The Wild Walk Home - Part 2 of 2

Andrea: [00:00:00] we're really excited to welcome back Nadia George. This is part two of a two part, experience that, Nadia is so kindly sharing with us. With her first part being that she was introduced to us and all of our listeners, with her story, of those big moments, those catalysts of transformation in her midlife, including, one of the biggest, which was a journey, that she was about to embark on when we last spoke to her. And now after that journey has, wrapped up and she's been, flown back into her hometown in Ontario, Canada, we get to hear from Nadia again. and, dig into part two, where she is now and what kind of experiences she had.

So welcome Nadia.

Krista: Welcome back.

Nadia: I'm very excited to be in a space, with this show and with the both of you where I could actually feel really comfortable, to [00:01:00] share.

Sometimes you get on podcasts and interviews and you don't know, you're like, oh, I hope this is gonna go okay. But I'm feeling very warm and fuzzy today, so it's a really good feeling.

Krista: Oh, that means a lot. Thank you. that means more than you know, actually. Thank you very

Andrea: it does.

Krista: I'm glad you feel comfortable and safe and happy to share. Um, we thought that, because this is a part two, and this is the first time we've done this, so again, we're building Betty, we're, we're exploring how we can move about in this space.

And we thought maybe we should ask you how you're doing right now as far as your five words are. Like, would you wanna do your five words and then just see where you're at. And then after if you want, we can share your five words. 'cause I have them right here.

Nadia: Oh no,

Krista: you to, but I want you to

Nadia: feel like it's a

Krista: And it's not a

Andrea: I was just gonna say it's not a test.

Krista: it's not a

Nadia: I'm like, oh, memory, no.

Krista: simply just a fun little moment It's more of a check-in to be like, okay, part one, you were this, part two, you were this. And just to, see [00:02:00] where you're sitting in this moment. And it really is just in this moment.

Nadia: Yeah, no, I think it's interesting 'cause I'mexcited in a way 'cause I, I actually don't remember what my words were, so it'll be exciting to kind of hear the comparison.

Andrea: Yeah.

Nadia: Um, One of my words is now grounded. And, I don't know if clarity or focus because I mean, you know, when you're going through perimenopause, those words don't naturally come to you.

Krista: Fair enough

Nadia: Like to have focus and clarity. Um, uh, we tend to feel a little, uh, muffled. But there is a clarity. There is a clarity that has happened for me, um, through this journey of, uh, the whole circle. I definitely say optimistic. Still adventurous. That will never change. I think I'm just a little fiery spirit, as my mom likes to say.

Um, and I'm full of wonder now I think. I don't know how many words I've said, but, [00:03:00] um, yeah. It's interesting. I, I've spent a lot of time in my career and also just in my personal life, taking care of others. That's been my thing, you know, whether being a therapist, being the oldest sister, um, you know, coming from a tumultuous childhood, uh, just always feeling I, I've had to take care of everyone and for once I actually feel like I'm being unapologetically selfish, I'm gonna start really taking care of me and setting some good boundaries.

So confident, maybe confident is another word. Yeah. I think those are my words for today.

Krista: so good. They're so good. And it's so interesting to, to do this. Okay. Do you wanna hear the words from

Nadia: Yeah, I do.

Krista: So adventurous was your first one, um, and I love that that's continued for you and that will be a word that you're gonna keep.

Um, disruptor was your second one,

Nadia: [00:04:00] Oh yeah.

Krista: which I feel is

Nadia: that ever leaves me either. No. It's just gonna be a different way maybe.

Krista: Um, the other one was empath, which again, I feel like that's a part of you, um, that you probably won't, Stray from, uh, curious,

Nadia: Yeah.

Krista: inquisitive, loving, humble, silly, outrageous. And then you also, when we talked a little bit further, you also, I think we added, let's say we added fearful and insecure because we were talking about the contrast of, you know, all the positive things, right?

But let's also be real. There are moments that we feel fearful, insecure, all those things as well. So yeah. How's that landing with you?

Nadia: Yeah, it's interesting because I really do feel like this journey, I can [00:05:00] see it, like I can see why those words were those words in that moment because it really did explain me in that moment and how I've come to feel, what I feel now having, you know, gone to El Salvador and at that journey.

Um, but yeah, I agree. I think disruptor and empath and all those will always be there. It's interesting about the fearful one because you're right, like there are definitely words that we are feeling, um, that aren't always positive, and I don't know that I would say. I think my fearful has now gone back to curious.

Andrea: Hmm.

Nadia: a different,

Andrea: It's a reframe.

Nadia: yeah, it's almost not like hesitant. I wouldn't say hesitant, but, um, I don't know. Maybe I, yeah, I honestly don't know that I have a negative [00:06:00] word right now. Like I, yeah. 'cause I'm feeling very grounded, so actually now it feels good to know that I don't, I'm not feeling those things as much anymore, which is really lovely.

See, that's

Andrea: What a, what a

Nadia: a great therapeutic process you've just put me through. I love this.

