short Term rentals In Atlanta and Decatur

During a long weekend visiting family, I was asked what I would nickname myself, Inspired by a conversation about family during my Dad and Aunt’s childhood, we rehashed family names. There were names like Tootsie, Teta, Stric, and Mitz (who was married to Fritz). This seemed like a long-gone practice, quirky and definitively charming. Perhaps in this age of angst, nicknames could bring us all together. In the same day of this chat, a pair of earrings I wore to dinner elicited the comment Sagonka. I was used to my family using foreign sounding descriptors but had to ask the meaning this time. Gypsy, I was told and our grandmother used it as a slur. These were unenlightened times and in fact Slovenians were often looked down upon in America creating a cataclysm of heirarchy. Johanna, my father’s mother, wouldn’t have approved of fashion trending towards colors, patterns, and loose-fitting clothing in stores like Free People and Anthropologie! Indeed, her clothing was shades of gray and brown. it’s hard for me to remember even stark white or black clothes on her, though she had a distinctive classic style.

Surely the meaning could be easily checked, after all 2 sets of Great Grandparents immigrated at from Slovenia at the turn of the 20th century. According to translate.com, “Sagonka”, which is how it sounded to me, in Slovenian means “Sagonka” in English but “gypsy” in English means “cigan”. Extrapolating, ‘ciganka’, still means gypsy, so the nut has been cracked. Obviously a slight, I likely bear a resemblance to the remark. I like colors and patterns, and have been drawn to, mostly unflattering, loose-fitting clothing. Moreover I have permanent wanderlust and although I have lived in the same place for over 45 years, I long for exotic locales, strange food, and diverse cultures to America. Like a gypsy, I’ve owned a trailer and travelled a bit so I’m just catching up to the word.

In less than 2 weeks, I’ll be heading to Japan for a month with a friend. I won’t speak for her, but at this stage in life, it seems like the most complicated trip I’ll have embarked on. It’s also an ambitious trip with multiple cities and lots of hiking. In the height of cherry blossom season, the weather looks to be perfect. We will hopefully miss most of the bustle of “Golden Week”, one of the busiest weeks while hiking the Kumano Kodo, a pilgrimage route for over 1000 years. I’ve had two total hip replacements in less than a year, so I wonder if my body is up to it. Temples, history, and gorgeous forests await us, ready or not. You can follow our itinerary here and I hope to offer insights along the way.

On a daily basis, I find inspiration from my guests some who harken from diverse backgrounds and cultures. I’ll be leaving my Airbnbs in capable hands but still managing the communication, and administration.. Hopefully my guests will give me grace since the time difference is 13 hours and find me at airbnb.com/p/adventuresome for answers to their questions if I’m tardy. At the time of this post, this website is in the development phase but if not now, when will I travel. I hope to satiate my desire to wander for a little while and bring back inspiration from the experience. It is my wish that this blog will serve as a tool of reflection for this upcoming journey and others.

Adventure near and far
Ciganka “Beth”