Hello hello lovely people! Tehani out here in Madrid sending you VERY warm (it´s freezing here!) greetings from this side of the world =) In about an hour I have a meeting with a woman doing a documentary on women´s rights here in Madrid and found out there is free internet at Las Musas residency so here I am typing a somewhat-overdue update for you guys. Here is the Clif Notes version:
NEW ZEALAND
The first stop on my trip was absolutely beautiful and equally (yes) cold! Well, I didn´t know what cold was back then (now that I´m in Europe) but it was cold nonetheless. I stayed with Servas members in Tokoroa who work with “Forest and Bird,” a conservation program on the North Island, and spent lots of time in the the forest (what they call “bush” but that name doesn´t make me happy). Then I headed out to Rotorua where I made lots of wonderful friends. I interviewed Maori guides at Te Puia (and had more than my share of beer with them afterwards) and met Ngamoni (who everyone calls Munch), an elder who is also a channel. She is a judge for a lot of the Maori dance competitions and between my newfound friends and great location, I got a lot of information about the cross-cultural link between movement and spirituality (what I came to learn) within Maori culture. I stayed with Tui for a while too, her family runs Mitaki, and I got to watch some awesome shows for free and eat yummy yummy Maori food! Oh yeah, I got a tattoo out there too… it is purrty. Then I headed out to Auckland to hangout for a day before my flight out. Auckland kinda sucks.
THAILAND
Thailand is an interesting place. I spent time out in Bangkok and taught a workshop at the rumPUREE world dance studio. Good times. I also took two classes in classical Thai dance and, yes, my fingers survived! Visited the wats along the river, went to the Silom Festival, watched some “movers” in Lumphini park (where I saw the strangest animal I´ve ever seen in the water! I´ll show pictures when I get back) and met up with my cousin who I don´t wish to speak about. Long story short, I ended up at 5 police stations in the middle of the night and was on my way to the embassy when I find her crying at the hotel hours later. She could have texted me back to let me know she was alive. As Dad used to say, how many hours do you have to wait to file a missing persons report? (inside joke, sorry). On Dad´s death anniversary, I spent the day at the aquarium then waited in Hualamphong to see if I could get a train to Chiang Mai (success!). The train up to Chiang Mai is wonderful. It´s open-aired and the sleepers are super comfortable. Then I went up to Chiang Mai where I had a GOOD Thai massage (the one in Bangkok was traumatizing – I told the woman I knew she was Thai but that wasn´t Thai massage and walked out) where I met Khun Nappasorn, who I hope to take a holistic healing class with when I return to do a fire show up North in Pai. I also went to the OSCC One Stop Crisis Center for victims of domestic violence and hooked up with the Women´s Center at Chiang Mai University where we set up potential workshops next year with my foundation and I saw a graduation out there. I met some Spaniards at my hostel who were studying Muy Thai and they took me out for beers and matches. Great times. There was a blindfolded match that was pure comedy. I´m going to miss the random elephants in the road and the street food at the night markets (I met a Brazilian who got me addicted to banana pancakes at 3am and I kept going back long after he left). And, then… I left for India.
