Rik Leaf's Blog, page 12

Xenotes, Mexico!

If you ever Goggle “what activities should I do in Cancun?” I sure hope the ol’ Goog tells you to take the Xenotes tour, cause it’s amazeballs! I’m giving the Xenotes Maya Tour Package the ol’ Four Homeless Millionaires Amazeballs rating!

Monday morning, I had dental surgery. That kind of sucked. Monday afternoon I basically laid in bed in my hotel room moaning and bleeding from the gums. That really sucked. The absolute last thing I wanted to do Tuesday was lie around my hotel room for another day.

So I signed up for the Xenotes tour. $119.00 for the day. Everything included. It’s big business tourism which I usually avoid, but in this situation, absolutely didn’t mind.

There are over 200 known Xenotes in this region. This company takes tours through four separate locations in one day. The order for any particular tour is chosen at random to ensure there aren’t too many people at one Xenote at a time.

We started with snorkeling. Then we kayaked. Our second Xenote was a zip line, and we were encouraged to do the run more than once. Our guide also offered anyone in our group the opportunity to jump from the cliff ledge. Interestingly enough, it was the oldest members of our group that all bailed first. 

Our third location included rappelling down into electric blue water. VIDEO HERE Our fourth Xenote had another zip line, and another cliff jump with a swim down an awesome channel. At many stops there was coffee, pop, water, snacks and at lunch there was beer, wine, some amazing soup and a lot of great fixings to create your own sandwich.

It kind felt like an episode of Survivor. No one gave their names. We just referred to each other as, ‘New York & Denver’ or ‘The Orgeons’ and ‘Texans’ I was traveling alone, and while there were many times I wished the other 3 Homeless Millionaires were there with me… the vibe and energy of the group and our guide, made it 100% enjoyable and not at all lonely to do solo.

The company includes a photographer for the day, who takes photos at every location and offers each group/family/couple their own collection for $80.00 It was a super low key sell. No pressure to buy, but if you were interested all the photos were available at the end of the day and given to you on a stick drive. Super easy and convenient. I thought it was great value. 

Check it out. And if possible, ask to be on Carlos bus. He has a few extras to make the day even better!

Rik Leaf is a world traveler, slam poet, songwriter, storyteller and author ofFour Homeless Millionaires – How One Family Found Riches By Leaving Everything Behind.

 

 

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Write Your Story

I’m in Mexico. Why? Because of stupidity, hockey and out of control Canadian dentists that’s why.

Telling this story is like crossing the street outside my hotel. It’s madness! Ducking, bobbing and weaving in and out, horns blaring, barely avoiding being blindsided, creamed and bowled over…even when I successfully Frogger (remember that game?) my way across, I’m left out of breath with a pounding heart uttering some truly noteworthy profanity.

Oh my god Rik, that sounds AB-SOLUTE-LY horrific. (that last sentence sounds best with a heavy British accent) What heinous turn of events could have brought you to such a mad intersection in life?

Bloody glad you asked, dear reader. It was hockey…hockey brought me to this Mexican crossroads. Like many young Canadian hockey playing lads…I discarded my amateurish facemask as soon as I turned 18 years of age so I could look and feel like my heroes on the TV. Having done one of the stupidest things I could, I promptly took a puck in the mouth that knocked out a bunch of my teeth. Now 25 years later one of the posts came loose. I wandered into a dentist office in Victoria and was stunned to discover I’d need a bone graft and implant. Equally shocking was the price tag…$4-5,000.00 to repair one frigging tooth!

But hockey and raw Canadian stupidity alone didn’t bring me to Mexico. Canadian dentists gone wild charging staggering sums of money also played a part. And while Girls Gone Wild plays to a certain indiscriminate demographic, Dentists Gone Wild is just psychotic. Even with flights, hotels and meals factored in, I’m still coming in at ½ price to get the work done in Mexico.

What I’ve discovered over the years is life is never just one thing. Hockey + stupidity + mad dentists…they’re all moving parts in this little indie docu-drama.