Krista: Sorry not sorry.

Nadia: No, no, it's a good thing. It's very good. I might start adding that into my, uh, into my own repertoire of little tools. So that was a great little tool there.

Krista: little Yeah. Moment to think about and to keep in mind that, at every day, every hour we, those words might change, but, obviously your, your journey there and back was impactful and, um. Yeah, we would just love to dig in and have a quick catch up on where you're at right now.

Was there a moment when you were in El Salvador where you remember, and you'll never forget,

Nadia: You know,

yeah, there is one that stands out for me and it's interesting that fearful [00:07:00] was one of my words. I actually got lost in El Salvador.

Krista: Oh my gosh.

Nadia: I don't

Andrea: I feel like that's a film.

Nadia: don't

Andrea: Lost in El Salvador. That's the

Krista: Oh wow.

Nadia: and that for me was a moment of, you know, I've traveled a lot solo, um, and I love traveling solo, but I've always gone to places where they, they spoke a familiar language and you can usually find yourself, you know, in, in a situation, you can usually find a way out or someone to help. What had actually happened. I was, this should have not happened. I ordered an Uber, I ordered an Uber, I put in my Tia's address and I'm in the Uber. Everything seems fine. I put in the exact address she told me and the Uber drops me off. Lovely, lovely man. Um, [00:08:00] and what, actually, one of the things that I will say about El Salvador that I, uh, made me feel really comfortable that I think we need to start doing here in Canada or all of North America, or really anywhere Uber exists, is they use a pin. So if the pin doesn't match and it doesn't validate before you get in the car, you don't get in the car.

Andrea: Yeah,

Nadia: And it was such a great, as a woman, it was, it just made me feel very, very comfortable.

Andrea: for sure.

Nadia: Um, but so I get in, we get there, we get to the spot. I'm not seeing number 59, house, number 59.

and the streets, the way they work there are very, they have like these Barrios, which are like, I guess they would be kind of like areas, right? You know, if you're in Toronto, you have, the financial district, or you have Leslieville or you have little areas and we get to this area and there's no number 59.

And I'm looking around and I see a restaurant and, and I [00:09:00] can see that the Uber driver is looking at me kind of clearly knowing that I have no idea where I'm going from here. And at this point my tea is not answering her phone. I'm trying to call and there's this restaurant and these two guys are kind of like peeking out of the restaurant.

And I mean, we'll get into this more, but I've come to realize. Did I stand out in El Salvador? I just do. I'm very,

Krista: Sure.

Nadia: is what my, my TIA calls me very, you know, white, the little white one. Um, compared to, you know, my, my Salvador Salvadorian family. And of course, you know, now I've got these blonde highlights in my hair.

So everybody's like looking, they can tell, I do, I do not belong in this area except for some reason. And at that moment I realized, wow, I have, she's not answering the phone. I don't really have anyone else I can call. The Uber driver is now back in his car. Um, [00:10:00] and I have no idea where I am and I don't, I hardly speak Spanish.

And there was this really, um, this moment which also made me realize about unconscious biases because I. You know, although there's still healthy fears, because El Salvador was a very, very dangerous place to be prior to what it is now. Um, and I know that it's safer, much safer. But there was this moment of, okay, I'm a woman alone and I clearly look lost.

Like people are noticing, I'm noticing people noticing, and I knew enough to at least ask for help. I knew those words. So I saw this lady walking down the street and I stopped her. And, I said, Ola, and, and then I said, you know, I need help, right? Uh, Necesito ayuda, and I said, Donde la casa, like, you know, where is this house?

And she's looking at the address and she goes, oh no, this [00:11:00] to me. And I'm just like, that was, no, no, that was not reassuring. I said, not,

Krista: Oh my gosh.

Nadia: Luckily Santana is very, it's small, right? I mean like large, but small at the same time. So I'm like, well, I can't be that far. And luckily the Uber driver noticed that I was still, he was still sitting there for whatever reason, in all creator's.

Goodness. He sat there and waited and saw that this lady was walking around with me trying to find this place, and he gets out of the car and he speaks no English. So at this point, you know, now my frontal lobe is calmed down. I can get into my irrational brain, I'm like, oh, I'm gonna calm my cousin Thesia because you know, it's her mom that's welcoming me here.

And I call her, she speaks Spanish. So she's able to now get my Tia on the phone in a group chat. And luckily the Uber driver stayed. He spoke with my [00:12:00] aunt and he said, ah, ah, okay. I get, you know, I get what's going on and where the mixup happened. So he says, get back in the car. So I get back in the vehicle, it turns out that it was just like a north south situation and where her house was, was in a newer area that they hadn't actually like divided an Uber.

And so, of course, like I tipped him very well for taking me $10 American is a lot, it is a lot to people in El Salvador. but I just felt like he was just such a lifesaver. One, he did not have to stay and wait, the fact that he did that, you know, there's, so as we get into it, there's so many experiences that I had that show how much love the people of El Salvador have for each other and that sense of community that we are sometimes missing here in North America.

