Whatever May Come

 

Hola, hi everyone!

I’m back after a few days away. It did a lot of good to take a short break from blogging but many of you have emailed, sent direct messages and Facebook private messages asking if I was ok and I sure appreciate you asking.

No worries, I am fine. I simply needed some time off from the blog but I must admit that I cannot completely disconnect from some social media profiles (namely Twitter and Instagram).

I also had to work on a rather long and difficult legal translations which took quite a bit of research and effort but you know that deadlines are my motivation and racing against the clock is something I actually enjoy 🙂

Now can you believe we’re already past mid-month? How is that even possible? I sure cannot wait to start wearing shorts and t-shirts along with sandals and warmer days because we’ve been having some yo-yo weather here. It’s still quite chilly but I’m happy that everything around has finally turned green!

Ok, enough blah blah, let’s get started shall we?

Watching   

I have a confession to make. I have decided to watch less TV (which is almost always not so positive news as you know), so I decided to dedicate some of my time to tune in to uplifting, inspirational and educating shows.

A couple of shows I watch religiously are:

Parts Unknown with the one and only Anthony Bourdain.

So far the episodes filmed in The Philippines and Greece have made me daydream (totally adding that to my always growing Travel Bucket List)

Super Soul Series conducted by the ever amazing Oprah Winfrey on OWN TV has a winner with these series and they just allow you to have several a-ha moments. Enlightening and life-changing for sure!

Now I also will admit that I watch some shows which are full of adrenaline-pumping, excitement and challenges and one comes to mind first and that is The Amazing Race.

This past season, contestants went to awesome locations around the world, such as

Cartagena, Colombia

Photo credit: Graphical Brain

Geneva, Switzerland

Tbilisi, Georgia

Photo credit: Naridzer

Dubai in the UAE

Photo credit: Sonnenuntergang

and

Bali in Indonesia

Photo credit: Klaus Schrodt

among many others.

They were put to the test physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually in addition to testing the strength of their relationship with their companions.

This show really had me on the edge of my seat; some episodes were nail-biting and had me cheering for a couple of friends in particular (Tyler Oakley and Korey Kuhl). They didn’t win but gave their best and sure won my respect and admiration! What a race it was.

P.S: I’ll fill you in a little secret too. I already mentioned in a previous post that I’m beyond obsessed with Turkish Soap Operas right?

Well, even though if I’m making slow progress in learning the language (which is quite hard), I have been watching some clips here and there (thank you YouTube) of the 1001 nights which I heard was a major hit in Latin America as it was translated into Spanish.

Knowing how I like challenges, I watch the bits in the original language. Yes ok a little drama won’t hurt, it’s entertainment and yes I want to and have to make it to Turkey, especially to Istanbul

Photo credit: Mofik

or other parts of the country. No. Matter. What 🙂

Reading

Have I already mentioned that I am a voracious book reader?

Well, I’ve been on a roll lately and find a couple of hours to read on a daily basis.

So far this year I’ve read over 25 books and I am super happy at the pace I am going. The goal this year is to surpass the 50 book mark which would be my all-time record. They say that great writers are great readers right? Margaret Fuller also said the following: “Today a reader, tomorrow a leader” 🙂

Words literally are not enough to emphasize the importance of reading. One must keep learning something new EVERY. SINGLE. DAY and books provide that for me.

The title of the book I am currently reading is Rising Strong by Dr. Brené Brown,

a social scientist and acclaimed author whom I first saw on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN).

The topic of this particular work is research that Dr. Brown conducted among a great range of people from all walks of life, from CEO’s to military personnel, to normal people who share their stories of having fallen or endured hardships and their brave road to recovery or getting back up.

I don’t know about you or if you’ve ever experienced a really trying difficulty or problem that shook you to the core but one must find the courage to bounce back and come back stronger and wiser.

We sometimes make mistakes or things happen out of the blue but it’s during those times that we find out what our true nature is and our comeback power.

As hard as it is, those experiences are truly necessary to our growth even if it’s not obvious at first or we cannot understand why it happened. But as the saying goes: “after the storm, the sun always shines” and stories of overcoming adversities and triumph of the human spirit will inspire many others!

