tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42997611558874398472024-03-19T08:43:26.153-04:00The Red Menace AbroadThe Red Menace Abroadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13850033626548359516noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299761155887439847.post-3283152352589637922012-12-09T20:35:00.000-05:002012-12-09T20:35:07.494-05:00Happy Birthday!Just another weekend in Nicaragua, at a classmate's birthday party, complete with inflatable slide headed into the pool, another inflatable American Gladiator-style fighting ring, a professional DJ, and more food and drink tha you can shake a stick at...how am I supposed to resist the fresh-made-on-the-spot pupusas?! You can't, it's impossible.<br />
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No wonder people hang out at the parties their kids are invited to....it's a blast!!<br />
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The Red Menace Abroadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13850033626548359516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299761155887439847.post-48445162507651320592012-12-08T10:35:00.000-05:002012-12-08T10:35:47.033-05:00La PurisimaAt this time last year, we'd only been in Nicaragua about 5 weeks, so I was pretty much brain-dead when it came to participating in any Nica holidays. Not so this year! Thanks to a very good friend, the Mini-Menace and I were invited to celebrate <a href="http://vianica.com/go/specials/8-december-celebrations-nicaragua.html" target="_blank">La Purisima</a> with her family. Armed with a map and smartphone photos of key landmarks, we set off to meet up with Rosa in her mother's neighborhood. Driving to a new destination in Nicaragua is always a challenge for me, since I'm clueless and the <a href="http://vianica.com/nicaragua/practical-info/14-forward.html?id=14-addresses.html" target="_blank">address system</a> here is....well, really awful. I'm sorry, but there's just no way around it. No street names, and directions are based on landmarks that may or may not still exist? Nevertheless, Rosa knew exactly how to help the poor gringa driver, and we actually made it--in the dark!!--with no problems at all. <br />
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We walked around the neighborhood with Rosa and her family--her sons, assorted cousins, nieces, etc.--and stopped to sing a few songs at the altars to the Virgin Mary that various families had set up in front of their houses. <br />
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The occupants gave out all sorts of food, candies, sugar cane, chicha, nacatamales, plastic housewares...honestly, it was more than a single person could carry without a sturdy bag. No plastic grocery bag was cutting it--mine was bursting at the seams by the end of our route. <br />
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Whenever we'd arrive at a new house / altar, someone would call out "Quien causa tanta alegria?" and the rest of us would respond "La concepcion de Maria!". After we sang a few songs, Jorge (Rosa's 7 year old) would shout "Una iglesia sin Maria..." and we'd all shout back "No es iglesia todavia!". Basically, it means that a church without Mary still isn't a church. Take that, Jesus!!! <br />
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It was a pretty awesome night, especially because the neighborhood was small, very safe, and the kids could run around and play outside with no traffic, no random strangers on the street, etc. And I got to sit and watch the Mini-Menace wear his butt out and almost fall asleep in the car on the way home.<br />
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The Red Menace Abroadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13850033626548359516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299761155887439847.post-39484009990082583042012-09-14T15:20:00.000-04:002012-09-14T15:20:14.021-04:00Bonjour!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Although I arrived in Nicaragua at the end of October 2011, I'm still considered a summer cycle bidder, so earlier this summer, I found myself back in the throes of bidding mayhem, trying to find at least 30 posts (from a list of over 400) that would (1) work with my departure date, (2) not run afoul of time-in-training limitations, (3) let me learn another language and get some out-of-cone experience, (4) have good schools, and (5) be reasonably safe. It's a lot harder than it sounds. I was convinced that I'd be sent to Saudi Arabia, where the MM would be my male guardian, it would be illegal for me to drive, so I'd be without my beloved Jeep, and I'd pretty much have to rock an abaya because my tattoos would be illegal (not because tattoos are illegal but because my particular tattoos are of images that are illegal). My all-time dream post was on the list, but sadly, it didn't happen--but I'm actually OK with that since I would have been limited to a two-year posting. If I end up in this country at a later point in my career, it will be for a longer posting. See that? Silver lining.<br />
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So, what this all boils down to is that I'll be headed back to FSI for about 7-8 months of French classes before heading off to the country whose flag is pictured above in late August 2014. My family already knows where we're headed, but I'm going to make the rest of you figure it out for yourselves. I'm pretty excited as it satisfied all of my requirements and was actually #6 on my list. I'll also be reunited with a colleague from A-100, so that's just one more thing to look forward too. C'est magnifique, non?The Red Menace Abroadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13850033626548359516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299761155887439847.post-91411040014901646182012-09-14T15:05:00.000-04:002012-09-14T15:05:03.872-04:00Happy Independence Day!!One of the many things I love about living abroad is the fact that the Embassy observes U.S. federal holidays as well as host country holidays. Today is the commemoration of the Battle of San Jacinto, aka Nicaragua's <a href="http://vianica.com/go/specials/5-independence_Nicaragua.html" target="_blank">Independence Day</a>. We wrapped up our workday early yesterday in order to head to an Embassy-hosted party at Casa Grande, a gorgeous old house on the compound that used to be the Ambassador's residence a few decades ago. There was another caballo bayo, as well as <a href="http://www.nicatourism.com/2009/05/umm-umm-quesillo.html" target="_blank">quesillos</a>. The organizers also arranged for a dance troupe from one of the local high schools to come and present several traditional Nicaraguan dances. <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The view from the back side of Casa Grande.</span></div>
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The hill here is surprisingly steep, and it was just too tempting to resist...so the Mini-Menace and I launched ourselves rolling down the hill. (Don't worry, Mom--I made sure the Ambassador wasn't anywhere in sight.) It was so steep that we actually picked up speed on the way down and were <i>thisclose</i> to going completely out of control. I considered it a total victory when (1) I didn't vomit afterwards and (2) other kids--and a mom--followed our lead. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The back side of Casa Grande</span></div>
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This morning, since the Embassy and MM's school are closed, I <strike>dragged</strike> convinced the MM to go horseback riding. He was nervous, but did great---didn't complain at all and, even more shocking, admitted that our hour-long ride through the countryside near Diriomo was "maybe kind of fun". High praise from a 10 year old boy. He'd better watch out, though, because now that I know he "maybe kind of"enjoys it, his butt is getting back in the saddle. Hopefully, next time, he might actually LOOK like he's enjoying himself:</div>
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After the past week--which included an earthquake, a volcanic eruption, tsunami warnings, and the heartbreaking news from Libya, this was exactly what I needed.</div>
