Be Still and Know...

5-25-16

The retreat was scheduled to begin on Wednesday, but some of us flew in on Tuesday night. We had a private Facebook group for all the ladies so we could introduce ourselves and share our travel schedules before the retreat began.  Those of us who were scheduled to arrive on Tuesday, made arrangements to stay near the airport together.  There were 4 of us in our group who were supposed to be at the hotel, but one of the ladies missed her flight from ATL. She booked another flight, so she would arrive on Wednesday morning.

My flight landed after 1am in Managua, and the shuttle driver from Airport X Hotel was waiting at the door as soon as I cleared Customs.  After checking in, I was escorted to my room where I showered and immediately fell asleep as soon as I laid down.  I woke up the next morning and went to the reception area for breakfast.    As I waited for my breakfast to be prepared, I saw a familiar face walk my way.  Buttafli and I were students at FAMU at the same time, but we didn't know each other there.  We introduced ourselves and began talking about how excited we were to be there and ready to experience the full retreat.  A few minutes later, we were joined by Mia.  The 3 of us talked and ate breakfast before heading back to our rooms to get ready for the day.  We took the hotel shuttle (a worker's car) to the airport and met the rest of our group there where we all boarded the shuttle van from Aqua for the 2 hour drive to the resort.  

For the past 2 hours, I've been exploring the resort.  It is comprised of semiprivate tree house villas, a spa, restaurant, beach, and exercise platform.  I was escorted to my room by one of the workers who showed me all the features of the resort.  When we arrived at my villa, I was pleased to see a small pool right outside my door.  I opened the door to find a bed facing the window with a view of beautiful green foliage below.  There's also an outside shower that I can use for a more natural experience.  There are no phones here.  Each person was given a cell phone by the resort to call reception, housekeeping, etc.  There's also free Wi-Fi.  I quickly emailed my mom to let her know that I had arrived.  I unpacked my things and took my time exploring outside.  Walking up and down the steps along the various paths was no easy feat.  I stopped at the spa after walking for about 15 minutes and I was breathless.  Sweat dripped from my face and it felt good cooling my skin.  I'm in pretty good shape, but that felt like a major workout.  This place is not for anyone with a physical impairment.  

I am currently sitting on a private beach in Tola, Nicaragua.  The waves are crashing and the sun is setting.  All is right in the world.

When I walked down to the beach, two of the other ladies were already there.  I took out my camera to take pictures of the setting sun, and they told me I had to take a "Praise the Lord" picture - arms raised to the sky in gratitude.  Sitting on the beach reminds me of God's awesome presence.  He ordained that I would be in this place at this time to receive all that he has for me.  If nothing else happens over the next few days, I know that I already have peace within.  I'm grateful to be able to share with the other women on this path with me.

Your Peace You Give Me

5-24-16 12:05am
The plane is slowly pulling away from the gate, and we are moments from takeoff.  I've already completed 2 legs of the journey - Houston to New Orleans then New Orleans to Ft. Lauderdale.  In just 2 more hours I will be in Managua.  This is my first trip to Central America.  I've been eagerly anticipating this trip for months.  Back in November, I saw a post on Facebook for the From Stress to Peace Retreat 2016.  I knew at that moment that I wanted to participate.  As I read the description, my soul cried out and yearned to go.  I knew that I wanted the retreat and the peace it would bring, but I had no idea at the time how much I would truly need it at this time in my life.

Between November and May, I experienced the worst time of my life - the end of my marriage.  I was angry, hurt, sad, confused, hopeful, disappointed, and on a constant emotional roller coaster for the first few months of 2016.  Once everything was settled between us, I knew that I needed to work on making myself better by refilling my spirit with peace, love, and forgiveness.  The retreat couldn't have come at a better time.  Not only will it allow me to relax and enjoy myself, I will learn skills to help me become more peaceful in every aspect of my life.  We will meditate, do yoga, hike, and more all at the fabulous Aqua tree house resort.  I am grateful that I have this opportunity to join with other women from all over the US to experience all that is to come over the next few days at the retreat. 

Off to Great Places!

I haven't written a blog post in over a year, but I haven't stopped traveling.  I plan to pick back up on my travel writing in 2016, so I'm starting today from the comfort of my home just to get back into the flow.

After I returned home from Australia in September 2014, I went to Cancun for my friend's beach-side wedding in October of that year.  In November 2014, I went on my first cruise ever for another friend's wedding.  The wedding took place on a beach in Key West, which was one of the ports where we stopped.  Both weddings were absolutely beautiful, and I pray the marriages grow stronger and more loving each day.

I didn't leave the US borders in 2015, but I did visit and revisit some wonderful places where I created fond memories.  In January, I went to Las Vegas for my birthday.  It was an interesting experience for someone who doesn't gamble and doesn't think being sloppy drunk is fun.  I enjoyed the shows, the food, and the walkability of The Strip.  However, my favorite part of the whole trip was the day tour of the Grand Canyon.  It was absolutely breathtaking to look out at the natural carving of the hard rock.  I stood in amazement at God's handiwork.  I was finally "truly American".  The tour also stopped at the Hoover Dam and traveled along historic Route 66.  I would definitely go to the Grand Canyon again.  I also wouldn't mind going back to Vegas with the right company.

In May 2015, I took my mom to NYC for Mother's Day weekend.  She tells everyone that is her favorite city, and she enjoys it most when she's with me.  We explored the city together and visited with old friends.  We saw Black Angels Over Tuskegee, a great show at a small theater that seemed to have lots of wonderful shows in production.  After the show, we had a limited amount of time to get across town for massage appointments.  We decided to take a pedicab for a different experience since neither my mom nor I had ever done that before.  That 10 minute ride cost $60.  It was definitely an experience we won't forget.

In July 2015, I went back to New Orleans for the 3rd time.  It's close enough to home to travel cheaply, but the city is so very different from anywhere else around.  I asked my co-worker who is a native New Orleanian about things to do while there, and she recommended a food tour.  Why hadn't I ever thought of that?  I love food and I love exploring new places.  I took the Magazine St. Food Tour, and I LOVED it!  I was a little concerned about the food options, so I called before I booked the tour to ask if they could accommodate my pescetarian diet.  The guy asked me, "Do you eat gator?", and I paused for a minute to think before responding, "It tastes like chicken, so I don't think that's considered seafood."  That's all I could think of at the time. They made a few changes to the menu, and I was sold.  That tour was the best part of the trip.  I learned about the food, culture, and history of the area with a very knowledgeable tour guide.

In 2016, I plan to travel more and share my experiences with whomever wants to read about them.  I just want to express and inspire myself even if it's just for me to go back and read my own thoughts later.

This is going to be an awesome year!