Well here I am! I just recently moved to a new state, that state being good ol' Washington! I have visited here before, each time staying a month and a half. Earlier this year I remember discussing over lunch with my parents that I would like to eventually make it back to Washington because I love it here so much. It seemed scary and extremely exciting to think of moving for longer than a month and a half and I didn't know if I was ready to fully commit to the idea or not. Time went on and I knew that I needed to make up my mind one way or another. I knew that whatever choice I made, it needed to follow my arrival home from Africa relatively quickly in case I needed to find a new job. After talking with my parents again a few months later I decided to just go with it. I was pretty dang nervous at the idea of starting everything fresh but because I am supported by so many lovely people I am always able to remind myself that I can never fail.
It was so hard to say goodbye to my family and friends, thankfully. It would be sad if it wasn't. It was the happy, excited kind of sad, not the sad sad. Ha! So here I am now, looking for a new job, applying every place that I can, and enjoying everything in the meantime. I was at Pike's Market yesterday, enjoying some live bands and walking alongside some foreigners and locals. I turned the corner and heard the sound of some bells in the pattern of steps. I was a bit confused so I looked around and I found that the noise was coming from a tall, thin man's feet. He had little bells tied to his feet and with each step they sounded off. I know I would have been extremely confused as to why he was wearing musical shoes if I hadn't recognized him. The last time I was at Pike's Market- over a year ago, I followed my ears to a corner where a musician was playing. I turned my camera on and started to record as he started to perform. He had two guitars and one of them he placed standing up on his chin!! He went in circles, had two hula hoops spinning around his waist, a maraca in hand and bells on his shoes. I know this sounds near impossible, but he managed it somehow. Anyhow, the video I made of him stayed on my camera, I had forgot about it until I was in Africa. The children love to look through the pictures on your camera and when they came to that video they were so intrigued. "Jensyn, this man!!" One of the children said to me. I laughed and watched as their faces smiled and they said things to each other in Twi(probably about us crazy Americans!) The children asked to see this video several times while I was there, always with a happy reaction to watch it. So when I saw the "music man" yesterday I knew I had to say something.
I was a bit nervous because I had to follow him for a minute, a tad bit stalker-like, not exactly knowing how to start a conversation. He went into a small shop and I followed. "Excuse me.." No response. "Umm, excuse me?" No response. A bit louder this time, "Excuse me?" He finally turned around, looking at me with wondering eyes. I asked him if he was a performer at Pike's and he said yes. I proceeded to tell him about the video I took of him and how the children in Africa always asked to see it again. He got the biggest smile on his face. "I made it all the way to Africa!" He proclaimed. "Yes, you really did," I replied. We ended up talking in that little shop for at least twenty minutes. He told me about his CD being released in a few days and invited me to drop in at the release. It was great. I am so glad I told him even though I was a tad bit nervous at how he would respond. Moments like this are so amazing, try not to miss them!!!
One of my biggest drives in life comes from the children I met and the idea that so many great things are out there waiting for me. I am so excited to start my next chapter here and see what the future holds! Even when things feel scary and uncertain, take a deep breath and have a lil' bit of faith that things will work out. They always do, one way or another! Always remember that it is possible to start something new with the same goals and the same people in mind. Just because things change doesn't mean everything is going away, the things you truly want will always be inside of you. I was sad to leave my family but I know they are always right here with me. Just like I was so sad to leave the children, but I knew they would always be right here with me, wherever I may be.
*If you have a story that this entry reminds you of and you would like to share it, please feel free to email me. I would love to hear your story, whoever you may be. [email protected]
It was so hard to say goodbye to my family and friends, thankfully. It would be sad if it wasn't. It was the happy, excited kind of sad, not the sad sad. Ha! So here I am now, looking for a new job, applying every place that I can, and enjoying everything in the meantime. I was at Pike's Market yesterday, enjoying some live bands and walking alongside some foreigners and locals. I turned the corner and heard the sound of some bells in the pattern of steps. I was a bit confused so I looked around and I found that the noise was coming from a tall, thin man's feet. He had little bells tied to his feet and with each step they sounded off. I know I would have been extremely confused as to why he was wearing musical shoes if I hadn't recognized him. The last time I was at Pike's Market- over a year ago, I followed my ears to a corner where a musician was playing. I turned my camera on and started to record as he started to perform. He had two guitars and one of them he placed standing up on his chin!! He went in circles, had two hula hoops spinning around his waist, a maraca in hand and bells on his shoes. I know this sounds near impossible, but he managed it somehow. Anyhow, the video I made of him stayed on my camera, I had forgot about it until I was in Africa. The children love to look through the pictures on your camera and when they came to that video they were so intrigued. "Jensyn, this man!!" One of the children said to me. I laughed and watched as their faces smiled and they said things to each other in Twi(probably about us crazy Americans!) The children asked to see this video several times while I was there, always with a happy reaction to watch it. So when I saw the "music man" yesterday I knew I had to say something.
I was a bit nervous because I had to follow him for a minute, a tad bit stalker-like, not exactly knowing how to start a conversation. He went into a small shop and I followed. "Excuse me.." No response. "Umm, excuse me?" No response. A bit louder this time, "Excuse me?" He finally turned around, looking at me with wondering eyes. I asked him if he was a performer at Pike's and he said yes. I proceeded to tell him about the video I took of him and how the children in Africa always asked to see it again. He got the biggest smile on his face. "I made it all the way to Africa!" He proclaimed. "Yes, you really did," I replied. We ended up talking in that little shop for at least twenty minutes. He told me about his CD being released in a few days and invited me to drop in at the release. It was great. I am so glad I told him even though I was a tad bit nervous at how he would respond. Moments like this are so amazing, try not to miss them!!!
One of my biggest drives in life comes from the children I met and the idea that so many great things are out there waiting for me. I am so excited to start my next chapter here and see what the future holds! Even when things feel scary and uncertain, take a deep breath and have a lil' bit of faith that things will work out. They always do, one way or another! Always remember that it is possible to start something new with the same goals and the same people in mind. Just because things change doesn't mean everything is going away, the things you truly want will always be inside of you. I was sad to leave my family but I know they are always right here with me. Just like I was so sad to leave the children, but I knew they would always be right here with me, wherever I may be.
*If you have a story that this entry reminds you of and you would like to share it, please feel free to email me. I would love to hear your story, whoever you may be. [email protected]