One Tamales Please

All right... so a bit of Routine-ness has been established.

1) Yoga... check

2) Walking... check

3) Family... check

4) Friends... checkkidy check

5) Job.,.. no not yet.... starts in January

so I still have one more month of playing around to get back to work and to get back to timelines and deadlines.... PLAY.... So go ahead and PLAY...

We went again to the desert and did our Quad biking session that was just... AMAZINg...My lil brother got lost.. all by his lonesome so as he was trying to find his way back to all of us, his Quad completely stopped (ran out of fuel) and had no money, no lights, no way back...WHAT a feeling.. so started walking back till he could stop a car and get a ride... but other than that, it was AMAZING... the deserts of Dubai are really a gorgeous... you juts need to find activities to do around that theme "The Desert" and you'll be FINE!!!!

I go to Lebanon next week for a whole month to stack up some Lebanon fuel... I plan on becoming a tourist in MY country and really getting to know the place.. the mountains, the villages, its people, and the history.... That should be interesting...

I still sometimes feel like I need to pinch myself and ask if I am REALLY back??? Am I??

I also shut my eyes sometimes and visualize My Mexico at this time, What are my friends doing now? What is the weather like? What are the streets like? What are the smells and noises like? What is the taste of Frijoles like? The real Frijoles.... BLACK beans and not the RED beans that is sold in Dubai! The real Picante.... real Chilli thats tastes ummmm soooo Goooooddddd.

What is Caterina doing? Erin? Khoffee? My hostel? The red house? The pink house? The yellow house?

Ouuufffff, the big man who stands right infront of Hostel Esperances singing "Champurrriiddooooos por Cinco pesossss"... or the Senora at Plaza de Paz selling Fruitas con Chilli... or the Tamales and the Chichorrones.... UUUFFFFFFFFFfffFFFF!!!

What I would do for One Tamales right now!!!!

Or maybe two... one Cheese Tamales and One Sweet Tamales.

I terribly miss it... and it hurts... The distance really hurts.

To date, Every time I want to see what time it is here,... I instantly do the Maths and calculate what time it is in My Mexico.

My Spanish conquest is still going on... I have to watch at least one movie in Spanish per day.. and ALLLL DAY LONG, I listen to Spanish music....

June.... its allllll about June... Knowing Im going back INSTANTLY puts a smile on that face of mine!

My Mexico, My Mexico.... I miss you.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Walk it for Me....

I have marked my one week "back" in Dubai... But However..... I am NOT "back" in Dubai... I am "in" Dubai... I am "new" to Dubai.

I think I am experiencing something quite interesting... My Liking Thermometer is going from 'Hating' to 'Don't Minding' to 'Liking' to 'Really liking' to 'Falling in love'........ with Dubai!

We went out to the Desert of Um al Quiwein... and rented something ... Not sure what theyre called but they are huge Desert Bikes for the Dunes of the Sahara!

At first, i took the bike and whoooopppp got stuck, once, twice, three times, four..... and then??? It just OPENED ! I was "MOVE OUTTA THE WAY WEEEEEYYYYY" .

I was climbing on bushes, dunes, speeding, ... everything!! I didnt wanna get off.

It was night time, and we were 5.... all together... the desert was limitless, it was all sand, and trees and cactus(the Arabic version), and at one point we all switched off our bikes and lights and LISTENED to the traquility of the desert!

I woke up the next day and HIT THE STREETS!!! Like I had been doing for the past 5 months...

I packed a bag, and a bottle of water... and got out of my house in Um Suqeim... and started walking towards my boyfriends house in Barsha!

I had discovered the inner road from my house to his... the one that does not include aHUGE HIGHWAY WITH 8 LANES of cars... so I started!!!

The walk was beaauutiful.... I was holding my camera and walking and looking and for the FIRST time actually LOOKING at DUBAI!

There were two mini highways that I walked... with loads and loads of cars but that didnt bother me at ALLLL...

I was listening to my music, and i was SINGING , walking, smiling, at some points I was LAUGHINGGG out loud! I was Alone in Dubai and I loved it!

OUTLook- INLook

"Where do you Live, Lina?"

"I live in a place, that has no colors, no roads, no walking, no soul, no identity, I live in Dubai"

This is EXACTLY what I used to say when I was asked about my life back "Home".

This is the harshest judgement I have given , Ever.

and I do have to apologize. Im sorry Dubai.

Waking up in MY house, having slept in MY bed, being close to MY clothes that are in MY closet, spending time with MY family and MY boyfriend and MY set of friends.... is making me realize that hey???? You know what??? I think IIIIII was the one who was colorless, with no soul!

Your life is your CHOICE. Its the way you CHOOSE to live. The friends that you CHOOSE. the activities that you CHOOSE. The routine that you CHOOSE.

The country is a country... leave it alone.....

This sounds waaaayyyyyy to philosophical; and Im scared ! This is a whole new outlook for me... which makes sense in my head.

