already left" DAAAA-FUUUUUUUUUQ. So cynically this gal just stood there, like a Rodin (fist in jaw, a pensive manner) and smiled like a dork (I hadn't slept in like a month, so I couldn't really process what was going on at the time). The dude handling the affair was nice enough, so we shared a bunch of jokes and he offered me a night at a nearby hotel. I'd never been in Chicago before so I agreed. What the hell, another adventure before meeting my peeps. Bring it on!

A text was sent to my family, updating my weird situation (they were expecting it all along). And after that I changed into my comfy clothes (thank God I had packed my winter jacket, for it was fucking SNOWING outside). I walked merrily over to the hotel, following the napkin instructions the dude had nicely drawn for me and arrived. I decided to seize the night so I went out to the center by train. I love taking public transport... you see everything there's needed to be seen. A hologrammatic sample of a society packed in a moving bubble. Marvelous!

Random places were spotted and random people were talked to (there was a German Christmas fair going on). I entered the Arts academy... since a while ago, in 2008 to be precise, while I was really concentrating on sketching Michelangelo's famous David in Florence (that sounds so posh, I almost barfed in my mouth), an old Gringow man approached me and said: "That's not half bad! Let me guess: art student? Where are you studying?" I told him where, he was like "Your accent is flawless!" (doubting whether or not I was playing with his mind, I told him I lived in the States when I was little). You should go to Chicago, the Arts Academy there is fantastic". And so, 6 years later I actually went there... at least for a sneak peek hehehe.

I conversed with some extravagantly dressed students and then just went out, sipped my cup and trudged aimlessly to go take some pictures of Kapoor's giant celestial bean (frijolereando like a bawse). Afterwards I returned to my chambre and watched "Blue is the Warmest Color" online, since the UK has a real' tough piracy blockage system and everybody was talking about how awesome that flick was, I was finally able to watch it. I fucking cried, I loved it so much.

The next day I flew back home.

The End (of the Beginning)

We left St. A... a while ago.

I don't really know how the last bit came to unfold. The only thing I'm completely certain of is that we're all in separate places now, starting our second semester (or fourth, for the previous Mundus generation) and coping with new challenges and meeting new people... Expanding horizons!

Back in Scotland we went through the toughest examination period EVER, handed in out last essays, said our goodbyes (we had a final party that was extremely surreal: I don't know if I was more tired than drunk or viceversa and I apparently "misbehaved" although I don't really remember anything hehehe anyways ¡Viva México!) and I packed my stuff, still a bit hung over and walked over to house 15 to give one last hug to my mateys.

Shit man! just writing about this is making me nostalgic as FUCK.

Anyways: so Alex, Martin and Juanita helped me drag my humongous bags all the way to the cab I had just called for. It was a very strange moment; for I know Juana HATES parting moments (and tends to emphatically avoid them). But there she was... hugging away this little Mexican girl as a temporary closure sort of moment. Next was Alex. Next was Martin. "See you guys soon, yeah? in Mexico or anywhere else in the world!". 

I could feel everything.

The train station welcomed me with a soothing breeze, the cab driver was in a good mood and I finally managed to understand most of what he was saying hahahaha... Scotland...

So I took a large breath, lifted my spirits (which were heavier than my luggage) got in my corresponding compartment, and pressed my nose against the window. Not to think, but to dive in the sentiment of it all.

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GLASGOW

I arrived at the main station and ambled my way towards the big clock in the middle. There, standing like a pro, Abe was waiting for me. Perfect timing!

We took my mountainous stuff to his place and had some tea. God we can talk for ages... he showed me his latest project and we got into this mental state that I love: I adore people who dare to think and feel at somewhat the same level aaaaarghhhhhodjeb3qye798eyifa. Good stuff.

We went out into the night, breathing in the entropic uncertainties that twinkled before us. We met some friends of his at one of their houses, drank some sweet wine and played some cumbias (for they all had lived in Latin America for some strange reason). The apartment was plastered with Revolution. Ha.

After that we went out for more drinks with one of the girls (since the other ones had to work the next day... oh, the productive folk). We went to a pub and had a blaaaast. We laughed so much, even the bartender gal was joining in for the fun... then we walked around town and talked some more and then some more after that.

...

