Blended reality

Ok, as I promised, I will talk a little about the importance of blending in and meet the locals when you travel and why you should try traditional food.

First, I have to say that I am pro responsible travel – because being socially and culturally aware when you travel around the world, and being able to understand how you affect the places you visit,  it’s pure common sense – something that we all should embrace.

Push your own boundaries of comfort, go out there, discover the immense diversity and beauty that exists in the world. Live it. Feel it. Don’t judge it.

And am I talking as a traveler, not a tourist (it’s a matter of preferences).

 

A traveler is the one who involves themselves in the places they visit, instead of a tourist that only scratches the surface. Traveling, for my point of view, is the cure for hate, all those stereotypes and ignorance – things that are holding this world to become a better place.

So, why blend in wherever you travel and meet the locals?

One of the things is that this will show that you have some cultural understanding and respect for that place and its people. If you are traveling to a total different country, culture or continent, then try to learn a few words in that language – you’ll connect better with the locals and they will appreciate your effort. Also, depending on the country and its customs, dress respectfully and google a bit about their traditions – like things that may be offensive to them. Think about, while you may have grown up in a dreamy homogenous society with “normal” customs, a simple trip to the other side of the world will show you a completely different way of life and behavioral expectations.

By choosing to live like a local, to blend in rather that just being a tourist, will offer you a super different life perspective. And you’ll suddenly stop being on the outside, trying to look in, but you’ll be right there, with them. And by doing this doesn’t mean you are abandoning your identity. It means that you are becoming a world citizen.

Take time and talk to the locals, you’ll find the best stories. Especially from the older ones. They will be happy to remeber the good old times and share those memories with you.

But, gotta say it, the best part about cultural immersion is discovering that despite our differences, we are inherently the same – we all have dreams and hopes.

We all smile and cry. Happiness and suffering have no language, gender or beliefs.

They are a universal feeling that makes us connect.

 

Then, is the fun part, the one when you are mistaken for a local and people ask you for tips and directions. Love it. Or when you meet a famous singer, like I did, and you start playing chess in an ordinary shop in Tel Aviv.

Those are the memories you wanna take with you.

Another thing about blending in, is to shop localy – when it comes to eating, sleeping and buying souvenirs, choosing where you spend your money can have a huge impact on the local community. By shopping locally you are not only creating a more authentic travel experience for yourself, but you are also helping someone create a better life for themselves, instead of sending your money  into the pockets of shareholders and business directors. Experiencing the local culture is an important part of traveling and that’s why we travel, to live different experiences, right?

Last but not least, blending in will also help you not to be mugged, hahaha.

Now, why you should try traditional food?

Why would you fly thousands of kilometers to end up eating in a McDonalds that you can find anywhere in the world?

Supporting the local community is quite important, not only for them but for you too.

Eating familiar foods and only visiting the main attractions isn’t going to give show you the real place you traveled and you’ll leave knowing nothing about it. Local food means history, childhood memories, unique flavors that will connect you with the place. With the people. Because, trust me, food brings people together and it’s amazing what you can tell about a culture just trying their food.

I’m not surprised when people say that ,,the kitchen is a place where you can travel to any country without having to ever leave your house”. So, try the local food, my friends, take ideas with you for when you get home.

By buying local food you are helping smaller, traditional farms to survive and will bring authenticity to your travel.

Also, if you wanna eat out, try to find  non touristy restaurants, where you can eat like a local – cheap and tasty.

You also have the option to buy from street vendors  – probably not the healthiest option, haha, but you’ll be surprised how many unbelievable meals you can find for a few € or $.

Resuming: our actions can have a massive impact on the world while we travel. Make sure it is a positive one, because nature doesn’t need us. We need nature.

Când uităm să iubim…

Vine o vreme când încetăm să mai iubim…

așa, din senin, fără să mai știm de ce.