The Red Menace Abroadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13850033626548359516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299761155887439847.post-78761693904850772732012-09-01T13:30:00.000-04:002012-09-01T13:30:29.193-04:00A nice way to end the week...I'm not really sure how this happened, but about a month ago, I was given the responsibility of being the Ambassador's control officer for a visit she would be making to Leon, a city about 90 minutes from Managua. I say that I'm not sure how it happened, because I'm a consular-coned officer in a consular assignment, which means I spend most of my day interviewing Nicaraguans who are applying for non-immigrant visas and Americans who are renewing passports, applying for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, jail visits, etc. Coming into this job, I really did not expect to interact with the Ambassador any more than a "Good morning / afternoon, Madame Ambassador" if I saw her somewhere on the embassy compound. I really thought that the folks in Political had a lock on her time. Wrong!!! Ambassador Powers is really committed to giving entry-level officers (ELOs) opportunities to develop their careers and skills outside their cone, and it seems that includes all ELOs, not just the folks in POL. So, when I was given the task of pretty much setting up her schedule for the day, I was a little freaked out. I figured I'd be in for a long, stressful day, and while I was right in some respects (long day), it wasn't nearly as stressful as I had expected, and I learned a lot about the pre-planning and choreography that goes into getting an Ambassador from one place to the next while staying on schedule and being mindful of security. It's really a weird sensation to be part of an entourage, and I can't imagine getting used to it.<br />
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I'm also beyond impressed with the Ambassador's energy and her obvious desire to experience Nicaragua and get to know the Nicaraguan people, while at the same time reaching out to the American citizen community here. The day started early and was pretty much choreographed down to the minute. We visited the headquarters of the <a href="http://www.aidnicaragua.org/en/" target="_blank">American Nicaraguan Foundation</a>, which works with donors to provide educational, medicinal, and food supplies to some of the neediest communities in Nicaragua. We also visited a school that ANF supports--and this was BY FAR the highlight of the day. The kids had a program planned that included two traditional dances, and the presentation of some Nica handicrafts and flowers.<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">El Viejo and La Vieja: a traditional dance where old man chases his old wife around trying to get some sugar. Another explanation is that he's trying to get sugar from the ladies in the audience and his wife starts chasing him around. Pretty funny when performed by 5 year olds.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">And by sugar, I don't mean sugar.</span></i></div>
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One of the school administrators asked if the Ambassador would have her picture taken with some of the children--and the whole school gathered around. It was definitely one of Lifetime network moments--I'm a pretty crabby old hag, really, and I thought I would cry from the sheer cuteness of it all:<br />
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Then it was off to lunch--but this was still a working event, in a way. The Ambassador likes to get to know the Peace Corps Volunteers who are in Nicaragua, so whenever she does visits like this, she invites the PCVs in the area to lunch, her treat. We had lunch with five young women with pretty amazing and diverse educational backgrounds, personal histories, etc., and learned a lot about what they are doing here....education, health, small business, agriculture, etc. After lunch, it was off to a Town Hall meeting for American citizens in the Leon area, followed by a visit to the home of family hosting / housing one of the PCVs from lunch. It was really a treat to see the Ambassador visiting an average Nicaraguan in her own home, and being completely at ease, as well as putting the host at ease. Then we went to visit one of the local organizations that the PCV works with, where, among other things, girls are learning to make crafts from recycled garbage to sell as souvenirs. Once again, I got to see the Ambassador engaged with a group of young girls who were obviously nervous, but excited to be meeting the Ambassador and telling her about their projects. I also learned--as the Ambassador told this group of girls while a group picture was being taken--that the secret to looking good in a picture is to say "diez y seiz, treinte y tres". According to the Ambassador, it's what Colombia beauty pageant contestants say during photo shoots--and it was the kind of story that made these girls giggle and smile, and showed them (and me) that the Ambassador is a regular person who can tell funny stories and make you laugh.<br />
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We finally made it back to Managua in the evening--thank god the Mini-Menace had been invited to play with a friend and go to a party after school, so even though I worked later than usual, I still beat him home. Now I'm planning on enjoying the three-day Labor Day weekend and rubbing it in to the Mini-Menace that he still has school on Monday. BWAH HA HA HA!!The Red Menace Abroadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13850033626548359516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299761155887439847.post-80801627793984246552012-08-10T18:42:00.000-04:002012-08-10T18:42:13.834-04:00La Fiesta de Santo DomingoThe 30 second summary of my summer: the Mini-Menace spent the summer in the US, the first month with his father and paternal grandparents, the second month with my family, and then a few days in DC to visit his buddies, winging in back to Managua just in time for the start of 5th grade. He had a blast: road trip with Grandpa, visits to Amish country, baseball games, water parks, and generally all the things a 10 yr old boy loves. Me, I had a busy, but surprisingly sedate summer: working crazy hours at the Embassy on the 4th of July event--where I was the control officer for the Nicaraguan VP--, organizing a Town Hall in Managua a few days later, accompanying the Ambassador to a few meetings, traveling with her to Bluefields for <i>another</i> Town Hall, and generally keeping myself busy visiting Americans in jail. I did manage to go horseback riding a few times: about 30 minutes away, there's a <a href="http://farmstaysnicaragua.com/" target="_blank">farm owned by some expats</a>, and for $50 / month, you can show up whenever you want, as often as you want, and go riding for as long as you want. Finally, my 12 year old self's dream has come true: it's like owning a horse without having to do all the work.<br />
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Now the Mini-Menace is back, 5th grade is underway, and today, we got to experience one of the biggest events in the country: the feast of <a href="http://vianica.com/go/specials/27-fiestas-patronales-managua-santo-domingo.html" target="_blank">Santo Domingo de Guzman</a>. The celebrations started on August 1st, while we were still in the US, but we managed to make it back in time for the closing celebration on the 10th. One of my co-workers invited us to watch the parade from a cousin's house that is right on the parade route. We'd be behind the fence, not crushed by the crowd, and we could sit, eat, dance, and generally get our party on, Nica-style.<br />
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The parade--in which a roughly 6 inch statue of the saint is taken from one side of Managua back to his home church on our side of town--is akin to Mardi Gras, complete with bands, dancers, panhandlers, drag queens, and the like. People set up tables and chairs in their yards, and wait for the saint to pass by. There are people who walk the procession in gratitude or in supplication to the saint, asking for his intercession on their behalf, or giving thanks for prayers answered. Many people carry or wear their own altars and make their own walk ahead of the "official" saint's procession.<br />
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Other people coat themselves in used motor oil to darken their skin; there are different theories as to what they represent: <i>diablitos, </i>or little devils; the descendants of African slaves; or the indigenous Nicaraguans that populated the area when the saint was first found, who made a living by making charcoal (or something like that), hence the dark skin.<br />
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There were also quite a few people dressed as Indians; they walked the route, usually following a band. Houses along the route would pay the band and dancers--money or food--to perform for a little bit at their house. Our hosts did just that, so we were able to enjoy some great Nica music and dancing.<br />
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We watched the crowd, all dancing, drinking, partying and carrying on. These pictures really don't accurately capture the size of the crowd. Suffice it to say that I was very glad to be behind a fence, with a little more room to breathe.<br />
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Finally, Santo Domingo made his appearance, surrounded by flowers and carried on a massive wooden platform carried by what seemed like a sea of celebrants:<br />
