📜 Awakened Architect Foreword: The Architect’s Winter—
Reflections on Autonomy and the Art of Hibernation
Most people see travel as a perpetual summer—a chase for the next beach, the next sun-drenched terrace, the next high. But as an Awakened Architect, I know that growth doesn’t happen in the heat of the chase. It happens in hibernation.
Winter has always been my time for reflection and self-pampering. I call it "hibernating like the bears." It’s a period of deep contemplation and planning—not for "New Year’s Resolutions" (I don't do those), but for auditing the bridge between my past, my present, and the future I am designing.
Now that my kids are older and I’m a grandmother, I’ve reclaimed my holidays. They are non-traditional, nomadic, and deeply quiet. While the world is loud, I am inside, journaling and satisfying my love of learning and recharging. I also book massages, manicures and pedicures, facials and just lots of self-care to make up for the decades of grinding and building this life.
The Quality of Autonomy: Lessons from Crete (Kriti)
Before we get into the "Matrix glitches" (definition here) of the modern travel industry and digital nomading, I have to talk about the good. One of the most beautiful things I found in Greece wasn't a monument—it was a system of self-sustainability.
In Crete, they grow their own food. They have all the seasons—from snow to scorching heat—and they’ve mastered them. Coming from Puerto Rico, where our food and self-sustainability was stripped away and replaced by GMOs and canned goods, seeing the Cretan model was emotional for me. They have what my people learned during Hurricane Maria: you cannot wait for a "rescue" that may never come. You have to become sustainable. Side note: It saddens me how deeply programmed my people are in the island trusting in their oppressors but that’s a story for another day.
The Architect’s Pantry:
The Dairy: I’ve moved my son (and myself) onto goat and sheep yogurt. It’s award-winning, packed with protein, and so much healthier than cow’s dairy.
The Staples: Thyme honey from the island, Graviera cheese paired with fresh pears, and Tirokafteri (spicy feta). Pair it with olive paste. Olive oil is at the top of best olive oil I’ve ever had in my life.
The Quality: In Greece, you learn the culture through the palate. It’s bold, it’s salty, and it’s real.
Designing Time: Why I Choose Apps over Errands
People ask how I manage a global business ecosystem while moving through islands, cities and towns. The answer is simple: I refuse to waste my "Goddess time" on things an intelligent system of convenience can do for me.
It’s not often that I go to a traditional grocery store for over a decade now unless I absolutely have to (I prefer smaller health markets anyway- I love to support moms and pops because they are the heart of any economy, not large corporations nor franchises). I work my a$$ off so that I can buy back my time. The hour spent wandering aisles is an hour I could spend on a $1M strategy or a walk through Athens ruins or recharging under the sun in a green area or at the beach. Time is our biggest asset and like money, we must work to eliminate waste.
My Workflow:
My middle name is efficiency. I always use what’s available to save time and money- the two most important resources we have at our disposal. I use tools like Wolt or eFood (in Europe) to automate my life. In Busan I used Shuttle, the only foreigner-friendly app available for restaurant food- no groceries :(You need a Korean phone number to access the most popular Korean apps). I go to my previous orders, hit "Add to Cart," and my staples are at my door. In every city I live in, I find my staples and I automate them. This is how I stay focused on the "Command Center" of my business while still eating like a local queen.
I am not here to show you a travel guide (although I will share my favorites of traveling). I am here to show you how I built a life where I am the Lead Architect. The winter is for planning. The spring is for building.
Ready to see how deep the rabbit hole goes? Let’s jump into Part 1.
I am sharing the good, the bad and the ugly of this lifestyle and the lessons I learn along the way while observing the human condition all over the world. The good is all the beautiful experiences now embedded in my memories, the beautiful and interesting people I’ve met and the beautiful places I’ve been to. But this is a universe built on polarity and with every positive comes a negative. It’s just part of the game we call LIFE. I don’t like pretense and I look for every opportunity to learn a lesson so sharing all sides is important to me to feel like I’m being authentic and so people who don’t travel or who have not traveled the way or the places I have, contemplate these topics. It benefits our collective.
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