My spanish life ...

When I opened up these pictures my heart smiled a smile so big that it tickled my ribs. Each one I opened brought back a flood of memories and feelings of warmth and surprisingly feelings of security. I am sure that one day it will become clear why I have become surrounded with Latino friends and culture ... but for now what I know is that I love it.
It all started when a group of Latino framers started building right beside my balcony while I was doing radiation. They were always friendly and made an effort to say hello and as time went on I began to recognize their smiles and appreciate their presence. I would leave my window open just enough so that I could hear the music of the Spanish they would yell at each other as they skillfully constructed. It was a beautiful summer and I spend a lot of time on my balcony writing reports, and much time on Trevor's balcony drinking wine or coronas and yapping. All the time watching the guys work. In addition to my interest in how a group of Latino framers had ended up in the suburbs of Calgary I loved watching the building go up. It continues to amaze me how big things are made one piece at a time ... and often encourages me that the same has to be true in my life. This seemed to hold extra weight in my heart because of the difficulty that radiation began to burden my mind, body, and soul with ... I would watch their progress and think of how far I had come and the home that would be built in my life when the days were done.
One day as Marisio, the "big boss" was working on the balcony right across from me I found myself lost in his story. He told about his family of seven children, his home in Columbia, and what it had been like for him to live here. I was captivated and felt like I had traveled through his description. I also learned, as I had guessed that the guys mainly worked and rarely got to really experience Canadian culture. And so I decided that I needed to do something to fix that and presented a Canada Celebration. What a little celebration we had. I barbecued steak (which required me purchasing a fancy red BBQ), baked potatoes, and tossed Cesar salad. There was ice cream cake and Canadian adorned two-bite brownies and to my surprise Coors Light (I was expecting Corona ... but apparently that is the dirty beer and the guys preferred the former). Jen, Trevor, and Ursula joined and there was much laughter and sharing of lives. I was in a bubble of happiness. My days of radiation had just finished and although my body still lacked power, and exhaustion came with the effort of standing, I had begun to heal. After we stuffed ourselves we ended up going salsa dancing. My skeletal body somehow found the strength to shuffle my little feet while my heart danced up a storm. I left utterly exhausted and completely content.
The friendships continued to grow from then on. The guys would carry my groceries up my stairs and helped me fulfill my need to have a manic shopping-spree at Ikea and then assemble my purchases. I learned more about their homes and their families. Their struggles and their dreams. There were Popsicles and beers shared in the shade of framed buildings and much laughter. And then there was Mexico. While visiting with the guys while they were watching the world cup in soccer I learned that Wilbert was going home to Mexico ... and in manic Heather style I invited myself. I don't think that he thought that I would actually come and to the fear of my friends I bought my ticket. And in two weeks I found myself looking for the magnificent smile of my new friend Wilbert as I walked out of the Cancun airport. Within an hour I found myself sitting on a beach, drinking a margarita, allowing the white sand to blanket and warm my toes. We talked a lot during our two weeks and I learned so much about a life so different from mine. He shared his family who welcomed me with open and generous arms and exposed me to a Mexico I never would have experienced without them. These were my entries from that wonderful, healing time. And here, finally, are some of the pictures. Having left my camera at the Calgary airport on my way there I was lucky that Wilbert's sweet sister let us use hers.









I have learned so much from my friends. I have learned about sacrificing for a better life, I have learned about hospitality being so much more about the love that goes into a meal than the fancy ingredients or tappered candles, I have learned about generosity, I have learned about strength of character, I have learned about sharing, I have learned about feeling the music, I have learned some Spanish, and I have learned to move my hips and laugh more. But most importantly I have learned how very blessed I am to live the life I do, in the city and the country I live in. I am blessed to have a good education and endless options for where to take my life. And I am blessed to now have many wonderful Latino friends.