And I. It was just this moment of like, oh, I got there, the [00:13:00] relief of seeing her and everything. But my takeaway from that was this idea of, you know, we are actually more capable than we give ourselves credit for. And how also, interestingly enough, you know, as a Sagittarius, I tend to analyze myself quite frequently.

That's all I do as a woman, I, I wonder how different it would've been if that was my husband. Right? Would he have been able to just, you know, go into it, find the solution, not be fearful for a number of, you know, reasons, right? There's so many variables to that. One, he is a man. Um, our brains do work differently.

He wouldn't be as fearful, maybe all these kinds of things and just how long it actually took me, it felt like hours, but it wasn't, it was maybe minutes for me to figure it out, but it felt like hours of just feeling so alone. In a space that I had no idea where I was and yeah, just like how much more capable we actually [00:14:00] think we are.

And there was so many other experiences that kind of also brought me to this idea of like, not that, you know, I want to, push out for, for Nike or Nike, however people wanna, wanna say the word. But it is about just like, just doing it. Like, listen, I'm here, what am I gonna do? What are my options?

Right? Do I go back to the hotel? I could at least have done that. You know, all these things that I was thinking of. Um, but after that experience I was like, oh, okay, I can do this. Like, I, I'm here. And it was very early on when I got there, um, and I was just like, no, okay. The rest of this trip is gonna be okay.

It was very, it was a weird, oddly reassuring situation at the end of

Andrea: interesting. It's interesting that it happened. As you just pointed out at the beginning or at the very early stages, almost as though it was setting the stage for the rest of the, the giving [00:15:00] you a moment to perhaps see what you're capable of. Um, which I,love that that's what you took away from that experience.

I'm sure there's a whole bunch of things that you may have taken away 'cause it's wrapped up in a whole bunch of different feelings. But to be able to take away this sense of being, capable and of being able to advocate for oneself and to be able to tap into, um, this sense of, just do it or something that I've heard of, of late that really has resonated quite a bit is this idea of, um, what now?

so the thing happened, the experience happened, an acknowledgement and a release of staying in the actual experience itself and getting caught up in the fray of the feelings that have come from that, but actually moving into that next spaces, okay, well that thing [00:16:00] happened. So what now?

What's the action that I can take now? that is such a enormous takeaway, to land with for you at the beginning of this big, huge adventure, but also, um, space of unknowns, right? And new, first times, which we don't have a ton of first times as we get older. And so the idea that this was going to be full of first times and that it started off with showing you what you were actually capable of doing feels so, so beautiful and serendipitous in some ways.

Krista: I also love that you, uh, you chose the word grounded because that moment of the fight or flight, the moment of what am I gonna do?

So how interesting that it happened at the beginning. And then one of your major words that you've described at the top of the session here was that You felt grounded,

Nadia: Yeah, it was really interesting because I know in part one, we talked about that 13-year-old self

Andrea: Mm-hmm.

Nadia: and. when I look back, I'm like, [00:17:00] that 13-year-old self would've been like, don't worry, we got this. Like, it was, it's the weirdest thing. But you know,

Krista: right?

Nadia: my 43-year-old self is like, oh, Lord, what am I gonna do?

Right. And my 13-year-old self would've been like, I'm gonna go talk to those guys and figure out where I'm, gonna find a way. and we almost don't give our younger selves enough credit. We tend to think that when we're young, we don't know enough or we don't know anything.

but we're also so much more, confident sometimes because we don't have maybe those healthy fears yet. We don't have those. So they don't get in our way. And, it was like, giving her a high five of like, okay, thanks. I, I needed that, but I'll take it from here.

You know,

Andrea: I love

Nadia: we'll work together. So yeah,it was really neat to think about it that way.

Krista: That's so beautiful.

Andrea: That is really amazing to draw back to, I. The spirit of children and us when we were children. Uh, that just feels, again, like such a resonating moment because I [00:18:00] think there's so many things that we lose sight of as we gain experiences, gain age, and have, a shift in, in what we believe or how we feel in certain situations.

And if we were to take ourselves back to those teen years where,all the things that are said about teenagers where they're, they feel like they're in destructive or they, have this just, I can do anything kind of sense or this, um, I'm curious about it all. I'm gonna do it all.

I'm gonna try it all. You know, all of that leads to that. Often, more negative narrative of teenagers being, risk takers and not very thoughtful about what they're doing. And sure, there's elements in there because some of the things that teens do

Nadia: Yes.

Andrea: tend to end up getting them in trouble.

But also,teenagers are, and children are by nature curious because they have not yet had [00:19:00] those experiences that tell them that they should behave a different way or feel a different way. And so much of that. Gets lost in adulthood, and if only we could tap into as you clearly have, like you're thinking about 13-year-old Nadia.

If we brought back that curiosity, If we could pull that back again, can you imagine all the things that, adults would be doing differently? It would be wild.

