Diario de Ruta - Perspectives (in English)

Diario de Ruta - Perspectives (in English)

Recommended music for the reading:

Great song: Midnight cowboy (Everybody's talking - Nilsson)

Good Spanish singer: De Pedro - Tomorrow

Carla's Farm in McBride, The Rockies, British Columbia, Canada. 29th June 2012

Getting here was not an easy job. It was supposed no more than 12 hours Greyhound bus ride from Vancouver but the rains of the last three weeks changed the plan.

After the training weekend in Balance Coaching I picked my backpack up without delay from St Clair Hostel at Dunsmuir with Richards St to take the skytrain to the Central Station. The time was gone when I got the destination tag for the pack and then I was noticed the ride to McBride was not guaranteed as the road 16 was closed at some point of the 86 km in between the junction with the 5th highway to Jasper due to the mud avalanches. Nevertheless I was able to get Valemount, before the junction, and wait for the road to be opened, but that option seemed to be liked by nobody because once getting into the bus the driver questioned if I was really sure about going there as there was no vacancy left.

Actually at that moment I was convinced to get to McBride anyhow considering the chance of hiking up the hill to avoid the mud. Hoping that at 4 am the situation would be solved and the road opened again. During the trip I was not able to write rather than thinking about the interesting contents of the training. Those were a discovering methodology about what learned before, a juicy combination of a sort of more directive coaching style, creativity and brainstorming and different perspectives exploration. All together for the client’s convenience, by lighting his own way and taking it with determination. It’s resulting very effective and I’m very glad about that.

At 4 am the sunlight is already around. If in addition you’re in the middle of the Rockies also you will find 10ºC, an asleep town yet, a service station where hot coffee is served and.. an breathtaking scenery. Absolutely great: snowed peaks, mountain slopes fully covered with life and just a crossing road that avoids a total party. At that moment already in Valemount, after I had waiting for an hour and a half for the non-existing bus to McBride, knowing the road was already open I was convinced to lead my own way. On top my cell was..let’s say stuck and there’s no coaching for cells working yet, there was no internet access and Carla, my next host, didn’t take my calls.

It must be the mountains, the smoky coffee or the first sunlight in the morning that made me smile under the popular Spanish said, literally: “If bad weather comes.. get a good face!”. So I decided hitchhiking. The misfortune was that all those who acceded the ride were going to Jasper and not by the 16 to McBride/Prince George.. In exchange for the ride I offered the best deal: just imagine a juvenile guy, 4 days barbe, sunglasses, British-style hat and a long necked sweater, jeans, mountain boots and the backpack with the AE Garbi Scouts foulard and Pilar’s Virgin tap hanging. Also the best smile even better than Brad Pitt’s one. Some preferred even looking to other direction while some others looked at me with disapproved eyes, some girls said hello as the motorbike riders.. And there it was me chilled but smiling.

At last I thought the best would accepting the next ride anyway, so a guy going to Jasper gave me the ride to the junction, in the middle of nowhere, between the Fraser river and the Mount Robson. During the 20 km shared there was time enough to getting on with each other. All his life he was a hardworker, sufficient as to hold a family, a car and a sailing ship. He was in the way of his last job, at his 60's getting the last 8.000$ was the last step of making a dream come true: taking together with his wife the sail to Panamá, crossing to the Caribbean sea and settling there for the rest of their life. So brave!

The wilderness, the road and me. Nothing else where I was dropped off. 25 cars, one hour and a half, 20 cm to the east shade -result of being bored-, a fast race behind a bush, a smoke, some sang songs and lots of sights where noises alerted me later... I heard a truck stopping 50 meters further. Once I got into the truck a 45's woman confessed me it was her first time picking a hitchhiker up, and therefore she was nervous but -As I saw you so clean, short haired and well dressed I though you were a nice person, that's certain, isn't it?-. Laughing, I said: -I guess, might you should ask it to some of my relatives!-. Then she introduce me her ferret laying at the back seat and said was there just passing through -I mean the woman, not the ferret-, it was her birthday and that she was going to a funeral. In addition she explained about the way they spend the winter at Manitoba's prairies, at -30ºC average!! Cross-country skiing, snow shoeing, dog sledges, warm clothes, lots of soup and hot coffee..and indoor life. The worst thing is dressing the kids up for the outside. More less takes half an hour each so enough time for them asking for a pee and repeating again the same "mission"!

At 11 am, 17 hours after leaving Vancouver, I got to McBride and met Carla, who at last took my call.

Definitely it wasn't the same getting to Vernon three weeks before. Then I was leading to work for Kim and Harald at them Cozy Cabins, a small nature resort 20 km northeast of Lumby, in the Creighton Valley, a remote and peaceful place in the mountains too, but in the Okanagan Range. Once gone off the bus I crossed sights with Harald, who after loading my backpack in his Golf IV and buying a part in a warehouse invited me for a coffee and we took the way to his home, log made, chatting friendly. He had been looking my profile as workawayer where I wrote down my interest for turism and nature management so he started giving me lots of advices about his background in Cozy Cabins. They own 7 wonderful log cabins -I would call them chalets due to them space and comfort- spared around a big meadow, forest and a small lake where there are trout. Rented for weekends or weeks usually from June to September.

