Cyprus

My time in Cyprus is already more than half over. I've been having a really lovely time with my relatives! Two weeks is just barely enough to see all of them; I've got aunts and uncles from both sides of the family, cousins, and some close family friends.

I'm staying in my cousin Bikem's 2 bedroom apartment with her and her 7 birds. The neighbors have chickens, several roosters, and an outdoor birdhouse, so mornings are filled with the beautiful chirps, tweets, songs and rooster crows. She works afternoon's teaching music in after school programs, so we spend the mornings and early afternoons going out for lunch with other relatives, running errands, visiting friends, or visiting the beautiful parts of Cyprus. My first day I went with my 3 cousins (Bikem, Akan, and his wife Sengul) to Lefke to walk along the sea. This is my first time in Cyprus that I'm not here in the summer, so it's weird to only look at the sea and not swim in it...but though the sun really warms you up in the day time, there's definitely a chill to the air (and I'm sure a chill in the sea as well).

It's nice to have a different perspective on Cyprus. The rains have begun (a little bit), so greenery is returning to what is mostly desert and dry pine forest in the summer. I actually experienced a really loud thunderstorm one of my first nights! It seemed so out of place...I've hardly ever seen a cloud in the sky in my previous trips, let alone a rain storm. On a clear day I hiked up the mountain with Akan to visit one of the old fortress ruins and take advantage of the height to look over the newly emerging green across the landscape.

My first weekend here we went out for Halloween (which is still relatively new to Cyprus) and then out the next night for some live music. Bikem is a bit of a night owl, but I am not! We didn't stay out too late though :)

It's not just the weather that's new to me in Cyprus. More and more I see people interested in different spiritual teachings or alternative living styles, and these new ways of thought have reached Cyprus as well! I've been talking to folks about my next steps; my clinic and tiny house, as well as my reasons for returning to Nepal and what I experienced there last time. Some folks think it's very different/weird, which is usually the reaction I get to my lifestyle choices when I'm here. But this time there are other folks who are genuinely interested and want to hear more, or share their already existing plans to live in a caravan and roam the world (or at least Cyprus).

My time here is wrapping up quickly and I'll soon be heading to Nepal! I'll keep you updated...
Love and light!