Nadia: No, it's, uh, you know, and I think to myself too, because through the teachings that I've learned over the years of our indigenous teachings is also that is the role of teenagers, right? Their role is to rebel and to challenge. that's their purpose during that time. And we do lose a little bit of that.

And then you see, we regain it. I look at my grandparents and how they would. Really encourage those behaviors of like, yeah, you know what, who cares what mom and [00:20:00] dad says, we're gonna go do this. And so again, like, you know, as we, as we talked about, um, in, in the last episode of this, like my future self, I think that's also why I am so excited for my future self because I, I know that that's there.

And when we have these moments of insecurity during, midlife and what am I doing with my career or did I raise my kids right? And we have all these things and to kind of turn and be like, okay, you know what? There really is a light at the end of the tunnel. It's not gonna be a train.

Don't worry about it. And we're gonna go full steam ahead and just enjoy life. So yeah, that whole experience was very eye opening.

Andrea: Wow.

Krista: Wow.

Andrea: that was, but one of. as you suggested, just one of so many, um, during that trip, 'cause how long were you gone

Nadia: Two weeks.

Andrea: So that was a full two weeks, with one of the first experiences being this one that you've just [00:21:00] shared. Um, are there?

Nadia: on day four

Andrea: Oh

Nadia: was it was like really early.

Andrea: early.

Krista: Wow.

Andrea: early.

Krista: Could you talk about the first part of your trip?

Nadia: Yeah, the first four days were, honestly, I'm really glad I had them. So, Fotocan is also known as Friends of the Orphans Canada, and it is the Canadian arm of, NPH International. I'm gonna say this wrong and I apologize, but I think it's like, uh, no newest the first word. I'm not saying right. I'm definitely not saying it right. So I apologize. Um, again, my Spanish is still learning and, uh. Really what it means is our little brothers and sisters and, I had done a gala, their first annual gala at Castle Loma in Toronto, we did in December. And it was really amazing.

We raised a lot of funds [00:22:00] for, a lot of good purposes because they support housing, education, food, healthcare,dental eye care.it's such an amazing organization, that supports youth in Latin America and the Caribbean who have been, either displaced or, become orphans due to gang violence, natural disasters, government, tensions and things that have happened historically.

And they're also now also doing reunification. So really helping the families, which I think is lovely. supporting moms and dads and aunties and, grandparents to be able to then take, care of the children and their family, and bringing families back together. That's what they're truthfully doing.

and I think it's so amazing. I got to spend four days in El Salvador at NPH El Salvador, And I got to see the school. I got to see areas where they're doing, spiritual development. I got to see, and actually meet the youth, I actually met one [00:23:00] of the parents as well of one of the youth that's also being supported there.

And just hearing their stories. So many of them are going into university. Um, the little ones just seeing their smiles. when we think of the word orphan or it's historically, you know, we kind of go back to those industrial times, right? And we think of maybe Charles Dickens stories and things like that.

But this really is not like that. it really is so family. Based in the sense of the way that these youths, and I, this is just from my perspective of what I gathered and observed and understood from speaking with the youth and seeing it, is that there are a lot of things that they get to take advantage of in the sense of, um, you know, violin lessons or carpentry.

And not just promoting education through post-secondary, but also promoting it in the trades and reallyunderstanding and learning the children and [00:24:00] doing it from a child based perspective versus this macro version of what we think things should be. And it was really heartwarming too to also know that the reason that I promote and raise funds, because we will be holding this gala every year at Castle Loma, in partnership with Liberty Group. They've just been so amazing to us, um, knowing why we're raising the funds, right? So some of the other areas, there's a lot of NPHs all throughout, the world actually.

Fundraising components, you know, they're in the Netherlands and they're just everywhere in the US and they're raising funds. And they had mentioned in one of the general assembly meetings that they raised funds for soccer. Um, and that youth from all over, uh, from NPH, got to go to Guatemala and got scholarships and got to play in the soccer tournament.

And you see, yeah, you see the videos. I got to see the videos [00:25:00] of the youth playing and just, you know, I, it just reminded me of how much privilege we really do have here. In North America, and I won't say for everybody because that is not the case. There is still a lot of underprivileged people who are not being, um, served in the way that they should within Canada and the United States, but for the larger portion of those who, get to kind of have those things that we just choose every day, right?

Like, oh, I want to go take piano lessons, or I'm gonna put my, child into dance lessons, or whatever it is. It just the idea of like, even when I was young and, you know, we didn't have a lot of money, but my mom would get, you know, kind of maybe like scholarships essentially to put me into things and I'd be like, I don't wanna do that.

And you just don't. I mean, yes, some of the kids were like, no, I'm not interested in doing this. It's not for them, but it really is a different life like. To see their faces and how excited they [00:26:00] were, to learn about all and to be able to see the tangible differences. I think that was the biggest part for me.

