almas gemelas....

I came to shadow at YES Prep..."the best school in Houston." It lives up to its name, or maybe I've just been drowning in San Antonio public school culture lately. But that's neither here nor there. I loved it, and I would jump out of my pants if they offered me a position for next year.

I'm here for the weekend, and I wanted to do this as cheaply as possible, so I found the most inexpensive hostel available and booked a room for two nights. YES Prep graciously transported me from the bus station, and as we warily navigated our way through the dusky humidity, I can't say I didn't question the stellar online hostel reviews. We pulled up to a tiny whitewashed compound of three short buildings overlooking a torn up street full of backhoes and leering middle aged construction workers. My mother's voice in the back of my head heaved a great disappointed sigh. But there's no room for the timid little girl from Lancaster here, and I don't miss her much.

Back the alley and up the steps I climbed, cracked open the screen door and knocked to the tune of raucous giggling from within. Enter Maggie into a 3' by 5' kitchenette bursting with three of the jolliest beaming personalities I've ever encountered. Before I could wipe the slightly confused sensory overload off my face, they'd sat me down, offered me some wine, extracted half my life history and spilled all of theirs. In peeked two of my fellow hostelers, to whom my hosts promptly introduced me. Next thing I knew I was on my way to dinner with seven spectacular world travelers.

So thank you southern hospitality, karma, buena vibra, or whatever guided me to this lovely little haven in the midst of looming slate gray high rises. I love my job, I love my kids, I love City Year, but I got lost in the rhythm and forgot I was human for a minute. Forgot that there's a wide wide world out here full of spirit and craziness and strange familiarity. Here, for a moment, a soul-salving hush fell over my world, nudging me towards these new kindred spirits. And here, my darlings, we find evidence of a blessed life.