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Our hosts also put on a traditional Nica spread, called <a href="http://enjoynicaragua.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=109:el-caballo-bayo&catid=35:gastronomia&Itemid=57&lang=en" target="_blank">caballo bayo</a>. It's like a buffet of traditional Nica meats, cheeses, salads, sauces, beans, and desserts. It was insanely delicious.<br />
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Now, I'm going to be in a food-induced coma on the couch for the rest of the day. Good times!!!!<br />
<br />The Red Menace Abroadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13850033626548359516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299761155887439847.post-21541170225509192092012-05-05T14:17:00.000-04:002012-05-05T14:17:01.846-04:00Street LegalSix months after I arrived, and 4 months after the car arrived, we're finally street legal! <div>
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I've been driving for 4 months, and have been pulled over by the transit police about 10 times, which is really on the low end, compared to some of the stories I've heard. Without diplomatic plates, the transit police will stand on the side of the road, wave you down, and proceed to tell you what infraction you've just allegedly committed. Amazingly enough, these infractions can be taken care of with an on-the-spot fine paid directly to the officer. How convenient. Ahem. Right. Luckily, with a diplomatic carnet and a letter from the embassy that explains why you're driving without Nica plates or registration, the police sigh and send you on your way. It doesn't stop you from getting pulled over in the first place, though, and having to go through the whole rigamarole. In fact, when my parents were visiting, they got to experience the transit police not once, but twice! Normally, if I got pulled over with my parents in the car, I'd been in for a ticket and a parental lecture for driving like a jackass. This was a breeze, though, and I think my dad secretly got a kick out of being able to vicariously play the diplomatic status card and drive off. Pretty funny after all the times I've heard him complain about diplomatic drivers in DC. Last weekend, I ran in to someone in GSO who told me that my plates had arrived and that I should swing by to pick them up on Monday. Naturally, on my way to work Monday morning, I got pulled over one last time, about a block from the embassy. No sweat...and as a sweet example of how we look out for each other here, there were two friends driving behind me, one from MILGRP and one from RSO; one pulled up alongside and asked if everything was OK, and the other texted the same thing 2 seconds later. </div>
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In other local drama, we've finally figured out why the dog would occasionally lose her shit in the yard at night. She doesn't pay attention to the guards, unless they're eating, in which case she's their new best friend, the dog next door doesn't bother her, and despite being on a fairly busy road, we really don't hear a lot of street noise. I was secretly hoping an iguana or monkey had taken up residence in my yard, but no, we couldn't get anything that pleasant. Instead, we got a <i>zorro</i>. In other words, a possum. And not just any possum, but a big, fat, ugly as sin, and pregnant possum. Technically, a post-partum possum...because yes, that faint squeaking noise wasn't coming from Momma P, but from the 8 million or so of these things that she'd just dropped:</div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Sorry, Gollum, we don't have your Precious.</span></div>
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Imagine, if you will, me creeping about my back yard about 8:30 at night, in the dark, in my pajamas, with a flashlight, broom, and dustpan, trying to collect the babies and keep Rosa (the dog) from killing Momma P. They really do play dead, which doesn't say much for Rosa's hunting instincts. Momma P dropped, closed her eyes, and even make that dead, rictus-smile, complete with lolling tongue. Rosa, who at one point had the zorro in her mouth, dropped it, gave a quizzical look, and trotted off. Momma P made a quick escape to the neighbors yard, sans the mini-zorros. All in all, we found 7, and gave them to the guard who, I'm sure, had been wondering what the hell I was doing. I am wilfully ignorant of what happened afterwards; don't ask, don't tell, indeed!</div>The Red Menace Abroadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13850033626548359516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299761155887439847.post-64703368560597909962012-04-27T21:42:00.000-04:002012-04-27T21:42:19.002-04:00Selva NegraSince my parents had survived ziplining, climbing up 177 stairs to peer into a sulfur-spouting volcanic crater, and spending a sweltering night in non-airconditioned cabin with a compost toilet, I decided to cut them some slack and take them to more hospitable environs. Off we went to <a href="http://www.selvanegra.com/" target="_blank">Selva Negra</a>, a nearly self-sustaining coffee finca, organic farm, and eco-lodge a few hours north of Managua, in Matagalpa. Matagalpa is at a higher elevation and is significantly cooler than anywhere else we'd been. Someone had recommended that we bring sweaters and, I admit, I scoffed. You have to understand, the guards at my house put on big puffy winter coats and ski caps if the night temperature approaches 70--so when a sweater was recommended, I wasn't buying it.<div>
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WRONG!!!!!</div>
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It was probably around 70 when we arrive, at noon. Unheard of!!! At night, I'd say that the temperature hovered in the low 60s and yes, I was glad that I'd brought a lightweight sweatshirt with me.</div>
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Selva Negra means "Black Forest" and the owners are descendants of German immigrants who settled in the area. There are a variety of lodging options to choose from; we went for a small brick cabin that had 2 bedrooms, a living room, a bathroom, and a small porch area with two rocking chairs.</div>
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The finca has its own restaurant, and virtually all of the food served in the restaurant is grown or (if animal) raised onsite. They even make their own cheese, and let me tell you, after going 6 months without Camembert, I could have cried with joy when I saw that wheel of cheese. This was the off-season, though, so we didn't see any coffee production in action, but we took a tour and drove all over the finca, saw the fields, saw the processing area / equipment, and learned a lot about coffee production. Apparently, the farm sells most of its beans to larger coffee producers, and keeps a small amount for itself, for the restaurant, etc. Although our guide did tell me that you can buy Selva Negra coffee in Whole Foods, but I have no idea if that's still true. I will say, though, that this was some of the best coffee I've ever had; good enough for me to drink black, and I'm the kind of gal that likes a little coffee with her milk. </div>
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The finca really takes the self-sustaining bit seriously; plant matter that is left after the beans are harvested and de-husked is used to feed the worms in the worm farm, and after the worms eat and the material passes through, the end product is used to fertilize the fields where the coffee, fruits, vegetables, etc. are grown. By the way, am I the only one who thinks its funny to describe worm shit as an "end product"? </div>
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Selva Negra is also very family-friendly; there were swingsets, rope swings hanging from trees, a tetherball pole, and a small playground scattered throughout the farm. I'm also not too ashamed to admit that I whipped the Mini-Menace at tetherball. So what if I have a significant height advantage. </div>
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There is also a beautiful stone chapel on the property, with simple benches and beautiful stained-glass windows. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">We met the owners' son-in-law at breakfast and he told us that the chapel had been built for their wedding.</span></div>
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The restaurant is set on the side of a small (and not deep) lagoon; we ate dinner and watched a guy balance himself in a small wooden boat and use a pitchfork to to pull something akin to seaweed out of the bottom of the lake. </div>