And being an advocate of environmental justice and mental health and improving quality of life for many, it was just really kind of cool to see that happening firsthand right in front of me. And then also seeing the difference, right? I mean, we would have to take a bus out to where, the housing and everything was, I mean, I don't like to use the word compound because it just doesn't make it sound great, but to where the homes were.

and on the way, seeing some of the disparity, seeing really how poor some people were. it really puts things into perspective. Um, and you kind of just wanna help everyone and, and you can't. And, but there's also, there was also a lot of, of pride, [00:27:00] which I thought was amazing. You know, just people, there's Salvadorian and people are such a proud people and they have every right to be, they are hard workers.

They are extremely friendly and loving and smart and just, all of the things that I am now so proud to know that I'm a part of. But the truth is, is there still is a lot of economical, disaster that has happened there that, you know, I think is looking at being repaired. But to know that there is a place where people can go and feel safe and families can be supported does help me feel like, okay. There is good stuff happening because we know, I mean, you'll see it on tv. You see the commercials for the animals and the children, and it's all, you know, very doom and gloom. And our bodies naturally can only take in so much negativity. And then we start to desensitize and now we're fast forwarding through [00:28:00] these commercials where we can't hear it all the time.

Or maybe we seeing it on Instagram and you're like, okay, you know what? I'm just not gonna follow this account anymore. 'cause every time I see it come up, it's just something horrific. So we need that balance. We need to know that the change is happening. And yes, we don't hide the truth of what's going on. But also finding the good in these components

components kind of encourages people, I think, a little bit more to wanna help, to wanna donate, to wanna go out there. And that is actually one of the cool things about Fotocan is they have projects that they run. so in March they just went out to Guatemala to help with, some of the construction work that's going out there.

And not that they go out and do it themselves. They, you know, they support the fact that, the people from those communities are getting paid and are doing the work. But kind of like, okay, you know, what do you need me to do? I'll push the wheelbarrow, I'll,

Andrea: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Nadia: tell me, you know, you utilize me while I'm here and people can go and, and volunteer.

I mean, there is an application process, [00:29:00] but, uh, which I think there should be. Uh, but I think sometimes, you know, we do focus a lot on home, which I think is important. we do need some support our people here within Canada and all over Turtle Island. Sometimes I just think it's also important to recognize that we do have structures.

They're not always the best, but we do have things in place in Canada. And having now experienced that firsthand in, in Latin America, I recognize that those systems don't always exist over there. Or if they do, they're not very well supported financially. and so we do need to be helping our brothers and sisters.

And when we say that we are going to recognize and support all of Turtle Island, I challenge people. Are we actually doing that? Because Turtle Island isn't just the shell, right?. it's the tail, it's the head, it's the paws, it's um, it's all of Turtle Island. And so even [00:30:00] for organizations that say, we support Turtle Island, I really challenge people to recognize what does that mission statement mean?

And that's what the four days did for me as well, is like, okay, what does that mean now for you, Nadia? Challenging myself and recognizing where can I better support, my cousins and my brothers and sisters. So the four days in the beginning was, it was a lot. Um, but such a beautiful and eye-opening experience.

Andrea: I, it's digesting. This kind of, this thread of this journey is so, it's so moving. you know, what's off camera too is just again, the kind of, goosebumps that arise from hearing about the experience that you had, that through you being able to share story.

And, and being able to share what that felt like and what you saw and what [00:31:00] you experienced allows others to feel as though they're part of that story. And I think that's one of the most beautiful parts of what we're doing when we're in conversation, whether it's here or whether it's with the person in the Uber car or whether it's the, the woman on the street, or whether it's the two fellows that were peeking out the window in the restaurant.

it's through conversation and connecting and sharing our experiences with one another, that help us create that, fabric that real kind of weaving of who we are with one another so that we're no longer individuals, but we are a collective. You know, we are a collective humanity. We with the ability to create change and change for good. So I love very much hearing the details that you weave in, And I would wonder if you might just [00:32:00] really, for all of us land, a little bit more around the expression and the term and the description of Turtle Island, because that's a really important piece, for us to just make sure that we are all so aware of what Turtle Island and who, and how Turtle Island is in this world.

So maybe you'll share a little

Krista: Do you have a whole month?

Nadia: Yeah. You know, I, I'll, yeah, I'll try to, to brief it, but also not. Paint it with a, with one, one brush because many nations, um, you know, I can't speak to other nations, but have this, uh, understanding of, you know, the world being created on the back of a turtle. But

Andrea: Mm-hmm.

Nadia: what is also really interesting is that when you look at the map. From an aerial view. And, and I always still to myself wonder like how, you know, maybe it was from them going around, in the canoes and the waterways, they were able to [00:33:00] kind of draw this, right? And, and they just realized like it's in the shape of a turtle. So if anybody is ever kind of taking a moment to look at that map, it actually is in the shape of, of a turtle.

