assimilation
as i see it, it's a two-step process.
first we adjust.
and then we assimilate.
i have studied the works of piaget,
the famous psychologist,
in some depth.
what he calls accommodation is similar to
what i called adjustment last week.
adjusting what you believe to incorporate new information.
the alteration of ideas, a framework shift.
assimilation is also piagetian.
fitting new information into existing beliefs.
the coalescence of ideas, somewhat subjective in nature.
assimilation.
so here it is.
the heartfelt conclusion to my european adventure.
my current task?
to assimilate the awe into the everyday.
it wasn't just a vacation.
i wasn't simply on holiday.
it was the test run of a new way of life.
and though delightful in many ways, it was difficult in others.
spoiled yes, but i missed my comforts.
my washer and dryer.
charmin toilet paper.
watermelon.
a superstore.
oh yeah, and the ease of communicating in a familiar language.
here is an excerpt from my journal about four weeks in:
the trip has been amazing, but there have been several obstacles.
we've been trying to see as much as possible in the time allotted.
which means changing locations every few days.
i like to go somewhere and stay put for at least a month.
explore, work, relax, live.
but we are about to pack up and head out once again.
for the NINTH time!
still FIVE more beds to sleep in!
been dealing with illnesses too.
inevitable with all of the exposure.
on subways and in crowded museums.
and trying to get our clothes washed has been a joke.
difficult to find laundromats in the places we've been.
i've done several loads when i've had the chance.
with small-capacity washers and energy-saving dryers.
when there's been a dryer.
there are currently clothes draped on every available surface.
and they are NOT drying due to the humidity and lack of heat.
too much luggage.
rental car smaller than promised.
very close contact and irritable moods at times.
mosquitoes.
abrupt weather changes.
loud partiers at our hotel in madrid.
a sinus infection in paris.
a dirty apartment in zurich.
no hot water for a day in the alps.
no heat in milan, no heat in florence.
walking a mile with all of our luggage through the streets of rome.
right before getting stuck in crazy traffic on our way out of the city.
not being able to find our apartment in florence. or the owner. at midnight.
then finding ourselves in utter darkness when the power went out.
this is not my preferred mode of travel.
jumping from place to place to place, our collective patience wearing thin.
and yet . . .
we've seen and experienced such amazingly unbelievable things.
like michelangelo's "david" yesterday.
truly awe-inspiring.
and meeting close family members for the first time.
communicating with them despite the language barriers.
discovering my roots.
an unimaginable feeling.
a wise friend said to me,
"april, what a great description of your trip.
we are always balancing the frustrating with the amazing.
every day. all the time. no matter where we are.
thanks."
(you are so right, cindy ehlert brown. thank YOU.)
the next day, after a good night's sleep,
i expanded on what i'd written in the last two paragraphs.
yesterday i complained a lot.
about some of the inevitable things that go wrong while traveling.
so i felt the need to collect my thoughts and write again today.
to try to put everything in perspective.
the fact is . . .
i wouldn't change anything about this trip.
even the trials.
this has been the most amazing educational and cultural experience.
but i've also gained a better idea of who i am and where i came from.
and it's been an incredible growth challenge as well.
i've discovered that i am stronger than i thought.
(both emotionally and physically.)
that i can endure and/or disregard more than i imagined.
i used to be quite a worrier (and still have tendencies that way).
now i'm living by the motto "it is what it is."
it's a fabulous feeling to know i've conquered fears.
i've dug deeper.
i can survive awkward frustrating moments with language/custom barriers.
(with laughs and hand gestures.)
i've closely connected with people i've just met.
i've proven that i can do my work anywhere on the globe.
and i love the freedom that comes with just picking up and going.
i've experienced such richness.
my eyes have been opened to fresh insights, new opportunities.
this is probably the last big journey we'll take as a family of four.
which has its own bittersweet flavor attached to it.
but i wouldn't trade the magic of it all,
including both ups and downs,
for anything in the world.
as i wrote, i began to feel a heightened sense of conversion.
one definition of JOURNEY is "passage or progress from one stage to another."
passage.
progress.
i boarded an airplane.
and i flew to a physical location.
but the real journey was not geographical.
it happened inside.
my existing persona
plus
my evolving journey
yields
one eager emotional pioneer.
hopefully improved.
definitely and forever changed.
assimilation.
integration through absorption.
now.
time to plan that next chapter of my journey.
to places presently unknown to me.
merely imagined.
~~~~~~~
what does your unique personal journey consist of, look like?
try incorporating, along the way, the six commitments.
(introduced in my european wellness series.)
1. enjoy your life now. (spain)
2. boldly trust in your essence. (france)
3. openly invite the perfect environment. (switzerland)
4. examine your origins in more depth. (italy)
5. allow time in your schedule to inhale deeply. (monaco)
6. attentively care for your body and soul. (portugal)
please share your impressions, reflections, reactions.
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