Listening

Maybe I have already shared this secret with you or maybe not. Every day, when I am working (translating and writing for the blog, I faithfully tune in (actually I am hooked) to Sound Cloud or Tunein.com

Guess what? The post you are currently reading is being written as I listen to the Global DJ Broadcast by Marcus Schulz, one of my favorite DJ’s (Love Armin Van Buuren and Tiësto as well).

I am a huge euro techno, trance music fan, so I find that my concentration improves when I hear great beats and rhythms and I’m in “the zone”.

I do enjoy world music and pop music and just a few weeks ago we lost one of the great ones, a star, a legend a genius, the incredible, Prince.

Where you shocked to find out the news of him passing away? I had to stop and take it all in. I was in complete disbelief. He was still too young and left just too soon.

I have really great memories of his music from the 80’s and the 90’s. Choosing his best songs is like picking a favorite child!

I love “When doves cry”, “Raspberry Beret”, “Kiss”, “Let’s go Crazy”, “Diamonds and Pearls” and of course his signature song “Purple Rain”.

His legacy will live on and will be missed!

 

Feeling

Hopeful because I know that much better and brighter days are coming up right ahead and I’m happy to report that I’ve succeeded my patience and optimism test or exam life put me through in the past months.

Also the people who needed me to be present (friends who needed an ear to listen without judging, someone to kick their behind counted on me and I was there for them at the right time) are on their way. Now I see the bigger picture and understand why I had to remain here for much longer.

Excited because a new phase of my life is about to start and I can only bow in gratitude to the universe for everything it taught me, good and not so good.

As I said above, I am kind of glad I had those difficult moments and I have grown a great deal because of them. I am wiser and know better!

Planning

A couple of local and exciting international trips, continue my studies (i just started learning ASL which stands for American Sign Language and it’s very cool. Will need lots of practice :).

I’m also planning and working on new blogs in different languages. It’s high time for me to graduate and go on to become a pro blogger! It’s about time right?

When opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door. In this case, I do not wait for opportunities; I create them and move forward with optimism. I am über excited about all of them!

I won’t go into the details but you will soon find out where and I’ll make sure to share with you the new sites later on when they go live!

Did I say at some point that I love adventures? Well it’s kind of obvious right? I already told you I have no cure (and don’t ever want to be cured really).

Loving

How things are unfolding or happening according to divine time. There’s absolutely no need to rush, speed things up or provoke things. Let things run their own course. In all honesty, I can say: “I got it”.

I’m especially very grateful that I have had the necessary time to spend to those who have been there for me and those who will always have my back no matter where I am or what happens.

I also learned to appreciate them even more and know that without them I wouldn’t be who I am at this moment in time. They’ve changed and I’ve changed for the best and this was just meant to be.

I also am in awe when I realize that everything, absolutely everything you need is always provided for.  Not sooner not later, at the right time.

As they say: “Ask. Believe. Receive” 🙂

 

My Favorite Photos

A few days ago, when I went for a walk out in the sun, I came across this magnificent magnolia tree. Want to know the best part? It is right in my own neighborhood! How great is that?

I have to admit that no travel is required or no need to go far to discover a gem right in front of our eyes!

Mother Nature knows exactly when things change or evolve or in this case, bloom and transform into this. The smell, color, size, leaves were speaking bliss (as Emily Brontë once wrote) and the abundance at its natural state.

It had to be captured of course, so I was more than happy to take many snapshots. It is now engraved in my mind.

One funny thing happen, as soon as I started taking pics, other passersby saw what I was doing and stopped for a minute and took a photo as well! Before long we were 4 or 5 persons.

Life is too precious to let it slip between our fingers.

It is important to pause for a moment, look around and be grateful. After all we’re given 86 400 seconds every day, do you say “thank you” at least once? Let me know.

So there’s my current update of May 2016, that was quite something wasn’t it?

Now I’m turning it over to you!

Tell us…

What is happening on your side of the planet?

Please share with us!

Better yet, show us.

You know that I love seeing photos and read of course.

 

Until next time! Hasta la próxima

All the best, todo lo mejor.

K 🙂