I disappeared for a week.
It was intentional though I had hoped to place some cryptogram of life while I was dead!
But life rushed me out the entrance, to the airport and on a surprisingly satiated plane from Israel to Turkey. I travelled to join the 4th International Women"s Sailing Week, a phenomenal initiative of the Turkish conceived and run "Women"s SailingSchool" which brings collectively Women from all over the world to celebrate the beauty of the province and the joy of sailing - women single. Traditionally sailing is quite a macho sport where women are often left aside while the men pocket over the running of the cruiser. However, Neslihan Karayel (her surname is the Turkish for the "north west wind" which happily we experienced quite a few times all through the week as it filled our sails and modest us busy on board!) has created a place where women can gather to sail and qualify as skippers, a place where we can celebrate the loads of faces of women"s strength and empowerment . This week was witness to such wonderful spectacle!
I had been warned by loads of that I was crazy to attempt to travel to Turkey all through these tumultuous times. I paid no heed to these warnings, having attended the Women"s Flotilla last year (isn"t it amazing how so quickly "flotilla" has be converted into a soil speech!). My at the start experience was to be greeted by pleasant Turkish travel companions on the flights and arriving in Marmaris, my yacht awaited me including the Turkish and Israeli Flags hoisted side by side.
The week was austerely amazing. I reconnected including life at sea (yes, hints of my colorful past!), I reconnected including the simplicity of life without kids, partner and a hectic work schedule, I reconnected including wonderful friends and of course, including for myself. I was romanced by the skilled food, sunshine, powerful winds, beautiful sea life and the company of wonderful women. What more can a girl ask for!
Every day started including yoga and a hike by which time it was so hot that we dived into the amazingly blue and apparent water to cool down and pique our appetite for breakfast. After eating fruit, yogurt and muesli or sometimes the original bread baked by the community women and delivered by little boats that pulled up alongside ours, we rested, tidied up the cruiser and set sail. Some days the sea was quiet and we were forced to put down anchor at the most beautiful sheltered bays for swim and snorkel stops. Other days the winds were so passionate that we had to wear harnesses and life jackets. As we used to say in Dublin, the crack was mighty (that means we had such a great laugh!) as single girls know how, and we talked about everything below the sun!
In the evenings we moored or anchored in more of the wonderful sheltered bays that had simple restaurants, some including no road access, electricity or running water. We then celebrated the day including happy hour, skilled music and followed by a lovely sundown meal.
It is a vacation that involves serious physical exertion and I tenderness that. We had ample opportunity to witness our own powerful selves sailing through rough waters. It was an awe-inspiring sight and a heart-warming experience. There are so loads of parallels to our own life"s journey. You are stuck including people that you may not normally choose to be including in such accurate and confined space. You are faced including physical and emotional challenges.
The outcome was wonderful. We all pulled collectively and the atmosphere on the cruiser was supportive, inspiring and caring. Each individual taught me so much. There was Denise, who by no means stops smiling, showed me how much a smile can change the world! And Audrey taught me to stop sweating the small stuff. Serra showed me how being intensely feminine and beautiful can subdue be passionate and powerful. Feryal showed me how she stopped fearing her 6th sense and makes powerful positive use of her talents.; so loads of lessons, so much inspiration.
And I told stories! Lots of stories!
Perhaps the most wonderful outcome of all was to understand that women terrified collectively from all walks of life, and loads of cultures, beliefs and backgrounds, will permanently find a way to pocket pleasure in, appreciate and rejoice in each other"s company.
And as Feryal told me when she read the remains of my Turkish coffee - what I am doing (effective including women entrepreneurs through story) is what I am meant to do, if I had not found it, it would be inflicted including found me. What a blessing, what an honor!
Related video:
Finland Women"s Elliot 6m Sailing Bronze - London 2012 Olympics
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