And, uh, and so there's many reasons as to why it's referenced to Turtle Island. And I, I encourage people to go and look at it. And actually, even if people were to go onto my website and one of my blogs, there's actually a picture of Turtle Island and people can see it there, and there's a link there that references it, along with some Mayan teachings and and Ojibwe teachings and things like that.

and really the idea is, from the head to the tail. That we were, we are all one. And this idea that, borders were never territories. Yes. But borders were never something that, indigenous people had put up, we did a lot of trade. There was a lot of travel, there was a lot of, you know, natural migration.

and [00:34:00] many things have been found in different areas. You wouldn't, you know, finding peacock feathers in the north where, they come from, places like El Salvador. and it just goes to show how much trade and connection and community there was, you know, we could, yes, I could go into a lot of stuff having done this journey now of having to learn about haplo groups migration patterns and talking with the genealogist who supported me during this time, about just simple things like, A haplo group is your long, longstanding ancient kind of DNA that gets carried through. and women have, one haplo group and men have two haplo groups because they also carry an extra chromosome. and that, the haplo group, A two is a longstanding indigenous haplo group. It is the haplo group of all the females, um, from my dad's side, that [00:35:00] originated from my great-grandmother, Francisca Molina.

Um, which only goes to show that her mother and all of the women before her, we're indigenous. Right? I'm being very careful about this 'cause I'm not an expert in this, so nobody, you know,

Krista: That's okay.

Andrea: No.

Nadia: me for more information. Um, but, you know, my, my cousins, they're all A twos. My sister is an A two.

Um, I'm not an A two, I end up breaking it because my mother is European. So I'm an h but it's really interesting to kinda look at that and then when you start doing the research to realize that Dene people, they also carry, some people carry an A two haplo right? And now we're talking about people who are from places like Arizona, New Mexico.

there is also, it's been said that, an Inuit group also carries A two, right? So when we look at those kinds of things and then we look across Turtle Island, that's why I [00:36:00] say We are connected and we need to be supporting each other like we are. And so when people use the term Turtle Island and not really understanding what that actually means or where it's come from, I just encourage people to kind of look more into it.

Right? I mean, everything is so accessible on Google. Um, I'm not the expert on it, so I would ask people to go to, the nations or those areas where that information is more readily available. And, you know, peer reviewed, maybe very verified. But, learning about when I was in El Salvador and my Tia took me to the areas where the Molinas are from.

'cause she's a Molina. Um, you know, a taco, which is actually spelled a taco, which I thought was just hilarious. Um, like a taco, um, tacuba. There's so many places that originally were very small indigenous villages, but very highly [00:37:00] populated. And you know, over the last few years I've been learning about the genocide, the massacre that happened in El Salvador of Indigenous people, Mestizo people who stood up against, um, the taking of land and indigo and all these things that were happening.

And when I say Mestizo, that means a person of mixed heritage, right? So you have Indigenous and European heritage, and they killed over 50,000 indigenous and Mestizo peoples. And you know, there's a lot of history there. You can see it. Some of the museums, um. The history that's been been captured and talked about, but hearing it from my tia and learning about, you know, why, why people chose to say that, no, you know what, we have one drop of Spanish lead.

That's it. We're Spanish, right? Yes. Some people, you know, I, I mean, it's natural. We are humans. Some people are like, yeah, no, I'm gonna be Spanish. I'm gonna be, be better than everybody [00:38:00] else. Other people did it outta survival fear of like, okay, we just need to say we're Spanish. Um, and then there were some who were like, absolutely not.

I, I am standing in, in my firm identity of, of being Indigenous and being Mayan and Nahua and Lenca, and there's so, you know, there's a lot of Indigenous, um, communities out there. But what I came to realize is just like this sense of community and that we need it, and another blog that I have on my website actually does show I. Um, there was a, a moment, I think it was last year or the year before, where an elder from the Anishinaabe, community came to Selco and Selco is a very, um, I actually got to drive through Selco and, um, it's a  Nahua , area, a  Nahua nation. And, they met with, some of the elders from Selco and started talking about this philosophy that's called the condor and eagle philosophy.

[00:39:00] And it's really about when the eagle of the North and the condor of the South come together and we will be reunited again, and we will stand strong again, and we will be one again, and we will stand with our brothers and our sisters and start, talking about rejuvenation and revitalization of language and culture and food and our right to exist.

Um, so it was just really beautiful to spend that time with my Tia and learn about our indigenous foods and drinks and all these kinds of things that are still very abundant and the words for the names of the cities and the areas and all of that. and also just, learning about words that were used in documents of our birth certificate.

Well, not, not, I won't say mine, sorry, I have to be careful, but, you know, my ancestors', birth certificates and things like that, and why they use the terms that they did. I learned a lot. And I just think for me, I'm gonna continue to challenge myself too, to continue to educate [00:40:00] myself knowing that I'm still so new in this reconnecting journey.

