SITE WEEK!

This week (WENESDAY!) we find out where we’ll be spending the next two years stomping out stupidity in the Nica public school system.  To keep myself from getting too excited about the prospects, here’s what I’ve been up to.

Getting healthier?  My last post talked about the constant bickering between my stomach and the food I put in it.  All tests came back negative which is good, but explains nothing.  So I’m going on this digestion medication in hopes of forcing my GI to play nice with the rest of me.  Upside, between my trips to the latrine, I got to do a lot of reading.  As my close followers would know, this is not a small feat.  Generally I only read when I have free time, am bored, already blogged, cleaned my room, and elected for an unnecessary root cannel sans novocain.  The book I read is entitled Confessions of an Economic Hit Man.  Couldn’t put it down, I read it in less than three days.  I always wondered whether the billions of dollars of foreign aid for economic development actually reach the people who need it.  It is a must read if you’ve ever had questions or been frustrated about US foreign policy and the role we play in the world.  Shameless plug over.

Hiking active volcanoes and schmoozing a millionaire.  Saturday we “hiked” (it’s in quotes because a bus took us practically to the top) Volcan Masaya.  We got to look into the expansive creator spewing massive clouds of sulfur gas.  Very cool.  On our walk back we ran into a Nica who asked us where we were from (yes 20 gringos stick out sorely).  He stuck out too due to the Abercrombie he was wearing and the Mercedes SUV he was driving.  We started talking and found out that he is a BIGTIME international lawyer born in Nica.  And by BIGTIME I mean he owns FIVE houses (four in Nica and one in a ritzy suburb of Los Angeles I’d never heard of) and is currently the head of a class action lawsuit against Dole and Shell for ONE BILLION USD.  Someone please google Walter Gutierrez and make sure he wasn’t playing us.  Either way, we stopped by his mansion and he said he was willing to let us stay on any of his properties for free and is interested in helping in any way he can.  Baller.

Another shout out.  Thanks to Michelle for mailing me an AWESOME package.  Beyond generous of you.  Or maybe the rest of you readers are stingy.  Just remember, I’m probably coming home for xmas and will be bringing expensive rum, cigars, and handmade crafts…

Si Dios quiere,

Pedro