Tired of Thinking...What do I do?...Sculpt!

Traveling like this can be difficult for me because I never have the state of mind to break free mentally.  I feel like I'm constantly consuming: language, food, day to day traditions, historic sites, etc.  Everything is new and I spend so much time taking culture in that at the end of the day my mind wants to explode or at least shut down.  Maybe it's just unique to me but in these 3 months of traveling I have rarely felt relaxed or completely comfortable.  

Part of that insecurity includes my lack of language proficiency.  It impairs my ability to fully express myself, not just what I'm thinking but my personality and the ways that people say things to me that express their personality [intonation, stressing, inflections] are lost on me too.  Another part of that insecurity includes the reasons why I decided to start this blog.  I can't go anywhere without someone looking at me like I'm a zoo animal let loose or science experiment gone wrong.  It can be disconcerting, hurtful, annoying, maddening, and stressful.   I try to ignore it but sometimes I just want to scream "nunca han visto una persona negra? Cierra tus ojos, pendejos.  Son mal educado!!!!"--if that even makes sense.  

So one of my most important tips for all you coloured people traveling or living abroad from the States.  Find some time for yourself to take a mental break from the consumption, the stares, the comments, and questions.  And for me, the best way to do that is making things or taking classes on making things or using my body in some way that involves having to shut out afuera (the outside).  I haven't mastered taking advantage of this tip or even taken it to heart but i hope the next 3 months force me to do most of this....or damn, i'm not going to mentally survive.

1. In Lima, took weekly private salsa lessons.
2. I took a hip hop class on la calle Insurgentes.., (i still have a couple of weeks left, i can try to take a couple of more classes...egg me on).
3. Making a bowl in my 4 part (3 hour) sculpture class near La Plaza "Luis Cabrera".
4. Went on a 6 hour spa date a block from my house (I may have to do that before I leave...it costs 50 dollars)
5. Drawing what I see at least 3 or 4 times a week while living in Mexico City.  "Thanks Chuya for inspiring me"