Um, I have a lot to learn. but that's on me. I have to do that work and it is important that we're doing the work. going through what I went through, I would never wish on anyone. But at the same time, it really has opened my eyes to you know how good it can feel when you finally find home and you finally find your community, and you have that family that claims you and loves you and is willing to teach you with kindness and patience, because that's really what it is.

And that's it. No matter whether you're coming on as an ally or this is something that you grew up with, we all need to come from, a point of kindness and patience, and just making sure that we are, also walking in a good way too, right? Like, that's really, really important. And I think that's one of the bigger lessons that I've learned, is, moving in a good way [00:41:00] and recognizing that this is just my journey and I can't speak to anyone else's journey.

and I'm happy to share my journey, but to also know that I'm not the beginning and I'm not the end all of what this looks like or what this means, right? So I don't know. That's a very long explanation of Turtle Island, but I just felt like some things just need to be said.

Andrea: It's beautiful. and I, for something that's as complex and layered and dimensional as Turtle Island, that felt very clear and, very insightful. both the practical kind of, um, perspective of if you look at a map, it looks like a turtle all the way through. What does this mean as a society?

What does this mean as a collective? What does this mean as a community of people? And how do we behave with one another in a way that pays honor to Turtle [00:42:00] Island to us being one group

Nadia: Mm-hmm.

Andrea: Right. So that was a, maybe a, maybe a hard question for me to ask for you to kind of, in your own words describe, but I think 10 outta 10, that to me felt like I took so much from that.

So

Nadia: Oh

Andrea: And I'm sure Krista and I both are like, oh my gosh, we've got so much new information. and our listeners of course now have all of what you've shared and also resources to go to, to look up more. and I also appreciate, coming from a place of, not being an expert or not claiming to be an expert. And, and this is something that we all, you know, grapple with all the time, is sharing our own experiences doesn't make us an expert, but it does make us an expert in how that experience has impacted us or what that experience was for us. So we get to own the [00:43:00] expertise of what it is that we've experienced.

And then, sharing that is simply adding to, again, the collective Understanding or the collective, uh, group that now hears the stories and then gets to assemble the pieces of the story that makes sense for them. So I think that it's really important to create that distinction between being an expert with the facts or with the science or with the data and being a human that's part of the experience very deeply and sharing what has been their journey.

and I don't think either one would say that they're more important than the other. I think both of those must exist for us to actually have holistic, insight and holistic kind of perspective. So thank you for sharing.

Nadia: I think it's just important and something I'm recognizing even in myself as I reconnect, to my biological [00:44:00] roots, is this idea of really paying respect to the original peoples of Turtle Island and understanding how much influence it still has on us today. and I just don't think we, I say we very generally, but I just don't think that we do it enough, and even including myself of now, you know, learning What does it mean to be  Nahua ? What does that mean? What are our teachings? What are our language? What are our food? What are all of those things? And again, I'm still really early on in that reconnecting journey. I've only been doing it for, coming on to three years, which seems like a long time.

But I mean, we are talking about people who have held this knowledge since time immemorial.

Andrea: Mm-hmm.

Nadia: And when we look at North America, I just hope that the listeners from those areas are also, a little bit more inquisitive around, okay, what does it mean? Who are the original [00:45:00] peoples that, live and share the land that, we're on?

and what are some things or ways that, I can support that. So that's what I'm doing for myself in regards to, um, you know, the  Nahua community and understanding just Salvadorian and community is okay. this is my homeland. my father's homeland and has been his ancestors' homeland, for a time inmemorial, excusing the, uh, Spanish intervention.

Um, but what does that mean for me? Where does my advocacy lie now? And now that I know this and I have points of privilege and I feel obligated to, make some positive change.

Krista: Wow. Um, thank you so much for sharing. My takeaway from today has been how much we need community and how much we need to rely on it now more than [00:46:00] ever. You talk about borders and barriers and all of those things, and it's really timely and it always will be. Um. And without getting into politics or anything, I just think that more than ever I'm feeling that sense of community and I'm feeling that sense of how important it is to start where you are.

Start with your roots, start with your family, and move out from there. And having a look at that and what does that look like, what does that feel like, and how can we contribute to those communities and really feel the love and support for each other. Because really at the end of the day, that's the most important.

If we can take care of each other, then I really do believe that that love and that support will grow and continue to thrive and to change Perspectives and, whew. Without, yeah. Getting into it, but, um. You did such a beautiful, just thank you so much for putting those words out there to, share with [00:47:00] us and to our listeners.

And I, I do think that this will really resonate with everybody listening and wanna learn more. So, yeah. Thank you so much.

Nadia: I hope so.

Krista: it makes me think of, you know, this like book that isn't really a book that you maybe will write in the future and

Nadia: Well, right now it's, it's like a little video on my, you know, I, I put everything into a highlight reel that's on my Instagram on El Salvador because I realize that, you know, you, I'm going through this so quickly. I know two weeks is kind of, seems like a long time, but you're going through it so quickly.

