Greetings from under the stairs…

Well friends, we are finally on our way to Athens after an amazing and magical month in Crete! I am so completely overwhelmed with gratitude towards the people that made our trip so special… It was really great to meet Morgan’s super kind and generous family in Chania (who put us up in total style right in the heart of the old-town area, in their beautiful 16^th century duplex) and also to make fabulous expat-friends as well. I am already missing the midnight jam-sessions on the beach with our English buddies, the local mezithra cheese that melts in your mouth the moment it touches your lips, the heart-of-gold owners of Café Vafe who were instant life-long inspirations, our de-LISH and beautifully laid family feasts at Aunt Cake’s, the endless view of ancient (500+ years old!) olive trees gently caressing every foothill and slope of the Cretan mountains… I could go on! This month in Crete has possibly been one of the best 4-week periods of my life.

And it wasn’t just that Crete itself is just soooo super fab (but yes, it totally is!)… It was that I needed a break, and the Universe gave it to me. I needed re-coop time after a strange quarter-year in Turkey, constantly struggling and on guard. And before I left for Turkey, I had been struggling at home too -- in 2010 I was homeless for 11 months, staying with friends or couch-surfing and living out of a suitcase, while working 60+ hour weeks in the food service industry to save money, pay off debt, and get back to Europe. I was physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually exhausted. By the time this June rolled around, all I wanted was to lay on a beach, and be wrapped up in the arms of the wind and sea and sand, with no agenda and no pressure to do anything else but heal my soul at my own pace. And that is exactly what I got! This may be the clearest, most accurate manifestation I’ve ever been able to muster! Of all places to go, of all people to meet and stay with, living in Chania, Crete for 4 weeks with Morgan’s family and our other expat-friends was the best possible blend of circumstances, energy, love, and inspiration to help me rebuild myself after feeling so broken and tired for so long.

Though a bit weary of returning to the “real” world out there (i.e. places other than the laid-back/safe/easy going shores of Crete!), I do feel ready to take on the rest of my summer/fall. There have been some recent financial complications and I may not be able to stay in Europe as long as I’d originally planned… Yet again, my well-thought-out-and-laid plans have taken a drastic turn, but I’m no stranger to staying on my toes and improvising! This trip may be cut a month or two short, depending on where our journey leads us over the next few weeks, so I’m trying not to stress out about money and just go with the flow. The Universe knows what it’s doing, and if I’m meant to stay abroad a little longer it will happen. So in the meantime, I’ll be doing my best to travel wisely and frugally. At the moment, I’m writing from “under the stairs” on the overnight ferry from Crete to Athens – Morgan and I went for the cheapest ‘deck’ ticket option (i.e. we didn’t pay for a cabin with beds), so we found a carpeted area and are camped out with the other roomless folks, with our bags tucked away under a large spiral staircase. We pulled the same move on our ferry from Athens to Crete as well; definitely worth the +25E per person we are saving! Tomorrow we fly to Italy…

So my friends, there’s the report for now. I’m feeling refreshed, adventurous, and open to the Universe. Next stop, Rome!! :)

- nova.