 

Simțim că am pierdut ceva, dar nu știm ce anume. Devenim incompleti și parcă o parte din noi a murit odată cu iubirea. E acel sentiment ca atunci când strângi o mână caldă în palmă și dintr-o dată nu o mai simți, deschizi mâna și vezi că nu mai e.

 

E precum un râu care a încetat să mai curgă, un izvor care nu îți mai potolește setea.

Când uiți să iubești, uiți o parte din tine. Rămâi precum o carte citită pe jumătate.

 

Ne lepădăm de iubire ca trandafirii de petale.

Cu fiecare petală ne dezbrăcăm de fericire, de sens. Ne pierdem din esență.

Încercăm poate să o căutăm din nou, însă drumul ce odată ne-a condus spre ea s-a șters, așa cum ploaia șterge urmele. Fără iubire nici cele mai prețioase diamante nu lucesc.

 

Iubirea naște din dăruire. Uităm să ne dăruim, uităm să iubim.

 

Visăm cu toții la o iubire mare, genul de iubire care să ne țină toată viața. Și totuși, realitatea ne arată că și iubirile mor, poate chiar mai des decât ne-am putut imagina.

 

Oare de ce se stinge dragostea?

Ea dispare, dar lasă urme. Așa cum lasă o verighetă scoasă de pe deget.

Trupul nostru vibrând e dovada că am trăit iubire, că am fost iubire.

Când iubești, nu există un „pentru că”.

Iubirea e asemeni unui fenomen natural, un amestec de simțuri și trări.

Un ecou al dorințelor.

Când uităm să iubim… ne uităm pe noi.

Iubirea înfrumusețează, te umple de viață. E o primăvară a sufletului care îți înflorește fiecare simț.

Când uiți să iubești, evident, dai viață celui mai mare handicap.

 

Fără iubire celelalte simțuri mor.

Ești viu, da! Dar nu trăiești.

 

Un om fără iubire e precum un apus fără soare, o îmbrățișare fără mâini, zâmbet fără buze, un concert fără public.

 

Nu știm să ne dăruim, astfel, dragostea devine un fel de accesoriu, o extensie a fericirii proprii.

Avem lucruri materiale, casă, mașină, carieră, un/o iubit/ă, dar nu iubim cu adevărat.

Să iubești înseamnă să gravitezi în jurul împlinirii celuilalt, să formezi un tot.

Trebuie să învățăm să trăim prin celălalt și pentru celălalt.

 

Iubirea înseamnă foarte multe gesturi și detalii. Acele mici lucruri care fac diferența.

Prin ele, iubirea prinde contur, prin ele se deosebește de restul stărilor.

Când iubim dăruim ce nu avem, când nu mai avem, nimicul se transformă în tot, iar gândurile se completează în trup și suflet.

 

Dăruirea de sine e un gest voluntar, din iubire, nicidecum o dependență față de celălalt.

Prin dăruire te regăsești pe tine și te îmbogățești cu felul celuilalt de a fi, cu tot ce el înseamnă.

 

Adevărata iubire reprezintă libertatea celuilalt și totodată fluiditatea ei.

Astfel, iubirea nu moare ci evoluează mereu, se dezvoltă prin noi, în noi.

Dragostea se stinge dacă nu există răspuns.

 

Răspunul e însăși dăruirea.

Când uităm să iubim devenim goi, devenim o întrebare fără răspuns.

Once in a while…

Once in a while, I take a break from myself – because, besides my happiness and my willing to stay freaking positive everytime life gives me a shitty moment (not the healthiest thing one can do, trust me on that),  myself if full of worries and demons. Yes, don’t put that face. Myself is too busy being there for everyone, anytime. And that is ok, yes, but sometimes is too much. You forget to be there for you too and when you’re not there for you, you can’t be there for others  – so you step away, slowly, then you wake up one day,  lost and broken, and there’s no one there for you – and that’s ok too because we are supposed to be enough for us, to be self-sufficient, they said.