Now I have to confess that out-of-control Canadian dentistry isn’t the point of this story. We write our own stories and then tell them to ourselves and to others, and sometimes, we end up believing all kinds of fiction and fantasy are fact. My youthful stupidity might have got this ball rolling, but it’s my ability as an adult to adapt and consider previously unknown solutions that brought the game to Mexico. We don’t really know what we’re capable of until we’re forced to sink or swim.

So today after a long and bloody two hour procedure I staggered out into the hot sun and started the trek back to my hotel. Of course I had to stop off at a pharmacy along the way with prescriptions in hand, and awkwardly hurdle the language barrier with my frozen tongue and mouthful of gauze.

 

ANYWAY…tonight I looked out my window and saw the ocean. And I wanted to walk there. It looked fairly straightforward. If I could just bob and weave my way through the insane traffic circle outside the hotel, make it to the line of taxis located at 3:00.  and continue on to the road I saw at 12:00…it seemed to lead directly to the water.

When I reached the water I found myself surrounded by Mexican families. All around me were people enjoying the invaluable pleasure of being with those they love. Across the harbour, lining the horizon was the spectacle of Cancun tourism…where I envision mad throngs of Canadian dentists roaming from the Hard Rock to the Hilton doling out the largesse of their fat stacks.

I sat down I wrote in the sand…

Here at the end of a road. In a land not my own. I found my way. It is my story.

Rik Leaf is a world traveler, slam poet, songwriter, storyteller and author of Four Homeless Millionaires – How One Family Found Riches By Leaving Everything Behind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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World Travel With Kids

How To Travel The World With Kids

So you want to travel the world with your kids? Well first of all I want to say…you’re not crazy! My wife and I spent just over a year touring the world with our two kids, who were 13 and 9 at the time. We never regretted it for a second.

There were thousands of things we loved about the experience, not the least was the fact that we were all together for every amazing adventure. Like many parents, Zara and I both work. Usually one of us would take the kids on an outing while the other was working. When we’d all sit down for supper, the three would share their story with the one who missed it. But for one whole year, we shared every moment. We were all there for every sunset, picnic and mountain climb. We created a memory that we’ll share for the rest of our lives.

I think lots of people use kids as an excuse for not taking risks and pursuing their dreams. We found our kids were every bit as resilient and adaptable as we were. As long as they felt safe and secure in their physical and emotional connection to us, they were able to adapt to any cross-cultural environment without a problem.

We spent the first three months driving from coast to coast in Canada. Starting in Winnipeg, Manitoba, we made our way west to Vancouver Island, (VIDEO) before eventually making our way 6000 kms east out to Prince Edward Island. (VIDEO)

We learned a lot in those first three months, starting with how much stuff we could live without. We’d sold our house and given away a lot, but even still, our mini van was packed to the roof with stuff we discovered we never needed or used. So in those first three months we downsized from a house to a mini van to a backpack. 

It was liberation. It was freeing. I remember feeling ecstatic with the absence of junk mail and junk drawers! A freedom that lasted until we settled down again…damn you clutter!

We learned it will never be the perfect time. You will never have enough money or time and you won’t possibly be able to plan everything out so there is no risk. Accept that, and you’re already taken the first step.

When things go wrong, and trust me…they will. Give yourself permission to sit down on the side of the road and laugh (or cry) depending on what you need in that moment. And when you’ve worked through your emotional issues, open your eyes and realize that you will get through it if you stick together. Those moments are the stories you tell the most when you get back home! Life is an adventure…share it with your kids!

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Travel With Kids

How To Travel The World With Kids-

So you want to travel the world with your kids? Well first of all I want to say…you’re not crazy! My wife and I spent just over a year touring the world with our two kids, who were 13 and 9 at the time. We never regretted it for a second.

There were thousands of things we loved about the experience, not the least was the fact that we were all together for every amazing adventure. Like many parents, Zara and I both work. Usually one of us would take the kids on an outing while the other was working. When we’d all sit down for supper, the three would share their story with the one who missed it. But for one whole year, we shared every moment. We were all there for every sunset, picnic and mountain climb. We created a memory that we’ll share for the rest of our lives.

I think lots of people use kids as an excuse for not taking risks and pursuing their dreams. We found our kids were every bit as resilient and adaptable as we were. As long as they felt safe and secure in their physical and emotional connection to us, they were able to adapt to any cross-cultural environment without a problem.

