Leap Before You Look: Where's my caravan?

So my writing kind of got put on the back burner because of the more pressing matter I faced a couple months ago of finding a new roof over my head. It's been an interesting part of my journey. It's the end of July, and so far this year I've lived in eleven places. This is also counting short periods of house sitting...but wow. I was jokingly calling this year my "Gypsy Year" but now it's less of a joke and more of my reality. I think the weirdest part when I think about it, is that I started this year, Jan 1, 2016, on a boat in Phuket, Thailand. Now I'm back, seemingly seamless in my transition, to the crazy little jungle beach town of Nosara, Costa Rica.

The truth of it is, I don't mind it too much..each new place gives me different things to think about. It was a little stressful and difficult when I first had to leave the place I called "home" since arriving back to Nosara in February, but mostly because I hadn't found a steady place and at one point I had my belongs spread among town in 3 different places. I felt "displaced" for a couple of weeks, and relied on the kindness and awesomeness of a couple of really good friends to get me through it in one piece (so to speak), to try and remain whole. Plus I really miss that hammock.

It's not even like I have a lot of things. My friend and I piled it all into his car for my last big move to my current "home base". As we're driving it hits me that pretty much all I own in the world fits in a car. Not a big SUV or a truck. I think it was a Rav 4? I don't know cars. But my point is that it suddenly struck me as odd that I cared so much when I had spent so much time purging and preaching to let go. Clearly I haven't "let go" as much as I though I had.

Living in other people's houses all the time is a bit of a trippy experience. I feel that with each place, there's a certain energy, and a new part of me awakens..or an old part gets woken from it's slumber. I might see something in their house that reminds me of when I was a kid...a type of tupperware, a specific spice in the cupboard, the way the towels are folded...it could be anything, then suddenly I feel transported back in time. Or I'll see an appliance or gadget I've never used before and I end up using it all the time...like a fancy blender or a really good can opener. You laugh, but good can openers are hard to come by here in this part of the jungle! I used to bring at least 3 back from Canada when I visited, and I'm pretty sure I've had people mule them to me before. Most of the cans here open with pull tabs. If nothing else, that's how I'll explain and accept the can opener escapades.

Watching the rain fall from a new perspective!

I feel like it's also made me realize a unique combination of paranoia and freedom. Not a freedom away from responsibilities...but a freedom in knowing that they are finite. The paranoia comes from living in different areas of town that I'm not as familiar with, and triple-checking doors and windows are locked to specifications. I'm "on assignment" and I take that very seriously...which I'm sure people appreciate...checking perimeters and ensuring any animals are happy and healthy. Then I try and balance in a social life. Which is always interesting, of course. I've managed to get out for a LOT more sunsets than when I lived here last year and I am happy about that. It's easy for me to get into work, work, work mode and my brain keeps circling around but never solidly landing on any real progress after a certain time of day so I've decided to call that "break for sunset" time. Then when I do actually sit down for "work" time, I'm way more productive.

Here are a few of my recent sunset pics. I'm super lucky. No matter how broke I am or how frustrating a day can be...I know and appreciate that I can be living here and experiencing life in this way.