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And have I mentioned the howler monkeys? There are two bands of howler monkeys that live in the forest around our cabin, but alas, there was no repeat of the Monkey-in-My-Lap. Howler monkeys are loud, and sound pretty scary; it was like a really deep, baritone bark. No pictures, unfortunately, but my dad and I enjoyed our little hike; there are some great trails on the property.</div>
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Next time, I might plan ahead and take advantage of the stables and go horseback riding instead. And eat my body weight in Camembert, of course. </div>
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<br /></div>The Red Menace Abroadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13850033626548359516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299761155887439847.post-5827434554055450532012-04-22T10:46:00.000-04:002012-04-22T10:46:14.513-04:00Roughing ItThe most popular destination in Nicaragua is, I think, the beach. Any beach, in fact. San Juan del Sur is especially popular with the surfing community. I've heard that it's overrated, though, and depending on where you are, the beach is rocky, and full of litter. Friends who came to visit spent one day there before blowing town and heading to Corn Island instead. Other friends felt like they were in San Diego or some other US surf town...full of English-speaking surfer dudes (or as my friend Stefano likes to call them, "dreadlocks"). I suppose it all comes down to what you can put up with....if you want to have a really low-budget weekend at a hostel, you can't expect too much. Other friends rented a nice house and loved it.<br />
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At any rate, I knew I wanted to take the Parental Menaces to the beach while they were here. I hadn't been to the beach yet, but the Mini Menace had and loved it. My family are not really beach-going people--I think the last time I was at the beach was 2nd grade when we visited relatives in Florida--but since this vacation was all about new experiences, I thought I'd drag them along Hell, after ziplining, I figured they'd be pretty happy to sit around and relax. I'd heard great things about <a href="http://www.loscardones.com/site/index.htm" target="_blank">Los Cardones</a>, an eco-friendly surf lodge about 90 minutes from Managua, so off we went....<br />
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Los Cardones is definitely one of the most environmentally-conscious places I've seen in a country that has a terrible problem with litter. Honestly, there is trash EVERYWHERE and people think nothing of just throwing garbage out the bus window, etc. It's a shame, because the county has amazing natural resources and stunning beauty. So I thought we'd support a business that is trying to minimize it's negative impact on the environment. No electricity, solar power only, use well water, compost toilets, and the buildings use local materials and methods, and are designed to blend in to the surrounding vegetation. We stayed in a gorgeous wooden lodge on stilts, with a thatched roof, a spacious deck, bunk beds, and hammocks. Meals and drinks are included, and one thing that I really liked was that dinner--for the whole lodge--was served at the same time. Guests placed their orders earlier in the day, and at 7:00, we all showed up, had a few drinks, and sat down for dinner together....it was a great opportunity to meet the other guests. They also had several shelves of books, games, a basketball hope and--to the Mini-Menace's delight--a ping-pong table. We pretty much sat around, ate, drank, walked on the beach, went swimming, napped in hammocks, and played a lot of ping-pong.<br />
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You are roughing it, though, so at night, there are no fans, no electricity, just you, the sound of the waves, and if you're lucky, a breeze to cool things off. My parents were real troopers, though, and had a great attitude, despite the heat. <br />
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<br />The Red Menace Abroadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13850033626548359516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299761155887439847.post-24387438147718151232012-04-17T08:44:00.001-04:002012-04-17T08:44:56.357-04:00Close EncountersSo, on Day 2 of my parents' vacation, we again availed ourselves of the services of a guide and driver, mainly because I was too damn lazy to drive and explain what we were seeing. We had another busy day, hitting a pottery workshop:<br />
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My parents also deserve a TON of credit for letting me con them into ziplining. <br />
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They deserve even more credit for not killing me for posting VIDEO of them ziplining. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-picasa-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY9xbWG7heIkR1Cwc7eryNmBg_VUU6XpeDh1VvcTNX_FC1ncz5giQCW2k6okLf8xUQVf2cWQlnLRMVAzeEwNq92mvHB6krTFKUCPsOvhPYqYNfbknSYvZrPrJiCTbc96aU3awrwDOo3mk0/s1600/DSCN0156.MOV"><param name="movie" value="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?videoUrl=http://v5.nonxt3.googlevideo.com/videoplayback?id%3D2578c135b6dbd74e%26itag%3D5%26source%3Dpicasa%26ip%3D0.0.0.0%26ipbits%3D0%26expire%3D1334648166%26sparams%3Did,itag,source,ip,ipbits,expire%26signature%3DD686C7D699A9EE79662910EC8D3F0FE2BF61D561.4402B69D77DC860A03816708209B2C9EEB7033FC%26key%3Dlh1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?videoUrl=http://v5.nonxt3.googlevideo.com/videoplayback?id%3D2578c135b6dbd74e%26itag%3D5%26source%3Dpicasa%26ip%3D0.0.0.0%26ipbits%3D0%26expire%3D1334648166%26sparams%3Did,itag,source,ip,ipbits,expire%26signature%3DD686C7D699A9EE79662910EC8D3F0FE2BF61D561.4402B69D77DC860A03816708209B2C9EEB7033FC%26key%3Dlh1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div><br />
Although truth be told, my mom sounds like she's almost sort-of kinda enjoying this....or maybe that's just because this was the last line (of about 8 to 10...I stopped counting after I the upside-down Spiderman thing. I was pretty much just thankful to be alive.) Anyhow, they definitely cemented their hold on the title of Coolest Parents of All Time. <br />
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We also hit one of the Mini-Menace's favorite sightseeing activities, sailing around the small islands (Las Isletas) in Lake Nicaragua. This time, we got up close and personal with Lucy the Monkey. She noticed that we had cashews and fresh watermelon and decided to come maker herself at home.<br />
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Poor Mom didn't think this was nearly as entertaining as the rest of us, who were giggling away as she was fervently hoping that the cashews and watermelon didn't cause Lucy any sort of gastric distress.<br />
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It was worth it, though, because Ms. Lucy kindly obliged me with a nice photo before abandoning ship and heading back to Monkey Island:<br />
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</div>Next up: forcing my parents to rough it at a eco-friendly surf lodge and then realizing that yes, there ARE places in Nicaragua where you need a light sweatshirt (aka Selva Negra). Also, if I can figure out how to edit the video to a more manageable length, I'll post the video of Lucy getting cozy in my lap.The Red Menace Abroadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13850033626548359516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299761155887439847.post-70881831371424382972012-04-15T18:56:00.000-04:002012-04-15T18:56:00.735-04:00Adventures in ParentsittingYes, I *am* referencing an old Elizabeth Shue movie, thank you very much. <br />
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My parents came to visit for Semana Santa; I was lucky enough to be able to take about a week and a half off work to hang out with them...not parent-sitting at all. Actually, I didn't even have to use that much annual leave, because Holy Thursday and Good Friday are Nicaraguan holidays, and since the Embassy observes U.S. federal and local host nation holidays, I had two free days off. Score!!!<br />
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This trip was a big deal for both my parents; I don't think either one had been to a country that doesn't speak English as its primary language. In fact, I know my mother had to get a passport for this trip (she'd been to Canada years ago, before passports were required). At any rate, I took advantage of the VIP Lounge at the airport....for a fee, someone meets you as you disembark and escorts you to a lovely lounge with free food, drinks, comfortable couches, and flat-screen TVs. You wait while someone takes your passport and immigration forms, gets everything stamped, gets your visa, and picks up your luggage. Once they have everything, they come get you from the lounge and you're on your way! It worked really well, I thought, especially for folks who may not have a lot of experience with international travel or who don't speak the language. <br />
