It is a number I picked out in North Carolina so friends and family who aren't interested in downloading another program can keep in touch. There was a small- but completely worth it- price to pay.I have been doing yoga now for about 7 months. When it is possible I go twice a week. Marla- my yoga instructor at Yoga Twist& Things-is wonderful!!! I am addicted to class and have even started teaching basic lessons at the King's Children's Home. The kids and staff, I am excited to say, are becoming addicted as well.
Not that we are supposed to boast or anything, but last week I was able to do the 
"funky chicken" for the first time on one side. I partially got it on the other. I was so excited because I was able to actually stand up for the first time. Tonight I was able to stand stably on both sides. Check out this article to see how it is done. Oh yeah, no one else really calls it the funky chicken. They call it the bird of paradise. I think you will agree that my name is a little closer to what the pose or asana really looks like. This is as far as I got. To complete the pose you actually extend the leg up in the air. I think that will be a few more weeks or months down the road.
Tonight I was able to do the scissor pose on both sides! I have been able to do this with my legs to the right side for a while now. Tonight the right side was pretty stable. The left side was less stable, but at least I was up. Another student was able to do the pose for the first time tonight! It was so exciting to see how far we have come.
Pictures from the following websites:
http://cdn-write.demandstudios.com/upload//1000/800/10/4/1814.jpg
http://www.thesilentmind.com/GeneralInformation/Classes/tabid/72/Default.aspx
It's a little late and my mind is wondering. Actually, it has been wondering all day. The cup of coffee that got me moving after lunch has seemed to run out.
I was going to tell you my official COS (close of service) date is 13 months after the original one. (But then I got distracted and wrote another post.) That would mean September 20thish. I can leave 30 days on either side of the official date with out having to ET or extend.
Before that I was going to tell you about the June Bug invasion we are currently under. 
One was flying around my room and triggered my need to write. Maybe it is the same one that was sitting on my bookshelf. Maybe it crawled
in the hole above my backdoor the honey bees love to enter through. I haven't experienced this many June Bugs in the last few years. Maybe they weren't as bad. Maybe 
I didn't notice them while working in my house. Maybe
they just didn't like the beach. I have seen a lot of brown ones but none of the pretty iridescent green ones. Right now they are everywhere though. Hanging on walls, on the floor doing the backstroke, and for some odd reason, flying into my face. At least they don't bite like the fire ants do...
If you click on the June Bugs you can reach the sites I found them on. Thanks!
I recently went on a fabulous trip with good friends Jess and Brian from the States. We traveled from Ladyville, to Placencia, then Flores and Tikal Guatemala, through Cayo, on to Burrell Boom, and finished in Caye Caulker.
The morning we went to Tikal I knew I needed some serious caffeine to function. This was the second morning at the lovely Hotel La Casona de la Isla. I was feeling much more confident in my Spanish skills, they actually seemed to be returning. Coffee generally hurts my stomach, but an iced drink called a Frozen Choli from Moonclusters is a fabulous treat so I thought I should order iced coffee. As I groggily ordered my pancakes and iced coffee. I got a strange look from the waiter. My cafe con leche y helado y azúcar was met with a moment of silence and then an explanation that helado wasn't served at breakfast, but they did have cold milk. Mumbling something to the effect of "thanks" and "that sounds perfect" the waiter smiled and went away. The waiter returned with the coffee, milk, and pointed out the sugar on the table.
On the way back to the hotel at the end of our day I heard a song on the radio. There was something about helado. (I don't know if that is what they are actually singing, but that is what I hear...) So, I am sitting there in the van, I have been climbing over temples, exploring rooms royalty once inhabited, and flew threw the air on a zipline; not once, until that song came on, did I realize that I ordered coffee with milk and ice cream and sugar.
Hielo is ice, not helado.
By the way, helado is an ingredient in a Choli, so I bet it would have been great had the waiter brought the actual drink I ordered. I also bet that the waitstaff is still laughing about the crazy gringa wanting ice cream in her coffee.
Hi. I know it seems as though I might have dropped off the face of the Earth. Really, I just didn't have internet at home until recently.
I am still trying to figure out what is coming next. I have figured out that I am pretty good with logistics and I enjoy them. I would like to work with an organization that focuses on helping people without just giving stuff out. While I have understood that people appreciate something that is earned far more than what is given; this has really be reinforced over the last three years.
I was recently in a conversation about a $30 USD a month being given to some of the poorest families in a Central American country, this would be the equivalent of a lot more. The parents in the family had to attend parenting classes including health information. The children in the family had to stay in school. On the surface this seems like a no-brainer. There are people who would like to determine what the families do with the money. One of the "problems" is some of the families treated themselves to a fast food dinner with their earnings. Do you think that there should be additional stipulations on how the money is spent? -Or- Should the families be able to do what they choose to with the money?
Happy New Year!
I had a lovely New Year with friends here in Belize. We got dressed up, hung out a while, then we went out for a little while. It was fun.
Yesterday was fabulous. It was a holiday and I got to lounge around the house and do nothing. Today I passed my PC vehicle orientation. It had been more than half a lifetime that I have driven anything other than an automatic. I was a bit nervous at first but did really well. YEA!!!
Actually, the last couple of weeks has been pretty chill. Most of the people from the office have been on vacation. Chanda and I have spent a good bit of time avoiding the seemingly constant rain showers by working from home most days or at a secondary project. I have been trying to decide what my secondary project is going to be. In the States I had occasionally volunteered at a humane society and have contemplated that. I now have Carlos and occasionally think about getting another dog to keep him company. He really enjoyed having Molly to play with while Erin was in the States. Because I have been thinking about another pooch I have also decided that working at the humane society would be a bad idea... Instead I have done a little bit of work with the Kings Children's Home near by. It is kind of heartbreaking to have the little ones just walk up to you and put their arms up for you to pick them up. When you sit there with them it doesn't take long for another kid to come over in hopes for attention as well. Anyway. At the beginning of their holiday break from school Melissa L, Ashley V, and I went over for a crafts night at the home. Most of the kids were well behaved. I was amazed with the number of kids who were excellent artists. Several of the kids made things for me, but most of it ended up being hung up in the home.
It didn't feel much like Christmas this year though it did get a bit chilly. I got to call my family and talk to nearly everyone. Unfortunately the phone line was not clear and it kept cutting out on Christmas day. I am sure it probably had to due with the number of people calling from here. Anyway, I felt lucky to even have to opportunity to call. Instead of being with my real family I got to spend the holiday with my Peace Corps family. I attempted to make some family favorite dishes. While nothing quite turned out like Mom's or Meme's everyone thought it turned out well. We decided that the sides are actually the favorites so we didn't have a meat- green bean casserole, mac and cheese, fried apples, corn (out of a can unfortunately), banana pudding, sausage gravy, biscuits, and cinnamon rolls... The gravy and biscuits were brunch, cinnamon rolls for a late lunch with left overs. We ate or lounged for both Christmas Eve and Day!
Anyway, I need to catch up with some other stuff.
Happy New Year, may you be prosperous and happy!
