When artist arrived in Vermont, she wanted to find friends who were also from Mexico.
In Vermont, that can be more challenging than other states. Just 2.3% of the state鈥檚 643,000 residents is Latino. But through some mutual friends and Facebook, Talamante met Elvira Tripp, a designer.
They went out for coffee and talked for hours. That was about 10 years ago, and they鈥檝e been friends since.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been each other鈥檚 support,鈥� Talamante said.
One day, they realized they both followed , a painter in Burlington, on Instagram. They鈥檇 also seen her page , a group that goes cold water dipping.
鈥淲hat if we go one day?鈥� Talamante asked. 鈥淚鈥檝e thought about it, too,鈥� Tripp replied.
When they went out on a dip with the Red Hot Chilly Dippers in 2021, with several other first-timers, the two women fell in love with it. They鈥檝e met new people and formed friendships along the way.
The cold water dips are also a way for both women to pause, recharge mentally, and connect not just with themselves, but with Vermont鈥檚 landscape.
When Tripp is in Lake Champlain, she said there鈥檚 a deep interior silence and presence of mind that comes when every part of her body is cold.
Afterwards, 鈥渕y day changes in an extraordinary way,鈥� Tripp said, adding she feels more perceptive and listens more carefully to others 鈥� and is less afraid.
鈥淭he cold water has helped me change perspective, ideas and beliefs,鈥� Talamante said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know why, but the cold water changes the view you have of certain things.鈥�
This is the sixth video in Conexi贸n: Rooted in New England's Outdoors, a video series this fall and winter from the New England News Collaborative.
Haz clic aqu铆 para leer y ver esta historia en espa帽ol.
A when chilly dipping, via our friends at Outside/In:
- Don鈥檛 go alone.
- As one cold water swimmer put it, 鈥淜eep your feet on the ground.鈥�
- Get yourself checked for any pre-existing conditions that might be triggered by a sudden change in blood pressure.
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