Its all in your head; and I like it like that......

Vamos a ver, Lets see what the Expiry date of this outlook is.... Im scared!!!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

A first-timer

Melissa, Becks, Ariana, Danish girls, Kaffee, Caterina, Erin, Kek, and Karla.

These are the names of the friends I have made, and they're all GIRLS. A set of inspiring women, who define the word INSPIRING.

Beautiful inspiring people; Real friends who I consider REAL friends.

Every one of these girls carries a story as heavy as ever. A life thats been through ALOT, and thats been molded into a Life-defensive mode.

I feel so proud to have known them.

It was time to say "hasta luego".." See you later". Ill see you in May.

I hugged my girls SO TIGHT, it was so difficult to let go. I walked out of Guanajuato with my throat feeling heavy like I wanted to cry.

My flight was three days, Guanajuato, Guadalajara, Monterrey, New York till Dubai.

I am here, I have landed safely in the country I was raised in.

and I AM SHOCKED.

I dont know exactly WHAT you call it? It could be "scared".

I was scared of the come-back.... Could I do it? Could I sleep at night? Could I go back to what I had earlier?

I am back with my family, my boyfriend, and my friends... I tell you something... I am walking on the streets of Dubai looking at it like it is the FIRST TIME.

This is the weirdest feeling I have felt! I was raised here ALL my Life.... and yet... I have never felt like that! I have never seen this.

The weather is BEAUTIFUL, my friends are beautiful, the activities, so far, have been beautiful.

My mind is racing.... this should be a joke? This is not true... Dubai is black? Dubai is dark? Dubai is colorless? Dubai is soulless??

THIS is the definition I carried with me of Dubai... Sad but true. This was it....

Okay so , let me get one thing straight?.....

Is it??

What is it?

What?

xxxooooxxxxooooxxxoooooxxxoxoxoxxxoxoxo

Por Un Camino Rico... I Have

Here I am.....Physically, mentally, soulfully, passionately, emotionally, sensationally, intensively, actively, Here I am.

I have reached a stage in my journey that requires me to 'look back'.

I look back to what I have done and accomplished, I look back to where I have been and what I have seen, Where I woke up and where I slept; What I talked what I smelt; and I cant HELP but SIGH deeply.

I AM HAPPY.

- I have made 18-year old friends.

- I have missed my bus, slept on a bus and awoken by driver, ran after my bus.

- Discovered that a cockroach is walking on my hand, while I am trying to sleep in Guadalajara.

-Noticed the unfortunate event of posted ads saying "MISSING" with a face of a kidnapped person.

- Studied so hard and reached a level that can make me manage my way with a pure Mexican.

- Lived with a Mexican family for 4 days.

- Eaten Mexican food and fell in love with Frijoles and Picante; I love chilli!

- Gotten my Yoga groove back like a Mad Woman.

- Made AMAZING AMAZING friends who are staying with me for years to come. Have connected with them in SO many ways and forms.

- Witnessed the 'La Kinciniera' culture.

- Done a "Spiritual Cleansing' with a witch doctor

- Been and stayed in Carribean, the most beautiful water in this WHOLE world.

- Been to Indigenous villages and seen the real true pre-spanish people.

- Been to a village with 365 churches.

- Witnessed the Cervantino in Guanajuato.

-Been to the Pacific coast 3 working days after a major degree-5 Hurricane called Hurricane Rick

- Lived with a 75-year old woman.

- Met TRAVELLERS. Real Travellers.... who have answered my simple innocent question of "How long have you been travelling?" with an answer such as "Ive been travelling for 8 years. 6 years. Since I was 16. "

-Most importantly, I have become a Traveller. I believe I will 'Siempre' be a traveller. Travelling and sailing smoothly throughout the different scenes and locations and vibes of Life.

- I have become a TRUE traveler; whose ingredients are : One bag, One yoga mat, One computer, One Passion and UNLIMITED belief .

***Belief in oneself! Belief that theres something OUt there for me. Its calling and Im gonna GO FOR IT. I wont shut up. I wont accept the "NORMAL " way of being. I will question.I will keep going. I believe. I strongly believe.

I have , I have, I have, I have..... I have done it!!!!

I have done it all, By myself... All alone....

and I would do it again and again and again....

I belong here, THIS is it; I have not even jet-lagged for one day;

Its like, I landed here, landed straight on my 2 feet and immediately started running! Running !

I have taken my dose; My dose of happiness, my dose my nourishment, of fulfillment, I have learnt so much; Its beyond description.

I have changed my point of views, My way of thinking, my priorities in Life, I have changed my outlook on Life.

I have been blessed to have been able to do this.

*****

Its time to go back; To what is waiting for me.