We spent the first three months driving from coast to coast in Canada. Starting in Winnipeg, Manitoba, we made our way west to Vancouver Island, (VIDEO) before eventually making our way 6000 kms east out to Prince Edward Island. (VIDEO)

We learned a lot in those first three months, starting with how much stuff we could live without. We’d sold our house and given away a lot, but even still, our mini van was packed to the roof with stuff we discovered we never needed or used. So in those first three months we downsized from a house to a mini van to a backpack. 

It was liberation. It was freeing. I remember feeling ecstatic with the absence of junk mail and junk drawers! A freedom that lasted until we settled down again…damn you clutter!

We learned it will never be the perfect time. You will never have enough money or time and you won’t possibly be able to plan everything out so there is no risk. Accept that, and you’re already taken the first step.

When things go wrong, and trust me…they will. Give yourself permission to sit down on the side of the road and laugh (or cry) depending on what you need in that moment. And when you’ve worked through your emotional issues, open your eyes and realize that you will get through it if you stick together. Those moments are the stories you tell the most when you get back home! Life is an adventure…share it with your kids!

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Family Travel Adventures

Four Homeless Millionaires – How One Family Found Riches By Leaving Everything Behind

It’s a brand new day for the greatest story I’ve ever told. Four Homeless Millionaires has a new cover and a freshly edited copy for the second edition release coming out April 2015.

It’s all the family travel adventures, humour and shenanigans told in a ‘slightly’ less vulgar way. (but let’s be honest…I’m no Mr. Rogers)

Join us for an odyssey of adventure as we,

Film family horror movies in Canada – “Military conspiracy, genetic modification and a media cover up…not only did we all feel like we’d spent a great afternoon together, we congratulated ourselves for making an important work of art with a serious social commentary.” CLICK HERE

Avoid Wild Boars Hawaii – “To my untrained eye the path seemed as if it could have been made by wild Hawaiian boars with man-eating mandibles and surly dispositions. Miraculously we emerged from the jungle without incident. I can only assume the enraged boars were afraid of breaking a fragile truce on sacred land.”

Alone in the Australian Outback  “Now this was awkward. I only know one Buck’s party and seven Malaysian beers worth of Kevin, which was barely enough to build travel plans on. But to show up at this daughter’s house, whom we’d never met, that felt weird. But…and this was really the most important thing, we were in the Outback in Australia and hardly in a position to worry about feeling guilty.” CLICK HERE

Hip-Thrusting in Malaysia – “In front of the two female Malaysian performers in short pants, a middling group of tourists were besmirching the good name of dancing with perverse forms of hip thrusting and ass-waggery. Thankfully, the wine, the stars and the rhythmic roll of the waves were not adversely affected for all the shenanigans and we eventually managed to find our perfect moment in spite of our fellow man.”

Oscillating Ass Cheeks – “Being passed on a bike by someone else on a bike, especially on a hill, is just embarrassing. You’re usually both going so slowly that it seems to take forever. And the one being passed is forced to suffer the additional humiliation of staring straight into the oscillating ass of the passer, as his butt cheeks wiggle insultingly.”

Lesson Learned! – I remind myself to never underestimate the seductive power of the slightly effeminate, clearly enunciated vocal styling of the sexually ambiguous male.

It was my wife Zara and I, our son Zion and our daughter Riel – together we’re Four

We sold our house to fund the trip…so officially we were Homeless

We felt like the richest people in the world having the time of our lives…like Millionaires

To discover How One Family Found Riches By Leaving Everything Behind Watch the Book Trailer HERE

Visit PROMONTORY PRESS HERE to order a copy. Enter – SpringPreOrder – when asked for a promo code during check out and receive 20% off!

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Script to Shelf E01

Script to Shelf is a podcast where I’m sharing my journey of writing and publishing Four Homeless Millionaires – How One Family Found Riches By Leaving Everything Behind.

Telling a story is a story in itself. You’ve got to figure out where you want to go and how you plan to get there. And the first step in any journey, is just getting out the door. In my case I wanted to tell the story of our family selling our house and spending a year traveling around the world.