The next day I postponed my trip to Edinburgh in order to share one last awesome meal with my awesome mate. So I had my very FIRST (yes, you read correctly) Scottish breakfast. The owner was chatty: 

"So you studied at St. Andrews? I don't fancy the place so much... it has an air of... I can't really explain..."

"It's like a fairy tale town but pushed a bit too far to the edge of the cliff" (suggested, I).

"Ha! why yes, that's precisely what it is".

I don't really think that of the location, but I always tend to finish other people's thoughts when they're being a bit pretentious, so they can move on to more interesting subjects.

Afterwards we went for yet another amazing walk through the parks until it was time for me to leave. And so I did. I hugged my mate, wished him the best of luck (I sincerely do, he is one of the most amazing people I've ever met) and arrived safely at my destination.

La Mer

Uno para ti.

Tu tormentuosa vociferación sobre las vivencias que has tenido en la periferia chiapaneca me ha dejado el alma hecha un océano de lágrimas. Será quizá porque he tenido una tercia de días con sabor a espaguetis del horror con papas (con esto de la visa española, etc). Pero en fin: heme aquí sentada en una periquera primer-mundista mirando aviones a través de mis ojos mestizos, pensando en tus recientes puntos de inflexión existencial.

Si la estación de trenes de Perpiñán es el centro del universo, entonces el aeropuerto de Fráncfort es el fin del mundo, en estos dos segundos. 

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“Desaprender lo sabido es ahora mucho más importante que aprender cosas”
Eduard Punset

Estoy leyendo algunas cosas de este man (para empaparme de un poco del pensamiento españolete) que, a la par, me han hecho reflexionar sobre varias otras.

De pronto me he quedado masticando un hecho en particular, como pedazo de carne chicloso que no se deja convertir en bolo alimenticio. Maldito intenso.

La onda se puede explicar así más o menos: me parece que la habilidad de poder invertir los procesos de construcción del individuo (aquéllos que nos han llevado a forjar la imagen que tenemos de nosotros mismos y que a su vez buscamos proyectar) es un ejercicio que, en mi opinión, no se nos ha enseñado lo suficiente.

Des-apegarse, des-aprender... en fin, desprendernos de algunas de las narrativas que conforman nuestra noción de cómo "somos" y lo que "deberíamos ser" me parece que resulta imprescindible para poder expandir nuestra conciencia/geist (a manera de finalidad sin fin, o seas como mero pretexto para enfocarse en una meta perpetua), con la misión de sentirnos plenamente satisfechos cada vez más y de manera más frecuente (INSACIABLE, LA XALLITA !!!). De manera contraria, estamos acostumbrados a seguir el caminito en línea recta por la zona "legal", en pseudo progresión y que ha sido previamente designada por un entramado/dispositivo abstracto de valores que a final de cuentas nos son ajenos desde un principio. Cambiar de principios duele un friego al final.

¿Te suena familiar, latinoamérica? 

Esto se extra/intrapola (?) hasta que te canses (en grados de individuos hasta lo colectivo), dependiendo de la dimensión de tu preferencia. Somos como la Penélope que se olvidó de la parte de deshilachar su maraña de tejido y le siguió hasta el infinito, quedando convertida en una bola de enredos de colores turbios.
El truco de la cosa está justo en dar el mismo paso pero para atrás, el arrancarnos del ego lo construído por nosotros mismos, que es algo que nos aterra porque pensamos "qué pérdida de tiempo, si el chiste es avanzar al chile y generar un chingomadral de dinero para impresionar a la banda con todo lo que te has comprado el último mes y que te tiene inundado en deudas hasta el cuello ¿no?".

PUES NEL.

Entre las cosas que te he aprendido, querida amiga, está el darle todo a la vida (dando pasos para atrás de vez en cuando, como proceso de re-construcción a manera de ficciones elegidas). Que no te intimiden los retos (these being situations, things, or PEOPLE), porque por más que andes desparramando tripas en el proceso, el que le sigas ahí en la puta lucha como necia que eres es lo que te deja un poquito más de "savoir faire" al final. Digo poquito, pero pa contarle cosas chidas a los nietos... que ojalá tengas miles porque gente como tú debe reproducirse lo más pronto posible y así no todo está perdido.

Quiero irte a visitar a Chiapas, pero, aunque ando lejos de hecho estoy ahí contigo. Y tú acá igual, Mer, cada que me asomo al mar.