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I didn't really give my parents much time to rest....they arrived at 9pm one night, and we were off with a guide and driver at 8:30 the next morning. On our first day, we went to the Masaya volcano, craft market, "real" market, and the Catarina viewpoint that overlooks Laguna de Apoyo.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4bch3IuyyTPD5RFVYqjaBP3fu4K9T_Lz7MmhDXgubBxrEcZcmsjTsQt25UK97KIdZ5dRgQ_PgMBZYF9t-AwPnpHJsBUojflPNgumBRhhVPpbV9sG_P9t8HD2hX-Vi4M-DYbcpash1vXRx/s1600/IMG_1302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4bch3IuyyTPD5RFVYqjaBP3fu4K9T_Lz7MmhDXgubBxrEcZcmsjTsQt25UK97KIdZ5dRgQ_PgMBZYF9t-AwPnpHJsBUojflPNgumBRhhVPpbV9sG_P9t8HD2hX-Vi4M-DYbcpash1vXRx/s320/IMG_1302.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">At the Volcan de Masaya</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicFfgUeuSBH3QblMa9iLmrEpl-J70gol-SFoQ4X5eK1yInraenO6Z-MlSiuHgIV4JEBoF4P8lN5gKUkoCJiUH86A4M-JL4-qQallIO2NVLaeRR33TZATZMexl9MuIL8mMz4vv0tEV1wEyC/s1600/IMG_1308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicFfgUeuSBH3QblMa9iLmrEpl-J70gol-SFoQ4X5eK1yInraenO6Z-MlSiuHgIV4JEBoF4P8lN5gKUkoCJiUH86A4M-JL4-qQallIO2NVLaeRR33TZATZMexl9MuIL8mMz4vv0tEV1wEyC/s320/IMG_1308.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">It was <em>much</em> easier on the way back down...</div><div align="left" style="text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPYptoiS28NbvVq6nLT2QV2u4q4Nl-yqVXLHb_5kSZj8jHKcMwWXmGqvifuA1tkysVnWfk7Ltu7Sx2qpXXUkAJwLb0ipsJPoh2hutX86_v9gJ2uPiqJhIcdGep3U9IpUjSXdyiKMxthYM7/s1600/IMG_1310.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPYptoiS28NbvVq6nLT2QV2u4q4Nl-yqVXLHb_5kSZj8jHKcMwWXmGqvifuA1tkysVnWfk7Ltu7Sx2qpXXUkAJwLb0ipsJPoh2hutX86_v9gJ2uPiqJhIcdGep3U9IpUjSXdyiKMxthYM7/s320/IMG_1310.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hammock-weaving, in action.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I broke down and ordered myself a custom hammock. It's really for the Mini-Menace, in his favorite color, with both our names woven in on the fringe on either side. It only took a week to finish--I haven't seen it yet, I have to go get it and then get myself a hammock stand; unfortunately, as awesome as my house is, there really isn't a decent place to hang a hammock--the trees are too far apart, and there's no decent place to sink hooks into the walls. I'm not letting that stop me, though.....I plan to exploit that hammock to the fullest!<br />
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Next post: Day 2: Pottery, Granada, Ziplining, and a monkey in my lap. Stay tuned, folks!!</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div>The Red Menace Abroadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13850033626548359516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299761155887439847.post-79592930522599218002012-02-19T16:03:00.000-05:002012-02-19T16:03:33.224-05:00Paczki DayLest anyone think Í'm ignoring my Polish heritage in favor of my current abode, I decided to spend the day making paczki, since Paczki Day (also known as Mardi Gras to you non-Poles) is coming up this week. You really can't go wrong with doughballs fried in hot oil and then smothered in sugar and stuffed with fruit jam. A cardiologist might disagree, but I'm pretty sure one from the Motherland would have to think about it for a few minutes first. I did have to make do without my favorite filling--cherry jam--in favor of the local specialties: passionfruit and guava. But you know what? Sometimes you just have to take one for the team, and I was not about to go paczki-less on Tuesday. Even *I* have limits, people.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglcx6vUxTMz9Don9JDxOxuY7RtpY8TQm0J65eCCwscv-WSi1BJNdpElZmZVa7szv-YNUZuzi5Crp9EcBxtZzANAIkRGfuLNrEHN62kPUkbjsgIEBLxiF6ntxV_SAn4fn8YAhbOY1krZL0u/s1600/paczki.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglcx6vUxTMz9Don9JDxOxuY7RtpY8TQm0J65eCCwscv-WSi1BJNdpElZmZVa7szv-YNUZuzi5Crp9EcBxtZzANAIkRGfuLNrEHN62kPUkbjsgIEBLxiF6ntxV_SAn4fn8YAhbOY1krZL0u/s320/paczki.jpg" width="320" yda="true" /></a></div>The Red Menace Abroadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13850033626548359516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299761155887439847.post-85814794598821991272012-02-16T19:35:00.000-05:002012-02-16T19:35:49.559-05:00Witches' BrewLast weekend, the Mini-Menace and I joined a group of about 6 other Embassy folks and went on a horseback ride--we drove about 30 minutes to a farm, saddled up, and then went on a trail ride through this small town and then up to a small viewpoint overlooking the Laguna de Apoyo, one of my favorite spots. I hadn't been on a horse since I was about 16, and the MM had never saddled up. The ride up to the viewpoint took about an hour, so this was no pony ride at the county fair. There may have been been some trotting and / or cantering--I'm not too sure since I was more focused on not falling off and cracking my head open. At any rate, we had a great time, enjoyed a lovely lunch at the viewpoint, and I astonished even myself by partaking in a non-bottled beverage: <em>chicha bruja</em>, or witches' brew. It's some kind of fermented corn beverage...where I come from, we call it white lightning; it did have that charming moonshine aftertaste, with undertones of nail polish remover. The floaters were an especially nice touch:<br />
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For part of the ride, we were cutting through town, but for most of the ride, we were on dirt roads, rambling through the woods:<br />
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But as you can see from this second picture, moto-taxis will go just about anywhere. My rear end might have been more comfortable the next day, but I wouldn't have had as much fun in a moto-taxi.The Red Menace Abroadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13850033626548359516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299761155887439847.post-60921186276536145212012-02-05T20:46:00.000-05:002012-02-05T20:46:51.294-05:00Hi, Dad!!My Dad reminded me that it's been a while since I updated the blog, so I'm going to throw just pics up and just give you a quick summary.<br />
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After 102 days, my HHE finally arrived on Friday: 120 boxes, and I'm happy to say that at 7 pm on Sunday night, I'm pretty much unpacked. The house smells like a cardboard box factory, though. For my first international move, this has been a pretty positive experience. Nothing was broken! Nothing went missing! In fact, things came that should have gone to storage. So now I have a porcelain Christmas village to store for the next 2 years, plus a box of winter clothes. Yeah, those winter running tights and the snowboarding pants are not going to get much use around here. Still, I guess it's not a bad thing to have a few long-sleeved shirts and sweaters around, for when we head to Cleveland next winter. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrrtlsNwKaexIQdL2beJFsIxKe_dmnBp_5KXWUMO72kOOU8H9CGKJNUaN_v7Lkc9lkDWvuTHwJmVWOwUGdy-CehaTarWqAAm99j_rbypLpt5dB0ezWw_amQvI4h61AtiQcknYqCxq2ZwN/s1600/IMG_1217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrrtlsNwKaexIQdL2beJFsIxKe_dmnBp_5KXWUMO72kOOU8H9CGKJNUaN_v7Lkc9lkDWvuTHwJmVWOwUGdy-CehaTarWqAAm99j_rbypLpt5dB0ezWw_amQvI4h61AtiQcknYqCxq2ZwN/s320/IMG_1217.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I'm not sure why I thought I'd want my college diploma, though. Or why I brought 2 rakes, 2 shovels, and an electric weed-wacker / trimmer, 'cause Lord knows *I'm* not doing any gardening around here. I also discovered that I apparently own a really nice table saw. That should tell you how often I actually went into the tool shed at home.<br />
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But the HHE gods were smiling on me, because the last boxes that the movers brought in (last in, first unpacked!) contained this:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2YSSpL7XkXKperm0owO5eMG7bwWhZW2QN-hdUn48yBSbAMsjXZ1uMjkM-BSc8HMj1jJf-PQUe9g5CqCWFd6yyhbeDATHavkn3ayPrcdGC57pdJk0YqiWIhr8807Jl94vZ9aXsu2tLaRnV/s1600/IMG_1219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2YSSpL7XkXKperm0owO5eMG7bwWhZW2QN-hdUn48yBSbAMsjXZ1uMjkM-BSc8HMj1jJf-PQUe9g5CqCWFd6yyhbeDATHavkn3ayPrcdGC57pdJk0YqiWIhr8807Jl94vZ9aXsu2tLaRnV/s320/IMG_1219.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The wine took a little longer to find, but eventually I did find it and showed remarkable restraint by waiting until I found wine glasses to start drinking.<br />