INDIA
India really is as colorful as a Bollywood movie. I flew from Mumbai into Cochin where I taught poi to the owners of the homestay for free lunches and rides to places. There was a great 3 day festival there celebrating the local arts center. I spent a lot of time listening to sitar and tabla concerts, watching Keralan martial arts and Kathakali performances. I spent time with the director there who told me about their struggle to stay afloat. Even with the Lonely Planet acknowledging them as an authentic educational center, they at times continue to perform for 2-3 people during low season. They are open 365 days a year (366 on leap year haha) and do it for the love of the art. Their center was burned down by the government and that festival was a testament to not only their beauty but also their resilience. I got a great interview for my article with them. Saw the fishing nets, toured the backwaters, met a place called Rose Garden… I spent every night in Cochin teaching cheap magic tricks in exchange for free beer. And yes, it didn´t take me long to start swapping some belly dance for bollywood dance moves at 1am haha. From there I went to the Amritapuri ashram where I received a hug from Ammachi, the hugging saint of India. She is a beautiful person, but some of the devotees were way too aggressive for me. It felt like a strict spiritual commune, but I did a full 24 hours and escaped to Varkala. Varkala was beautiful, then I moved on to Trivandrum where I met Santhosh, a friend of a friend, who was kind enough to show me around for a couple days. I hooked up with a traditional dance studio where I had an awesome dance exchange! I had a lot of fun hanging out with those girls and thank them for their patience with my million questions! Then it was off to Tamil Nadu (three buses and a train later) to see Sundar!! The highlight of my trip was meeting my little boy. Palayankottai has really made an impact on me. I hung out in Sundar´s village with his parents and family, went to his school (where I taught dance again, and little girls performed with me), hung out with the local women´s group and a few Sri Lankan refugess who I now call true friends and got to know the CFCA staff on a more personal level. Great times! I was escorted by a trio of hilarious buddies to the airport who took me to Cape (Ghandi´s memorial where three seas meet), introduced me to fortune telling birds and got lost 5 times on the way to the airport. India is such a beautiful place! I have so many stories, but again, this is the Cliff Notes version 
TURKEY
I don´t have too much to say about Turkey because I spent most of it being sick… I try not to think about it much, but Istanbul was a good experience overall (I got to see snowfall in Taksim while watching dervishes and a local blues band with one of the artsy guys there – something new – the snow and the dervishes that is…) and Cappadoccia was beautiful! I got to ride motorcycles up crazy canyons, explore underground cities in caves that pre-date Christ (things Dad and I always wanted to do together) and yes, drink lots and lots of Turkish tea. I must have had seven to nine cups a day there…there is much to be said about Turkish hospitality. Then I spent Valentine´s Day with my favorite dead poet: Rumi <3 and also with a great guy named Osman who was sweet enough to deal with my throwing up…down the stairs, in an ash tray at the gas station, in a bag, while they were taking my blood. I threw up a lot on V-Day and it was very sweet of my translator to stick with me throughout the whole hospital experience when he could have been wining and dining someone else and not holding my puke bag (yuck!). The doctor said I couldn´t fly and I had to wait a couple days and change my flight. I spent those days throwing up, watching undecipherable Turkish news/cartoons and hearing the wonderful AAAALLLLLLAAAAAH AAAAA!!! from the mosque across the street four times a night. Yeah… Any way, I escaped and went off to Belgium.
BELGIUM
Belgium was great times! I hung out with my now “Eskimo Mommy” (haha, sorry Ella) and it just felt really great to see a familiar face, have home cooked meals and hear great music again. I didn´t bring an iPod or anything like that (I don´t own one) so it was nice to hear great stuff. There was good music everywhere I went, but there´s just something special about hearing something from your own playlist after months of not getting a note of them, you know? She took care of me – with my being sick and cold and everything. Thanks Ella, you´re the best! And yes, Belgian fries are great! I wish that place in the Pike was still open…
FRANCE ??
I got stuck in France. I made it on time for my first two connections, but by my third, my train was 25 minutes late and I missed the only train to Madrid. So I was in Pontiers for a night (compliments of the train station – since it was their fault). I contemplated visiting Ben and Ana (new buddies, different countries) who were both in Paris at the time, but because I was some days behind I talked my way into a change of ticket for free and went straight to Madrid from Pontiers.
17 hours of trains and waits later…. SPAIN
And here I am =) A few more countries to go, but I have a feeling this is my one and only update. I think I´ll try to take a boat to Morrocco in a few days from Sevilla.
There´s a lot more to say about each place but I have to pee and I wanted to just give you guys an update and let you know I am alive and well and miss you dearly. Someone give my doggie a big hug and a little scratch for me =) I hope this email finds you all in good health and high spirits and look forward to catching up with all of you when I get back home to have my “moving party”! Anyone want to help me move my things out of storage? Haha, and oh yeah… find a place to live! Oh! I almost forgot – I´m receiving the proofs for my first book via email and it´s going to be a beautiful project! I´ll be having a book release party for both me and my dad in March/early April. Details soon! Laugh more often and be great!
Love,
T =)
–
Jennifer Tehani Sarreal
562.230.9194
P.O. Box 15653 Long Beach, CA 90815
DancingTehani@peacemail.com
www.DancingTehani.com
