And now Happy Holidays
Home is where the heart is.
Who said that?
The phrase “home is where the heart is” means that you feel emotionally connected to a place that is not your home.
For instance, if you’ve lived abroad in another country other than your homeland for a long time, you could say that “home is where the heart is” when people ask you if you miss your home country.
The saying can also apply to situations where you’re arriving back in your homeland after being away for a long time and missing your country of birth. The expression can also apply to homes and venues, and countries.
For instance, you could be talking about your family home or an apartment that makes you feel at home.
Information courtesy of English-Grammer-Lessons.com
Am thinking about this as January marks my 3rd anniversary of living outside the USA.
I know my choice is not for a lot of folks, but if you are an explorer, then this experience is something you want.
I feel alive when all in front of me is viewed for the first time. This applies to a city, a space and or a milonga. What at first is foreign, soon becomes an everyday experience.
As to my heart, living in Buenos Aires is my heart. Here in this wonderful, cacaphonic city surrounded by people expressing emotions all the time. In the street, on the bus and especially on the phone. But always forefront are the people. All heartfelt emotional connections.
I think that’s what Buenos Aires represents for me. The corazon. The heart.
This symbol is expressed not only in tango, but in the emotions of people here. Everything is always very emotional. And always an embrace. A touch, a little hug a little kiss. And always slow. Slowly.
Everything is much slower here. Everyone takes their time. And being late is not understood. Argentineans live in the moment. Not lots of planning for the future. As there might not be a future. Where the value of the pesos fluctuates like the wind.
Coffee in a cafe with a friend can easily last 3 hours, that includes the time it took you to get the menu, order from the waiter, then drink your coffee. The final step is getting your bill for the coffee. In all of that time, you have had a wonderful time chatting with a friend.
People depend solely on each other, not the government. People hold each other very dearly.
Men embrace each other and kiss on the cheeks. It is very manly here. Goes right to the corazon.
And that leads back to tango…the tango of the corazon and the abrazo.
Tango is about vulnerability. Embracing the person you are dancing with. Expressing your heart to another heart. Opening your heart to embrace another heart, be it for 12 minutes.
Listening to the music with your heart.
Moving your feet with your heart.
And listening to you partner with your heart.
That’s tango to me.
Doesn’t always happen as so many folks come to a Milonga preoccupied by life, but its worth the time to transform yourself from the everyday to the sublime.
And dance Tango.
Abrazo
Maybe it’s time!!!
While living in the USA for last couple of months, I met many folks who admired my decision to no longer live in the US. Most expressing disbelief, but saying you are so brave for living the dream in retirement. Traveling, dancing and living as an expat in different counties.
I paused to consider how to respond to the statement without seeming to be a life coach, or a smart ass.
I am blessed [and cursed] with a wonderfully logical brain and am not a sentimental person either, which is very helpful.
In hindsight and reviewing the details, I was so ready for a change.
In March 2020, I found myself at a life intersection.
In remembering those days, that was the beginning of the pandemic that became know as Covid 19.
I decided to stay in Argentina for a few reasons. Chief reason was I was searching for a way to change my life.
Aveneida de Mayo
My previous role of a successful contemporary gallery owner was coming to a close. I had found, mentored and trained my replacement manager over the prior 2 years.
Reinvention is a wonderful process, as you get to choose what you want. Sometimes.
Having the choice to choose your action can be overwhelming on the wrong day and amazing on others.
Living in Buenos Aires offered me a place and a space to reinvent myself, as the person I choose to be. I was no longer struggling, I had evolved without carrying most of the baggage of the past.
I found this moment to be awesome. And yes Scary.
But then again I learned that I am the most alive and aware when am out of my comfort zone.
Will say packing up my rental apartment and putting all my stuff in storage was liberating. A few months later selling my home after 2 years of trying was again …liberating. Done
No more phone calls or emails about things needing fixing or so many other types of troubles. Rodents, leaves, bugs….
Done.
Being homeless is not for everyone, but have enjoyed renting or staying at different places, airbnbs, hotels, friend’s houses and apartment rentals.
So travel is always the game changer. Sometimes for the best and other times, you question your sanity.
Like booking a flight at 3pm and imagining it is 3pm in the afternoon, but forgetting most of the world uses the 24 hour clock.
Its really shocking to receive a notification, while in bed in the middle of the night, I forming you that your luggage can be picked up at carousel 3, while you are still in bed at least 300 miles away.
This was a great learning experience for the rest of the trip, but also one of the biggest laughs.
As we are returning to Buenos Aires, I look forward to the challenges of living in a city, where you can dance tango at 20 different milongas a day.
Excited and looking forward to my favorite malbec with my carne assado in this beautiful, crazy city.
Been home about a week and Buenos Aires is as exciting as ever. The city is experiencing an influx of foreigners, and it’s only November. Will expect summer to be very crowed and hot.
The jacarandá trees are blooming purple flowers and the drunken trees are blooming pink.
The air is warm, and the humidity is perfect.
Saturday was the gay pride parade, and many parts of the city were closed to car traffic. We ended up walking thru the parade area on our way home. The exuberant crowds were wonderful as was the choripan sandwich. The music, the costumes too. Lots of sweetness in the air.
Today, I had my first carne at a favorite restaurant in Palermo. Calderón de soho. The ojos de bife, practically melted in my mouth and the malbec from Nicosia Bodega was a great pairing, but we skipped the papas fritas and had an ensalada instead. And took home the leftovers.
Hmmm. So happy to be back in BsAs again.
Now onto the Milongas after my visit to my podiatrist.
