There are many things in life that start with a feeling. That feeling grows and becomes a thought, a concept and eventually a plan. We have preconceived notions of how we think our life is going to flow. I had all of these grand ideas of how my time in New Orleans 
would be spent. I dreamed of living in a specific house and have comradery with my artsy, musician roommates. I dreamed I would go to flight school and become a commercial pilot. I even had a great idea of renting out space to traveling musicians and calling it ‘The Bryd House’. They were great ideas attached to great emotions of freedom and newness. Eventually I got to New Orleans and I found out what it really had in store for me.
New Orleans held the key to opening parts of myself that were buried so deep and had been so viciously protected that I would not have been able to find them had I not decided to be starkly alone. I had to completely empty myself to really know what it felt like to be Pan. I uncovered a whole other side of myself and by un-blanketing her I realized I was capable of all of the things I had struggled with for so long. I pushed myself to the edge and at times I thought I would fall over; I knew I wouldn’t but it felt like I was hanging by a very thin and frayed thread. Often I
would fantasize about destroying everything in my way because I felt so caged up and full of rage. I found out that by being gentle with myself I would blossom and be able to function at full capacity. It is when we are not loving, understanding, and patient with ourselves that we become the most stressed and vicious.
Everyone needs space to be a person, everyone needs outlets that create momentum in their life, everyone needs down time to recharge their battery, and everyone needs kindness and love. What I found in New Orleans was how to give those things to myself. When I was able to step outside of myself and view myself as another person I found that I wanted to love myself as deeply as possible because that is when I am the happiest. We don’t realize sometimes the micro aggressions we commit towards ourselves. Sometimes this can be going out with friends when really we want to go home, drink tea, and watch a movie. Sometimes it appears as not feeding ourselves properly throughout the day because we are “too busy” to do so. Are you really too busy to value yourself enough to give your own body sustenance and energy that it needs to stay alive? I sure hope not. We want to go so fast that we forget to really be with ourselves and enjoy who we are. You are going to be your own companion for your…entire…life. Stop to enjoy that reality every once in a while and you will find that you go through your days a lot happier as a result.
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Pan Bourcier Hidalgo is a Dancer who is originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico. She has relocated and embarked on a journey of discovery in New Orleans, Louisiana. Join her as she learns about her new city and herself in Pan’s Labyrinth!
Community Publishing brings local artists of all mediums together in creative collaborations for distribution as multimedia books while promoting literacy in our communities. We are proud to be a community partner and digital marketer at the Rail Yards Market.
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weight that I gave them. I breathed through it, while the clangs of tUnE-yArDs and the crash of lightning in the grey set the tone for a very dramatic road trip. This was my first visit to New Orleans. It felt exciting and heavy; maybe the heaviness had something to do with the humidity? No, it’s not just that, it is a place of density, a place of magic and a place where you can create and recreate yourself over and over. You can weave yourself into a delicate tapestry and unravel it around you for others to see, or maybe just for your own personal enjoyment. 
process too! The excitement of being on an art mission to find creative treasure is sure to make anyone feel like an Art Explorer! So often art is experienced just by going into a gallery and looking at it on a wall where they can’t touch it or interact with it.
It is a similar to the feeling one gets when they are preparing to give a birthday or holiday gift to someone. The gift remains hidden until that magic moment when it meets the receiver! When someone knows that there was someone out there that put care, time and planning into making and putting out the art it makes them feel even more special when they find it. Being able to give your art a chance to reach people in such a way takes it on an adventure with purpose.
This group is facilitated by the talented, hardworking, encouraging, and inspirational Shane McAlister. He is a musical soul brother of mine. He spreads joy through teaching and performing music to the world.
Kapa Haka is the term for 
Matiu was asked to present at the staff meeting to teach some Maori to the teachers. The teachers and principal really wanted to improve their Maori pronunciation and understanding.
Santiago and is the regions largest port. It is also home to a house of the famed poet 
I can’t imagine how I existed before without it. It is contagious and inspiring.
middle but that does not deter tourists from paying 10 
It was at this hostel called Corola del Sur that I met Jason who just completed his first year of travel. He saved for 5 years so that he could travel the world for 3 and here I am itching to call my parents after 72 hours. His story was inspiring to me that he could spend so much time alone. I pride myself on being able to converse with strangers and it can be easy to make friends in the environment of a hostel. People come and go and it’s easy to begin a conversation: hey, you traveling alone? No? Oh how many people? Where you from? Where you going? And it usually takes off from there. However, it is just as easy to find yourself very alone yet surrounded by people. It’s difficult if these people have already decided on their friend groups for the day. You must establish yourself quickly in this setting and I refuse to be alone all the time. If I want company I will find it.
