stillbitsescapengintotre-wild

A seeker's journey to cross a continent, visit ecovillages, learn living techniques which foster life on the planet, and forge inter-tribal connections.

Core Purpose:

Destinations:

Adjustments, Struggles, Learning

Thursday, June 03, 2010

Location: Dancing Rabbit

My first week at Dancing Rabbit proved less fun than hoped, mostly due to my body's unexpected difficulty adjusting to the climate out here. The weather being unseasonably hot and muggy (even according to locals) was irritating enough by itself; add in the allergic pollen which brought about nonstop sneezing fits followed by endless cycles of nose blowing, and the itchy throat to follow, and I've had many moments of wishing I could just go ahead and be back in the cool mountains of Montana.

Balancing this, the swimming pond is a quick walk down the path, so it's not uncommon for Rabbit people to run down to the shore, get naked, and take a dip several times per day in the blissfully cool waters. Also, the fact that on the village interior, any and all clothing is considered optional makes the heat easier to bear. (This is one area where Dancing Rabbit sits in stark contrast to its Mennonite neighbors, where the town store cautions anyone wearing sleeveless garments to "cover up more next time.")

I like what the people are doing here: Making their own homes in all sorts of unique ways, growing gardens and orchards, creating a culture of their own. It's been fun to see and participate in the construction projects here, especially during the last couple of days after a midnight rain and thunderstorm made things a bit more bearable.

Contemplating the next leg of the journey, I find myself thinking about ditching Greyhound and attempting instead to procure a bike suitable for continuing cross-country. Nothing certain yet though. Stay tuned...