It's been five months since I left Jaguar Creek, and I'm just now getting around to creating a new lj identity. From here on out, you can find me at hoorayiwake. Philosophically speaking, this would have been a cleansing thing if I had done it earlier -- purging myself of trappings of an identity that no longer hold true. But this late in the game it's just cleaning house. This will be my last posting from this account, so please adjust your friends pages or bookmarks accordingly.

See y'all on the flip side!

The turning of the year is always bittersweet. I mean, getting through the previous year was an accomplishment... by the time you reach December, it's proof that you've covered some ground, moved somewhere, passed some time. And then - poof! - you're back to square one with not so much as a second glance and another string of months staring you in the face.

But it's onward and upward. Happy new year, y'all.

Happy Solstice, everyone! (two days ago)

So now it's winter. Right. Here's today's forecast:

high: 90
low: 68
a few showers in the north
highs dropping to 86 by Monday

Earth Ministry just announced that they are hiring a new Program and Outreach Director. For any of you in the Seattle area, it would be a very cool job for a very cool organization.

I've posted the info under the cut below, or you can find it at www.earthministry.org.

( Here's the scoop )

Sheesh. I left the States two weeks ago and haven't even had the manners to let you know that Manolo and I arrived safely back in Belize. We stayed with friends in Mexico for a couple of days, in the meantime taking in a small eco-tourism conference (which forced me to expand my slowly-improving yet still meager Spanish). The conference was organized by one of the friends we were staying with, and was hosted at the botanical gardens where she works. It's a beautiful site -- primarily natural areas, with pockets of cultivated gardens according to type (orchids, succulents, mangroves, etc). The hurricane damage from a year ago was still very evident, and I would have liked to see it beforehand for comparison. Lots of their high canopy was lost, which is dramatically changing the understory (or so it seems to my foreign eye).

We dove back into Monkey Bay, unpacking the deluge of stuff we carried with us, and now are neck-deep again. Tourism is picking up this week, and by the end of Christmas week we'll be swimming in student groups. January will be nuts.

But before then, we've got plenty of work to do, and a little time to excape to the cayes on the side. It feels good to be back!

Jubilee International Marketplace:

Friday November 10, 10a - 8p
Saturday November 11, 9a - 4p

First Presbyterian Church, 318 S. Cedar in Spokane

BE THERE. If I can make it, so can you.

So.

Another trip home is in the works. (I know -- I think this sets some kind of record!) And the best news is that Manolo will be coming with me! So, all of you folks who are eager to meet the fella I've been talking about will finally have your chance. It looks like we'll be coming in on the 7th of November and leaving on the 29th, so we'll be around through the Thanksgiving holiday. Let me know if you plan to be in town!

ps - the new userpic is my contentedly muddy feet after being reunited with my Chacos after a long and sorrowful separation. I am not a brand-loyal girl, but dang, I missed my loyal shoes.

Two not-so-great things happened this weekend:

1. My camera was stolen. Or rather, I noticed it was gone a little while ago, and I finally searched everything so thoroughly that I know I didn't just misplace it. And since I was careless in leaving it lying around, I can't really point any fingers.

2. It seems that American coke is taking over the pure-bred Latin coca-cola. Those of you who have tasted the difference know that there is absolutely no comparison. But the American (ie. corn syrup-sweetened) variety has been creeping into the glass bottles, which until now have been the sole territory of the real (cane sugar) variety. So there's no way to tell the difference until you've paid and tasted -- and then it's just disgustingness. harumph.

**UPDATE: I've opened my own PO Box, so there shouldn't be any more switching regardless of where I'm living. Please use the following to reach me:

PO Box 433
Belmopan, BELIZE
Central America

Here, at last, are a miscellany of photos from the last few months. For a few specific things (Pepino's debut, snakes eating each other, the January flood etc), scroll down to previous entries. Unfortunately, I haven't uploaded the perfect wedding photo yet, but I'll get to that one in time. :)

Also, for a few shots of Annika's first week, go to http://www.frankhauser.com/annika_photos.htm.

For all the rest... ( Read more... )