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Nicaragua seems to be a pretty popular destination for friends from home; in three months, we've had three visitors. And all of them have shown up with alcohol...the first (a family) brought Finlandia and a bottle of Johnny Walker Double Black, the second brought a coffee & almond flavored Absolut, and the most recent brought a bottle of my favorite sangiovese...and bagels!! Believe me, those bagels are worth their weight in gold--all you can get down here are the frozen-in-a-bag-at the-grocery-store kind. Blech. <br />
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The 2nd visitor is one of my closest friends; we met at work a few years ago; I like to say he's the older brother I never wanted. He cruised around Nicaragua with a guide for the few days he was here, but I managed to take a day off and we went sandboarding at Cerro Negro. I realized that 3 months of not running has made me weak--the hour-long hike up the volcano just about did me in. The ride down was a lot of fun--not nearly as scary as I thought it would be, given the steep hike up. We also cruised around Leon, an old colonial city with a beautiful old cathedral.<br />
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We also went to the Laguna de Apoyo to spend the day swimming at a place called San Simian. It's definitely off the beaten path (literally! A couple of km down a dirt / gravel road, and I was starting to hear banjoes, or whatever the Nica equivalent would be). The lake is gorgeous, and there was a great dock, a catamaran, kayaks, and inner tubes for us to use. There's a small bar and kitchen on site, so you can just eat, drink, swim, or just nap in a hammock all day. You can spend the night in these little rustic cabanas, which I'd love to do the next time. Maybe when the Parental Menaces come to visit in April....<br />
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Now, the Mini-Menace and I are kicking back, watching the Super Bowl. My best friend is from NY, so we're cheering on the Giants; this is the first time the MM has sat and watched the SB, and he's enjoying the commercials and the half-time show. He can't believe Madonna is 53, though. Just wait 'til you see her close up, kid. <br />
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And on that note, folks, I'm outta here. Btw, Dad, I'll post more often if you leave a comment once in a while. What goes around,comes around :)<br />
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</div>The Red Menace Abroadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13850033626548359516noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299761155887439847.post-808869272428181822011-12-18T12:50:00.000-05:002011-12-18T12:50:35.937-05:00A cruel jokeAnyone who's spoken to, written to, or emailed me has undoubtedly heard--in excruciating detail--how much I've been looking forward to the arrival of my car. Not only do I love that thing, but Managua is not a pedestrian-friendly city, so having transportation is more or less essential to getting to know the city and, perhaps more importantly, getting out of Managua to enjoy the rest of the country. So you can imagine my extreme and utter joy at the news that my Jeep was arriving on Friday...sweet freedom was on a shipping container, headed for the embassy. There was a little delay, and my car would be coming in at the end of the day....I skipped the shuttle ride home, not wanting to wait until Monday to pick it up, and was already mentally planning all the places that the Mini-Menace and I could go this weekend.<br />
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You can guess where this is going, right?<br />
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There I am, sitting in a golf cart, watching the shipping container back up to a big ramp, and barely able to contain my joy, thinking that I'm mere seconds away from driving my own butt home for the first time in nearly 2 months. The GSO guys cut the seals, opened up the container and.......<br />
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NO JEEP.<br />
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Despite the paperwork and bill of lading with info to the contrary, the shipping container did not contain my car. Instead, there was a brand-new white panel / cargo van, just like the kind your mother warned you kidnappers used to snatch disobedient kids like you. Or me, rather. I think the guys realized this was probably not my car when I failed to dance with joy as I'd promised.<br />
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So, where is my car? It could be anywhere, for all I know. GSO assures me that this is just a mix-up with the paperwork and they'll know where my car is on Monday. We'll see....The Red Menace Abroadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13850033626548359516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299761155887439847.post-42747748470848282062011-11-24T12:46:00.000-05:002011-11-24T12:46:16.995-05:00Attack of the Zombie Sock Monkey!!!We knew we'd be arriving in Managua two days before the Embassy's Halloween party so of course the Mini-Menace insisted on packing a costume in our luggage. He'd been begging for a Zombie Sock Monkey costume this year, but I had terrible luck finding one. Beebop (aka my mom) came through once again and saved the day, buying and mailing the costume to us before we left. Here it is in action: <br />
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Definitely a little gruesome, but oddly cute at the same time. <br />
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The party was a lot of fun; we had our first trunk-or-treating experience--people really went all-out decorating their cars, adults in costumes, and tons of candy to be had. Although we rapidly learned that chocolate candy--the mainstay of my Halloween diet--is something of a rarity here. I suppose it might be because of the temperature and the ease with which milk chocolate melts. At any rate, the few people who'd gotten their hands on chocolate candy to hand out were mobbed, and not just by kids. After the trunk-or-treating, the Marines hosted a pizza party (with a DJ), haunted house, and chili cook-off, all at the former Ambassador's residence on the compound, locally known as Casa Grande. It's not so much a big house as it is a mansion. It's not occupied; the Ambassador (when we have one) actually lives in a smaller, less opulent house elsewhere, but Casa Grande is still used for official functions, etc. It's gorgeous, and we really enjoyed getting to celebrate Halloween in such comfortable surroundings.<br />
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I still missed trick-or-treating in my sister's neighborhood, though. People sit out with coolers of beer, fire pits, and regularly hand out FULL SIZE CANDY BARS!!!!!! All in all, though, this was a very good alternative, and a great way to jump right in to the Embassy's social scene.The Red Menace Abroadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13850033626548359516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299761155887439847.post-24237215092955768322011-11-23T20:12:00.000-05:002011-11-23T20:12:28.382-05:00A month later....I'm alive! I have internet!! I also have some amazingly generous and patient co-workers, both FSOs and LES. (Dad, that's foreign service officers, the US staff, and the Locally Engaged Staff, the Nicaraguans that work at the embassy). I'm finally starting to feel a little less lost; the more time I spend at the window interviewing visa applicants, it becomes a lot more mundane. I'm not really planning on blogging about my job that much though; this will be more about our lives in Nicaragua. All I'll say is that I am learning more, and enjoying my work. Not bad, right?<br />
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Outside of work, things are going well. We're still without our household stuff and the Jeep, but we're doing pretty well: the welcome kit had everything we really needed, and folks have been generous with their time and vehicles whenever I need to go shopping. There's a shuttle that takes me to and from work, and the Mini-Menace has his own school shuttle. And while this may come as no surprise to anyone who's had the misfortune to experience my housekeeping skills, I've adjusted QUITE well to having a housekeeper. She cooks! She cleans! She does the laundry! She does small grocery shopping!! I love coming home to a clean house and being able to spend quality time with the MM without doing laundry or cooking his dinner, or trying to stay on top of the cleaning. <br />
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We've only done one small day trip, to Granada, with friends. Once we have the Jeep, expect more posts about our adventures. Next up, though? I--vegetarian since 18--will be attempting to cook a turkey breast for my son and 2 Peace Corps Volunteers that we're hosting for Thanksgiving. <br />