Well…

Self-sufficient my ass – we need love and I’m not talking about that kind of love from a relationship but the one that makes us smile and stay confident. Like a cold beer, you know what I mean? Or could be a friend, the lady from the market, your trainer, a man holding the door for you, stuff like that, sorry, a love like that.  We need to be supported, no matter how silly or weird is our dream, our situation, our thing that moves us. Our ”that’s why I’m still here”, ”that’s why I’m still holding on”. Everyone feels different. We like different things, we believe in different things, we act in a different way – but that is not a reason to judge or to finger point. We can be united in differences.

So, what I mean is that we need to get busy for us, living. Work for that moment of glory by going out, kick ass. Life is not all glitters and sparkles, who says different, well, perhaps is f****ng trying to sell ya something. Don’t be afraid to accept your flaws and deal with them. Don’t cover them up in that crap called positivism and expect them to go away – it’s like wrapping a shit and expect to be the best present by putting a gift bow on top. Don’t be afraid to get a bit dirty – dirt is satisfaction, merit, engagement. Easy ain’t quality.

So don’t go with the flow, create waves.

 

 

 

 

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o p t. p. m.

Am un tic, asta ca să îi zic cumva – înainte să ajung acasă, eu mai având încă o bucată bună de drum, încep să mă joc cu cheile. Probabil e nerăbdarea de a mă vedea în ceva lejer, de a încuia undeva  vocile acumulate de-a lungul zilei încapul meu.

Ajung acasă și, primul lucru, îmi scot picioarele din pantofi, ah, pășesc pe parchetul rece –  știi senzația aia, nu? Mă duc drept în baie – dau drumul la apa fierbinte. Respir.

Apuc totuși să dau play la ceva muzică – Nicolas Jaar, are nenea ăsta un fel de a cânta, bre… îmi pun un pahar de whiskey, nu de alta dar merge cu muzica, iar vinul am impresia că e depresiv în astfel de momente. Chestii marcă personală. Nu e o regulă.

În scurt timp, mi se umple de aburi

uitasem de apă.

Sub duș, simt eu, parcă ar fi o altă viață. În primele minute încerc să uit de tot, apoi, treptat, îmi reprogramez agenda – aia da, aia nu. Aia azi, cealaltă mâine. Jaar mă ascultă. Suntem doar noi și alte câteva milioane de gânduri în aer. 

Ies.

Mi-e bine

așa că pun de o salată – roșii cherry, brânză de vacă, nuci și salată verde. Pun și o bucată de somon pe grătarul încins. Parcă prinde viață bucătăria. Vecina e cu aspiratorul, superb. Un fel de efect special pentru muzica mea de fundal.

Nu-i bai.

Știi, sunt genul care are nevoie de spațiul și liniștea sa, de cele mai multe ori și mai ales în ultimul timp. Îmbătrânesc, zic eu. 

Mă pun să scriu…

doar eu, Jaar și Jack. 

Ne e bine.

w i l d s p i r i t

He said, you taste like hot, black coffee and fresh cranberries.
This is how I’ll remember you.

You’re wild and free, yet so grounded.
You’re the wild woman that undresses her mind, her soul, yes, because you know the worth of what you offer.

I love your complicated simple way to be. Your love that feel like wings above the ocean.
Your smile that hides so much what you’ve been through.
You’re little eyes and those tiny wrinkles whenever you smile.

I love that you stay faithful to yourself, that you don’t settle your wild spirit for material things and things built of structures, with rules and a bunch of stereotypes.
With you, you know, it’s kinda different.
You grow through and with your scars.
Those life tattoos.

You’re not afraid to love with that broken heart fixed with some tears, red wine and some cheap scotch tape.

I am

I am the crazy woman that will love you no matter what. The one that has tons of changes of humor.
I am the woman that have been hurt so many times but, even so, I don’t hurt back.
I am the woman who will text you a „take care” message.
The woman who will stand up for you.
I am the woman that you’ll say „damn, she’s crazy but I love her”.
The woman that will share her coffee with you.
I am the woman who runs wild, and wild is my kindness.
The woman that will dance with you when you’re sad.
I am the woman that you can’t buy.
The woman that feels free around nature, that feels the waves like sweet kisses.
I am the woman that sleeps under the clear sky.
That prays to the stars and God.

