4reevolution's Blog

First Impressions:

(San Francisco, October 2011)

I am in a coffee shop a few blocks from where I will move the next week. Young hipsters fill the popular Philz Coffee and right across the street I can see the sign of a “Casa de Cambio’. This area of the Mission feels a bit like Echo Park in Los Angeles. But there is a difference, I have noticed at least here in The Mission, besides individual tables, there are communal tables for sipping your coffee. It is more inviting to ‘communal life’. I certainly like the effect it has…you can at least say hi to the person next to you without feeling that you are being inappropriate. However, I wish there are also Latinos sitting here, I guess they prefer the taqueria next door. And this is not a racist comment, but rather one highlighting the fact that even though some communities are ‘diverse’, it doesn’t mean they are blended. I hope someday, the local Latinos of this neighborhood will also been seen enjoying a cup of Philz coffee while on their way to church on Sunday. Then, wouldn’t that be diverse and integrated at the same time? Doesn’t the meaning of community imply integration? Diversity is great, but integration is what we most need…not only here in the US, in San Francisco, in Los Angeles, but in our entire planet. Maybe I am being unfair, I am just writing based on my first impressions, I haven’t even spent an entire day in this part of the city. I am excited to explore what else is behind the appeareance…cautious but with an open heart. I remember now my friend Yves telling me: “I wanna be like a bone, resistant in the outside, but soft in the inside’…the process continuous, eager to find what else is there beyond the initial impressions and the fear created towards the security of this area…I am sure there will be ugly things, but I am also positive I will be amazed by the softness of this un-blended community.

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Last days of a short road trip in America:

(Washington D.C., September 2010)

Just for the purpose of sharing, this is from a road trip I made in September 2010 from Los Angeles to Maryland and NYC, helping my dear friend Dustin…thank you very much for the great opportunity my friend.

I am in the bus on my way back to DC. This trip to NYC was a bit different from the previous ones. First of all I hardly spent time going to touristic places other than Central Park which is unavoidable. My first day in the city, Enver and Amin were here and we went to Hoboken for dinner with Enver’s friend. Hoboken is nice, rumor says it has improved a lot, it used to be  sketchy and didn’t have many businesses as nowadays. The architecture keeps the charm of the NYC old buildings, the array of restaurants is abundant and diverse, and it is cleaner and less chaotic. At night, back in NYC, ‘little family’ which now has a ‘officially adult member of 21’ and the boys who were hosting us, went to a ‘mixed’ bar/club (alias gay and straight friendly) and danced for some hours. On our way to the place we walked through the streets of Greenwich Village, tons and tons of young people, high heels, mini skirts, tight dresses, cigarette in hand,
hungry youngsters sit on the stairs which is the entrance to a private building, you can hardly walk without watching your step or ‘be stepped’ by another pedestrian…chaotic, loud, drunk, elegant, trashy, hip, pizza by the slice, healthy food, top sirloin, locals, visitors, immigrants from all over the world…annoying, inconvenient, stressful, and so freaking beautiful and captivating.
On Saturday, day 8 of this trip, I spent most of the time reconnecting with a couple of friends, surrounded by trees in Central Park, and by locals in the Upper East Side.
Day 9, I couldn’t make it to a Baptist mass in Harlem, but hanged out around for a little bit…it doesn’t look as bad as people say, maybe at night, maybe is better than before…a lot of black people, a tiny percentage of blonde hair. Later, I experienced the music from the Balkans in a Summer festival hosted in Central Park, absolutely fun, people from all ages dancing the upbeat music. Christian and Alek, the couple I was staying with, jumping with rhythm, gathering 5, 10, 50 people to dance in a circle, happy energetic ladies, old gentlemen, children, young ladies from Macedonia, everyone is happy.
Later I met with an ex-colleague from work in Brooklyn, in the Bedford area. It looks like Silverlake with its eclectic restaurants, coffee shops, and bookstores. At every block something was going on, Sunday evening, the neighborhood is still alive and dynamic. We crossed the Manhattan bridge from Brooklyn to Chinatown in Manhattan on foot…unforgettable view of the Brooklyn bridge and the financial district.
The next day it was raining in NYC, but of course it doesn’t stop anyone in the big apple, everyone got things to do. I visited the Chelsea Market, a prior factory that was converted into a sort of Farmers Market; pricy stores, produce and bakeries, but very unique. At 3.00pm children were getting out of school, a herd of tiny colorful umbrellas, and raining boots, crossing the streets, this is NYC. Then, it was time then to head back to Maryland, and take the bus in downtown…terrible to walk around with your luggage during rush hour in the middle of downtown NYC…still totally worth the experience.
Arrived to Maryland at around 10pm, another delicious meal prepared by Dustin’s dad was waiting for me.
Day 10: early breakfast with oatmeal, heading to Washington DC with luggage is much easier than in NYC. Meeting a potential donor for work, no luck, visiting my previous employer’s office and making a refugee of myself by using a desk, the internet connection and the printer…it is all good, they still like me :-). Lunch time, Peruvian food at El Chalan (good lomo saltado and ceviche) with Dustin and Anahi, a toast for new beginnings.
Feeling more space in DC, much cleaner streets and subways; everyone wearing suits, formality, running to catch the subway, only one person stopping to help me out with my luggage (the automatic stairs were not working)…expectations are standard, life is a bit more comfortable…it is ok.
In the evening, catching up with Laurel,  herbs, vitamins, and women hormone balances and imbalances…

Now, I am ready to get back home…my American home in Los Angeles.