Two Cents Tuesday: When scary things happen
This past weekend I happened to be in Playa del Carmen for the BPM music festival where the night club shooting took place. Five people were killed, 15 injured, and we were 4 blocks away when shooting broke out. Our small group of five had been in the exact spot of the incident, at some point, both Friday and Saturday (spots featured in many of my Snapchats ended up in photos that made worldwide news). As fate would have it, Sunday we decided to attend a day party on the beach and by Sunday evening were too exhausted to make the closing party held at Blue Parrot. Back in our apartment a few blocks away, we were completely unaware of what transpired around 3am.
Monday morning we woke up to multiple texts and calls from our RY leaders and tribe, family, friends, and new acquaintances made at the festival. Were we OK? How close were we? Is everyone in the group safe? I probably didn't realize the gravity of what happened until later when the news stories developed. It was truly a miracle we didn't make it out that night. If you've ever been to one of these festivals you know how packed it can be, and one of the dead was trampled under the stampede of the escaping crowd.
As to not tarnish the entire trip- It was a beautiful, fun weekend filled with happy times, good music, nonstop dancing, and lots of Spanish food- here are some of my more positive two cents:
1. If you want to go backstage with two DJs, look lonely... and I guess pathetic (I took a break from dancing for a bit), and they will approach you and invite you to join them. Your friends will get worried they lost you, but you'll get to triumphantly emerge from behind the DJ booth.
2. Techno beats are all the same. Well actually there are two beats: the untz-untz-duh and the untz-duh-untz. (See artists 'Dubfire' or 'Pan-Pot' if you need clarification for my beat boxing).
3. Trying to keep up and dance like your favorite Spaniards will make your back hurt. So much hip action!
4. Octopus is actually pretty tasty when cooked correctly- super tender and not rubbery at all. Still need to acquire the taste for squid-ink, but seafood in Mexico overall is incredible. Also, traditional Spanish paella does NOT have chorizo in it, unlike Mexican paella (there have been death threats over this, so get it straight).
5. Playa del Carmen is a stunning and delightful beach town, overflowing with life and energy. I'm heartbroken that festival goers like myself, and the body guards who kept us safe, had to lose their lives this weekend. My prayers go out to those affected by this horrific incident and I'm thankful my experience did not end in tragedy.
One last cent: Don't let scary things keep you from living your life. Everyday, terrible things happen to unsuspecting and undeserving people, but by letting these sparse events ruin your hunger for adventure, you let the bad guys win. Today we face heinus acts of terrorism, hate crime, and mental-illness driven attacks, but at day's end, the world and its people are inherently good, and we are all in this together.
#NP: Long Strange Trip - Cisco Adler