I knew the story was going to be equal parts adventure, travel and family. I also knew the tone or vibe I was going for. I’m a huge fan of David Sedaris and Chuck Klosterman, both authors make me laugh out loud when I read their work, and I wanted to write a book that would do the same.

I’ve been a recording artist and producer for 20 years. So while Four Homeless Millionaires is the first book I’ve written, I’ve spent decades writing and telling stories through songs, CDs and live on stage in concert. The one constant element through all the different artistic mediums is the incredible amount of determination and dedication a storyteller has to have to tell their story their way.

So if you’re an author, writer or someone who is interested in the story behind the story, check out E01 and leave your comments below!

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Writing an Anthem!

When I spend time in schools, I want to create environments where students (and teachers!) can explore their creative gifts and abilities. We all need a safe place to take creative risks and try something for the first time. So that’s my first job…to create that safe space.

The songwriting workshops are great for this, especially when I’m working with younger classes where some students have trouble spelling or writing.

I use the whiteboard at the front of class to centre our focus as we create a pool of ideas we can use for inspiration. It’s always easiest to write about what you know, so I ask the class questions about who they are, their interests, their age, activities, likes, dislikes, etc.

This generates excitement right out of the gate. They are able to talk about themselves, which is something most of us are comfortable doing. They start to see similarities and differences with others in their class. As I’m writing their ideas down, I celebrate all the information…so being different or liking different things is encouraged, because it’s not a competition. It’s a celebration of who the class is together.

Last week I was working with a Grade 1-2 split. I was prepped before I started that there had been some bullying going on in the class. The teacher was really hoping the experience would encourage the kids to be kind to each other. She had shown them a video of a song I’d written with kids at another school in advance…and they were pumped.

When I walked into the room a little boy at the back of class burst out, “oh Rik Leaf, we’ve been waiting so long for you to come. We are so excited you are here!”

An absolutely amazing song emerged as we worked together. They identified the different clans they were from. I encouraged them to put their hand up when we sang the name of their clan. This let them be proud of who they are, while identifying with others from the same clan. It also helped visualize that the class was made up of a number of different clans, but that together we’re better. The chorus became the positive reinforcement that the teacher was looking for.

When I spend a week in a school, it allows me the opportunity to work with each class Monday – Thursday in preparation for a school assembly with all the students, staff and families on Friday afternoon. When this Grade 1-2 class got up in front of the school to perform, the song suddenly took on a broader context and felt like a school anthem. The assembly ended with a round dance in the gym that included everyone in attendance.

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The Creative Process

The Creative Process of A Multi Disciplinary Artist

Someone once told me “a storyteller trusts his audience, a preacher doesn’t…be a storyteller.” That perspective had a profound effect on my creative process. It helped me recognize I’m a Storyteller who happens to speak a number of different creative ‘languages.’ Songwriting, producing, performing, TV, short films, slam poetry, as an author and event manager. Each is a different language that lets me tell stories in different ways, but the bottom line is always about telling a great story in the best possible way.

Give a general sense of your creative process

Everything is instinctive and intuitive, and involves trusting myself and trusting the creative process. Cause sometimes the final product isn’t the point, or even the return on the time and energy I’ve invested. Sometimes what I discover and experience through the creative process is the real value. Understanding that takes the pressure off and allows me to enjoy the journey of discovery. Writing my first slam poem about Canadian history for example. It would have been cumbersome and clunky as a song, but as a slam piece…anger and frustration and sarcasm worked seamlessly. It was the right ‘language’ to tell the story of our National Dream.

Specifically about spoken/slam poetry 

A few years ago my dad passed away suddenly, and I found myself back in my parent’s small town planning the funeral with my brother and sister. My brother was going to do the eulogy, my sister was going to play all my dad’s favourite music on piano and they looked at me and asked what I wanted to do. I had no idea. Until I started walking around the property, sifting through the memories. I just started writing things down, and unconsciously found myself writing a slam piece. The process of writing, editing and memorizing the piece was therapy. Performing, Superman’s Dead, was my contribution to the funeral. And I was very thankful I had that creative language for that moment.

Is there a specific approach to all of it?