To be honest just getting in that place my smile popped up, was so cute and it stays in such a green valley.. That night I met Kim, his wife -from California originally-, Angelika -from Paraway, Germany and Spain mix- and Brandon -Vancouver-, two more helpers like me. Taking in consideration the fact that Harald in spite German ascendancy was born and raised in Namibia, that seemed a joke. Soon Brandon and me went to sleep to the trailer.

Kim and Harald met each other in the States where both of them were working. Some years later decided to leave their jobs for travelling during 2 years around Namibia and South Africa, where them first son was born, Erik. Within the next years they kept working in the States to save the needed amount of money for starting a new life in the Canadian Wilderness. At last they found the Creighton Valley and founded the Cozy Cabins and had two more kids: Stefan and Karina. When they got there met Jules, the old owner of the property who came from the French Pyrenees. As I was told he was a an authentic pioneer, trapper and mountain man. He liked drinking wine and offering it to any visitor until the "end". Listening the stories from his first steps in that land brought me to Jeremiah Johnson times (old movie starred by Robert Redford) when conflicts between the white guys and natives were common. I could imagine the walls of that house fully covered with wolves, lynx and bear furs. And unhearted and no compassion winters. Those were times of the gold fever, still now you can smell its sense, made of women and men that didn't hesitate investing their whole life in fortune and hardwork willingness, which I will talk about within the next blogs.

Sometimes they died for their dreams, after fighting fears and building their myth. Kim and Harald made this stories alive because they are great storytellers, just beside the fire and holding a cup of tea. -I will do whatever to keep pushing my life- Then Harald said -That's the right attitude to face it-. I found great and warm values in their eyes. That's the pattern at Cozy Cabins.

Working there means waking up early to have breakfast all together around 7:30 am. Bread slices and homemade bakery, cereals and coffee. First days were hard as I was dedicated to work in the new wires pipe by digging and covering it smoothly with gravel. Splitting firewood for the winter and burning branches. Everything under the rain or cold (Spanish meaning of cold... 2º C). Anyway the Harald's appreciation was noticed from the beginning, sharing aspects of the new shop construction or ideas about how to improve the business. Within the next weeks mowing the meadow -as in Forrest Gump-, painting walls of another log house or contributing in the new hand rails were my tasks. Don, the closest neighbour used to give a hand and they both were a great comic couple, kidding constantly while I learned from those veteran carpenters. Don's dream is selling his place out and go helping his son who became a preacher recently. Sometimes was specially difficult for me to understand him as he spoke fast and with a small mouth... From his presence I got warmness, humility and compassion. A great guy.

Internet ran fast like a snail so I used to ride a bike downhill along the 20 km to Lumby to talk to my beloved and enjoy of the trip. One of those times I was riding fast when something supposed to be a horse crossed the road just in front of me, and as the brakes didn't work nicely I decided to ride even faster to overtake it. Then I realized its legs were thinner and the full body and head bigger than a horse. It was a moose! (I had been told not to chase them because the got angry easily) So almost mad when I saw it was doing exactly like me running away down the road but then funny when we both were in a sort of wild race looking each other with fear and surprise at the same time. When I stopped to try to take a picture it was hidden in the river so then I laughed about that crazy situation. It was the first time I saw a moose.

Actually biking was something usual there. Brandon, Harald and me spent the first Sunday riding to Cherryville's Days. Country music live concert by a waitress from town, horseshoe throwing games and a beer garden (the opposite concept of Spanish common celebration). In the way back Angelika picked Brandon up at the car so Harald and me got the 50 km way at the end of the day. Was a great experience as last time I rode a bike was 12 years before!

Other highlight moment was during a sunset when as daily after dinner I was smoking a cigarette while walking by the road trying to spot a bear. In the way back, just beside the house and in front of me I saw something sited on a log pile. Was dog sized but with yellowed fur, almost like the autumn evenings color in Spain. Nevertheless its head was rounded and the tip of its ears were quite typical, sharp and black. It was a lynx!! Once I decided to approach he just left silently trough the forest. That night took longer getting asleep as I was excited and feeling lucky as they had never seen a lynx during the 15 years they've been living there. They told me different chances they saw bears and cougars closely while I had goose pimples.

Spanish crisis, values' crisis

I guess that behind the help from people like us they just look for just the chance to chat with people that might remind them own decisions in life. So that brought me infinity issues to be curious about and under different perspectives. Of course the Spanish economic and social model crisis -as in other countries- was the epicentre of many debates.