My family. My family deserves to have me back; they have been by my side this WHOLE time. I have never felt away from them. Not ONE DAY. 18 hours away, But so very very close and WITH ME in my heart. My dad's comments on facebook, his funny comments that reflect his beautiful personality. His adoring wife that sticks by the family and unites it. My beautiful Brother Nadim, That I missed living with, under one roof! Bumping into him in the house! and hearing him ask :" I want to eattt, What there is foodddd?>???"

My Family-2 . My brother, the father-to-be; who is also been a constant reminder as to WHY I should go back!!! Tenemos que placticar en Espanol hermano mio!!!! I'm so so so excited I will have a Spanish -speaking Family Brother of mine.

His wife who, Bless her, is going through so much right now, that I feel like I should have been with her! Ana asifa!

My friends. My 2 sets of friends. The Lebanon gang who I keep getting BEAUTIFUL flashbacks of our memories in My Country. The mountains, the roadtrips, The chilly and The talky , everything SHALL BE REDONE!

My Dubai set of friends; I am so very aware of the weight you have in my heart. I have underestimated it, HONESTLY, But ya no! I have missed you so much.

My Man. Who stuck there. Day in and day out! Im still surprised he could do that!

I believe we did not skip ONE 'Good Morning' or 'Good Night' or else....... " bi kassirle ijrayyi! Hes the man in the relationship"... hahahahaha

My house! I have been living off of a suitcase for 4 months; and i WANT SPACE. Give me Space! I want my bed, I want my Closet, I wanna put my stuff in the closet! I forgot what these things look like.

My Canada crew. My cousin and my bestfriend Leez of the Linda....I remember this night like it was yesterday.... We were chilling at Leez's house and I had to catch my plane to Mexico ALL ALONE... and I was so emotional that I could NOT sit still. My face was all lightened , And i had butterflies in my stomach. You WERE THERE. You let me go! Gently and lovingly.

Its time. Its time to go back.

Im ready to do this. Im ready. Im ready. Im curious and Im curious.

Slightly like the curiosity that I had before my arrival in Mexico... But this time.... Im curious as to experience LIFE like its supposed to be.

--------------------------- But I have bought a 2-way ticket. Im coming back to Mexico!

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOOXOXOXOXOOXOXOXOXOOXOXOXOXOOXOXOX

Dame Amor. Quiero Amor.

Middle aged men and women, Children of all ages, Grandchildren, Granddaughters holding the hands of their grandfathers, Teenage funky presence, hippie influence, Artis in all shapes and forms and colors.
Indian, French, Brazilian, Argentinian, Cuban. Salsa, Flamenco, House music Internationsla DJs, and LIVE Bands performing on the street. FrEE for ALL ; Every soul on the street is invited to watch, sing along, and dance the night away. ON the steets.
An audience so THIRSTY yet so FULL of ARTS.

This was a Slight, minor, and sooooo-lacking-more description of what I am experiencing EVERYDAY for the past three days on the streets of Guanajuato.
Guanajuato is now finishing off a 2-week MASSIVE internationally known YEARLY event called the Cervantino.
It comes from' Mr. Cervantes' Spaniard conquistador ' . This HUGE festival started 37 years ago in his honor; Guanajuato specifically and only celebrates the Cervantino festival by collaborating , EACH year, with a different country around the world.
This year, it was NONE OTHER THAN QUEBEC, ... Wow I have goosebumps. How did Guanajuato know that I will be landing on its 'tierra', after having visited mY People in Montreal.??

I I have been missing from the Internet Scene for like a week. Well.... I did SO MUCH , so much i SERIOUSLY SURPRISE MYSELF!
From Guanajuato, and my 2-week Spanish Reminder course, I went UPPPPP to Zacatecas, then down to San Miguel de Allende, then to Colima, and I went to Manzanillo beach and decided to come BACK to Guanajuato.... Mainly because of FRIENDS.,
I had spent my last days in Guanajuato earlier with the 2 girls.... The Argentinian and the Italian...And so, Them ......in addition to Cervantino made me decide to come back!
The come-back was AS HILARIOUS as ever! I had the TIME of my life missing my bus.... I was LAUGHING LAUGHING BURSTING OUT Laughs in the middle of the streets ALL alone!

I came on Wednesday night and ever since..... I have:
1) Gone to a massive Comcert of Flamenco dancers. Straight from Spain. With music, dance, guitars, clapping, much lights, so much people, Stage and THE WHOLE indescribable experience.

2) Gone to another massive House, electronic, Beat bass, Dj from Montreal. People, lights, NO lights, I Danced like there is NO TOMRROW.
****My FRIENDS: heres a message for you... you know who you are.... HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPPYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

3) Have lived like a true Guanajuatonense... I almost work now! The girls work in a shop, an artisana and clothes shop.. and I am going to work WITH THEM at 5:00 and spend the whole day with them in the shop till 9:30. We either go out, or just have dinner and go to our homes.

HERE I am.

This is HER. This is SHE. This is ME. This is I. This is 'Lina Del Libano'.







xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox