We're Off!
The Bay Area
We’ve officially started our journey and wow has it been great. We feel so supported by all of you family, friends, and new acquaintances who have wished us good luck, told us a story or two, and sent us off with a donation and a smile. We are so lucky to have you, and appreciate you taking the time to read.
On September 14th, 2013 we left Isla Vista, getting a little bit of a later start than hoped, but still overjoyed from the epic byebye party we had seen all our friends at the night before. On our way to East Oakland we threw around different names for the van, discussed what we were feeling (which went from excited to sleepy to amazed), tried to figure out the optimum speed for the best gas mileage, and listened to more Beatles songs than we knew existed.
The Bay Area
We’ve officially started our journey and wow has it been great. We feel so supported by all of you family, friends, and new acquaintances who have wished us good luck, told us a story or two, and sent us off with a donation and a smile. We are so lucky to have you, and appreciate you taking the time to read.
On September 14th, 2013 we left Isla Vista, getting a little bit of a later start than hoped, but still overjoyed from the epic byebye party we had seen all our friends at the night before. On our way to East Oakland we threw around different names for the van, discussed what we were feeling (which went from excited to sleepy to amazed), tried to figure out the optimum speed for the best gas mileage, and listened to more Beatles songs than we knew existed.
**MAKING COMMUNITY**
Our first stop was at a place called Canticle Farm on 36th Street in East Oakland. ]This incredible urban farm was more than we could have hoped for. Over the past few decades, five adjacent houses have been purchased. The fences have been torn down and the land has been reclaimed into a magical food-producing wonderland of community space.
Our first stop was at a place called Canticle Farm on 36th Street in East Oakland. ]This incredible urban farm was more than we could have hoped for. Over the past few decades, five adjacent houses have been purchased. The fences have been torn down and the land has been reclaimed into a magical food-producing wonderland of community space.
One house, Casa de Paz, is open to the community at all times, with a downstairs library and kitchen, and an upstairs meditation and yoga room. This house is a beacon of serenity in a neighborhood where most neighbors have iron fences and dogs barking at passerby because crime and violence are so common. They do not worry about security because if someone takes a book from the library or a pillow from the meditation room, they are simply happy to have helped their fellow human.
We were able to help out in the garden for a while, and then were treated to the most delicious home-made feast of a lunch imaginable. Everyone welcomed us wholeheartedly and was very enthusiastic about our journey. In fact, we felt so welcomed that, without a way to spend the afternoon and feeling very sleepy, we took a nap in their meditation room
The following day we came back early in the morning to join the incredible Pancho, (read about him here: http://www.dailygood.org/view.php?sid=127 ) and our friend Sita for meditation and yoga, which was an invigorating way to start the day. We weren’t very good at meditation though… we both just felt like sleeping more.
The following day we came back early in the morning to join the incredible Pancho, (read about him here: http://www.dailygood.org/view.php?sid=127 ) and our friend Sita for meditation and yoga, which was an invigorating way to start the day. We weren’t very good at meditation though… we both just felt like sleeping more.
Later in the day we were able to witness an incredible act of community building. Every Sunday, Canticle Farm organizes Fruta Gift. Volunteers from Casa de Paz bring food to tired farmers at the local farmers market and help them clean up at the end of the market. In exchange, farmers donate some of their leftover produce, which is then given out freely right in front of Canticle Farm. Neighbors who usually do not leave their houses, talk with each other, or have access to fresh, local, organic produce can find it all on the sidewalk of 36th street every Sunday. It was truly inspiring to see this act of unconditional love for the neighborhood.
In the same day, we were able to visit a different Farmers Market in Jack London Square in East Oakland. We brought out our bikes to get our sweat on, save gas, and enjoy the sunshine, and riding to the market was awesome! Thanks to a connection through a friend, we were able to meet and interview an incredible local activist named Ashel aka Seasons, who founded an amazing non-profit called SOS Juice, which among other things, builds community by hiring youth of color and previously incarcerated folks, and invites shoppers to blend their own smoothie on a stationary bike hooked up to a blender!
The interview was absolutely great, although a little challenging for us on the technical end, but we are learning. This interview and the others from Canticle Farm will be available to you all in some form as soon as we can get them up!
Ultimately, we had a fantastic first weekend, and are so grateful to have these experiences as our jumping off point for the rest of the trip. We have been touched by the kindness and attention given to humanity and the earth in the people we have spent time with, and are so excited for all we have left to discover.
Ultimately, we had a fantastic first weekend, and are so grateful to have these experiences as our jumping off point for the rest of the trip. We have been touched by the kindness and attention given to humanity and the earth in the people we have spent time with, and are so excited for all we have left to discover.