At last both our society and our economy are consequence of many different individual decisions, from who determine the system rules either than who play the game, and therefore the average of the whole country -and in our particular case also mediocrity- is easy to get. My father always advices me "one never must live above his possibilities", so the average should blush us because of the level got and getting mad those have been living in below.

Making the exercise of disaggregating the smelly situation of our country it's necessary to keep in mind the system (rules and game dynamic) at one side and the way one is playing, at the other side. Mostly the business coat is managed by only a main directive: maximize its profit. Nowadays the system has no memory neither the corporations about the budgets or dividends managed and spared during the last years. I mean that is annual directive. It promotes the money convergence, and to its owners powerful lobbies of the political coat, who in addition to votes also manages money. "The money attracts money" we were told at University, and that's true because at last who has it the biggest one.. rules. -I mean the money, of course-.

As natural big fortunes, so its owners, want to maximize the incomes from their investments, minimize the taxes to pay and keep the safety level about continuity in time. The common politic coat accedes to them requests as the ABC, 20/80, Quick wins analysis prior always the biggest impact with less effort. While the "new" rules are settled the companies keep inventing different ways to sell, that's why the most of the budget always gets into Marketing departments. Then is time to sell, dreams, emotions, status, a wonderful world without limits, as everything can be financed. Anyone can wish buying everything.

If in addition we consider the faith in the building market during the last 40 years.. "Everyone must have a good house, a good car, good holidays, good family, good kids care, a good job and a good mortgage". Banks and consumers knew the price was going to be higher so it could be a risk took by credit necessity or investments reasons. Money is sold to credit life, but it seems the right decision anyway so it flowed fluently as uses to happen in expansion cycles. As the price increase when demand does, the bubble grew from many years and governments ago, economy was based in good forecast but just a few were thinking on a B plan in case those forecast were wrong. Just a few with learning in behind. And for sure big fortunes and big bosses as governments like good news but increasing pockets.

"The system, politician, rich people, big corporations, mass media, banks.. suck and oppress the common citizen". At least compared to devil under many eyes but no, rage is not the answer and has never been, driving people to sorrow. We must have in mind how we have been living and those who have been living too much time above them possibilities.. are on a painful way: regret and consequences paying by adaptation.

It's not just the system and its managers malfunction but millions of people have been trapped. Therefore is not just a system crisis.. it's a values' crisis fundamentally.

Together with Harald tried to analyze History to see what others did in similar circumstances. Dancing by the big cycles between such a wide concepts as democracy and liberalism (capitalism) or autocracy and economic egalitarism (communism) we brought something up. When a people is angry because unfairness of its system use to fight, and then the cycle turns but always there's money and resources in between transferred to next power coats. And watching neighbour's laziness getting same results as the hardworker is not easily understood. So it's difficult keep working on values for long periods of time. I guess it's something about the end justifies the way..

Nobody -mostly politicians or powerful guys- uses to apologize or committing to solve the inconvenience caused. Shit uses to be thrown always to others' side. And nowadays I feel a sort of shamed of those once I believed and were just playing the same game. So as individuals are our own change decisions what can erasr by working deep more than hard the trap we're living in.

See, this is very interesting. Last winter I visited my friend Victor at his place, in Sodeto (Huesca province). I was invited to join them in a traditional celebration. There I was with his warm and welcoming family and some good friends too while sharing a chat with his mother about Spanish situation and she said something still resonant in my head. -There's some generations that were willed to created as my parents' one (Victor's grandparents), some others like our generation (Victor's parents) were willed to keep or hold, and now your generation is willed to destroy (Victor's and me generation)-. So there's something like the moment of big changes has arrived, renouncing to this melodic but bubbled world to heard our inner voice and believe in who we are and in our life purpose. Is the moment of compassion, certainty, wisdom and courage. Sounds like jumping from a cliff, doesn't it?

It's time for values. To dispose the basis which next generation (our sons' one) will work on build it up. If no fruit gets rotten at the ground no new tree will grow up.

We also talked about the different ways to get the same goal. The one closer to love, in an whole meaning from inside to outside and from outside to the inside, is the best one to choose. And each of us has its own. It's not worthy letting get the enthusiasm or the fear of social crowds, neither in convulsed times like today, it's then when our inner monsters get into action showing our worst self version.

In spite it's possible to get a smile while thinking on this. Either in a better world, and it's just an individual decision, and individual choice of changing and concerning. At last the emotions are the same no matter about age, culture, education, status or circumstances. Individually the social change is possible.

Recently I found this new at La Vanguardia (Spanish newspaper):

http://www.lavanguardia.mobi/slowdevice/vida/20120716/54325745651/profesores-proponen-valores-clasicos-contra-crisis-moral.html

Exploring different perspectives is always juicy and for that goal Kim, Harald and Balance Coaching helped me. I feel very thankful.

I miss you ... what gets me to feel better here.

A big hug,

Pablo Lapuente.