This was a delightful read that made me both giggle and feel contemplative. I felt seen in several of your internal moments: the opening thoughts about vacation/being difficult, feeling fundamentally misunderstood by the offering of company (and way in which it was extended), feeling too serious for this world, etc. I also love how you juxtapose your internal world with the tangibility of your surroundings. Thanks for sharing your words :)
ooh I have many thoughts but mostly just that I like this. a travel blog written in human prose, instead of whatever it is they are usually made of. (reminds me of turtle and dove which was perfect).
I can't assess the authenticity of this, it's a real event but I find it easier to separate the writer and the character she represents herself as. I hope you are doing better than your protagonist.
my favorite parts are:
1. "the third morning, I finally shit. nice!" this is very funny in a TMI diary sense but also a signal of how you might be anxious, or preoccupied. you do this other times well, subtext that feels spontaneous.
2. talking about tourist guilt in a way that represents my feelings exactly and I thought I was crazy until now cuz everyone I had asked about it just said "what do you have to be guilty about" and like WHAT?
3. gotta respect any writer who finds new ways to describe weather. every time I read a passage about the sun and clouds and sky I think surely in all of human history we have seen enough skies and written enough words to make this the last interesting one. but no, it isn't, and it might never be, that's important.
4. also the switch between very claustrophobic in your head to very cozy. the general overthinking and specifically the guy making unwanted advances. I feel the awkwardness and I'm not sure what to do with it. then, all the tension is set free.
5. nice references, and insights and attitude and self awareness, and frame story.
I liked the rest of it too but that comment would be longer than my time.
thank you, and god I understand, and good job, and best of luck:)
The urge to tell my friends that i’m not scrolling on instagram but reading an essay by my favorite writer about her time in athens is great but i resist
A year ago I decided to take a trip by myself for the first time in my life, and it had to be staying in hostels so I could meet people. I wanted to have a deep experience, something changing. Discover a new part of myself, or change the old into a better new. Even then I knew that can't happen in a week's time, but I still wished (longed) for that. When I arrived all I felt was lonely and tired. Hostels are a bit of a "conflict" zone, rather than a "meditative" zone. Everything is unfamiliar and awkward. I pushed through, and managed to meet some people, had some nice walks, a beautiful night out with a pair of spanish and french guys as if they were my friends from forever, learned a bit about stranger's lives and then had to say goodbye to all of that. During that time I had talked to so many people about career, nationality, hobbies... that I was just numb. I hadn't changed, I was still scared. Moreover, I had only talked to men, no women. Of course that's scary as hell, I don't want to be ""Eduardo"", but there was something off about the way I carried that. Some vague social fear, some self esteem thing... I was trying to protect myself more than anyone really. I returned home last day and after the plane and on the train back home sat next to me the most beautiful woman in the world (sorry, it felt that dramatic at the time). On normal conditions, or on the first day, I would have been wishing that she would go up and start talking to me, or that I would get the courage to do it, but at this point all I could think of was "Please don't talk to me". I cannot even imagine what the look on my face must have said, I was tired on a soul level. But for some odd reason she started to talk to me. And it was about career, nationality, hobbies... and I just shut down. I couldn't do it. I found I had nothing left to say. I realized I had been hoping for something like this to happen all the trip, and for it to only happen back home, when I'm more tired than a body can endure. I just wanted to disappear from my body and never come back to myself.
YES! This is what the world needs more of. Just people letting others see through their eyes. When reading this I could really envision everything around you, breathe the same air, feel the same sun on my skin, track the progression of thoughts. My belief that everyone should have a substack has been reaffirmed. (This may just be long-lasting residue from my childhood desire to read everyone's diaries.)
, I went to Greece alone in 2022 and was a very enlightening experience on the nature of my phobias and desires . I also went to Delphi looking for spiritual experience as many do and was awakened to the writing that was on the Temple of Apollo at one point in time , Gnothi Seauton. Know Thyself. It’s a beautiful place which causes one to look inward and ponder why so many made that pilgrimage when the temple sages themselves were telling pilgrims to look within for the answers .
