Today is our last full day in San Miguel before we head out on the bus towards Sayulita. So, it means the last of some things. This morning I grabbed the dirty laundry for the last wash. I have enjoyed the convenience of our patio laundry machine and the wash line. The sun shines down warmly on me this morning even though my hands are cold in the wash water and when hanging the damp laundry up to dry.
I water the patio plants for the last time too. I plan to take a walk down to our favourite tienda, Super Toto, for one last paleta (ice cream on a stick) and we will buy ground beef at the Carniceria for spaghetti tonight. This is all bittersweet. I am ready to head on to a new location but the familiar streets and daily routines provide me with a sense of belonging. We all need to belong and feel at home and, when traveling, it isn’t any different.
I remember our family road trip to Guatemala. The kids were ages 2, 3, 5, and 9. Each child had packed in a small number of books and toys for entertainment and each a favourite blanket for comfort. We were crammed into a VW Westfalia van (all 6 of us) and when darkness fell the children often began to be homesick. But, as Paul and I made up the beds each night, we would reiterate about how this was our home and these were our beds and how good it was to have this oasis as our constant.
I find a need for a constant when I travel now too. It is always uncomfortable when a “new life” needs to be found in another town or city. Of course, this is true wherever we are. When things shift we need to find some rocks to stand on. And so, I feel a sense of discomfort, but also anticipation. There will be new anchors down the road. For now, we eat our final spaghetti meal on the terrace. The air is warm and the sun goes down and the lights of the city begin to twinkle.
