So, July has finally arrived and what a loaded month it is this year. I turned 37 on the 11^th, it was our six-month anniversary on the 12^th and Alex turned 47 on the 14^th. But it is also the last month of my tourist visa in Panama and the end of our trial period.

I don’t know if you remember, I think I wrote about it in myfirst blog, but Alex and I met in January, stayed together for 10 days duringmy stop-over between the US and Argentina and then I left to spend a summerholiday with nearly my whole family in Patagonia. Alex and I felt like we wouldbe together for quite a while but we only had been getting to know each otherfor a few intense days, and it was expensive for me to come back (around 1,200dollars). Before I met Alex I had planned to come back to this area for acouple of months for camping on some beach, maybe in Costa Rica, and surfing,but I had planned to stay back home for a couple of months. Since Alex and Ireally wanted to see each other again, I only went home for 12 days. But we hadboth been alone for a while, and quite happily so, and so we came up with aplan: the trial period. It was Alex’s idea and I thought it was a great one!

Before I left we arranged that I would come back and live on Splendid for 6 months no matter what. We would come to Kuna Yala and learn to get to know each other without the pressure of having to decide everyday whether I wanted to stay or leave or if Alex wanted me to stay or leave. I would be here for the whole of the 6-month trial even if we fought and hated each other’s guts. We’re both loners, used to have things our way. I thought it was a brilliant idea because, of course, if you have no choice, then you are more open and understanding even if it’s just your survival instinct who’s making the calls. 

I entered Panama on February 3^rd and that is why my 6-month tourist visa will expire on August 2^nd together with our 6-month trial period. We thought about maybe sailing to Colombia and back to get new stamps but in the end I decided to go to Miami to my brother’s house to spend some time with him and my dad, who will be visiting for a couple of weeks as well. 

So this is my last week on Splendid and I’ll be on a plane again. I can’t help but be amazed at all that’s happened to us during this short time and how our lives have changed, how much we have learned from one another and the kind of love we have been kneading together. Also it is amazing to see the changes on Splendid, our home is looking sexier everyday and it’s because of how well we complement each other too: Alex is great at mechanics, fiberglass, sanding, etc. and I’m really good at detail work, I like painting, sewing and organizing our things (from protecting our clothes from mold to sorting Alex’s washers by size). So it has really become a wonderful partnership, we get along really well, we’re great friends, have fun together, have had the same lifestyle for a long time and now we also have all these projects together and inspire each other to do our best. It’s funny there are many things that were just waiting for me! Alex has been gathering a lot of sewing gear for example (apart from the machine he has snap machines, a whole sewing kit, etc) and he hasn’t even touched it for years, it’s not something he’d enjoy doing or have patience for.

Needless to say we were shocked when we found out we could also make movies together! I have always been a film fan. When I lived in a city I would go to the cinema, on my own, once or twice every week, attend film festivals and watch 30 movies in 10 days, etc. And I have been playing my own music for years –never professionally but always passionately. I love the way Alex works and now I can help him out by being behind the camera sometimes and also making the music to accompany the different scenes. I didn’t know whether he would like the music I make but he did! The first song I showed him went directly to the opening of The Minimalist Sailor and every couple of days I record something new that might be used for sailing images or for city noise or some sunsettime-lapse. Seeing our art come together as well as everything else is just mind-blowing. It’s hard not to feel some greater force has brought us together, and that we are finally reaping what we have been sowing for years. Relationships have never come easy to either of us but just as our patience was running out and we have both decided we would probably be better on our own,the universe crossed our paths for all of our dreams (even the ones we dared not dream) to come true. 

Always follow the voice inside of you and read the signs around you before you make any decisions and you will definitely get to where you need to be. There is a life we all dream about, it’s up to us to get out there, make it a reality and enjoy it during this time we’ve been given. I’ll take advantage of the internet connection in the US to update the photo galleries on projectbluesphere.com so check them out in twoweeks or so!

I would like to thank all of you for your encouragement and support; we feel the love every week in your emails and comments but also from all the silent readers who have been following Alex’s project for so many years. We know you’re there and we feel you. Thank you all. See you in a bit!

C.