For me, each language involves a different mindset. Actually I think it’s bigger than that. It includes mind, body, soul…all these elements flow together in a stream of conscious imagination. If you let yourself go, the process always leads you and lets you see yourself and the world in a way you’ve never seen before. At that point it is always obvious to me what language will be the best to describe that experience. Sometimes I need words…and lots of them. Sometimes words get in the way, and I need music and end up writing an Instrumental Soundscape.

Is it magical with glitter floating in the air? Or do you go on a mad genius rampage?

Sometimes there is! The first time I ever saw a slam poet, my band, Tribe of One, was about to perform at a big festival. Right before we took to the stage, a slam team performed and one poet in particular blew me away. It felt electric, and I started to almost shake with excitement and adrenalin. His words swept me off my feet and transported me into his story. I didn’t even know if I was capable of doing slam poetry, but I knew I had to try. When I got home that night I immediately sat down, and my first slam flew out the end of my pen as fast as I could write. I still perform that piece today.

You obviously believe we’re all in touch with our own creative abilities if you’re constantly inviting people into that creative space….

For me creativity is a gift that connects me to Creation and the Creator…which of course is a very indigenous perspective that guides my practice and understanding. For example, in Tribe of One, I am the principal songwriter and lead singer. I’m the one who writes new songs for the set.

Marie-Josee is my musical collaborator. She is a multi instrumental Francophone Metis artist who takes my songs and adds and arranges different elements. She doesn’t want to write the songs, cause her artistic language is developing, arranging, and adding a level of complexity and depth.

Buffy Handel is the principal dancer. She’s Anishinaabe and grew up on the pow wow trail as a young girl. Over the years she trained in modern, hip-hop and capoeira. She doesn’t want to write the songs or arrange them …she wants space to dance and use physical movement to interpret the song, because that’s her language.

Tina Newlove is our performance painter who transforms a blank canvas to a finished painting through the concert.

Together we’re able to tell a story in a way none of us could on our own. Tribe of One provides us a place to bring our different cultures, backgrounds and experiences together in a creative way unlike anything any of us experience in any other part of our lives. The process allows each of us to see ourselves, each other and the world, in a different way. 

It’s why I love inviting people into my creative process and sharing the journey of discovery.

 

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Creativity in Schools

The ability to tap into the unique gifts, talents and abilities each of us have has never been more important. Finding opportunities to channel that creative energy into team building projects that highlight the opportunities that come from working with people who are different from us is key. And not always easy to come by.

I’ve just spent a week in a school with just under 200 students, writing original songs, slam poetry and 10 films. This video is a collection of rehearsals and production moments leading up to the official movie screening, Poetry Slam and song performances.

Kids are excited and engaged. They are working through nerves and fears and the wild thrill that comes from doing something you’ve never done before. They are encouraging one another. Cheering, clapping and snapping for their peers. It’s intoxicating. And honestly…it’s a breath of fresh air from the apathetic and distracted adult audiences I often find myself performing for.

My work in the cultural industry has changed so much it’s almost hard to believe I’m doing what I’ve always done. Which is tap into my own inner creative core, and share that with others. A week like this is a great example of why it’s so important to face your fear of the unknown and try something new.

Don’t sit back and play it safe. Life is a journey of adventure we are meant to discover and enjoy!

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PKOLS

PKOLS is a mountain located in Lekwungen, the traditional territory of the Songhees and Esquimalt people. It’s a region I have had the privilege of being a guest for the last four years.

I hike the trails of PKOLS often, and on one particular day I kept hearing singing. As if a huge pow wow drum group were singing a few feet off the trail. I kept pulling out my phone and recording what I was hearing. When I got home, I listened to the different parts and realized they were all parts of the same song.

Creativity and culture have always been the foundation of my experiences with Tribe of One. Going into the studio to record PKOLS, provided the perfect opportunity to invite some drummers from Standing Nation to join me. Standing Nation is the pow wow drum group based out of the First People’s House at the University of Victoria that I’ve had the honour of drumming with since moving to the territory.

PKOLS is available as a free download HERE.

Rik Leaf is the principal songwriter for Tribe of One, an inter tribal collective of indigenous artists from around the world. 

 

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