I chose a great day to be an audio listener
This was a delightful read that made me both giggle and feel contemplative. I felt seen in several of your internal moments: the opening thoughts about vacation/being difficult, feeling fundamentally misunderstood by the offering of company (and way in which it was extended), feeling too serious for this world, etc. I also love how you juxtapose your internal world with the tangibility of your surroundings. Thanks for sharing your words :)
ooh I have many thoughts but mostly just that I like this. a travel blog written in human prose, instead of whatever it is they are usually made of. (reminds me of turtle and dove which was perfect).
I can't assess the authenticity of this, it's a real event but I find it easier to separate the writer and the character she represents herself as. I hope you are doing better than your protagonist.
my favorite parts are:
1. "the third morning, I finally shit. nice!" this is very funny in a TMI diary sense but also a signal of how you might be anxious, or preoccupied. you do this other times well, subtext that feels spontaneous.
2. talking about tourist guilt in a way that represents my feelings exactly and I thought I was crazy until now cuz everyone I had asked about it just said "what do you have to be guilty about" and like WHAT?
3. gotta respect any writer who finds new ways to describe weather. every time I read a passage about the sun and clouds and sky I think surely in all of human history we have seen enough skies and written enough words to make this the last interesting one. but no, it isn't, and it might never be, that's important.
4. also the switch between very claustrophobic in your head to very cozy. the general overthinking and specifically the guy making unwanted advances. I feel the awkwardness and I'm not sure what to do with it. then, all the tension is set free.
5. nice references, and insights and attitude and self awareness, and frame story.
I liked the rest of it too but that comment would be longer than my time.
thank you, and god I understand, and good job, and best of luck:)
i feel your writing so sincere. and specially knowing thousands of people read you, i personally feel it very close to me
Driving to athens today, and maybe i will observe things too!
The urge to tell my friends that i’m not scrolling on instagram but reading an essay by my favorite writer about her time in athens is great but i resist
Thanks for these they r really of service to me
A year ago I decided to take a trip by myself for the first time in my life, and it had to be staying in hostels so I could meet people. I wanted to have a deep experience, something changing. Discover a new part of myself, or change the old into a better new. Even then I knew that can't happen in a week's time, but I still wished (longed) for that. When I arrived all I felt was lonely and tired. Hostels are a bit of a "conflict" zone, rather than a "meditative" zone. Everything is unfamiliar and awkward. I pushed through, and managed to meet some people, had some nice walks, a beautiful night out with a pair of spanish and french guys as if they were my friends from forever, learned a bit about stranger's lives and then had to say goodbye to all of that. During that time I had talked to so many people about career, nationality, hobbies... that I was just numb. I hadn't changed, I was still scared. Moreover, I had only talked to men, no women. Of course that's scary as hell, I don't want to be ""Eduardo"", but there was something off about the way I carried that. Some vague social fear, some self esteem thing... I was trying to protect myself more than anyone really. I returned home last day and after the plane and on the train back home sat next to me the most beautiful woman in the world (sorry, it felt that dramatic at the time). On normal conditions, or on the first day, I would have been wishing that she would go up and start talking to me, or that I would get the courage to do it, but at this point all I could think of was "Please don't talk to me". I cannot even imagine what the look on my face must have said, I was tired on a soul level. But for some odd reason she started to talk to me. And it was about career, nationality, hobbies... and I just shut down. I couldn't do it. I found I had nothing left to say. I realized I had been hoping for something like this to happen all the trip, and for it to only happen back home, when I'm more tired than a body can endure. I just wanted to disappear from my body and never come back to myself.
I think often about this quote
"Only when time has slain desire
Is his wish granted to a smiling ghost
Neither harmed nor warmed, now, by the fire."
actually, I don't think I did say all that.
YES! This is what the world needs more of. Just people letting others see through their eyes. When reading this I could really envision everything around you, breathe the same air, feel the same sun on my skin, track the progression of thoughts. My belief that everyone should have a substack has been reaffirmed. (This may just be long-lasting residue from my childhood desire to read everyone's diaries.)
, I went to Greece alone in 2022 and was a very enlightening experience on the nature of my phobias and desires . I also went to Delphi looking for spiritual experience as many do and was awakened to the writing that was on the Temple of Apollo at one point in time , Gnothi Seauton. Know Thyself. It’s a beautiful place which causes one to look inward and ponder why so many made that pilgrimage when the temple sages themselves were telling pilgrims to look within for the answers .
Fun read and thanks for writing this .
i always love reading your writing, especially when its prose
absolutely incredible