It is day 20 that I am keeping record of Seeking La Otra Mitad. I have to say that I am excited more and more everyday as a spring monkey swinging branch to branch in El Yunque Rainforest. This blog is helping me apply myself in getting intouch with my roots, wanting it, learning it more. Finding facts, learning words, discovering things I hadn't known before and sharing bits and pieces of my rememberance growing up. I am a bit behind though, busy schedule and having a life too..but I am on the examen of the 5 chapters I have studied in the Living Language book. And I find myself applying what I have learned when I am out in the world, around my latino freinds, stores or hearing conversations in espanol in the streets. Iv'e learned two songs in spanish and can sing them effectively. I have not the complete pieces yet to put sentences together or started to speak with mis amigos yet, since they know me speaking only a handful of words with them. I plan to take a notebook and role play with mis amigos still. Finding time is as careful as selecting a ripe platano. It has to be just right. I did speak with mi tia tonight and I shared my newfound excitement about not losing touch with my roots. She described a painting of a beautiful woman. Her body was curvaceous and her bottom were roots. One root showed a woman of African decent, the other a European, Spaniard with blue eyes and then the Taino woman. All these women made a beautiful woman all in one. And when you think about it, alot of races are mixed. It is what we identify with. What we feel. How we are. Our tones and manneririsms. Our way of thinking, our interests. It's a beautiful thing, embracing what we are made of.
It was raining cats and dogs today here in L.A. I thought of Puerto Rico. Back to the time when I had visited the island with a boyfreind at the time, How moist and how sweet the air was. How the earth and palm leaves threw an island aroma in the air. Of that time I had once visited the island in one summery September when a tropical storm hit and we lost power and water. How exciting it was to wash myself with a bucket of water and to see through the dark by candlelight. It was like truly being back in the day on a farm. We ate by candle light out side with the roosters pecking and heckling by our feet and watching trees move by invisible creatures and settling softly in peace. Enjoying the melodies and tunes played by the nocturnal musicians of the island. Listening, smiling, allowing time to drift and float...
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