I am.

 

 

When beauty fades

what’s left must be very damn good to keep it all from falling apart. Our best seeds.
Believe in true beauty and the power of a loving smile because it can reveal the ultimate magic of life.
After all, what’s sex without a great conversation, being old without someone listening to your stories, sad without someone to cheer you up, afraid without someone to hold your hand. Young and without someone who really understands you. What’s love without compression…

When beauty fades, our heart stays.
Our soul. Our mind, our patience.
A quality conversation, a warm hug.
When beauty fades, life doesn’t.

Choose wisely. Choose with your heart.
Don’t judge. Learn to love.
To be loved. To love being in love and loved.
_______________________________
Live with me, Massive Attack🎵

 

 

I’m like a w.i.l.d.f.l.o.w.e.r

I’m like a w.i.l.d.f.l.o.w.e.r

Trying to survive with nothing and to anything out there. And yes, perhaps I’m not like other flowers from your garden. With their colorful petals, so beautiful and loveable – almost perfects.
But I, I’m not that easy to catch.
People usually only see my thorns.
But I am more than that.

Strong on the outside, but fragile on the inside.
And I need love too.
I need to feel protection, not because I can’t protect myself, no.

I simply love that feeling.

I stand wide open,
spinning in circles like a tiny tornado, dancing with my pointed thorns in the wind,
breathing in the heavens of the earth.

Love,

you cannot hold me under the same dark roof you flourish in.
I am a wildflower.

I need the the sky, the sun, the air, the freedom.
The freedom to love. To love you as I am.
As I know. As you are.

As we feel.

I am a wildflower.
And in all flowers,
Wild or not,
There is hope. There is love.

And no matter where you came from, where you grow, how you look or what you’ve been through, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL.

 

 

 

DAY • BY • DAY • VIBES

 

I always like to drink my coffee from big cups. It’s a cozy, comfy, powerful feeling that I have. I don’t know.
Sounds weird probably but, hey, this is me.

I love the fresh air in the morning and a long cold shower while I listen some good | loudly | music. Ha ha ha

I also start my day with a big ,,thank you”. Yeah…
I don’t have much and my health ain’t the best I’ve got, but I’m here.
I have the option to choose better.
To be better. To smile, give; to be and love unconditionally.
To create and recreate myself.

Take the day | every day| and make the best of it. As much as you can.

 

__________________________
Do you remember, Jerryd James 🎵

 

J E. S U I S. S I C K. OF. T H I S. S H I T.

It’s not the future that we are afraid of. It’s repeating the past that makes us anxious.
The same tragedies. Same hate. Same actions.
We live in a dying world. Losing our identity.
Our rights. The world is us, and if us don’t make a change, the world won’t change.

We should share love. Peace. Gratitude. Smiles.
Not violence.
Not hate. Not bombs. Not racism.

We should all be one.

There’s so much beauty in the world.
This earth itself is a wonderful gift.

It’s enough to take a look around you, see the nature. The sun. The oceans. The sky. We are so blessed. We are accepted by this wonderful earth. Why not accept each other? Why not make it better? Why not enjoy all that, every day, without thinking that it might be the last one?
We are not safe anymore. People hurt people. There’s no meaning left…
Why can’t people just sit and read books and be nice to each other?
Still, we shouldn’t let ourselves scared about this chaos. Let’s honor the fact that we are alive, pray for the lost souls and try to improve our life by choosing to be a better person – for us, for our family, friends. For this world.

We don’t need safety belts to be safe. We need good people. Responsible people.

 

,,We live in a world where we have to hide to make love, while violence is practiced in broad daylight.” John Lennon

_______________________
Imagine, John Lennon 🎵