I had a dream last night that I had gone abroad to another country that was a strange blend of both Africa and southeast Asia. also possibly more mountainous rural areas of China. a completely freeing experience.
there was a lower area where the schools and classes were. the time I was spending there was unrelated to those schools, but I had access to the facilities including the knowledge there, I guess you could say. I wasn't in class, but I was learning from these computer consoles within cubicles. I guess it was kind of like reading the internet. down there felt like a city built of a college campus. lots of buildings with specific purpose, and always working. you go there when you're not sleeping or eating to work or learn. you're farming or reading or teaching or building or researching. twenty four seven this is happening.
just across this massive river is an upper level up on a mountain. and up there is a more village type of atmosphere. huts, trees, wicker baskets filled with fruits. dirt roads. very fresh rain, wet rainforest experience. and you'd sleep inside a hut built by using the jungle and forest around you. and within that structure, they would deem it acceptable or not to then furnish the inside with higher quality furniture or even rooms one you put in enough work to make it livable on your own.
after working one day on campus, I followed friends back to the boat that brought us back to the village half and we rode the boat across and didn't speak. the water was calm, it was hot weather but with a light cool breeze. the sun was setting creating this orange horizon, and everything looked like it was through an Instagram filter.
truly felt peaceful. 'going home'. arrived back at the island and walked up this very steep hill to get to the actual village. met a friend and we ate raw eggs out of a cup or out of actual egg shells. we were laughing about something, really relaxed. it was late and it felt like we'd just worked for a full day doing intense labor. really felt like we had arrived home and everything was safe and there was no countdown to tomorrow, just resting up. we drifted off to sleep, so heavily.
woke up looking out into the jungle or forest and saw the tops of mountains in front of a rich summer evening blue. lots of green leaves. the village floor like cool soil you buy at the hardware store. not rushing, but feeling ready to go to the other island. wearing light blue shorts and a white t shirt, and that's our uniform.
to go back to the other island, we have to walk to the edge of the water and jump off this cliff into the river and swim across. looking out, there are others swimming across, some boats coming back and forth. feeling fear at first, but almost accepting death or failure or danger to stay within this restful, peaceful, rewarding cycle. dive in and start swimming across, can't wait to get there..