And I had so many highs and so many lows and so many moments where, you know, I, I actually did record a lot, that I didn't put out on Instagram. And looking back at some of the videos of just, me breaking down and me crying when this was, you know, supposed to be, and it was, it was a really beautiful reconnecting adventure.

But when you think about it, I'm [00:48:00] at NPH, I'm sitting on a swing. Um, you know, there was a meeting that I wasn't able to attend because I, I wasn't a voting party and the kids were in school and I'm just sitting on the swing and I'm under this beautiful tree, and I'm thinking to myself, how much did I miss?

Andrea: Mm.

Nadia: You know, as a kid, I could have been swinging on a swing like this, looking at palm trees and sitting with, my Bisabuela, my, my great-grandmother and learning from her. And you just, you know, you have these moments of these highs and these lows, and it's when I'm alone, when it was, when I was alone, um, that I would sit in the house and I would just talk to the camera and kind of take these diary moments because as much as I love this journey and, I'm embracing it for all it is, it is difficult and it's even more difficult when you don't speak the language. and you have those bigger [00:49:00] barriers and you feel kind of silly sometimes or like, oh, maybe this just isn't where I belong, but it's your family. My family really remind me all the time that I do belong. And I, and I am so loved. And it's the little moments of like cooking with my Tia and learning about the food and, and you know, her history and what it was like for her growing up there.

And it really kind of gives you a bit of closure. And I think that's where that groundedness comes from. Because I'm a traveler. I love to travel, but I've come back and there's this interesting energy I'm feeling right now where I'm like, okay, it's time to focus on work. It's time to focus on career, it's time to focus on maybe paying off some of my debt from traveling.

it's all these things and. Then I'll get back to like, you know, I'll always continue, um, with the reconnecting journey, but then I'll get back to traveling in a little bit and I feel like, okay, I am, I'm good. And I haven't felt like that in a very [00:50:00] long time. So it's just brought me so much peace to have gone back home and to be able to just leave a piece of me there as well.

So even just sharing in, in this moment is that reflective kind of work is just so, um, it's like a giant hug. So I thank you for bringing me on and listening. it really helps me as well, as we talk about it and we share, because I only can hope that this will help someone else as well to have that, you know, courage to, explore whatever it is that they're hesitant to do.

Andrea: Hmm. what a beautiful sendoff to everybody who, you know, a as we've kind of used some of the language to describe these conversations, we often come back to Catalyst, And Catalyst suggests that there's something that occurs or there is a moment [00:51:00] or a happening.

And then we talk about transformation, as perhaps the result of the catalyst shifting us into a new place. And the words that you've used, I just, feel so, deeply moved by as you use words like reconnecting. which, also in my mind's eye creates this almost circular, gesture or image where transformation and reconnection feel like they somehow become partners.

and then I think a little bit more about your first word that you used when, when you were sharing your new words, which was also such an amazingly insightful kind of, um, exercise. Not a test exercise,

Nadia: No. Yeah.

Andrea: when you, but when you said grounded. the experience that you described where you were lost for a moment, I metaphorically, [00:52:00] but, but not, um, because you were grounded in your home, where you belonged, which is why you ended up finding where you needed to be in that home, number 59. Um, and then the idea of, reconnecting to that grounded spirit, and to that feeling of being where we're meant to be, and not maybe feeling, um, as much judgment that we're not doing what we're supposed to be doing.

I think for me, that's such a big release, is this idea that perhaps I can. Let go a little bit of this constant niggle or judgment of not doing as much as I'm supposed to be doing. If I feel grounded, if I feel like I'm where I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be. Whether that be, you know, in a geographical location surrounded by community, or whether that [00:53:00] be in a mental location or spiritual location where I'm meant to be.

So I feel like you've offered so much in this experience that will be for so many people, this, like you said, a giant hug of you're exactly where you're meant to be. You're exactly where you're meant to be. And we all have now the ability to move forward. And it can be just that one step at a time. Like what now?

Or just do it. so, I really feel so deeply inspired by hearing your story and also recognizing that the story's not over because no stories are over. That's the other great part. They go on and on forever. That's the wonderful experience is that, Nadia's story will continue forever and likewise.

So will Krista's, so will Andreas, and so will all of our friends [00:54:00] out there in the world. So it's just a matter of, what kind of story we're setting up for, right? And what does that story look like? And then how does it impact others positively. Let's put that out there. Let's put it out there.

Krista: Thank you so much, Nadia. We really appreciate you coming back and sharing, sharing all of these thoughts and experiences.

Nadia: No, thank you for having me. And, you know, go disrupt, go, go do something. Make people laugh. Um, share a good story. And hugs. Lots of hugs.

Andrea: empathy, sharing stories. Right? Let's go do it. Let's go do it. I'm in.

Krista: I'm in.

Andrea: We're all

Nadia: All right.

Andrea: like one of those like things that you do where you put your hands in.

Nadia: Just like, yeah. High five.

Andrea: high fives.

Krista: Thank you, Nadia. We'll talk soon.

Nadia: Thanks.