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rachelr's picture

Vacilando

Submitted by rachelr on Thu, 09/08/2011 - 5:34pm.

 

One of the most striking things that someone has said to me was in "The Story of Evolution and the Evolution of Story" when Paul talked to us about the word "vacilando." Surprisingly, UrbanDictionary's definition is almost identical to what Paul told us (same quotation and all). I love the idea, I love the journey being more inmortant than the destination. I think this is something Paul really lived by. In one of our last classes together he told us that he would never die- he will always be here with us, his ideas and the stories of his journey being more important than wherever he is now. I think about him teaching us about "vacilando" often. His physical presence is missed.

1. Vacilando
 
Vacilando is a Spanish term for the act of wandering when the experience of travel is more important than reaching the specific destination.

John Steinbeck (in Travels With Charley: In Search of America, 1962) wrote:

“ In Spanish there is a word for which I can't find a counterword in English. It is the verb vacilar, present participle vacilando. It does not mean vacillating at all. If one is vacilando, he is going somewhere, but does not greatly care whether or not he gets there, although he has direction.

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