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Let's hope they all survive. The Red Menace Abroadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13850033626548359516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299761155887439847.post-50643139755283039562011-10-25T17:54:00.000-04:002011-10-25T17:54:50.212-04:00The final countdown....FSI training done and checkout completed? Yes.<br />
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Packout survived? Yes again.<br />
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Holed up in a hotel with son and dog for 48 hours? Affirmative.<br />
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On the ground in Managua in roughly 36 hours? Si.<br />
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Blogging at you later, folks!!!!!The Red Menace Abroadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13850033626548359516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299761155887439847.post-69152685711875943572011-09-09T08:35:00.000-04:002011-09-09T08:35:46.845-04:00Short, but sweet!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdGjq3c1eSax3uOTDNf7DJZqkNhyphenhyphenIAv53vHl2cyeLMBV92P-J-G7-inoSdQdsZZxZNbiXbqpOFzn1jV2_aFeTzu_GCCCq19pYiYHicgE5-OgJb7bD3K0BgcqZkoHheoK1Gp2tby4LzgUFC/s1600/dip+ppt.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdGjq3c1eSax3uOTDNf7DJZqkNhyphenhyphenIAv53vHl2cyeLMBV92P-J-G7-inoSdQdsZZxZNbiXbqpOFzn1jV2_aFeTzu_GCCCq19pYiYHicgE5-OgJb7bD3K0BgcqZkoHheoK1Gp2tby4LzgUFC/s1600/dip+ppt.bmp" /></a></div>1. It's official!! I've now hit the trifecta of U.S. passports: personal (blue), official (maroon), and, most exciting: diplomatic (black!) Woo hoo!!!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Y3OiFnpFBbC6kNga5WWvf_i4MSMnuOPG_pcqFtX6DQK0IKkLZQChworSNaCxF9JZgpVGUnsRKjx5zFn9K8aukfR5Y-4uJq0KU7nHMFmntfewRT_mcBd6qAXZz5jlgu6p-b9drA2IBHTb/s1600/flash+flood.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Y3OiFnpFBbC6kNga5WWvf_i4MSMnuOPG_pcqFtX6DQK0IKkLZQChworSNaCxF9JZgpVGUnsRKjx5zFn9K8aukfR5Y-4uJq0KU7nHMFmntfewRT_mcBd6qAXZz5jlgu6p-b9drA2IBHTb/s1600/flash+flood.bmp" /></a></div>2. Apparently, Mother Nature wants to destroy any car I own....yet ANOTHER flash flood in my 'hood. This was taken in my driveway last night; the water was well above my knees. Thankfully, the Mini Menace saw the rising waters and warned me that I needed to save "his" Jeep.<br />
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3. No photos, but in other exciting news, I passed my Spanish exam!!!! Started ConGen yesterday and am already joking that after 11 years of working with the INA, I am going to have a hard time restraining myself from correcting my instructors on the vagaries of immigration law. <br />
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Roughly 7 weeks to go!!!!!!<br />
The Red Menace Abroadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13850033626548359516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299761155887439847.post-60101784886290695772011-08-30T18:42:00.000-04:002011-08-30T18:42:28.896-04:00Cue the AC/DC....The Mini-Menace and I have successfully returned from our recon trip to Managua...it was a <em>really</em> short trip: flew down on a Sunday, spent 2 days there, and then came back on the 4th. That was pretty much all the time I could con out of my CDO and the Spanish Department, even though I have about 8 million hours of annual leave that carried over from my previous job. Still, I'm thankful that they let me go, considering that I am supposedly testing a week from now. I say supposedly because no one has bothered to tell me when exactly my test is. Anyhow, back to the recon....we spent about half a day visiting and registering the MM at his future school. He seemed happy and definitely a little less freaked the eff out now that he knows what to expect. We also had dinner with the embassy family that volunteered to care for the MM until I can find a permanent solution; they have three boys at the same school, and really, they were just about the NICEST people I've ever met. They asked the MM what kind of food he would like for dinner, and--naturally--he voted for burgers. Yes, folks, our first official dinner out in Nicaragua was at a T.G.I.Fridays, a place I have never actually frequented in the US. Rest assured, Nica food was the only option on the rest of the trip; but conveniently for the MM, he was able to eat <em>panqueques</em> at breakfast every day. He did discover the joys of passionfruit (aka <em>maracuya</em>) juice, and deep-fried cheese. Score!!<br />
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Our second day, we visited the Masaya volcano, which, according to local legend (thank you, superstitious Conquistadores!) is an entrance to the underworld. In case you were wondering, this is where the lame AC/DC reference comes in. No, I was not actually referring to one of my all-time favorites (and most ridiculous) Christmas songs, <em>Mistress for Christmas. </em> Yes, I like to make random musical references. So what?<br />
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Also on the day-long adventure were a stop at a gorgeous crater lake, the Roberto Clemente baseball stadium, the markets in Masaya, where I had to restrain myself from actually shopping, since really....why cart all that stuff home when I'd just have to pack it up and ship it back? I did buy the MM a wooden chess set, since he's now apparently obsessed with chess. Don't ask me how it happened....summer daycare camp is an amazing thing. Every evening we'd sit on the patio at the hotel, by the pool, and he'd try to teach me to play. Would anyone like to guess how humiliating it is to have your 9 year old crush you like a bug EVERY SINGLE TIME? If you answered pretty damn humiliating, you'd be right. I figure this has to be a major checkmark in the Greatest Mom Ever column. Right?????<br />
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Finally (and still on the epic day-long adventure), we also visited a local pottery market. This was pretty awesome: they mix the clay by stomping on it for hours, then spin it on foot-powered pottery wheels. Pretty damn labor intensive, but best of all, the Mini-Menace got a hands-on (literally!) experience and got to give it a go.<br />
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On the way home, our flight on American was delayed so much that we would have missed our connection in Miami...so American put us on Copa, which then routed us through Panama and on to D.C. I'm now a pretty big fan of Copa....remember when airlines actually used to feed you? For free? And left and arrived on time? Take note, American!! <br />
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So, we're back, I'm freaking out about my Spanish exam, and we're off to NE Ohio for what will probably be our last trip home before we leave for Managua at the end of October. The Cleveland area is the epicenter of both sides of my family, so I have loads of aunts, uncles, cousins, and both grandmothers to visit, plus some really close family friends who I met in VA (and who subsequently returned to the <strike>mothership</strike> area). VERY excited to see everyone. It'll be a nice way for the MM to celebrate the end of his 1st week of 4th grade....thank you Archdiocese of Arlington for starting before Labor Day!!!! <br />
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I'd promise to try and post more often, but you all know that's not going to happen until I'm actually on the ground in Nicaragua, so until I can come up with something interesting to say, I'll just leave you with some photos of our trip. Enjoy!!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXM_m8KdzIdN1a6alGWXtK_hWNuwV6eCIopSYaSvDb_2CA_z5BeA8pjaNmG-uGx1_re9xiwuoPryopO4hH62q3HQL1aXXMLiymmtf_PIJKQQa-lVLiIK0KTGmABz8hM04GD2Vsvqdtuz1x/s1600/IMG_0912.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXM_m8KdzIdN1a6alGWXtK_hWNuwV6eCIopSYaSvDb_2CA_z5BeA8pjaNmG-uGx1_re9xiwuoPryopO4hH62q3HQL1aXXMLiymmtf_PIJKQQa-lVLiIK0KTGmABz8hM04GD2Vsvqdtuz1x/s320/IMG_0912.JPG" width="320" xaa="true" /></a></div>The Red Menace Abroadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13850033626548359516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299761155887439847.post-34088247473075270442011-07-21T08:35:00.000-04:002011-07-21T08:35:38.313-04:00The kindness of strangersThe concept of DOS and the FS as a community / family really hit home for me this week. Ever since A-100 began, I've been stressing the F out over what I was going to do with the Mini-Menace once we arrived at post. I hate to harp on the single-parent thing because, god knows, there are countless other single parents (or doubles, to be honest) who have it so much tougher than I do. But I had no idea what I was going to do when I got to post and had to go to work, but at the same time, had to figure out school transportation and after-school childcare until I was able to hire someone. (And that is a whole other issue, the concept of hiring a domestic employee is so foreign to me that I feel incredibly guilty about having domestic help). Anyhow, to get back to my point, the woman who runs the Welcome Wagon group at post put me in touch with a family there whose kids attend the same school that the Mini-Menace will....and without having emailed / spoken to me, this family offered to take the MM to / from school and to watch him after school until we get settled, help me get him enrolled at school or or anything else that I needed help with. Amazing. I'm so much more relaxed about the move now, I can actually be excited about the move.<br />
