Dubai

In my last entry I forgot to include a blurb about my short visit to Dubai. So here it is. 

I arrived in Dubai and hour later than planned due to a late take off in New York. Geoff (an old friend from high school who lives in Dubai) had invited me for a visit and had given me directions to his apartment. He is a pliot for Emirates Airlines and they provide accomodation for all their foreign staff...crazy nice accommodation too!! Once I was through customs in the ridiculously spacious Dubai international airport, I found my way to the taxi ranks outside. In Dubai there are three different cues for taxis: for men, for foreigners and families, and for women. The women's taxis are pink and are driven by women....pretty cool for a country where women's rights are questionable. After a 20 minute ride, I arrived at Geoff's tower of an apartment building and went up to the 20 somethingth floor. It was great to reconnect with Geoff after 15 years!!! crazy. We chatted and caught up on what we've been doing all this time and he showed me the view from his balcony which was quite something. We could see the tallest building in the world from there...which was weird to tell you the truth. It was a thin spindly building (I guess I need to get a little closer to it to really appreciate it). Geoff was saying that most of it is rebar and concrete but that when they tried to pour concrete for the top little bit (several storeys) there was complications with the concrete due to the change in atmospheric pressure...So, they had to build the remainder out of steel. (Was it really that worth it?)

After great chats, good wine, and a short sleep, I woke early the next morning and made my way to the airport to check in for my flight to Cape Town. As noted in my last entry, the airport was really busy at 7:30am and after an hour walking back and forth looking for something reasonable to eat I boarded my plane for Cape Town.

The Workshop

Hi everyone,

My flight to Cape Town was good, besides the fact that I nearly missed the plane...The truth of it all is that the Dubai airport is a zoo. There are two wings with a fast food joints at either end coupled with a few coffee shops (these food choices are not too appealing at 7:30am). After walking back and forth between the two wings and trying to weasel my way into getting a free meal in the upstairs buffet (other people were given free meals for the layover but apparently because I left the airport I didn't qualify for one...) I stood in line to buy a bagel and coffee at Starbucks only to realise that it was my gate that was being called for final boarding...whoops...

I tell you, Emirates Airlines is fabulous! The movies they have are awesome and the food, service and overall atmosphere are really great. Although I don't see myself flying to Dubai much in the future, I would definitely fly with them again! I think my row on the plane was the only one that was not completely full. So, my German neighbour and I counted our blessings for being able to stretch out just that little bit more.

Finally, after 2 days of long but entertaining travel, on Saturday March 28th, I arrived in Cape Town, South Africa, happily and safely. My lovely aunt Shirley met me with a smile and we navigated through the construction site that makes up the Cape Town International Airport to meet my uncle in the car. Apparently the airport has been under renovation and construction for several years, however, due to the upcoming soccer world cup the construction is now in full tilt. After being greeted by the rottweiler and scruffy terrier dogs (Zizi and Bu) at Shirley and Johan's house, I settled down with a cup of tea and a buttermilk rusk (kinda like a mix between a biscotti and a scone - looks like a scone but is hard like a biscotti!). The weather was warm but not hot and quite humid...my skin loves it.

On Sunday we packed for the week-long workshop and headed 1 1/2 hours east along the coast from Cape Town to Kleinmond. Tucked in between a beautiful set of small mountains and the white sand beaches leading to Hermanes, sits the Grail Centre. The workshop staff and participants (32 in total) are all staying on site at this amazing retreat centre. The rooms are simple and quaint. The food is simple but satisfying. The real pleasure of staying here are the grounds...so much greenery, animals, birds and beautiful flowers. It is a real sanctuary. As I was reading on a brochure in my room, there are Grail Centres all over the world. The reason they are so unique is because they all share a common longing to find meaningful ways of contributing to the transformation of our world to a place of love and justice. It's quite a good fit that this workshop is being held here as the focus in this rich African context has been to come together as facilitators who are working to change the world, one workshop at a time...(that sounds so cheesy but it is true). The women (and 4 men) are so engaged and inspiring. I am learning so much. We have officially passed the halfway mark of the 5-day facilitator's training and I feel like I have learned so much about myself, about my fellow workshopers and about facilitation in an African context. Many of the stories shared have been deeply moving. These women have endured deep wounds and traumas and yet they ooze resilience and strength to continue working to help others gain their basic human rights. Big stuff.

Although in some ways I could spend a month or more here learning with these lovely souls, I am also looking forward to having some down time near the water in Cape Town and taking the time to wind down after a full 8 months of studies and hard brain work.

I am thinking of you all as I embrace who I am becoming in this new environment and hoping that I can touch all of your hearts in my sharing through this blog. Don't hesitate to post a response or shoot me an email...I am always excited to receive contact from loved ones when I am far away from home.

Hugs,
Wendy

Getting to Cape Town

So the journey has begun! At 6:00am yesterday I woke up, showered and headed for the Bathurst subway station in Toronto. Within two hours I had arrived at Toronto Pearson Airport, had checked in, had eaten a little breaky and was waiting to board the plane.

The weather when we left was overcast, however, as we ascended over Toronto I noticed three layers of clouds that seemed to be fairly evenly spaced apart and were so beautiful. I always love to experience of climbing up above the clouds...knowing that I have just come from a dreary rainy existence to one that is clear, bright and limitless.

So, I arrived in New York (well actually New Jersey but it is so close that it feels like New York) at around 11am and took NYC transit into Manhattan. I saw the coolest thing on the train - as we went through a tunnel I was gazing towards the blackness that I always gaze at when on the subway and I noticed images on the window. At first I thought it was a reflection but quickly realized that it was actually images on the wall of the subway track. The images worked like those little books I would create as a child with one picture on each page making up a moving picture when flipped through quickly. So on the wall of the subway were a series of images that made up a movie trailer!! It was wild! And such a good idea.

Once the train arrived to 33rd st I walked north to 47th and parked my backpack at a luggage storage place right near Times Square. New York City is full of energy....people everywhere...shopping EVERYWHERE! For someone who considers herself pretty much a minimalist, NYC was a little overwhelming, yet at the same time fascinating. I felt like I was in a TV show.

I walked north to Central Park taking pictures along the way, noting the amazing old architecture (and some new architecture) and watching people. I spent a few hours exploring the park and dropped in at the Metropolitan Museum which is halfway up on the east side of the park. I spent a few hours wandering in there which was interesting and then completed my loop of the park including the reservoir, a marionette theater and strawberry fields, dedicated to the late John Lennon. Then I ate a little dinner at a great salad place and headed to Times Square. It was dark by this point and NY was busy with folks everywhere. Times Square was wild...fully lit up with images everywhere. After witnessing a short bit of chaos there I headed back to my backpack and caught the subway to JFK airport.

Overall a great 12 hours spent...wish there had been a little less drizzle and a little more sun, but hey, it is just recently Spring. Right now I am in Dubai visiting my friend Geoff in his amazing apartment and will be heading to the airport in 20 minutes to catch my next flight to Cape Town.

I'll be in touch!

Wendy