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So excited, in fact, that the MM and I are headed down to Managua next month for a quick bombing run of a trip. We're just going down to visit his school / take placement tests, and get him officially enrolled. Ok, and *maybe* we'll be taking a day to do a little sightseeing--but I think it will help his transition if he can visualize where he'll be going to school or if he has a better idea of what he can expect. So expect some actual Managua-related posts & pictures next month!<br />
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And the vehicle dilemma has been resolved....the poor hybrid Highlander is officially dead and we are now the proud owners of a bitchin' Jeep: <br />
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</div>The Red Menace Abroadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13850033626548359516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299761155887439847.post-34788895910081278632011-07-21T08:01:00.000-04:002011-07-21T08:01:36.046-04:00An imposter!!!Somebody needs to tell Newsweek / Murdoch / Brooks that this particularly <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/2011/07/17/the-rise-and-fall-of-news-of-the-world-executive-rebekah-brooks.html">alias</a> is already spoken for!!The Red Menace Abroadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13850033626548359516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299761155887439847.post-81545001554608958862011-07-01T17:36:00.000-04:002011-07-01T17:36:52.609-04:00Working VacationThe Mini-Menace has been in California for the past 2 weeks, on his annual pilgrimage to visit his father and paternal grandparents, and, as usual, I am bored to death without him. The first few days are great--freedom to go where I want, when I want, and to watch movies with all sorts of child-unfriendly language, etc.--but after the 3rd day, the house is just too quiet. The dogs were depressed too--they both stopped eating for the first few days, and would go into his room to look for him. We're fine, but I'm definitely looking forward to his return in 1 week. Just in time for his Young Diplomats' Day and Youth Security Overseas Seminar, and the start of his Saturday Spanish classes!!<br />
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In other Spanish news, I'm still plugging along in class. I had my first progress evaluation and did much better than I'd anticipated. It felt like a fluke, though....I was really on top of my game that day, whereas in class, I still feel like a total idiot. I have until early September to get my act together. One of my classmates was able to convince his CDO and post to let him test early so that he could arrive earlier than planned in order for his kids to start school at the beginning of the school year.....and he passed!!!! So happy for him! I hope his luck is contagious.<br />
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Had a little bit of drama with the car--there was a massive flash flood in the 'hood two weeks ago, and the 2.5 feet of water in the street got INTO my car and damaged the interior, the hybrid system, the brake system, and the power steering. No verdict yet on whether or not it can be salvaged. I love that car, but am starting to think about replacements. Since the roads are pretty rough in Nicaragua, I'm actually thinking about getting a Jeep. The dilemma, though, is do I go with the soft top, or the hard top for security reasons? And since the Mini-Menace isn't old or big enough to sit in the front, plus my family will be visiting, do I go 2-door or 4-door? Ay caramba!!!<br />
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Thanks to my mom for sending the Mini-Menace a massive care package with 15 different kinds of Oreos. That's one item off his bucket list. At least one of us is accomplishing something!!The Red Menace Abroadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13850033626548359516noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299761155887439847.post-74556556274099496532011-06-05T08:29:00.000-04:002011-06-05T08:29:26.689-04:00The Bucket List<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfkGml3KxjPn2Vdk0yHbN5g1juyABG8t2DGN7WmnLIWeA5ZhF744H0Ifm3vgMEDs3uXXFg2e1Phf63w82W6VCp2GPl8KoHjgF_Er26_lOmb01yUnBsCogq2tRvOr2JYxjn9nlz4swS9BZy/s1600/John+Paul%2527s+Bucket+List.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfkGml3KxjPn2Vdk0yHbN5g1juyABG8t2DGN7WmnLIWeA5ZhF744H0Ifm3vgMEDs3uXXFg2e1Phf63w82W6VCp2GPl8KoHjgF_Er26_lOmb01yUnBsCogq2tRvOr2JYxjn9nlz4swS9BZy/s320/John+Paul%2527s+Bucket+List.jpg" t8="true" width="239" /></a></div><br />
You didn't think I meant <strong>MY</strong> Bucket List, did you? Oh no, I'm straight-up exploiting the Mini Menace here. This list is awesome on so many levels. I too would like to know what is a doy hole (see #12), and I really applaud the desire for a closet full of Oreos (#3). Thanks to #16, I think I must be doing something right with this kid, although I supposed I ought to tell him to add #19 "Teach Mom about the concept of personal privacy.The Red Menace Abroadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13850033626548359516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4299761155887439847.post-48032739354798070932011-05-17T21:16:00.000-04:002011-05-17T21:16:08.381-04:00False AdvertisingI know, I know....I promised a post about my experiences so far in the FS as a singe parent (or, to be more accurate, a single, custodial parent of a school-aged child). But after some reflection and drafting and editing of a post, I realized that there was no way for me to come out of that without sounding like a whiny brat. Look, I knew what I was getting myself into when I signed up for this gig, and while it certainly hasn't been easy and I'm sure that folks think I'm anti-social because I didn't go to every happy hour, there is no getting around the fact that the Mini Menace and I are about to embark on a massively exciting adventure. Whatever my experience has been so far, it's all worth it. And hey, the fact that domestic help is incredibly affordable (almost embarassingly so) in Nicaragua means that I'll have even less to complain about. <br />
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So, many apologies to anyone who might have been expecting an angry screed, but my judgment got the better of me. Man, sometimes this maturity thing is kind of a drag.<br />
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Instead, more Spanish adventures! At orientation, the Spanish section managers told us to expect that the classes would be shuffled around once instructors got a better sense of the students' abilities, so that students at similar levels would be together, etc. On Monday, I was moved to a new section, which I thought was going to be a good thing, even though I liked my instructor and my classmates. Why? I'd already taken two Spanish classes at FSI, so I'd been through at least half of the overall course before, so I was ready to work on new material. BUT DEAR MOTHER OF GOD!!!!! I am not ready for the section they put me in....one guy (an A-100 classmate and one of the nicest guys on earth) is married to a native Spanish speaker and has been speaking Spanish at home for 20 years. Um, I've been to Spain twice and can manage to get myself a beer and a meal. Either FSI has a lot more confidence in my abilities than I do, or they've made a terrible, terrible mistake and just haven't figured it out yet. <br />
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My new instructor might just be the most charming and fascinating man I've ever met, though, so I'll stick around until they kick me out. Honestly, after fleeing Spain during the Civil War, settling in Latin Am and having to flee another dictatorship, and who knows what else....at 82, this guy has some amazing stories to tell. If only I spoke enough Spanish to understand what he was saying.....<br />
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Oh, and a Mini-Menace update for my family: he was selected for the all-star soccer team, and won 2nd place at his school's art contest. He's a regular renaissance menace, that kid.The Red Menace Abroadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13850033626548359516noreply@blogger.com0