Santiago East

I write this entry from Paul's porch. Paul's is a tiny hotel in the woods about 5 minutes from our house. The hotel has wireless internet and so here I sit listening to Paul and his souschef plan their evening meal! Who would have thought?

I have now moved into our rented accommodation in Santiago. This morning we finished washing all the dishes for the second house, washed all the floors as well as did a detailed clearning of the second house. I made spagetti sauce so when the team arrives we can provide them with a nice meal - we even found some mozeralla cheese!

The new challenge, along within the waves of culture shock, is the learning to live in a communal environment. Its been more than 30 years since I have lived in a group house. I was reminded this morning about how challenges there are; many of which can be managed by staying a bit more alert than when living alone or with one person. More on this in the coming weeks.

Living in a warm climate is very pleasing; I was able to do my exercises on the lawn in the sun this morning and the floors all dried in a few minutes with the warm wind coming off the Lake.

Yesterday we had an opportunity to see the location of one of the most terrible mud slides from Hurrican Stan. Many people lost their lives when the slide came through the village of Panabaj and because the river bed was already full of mud, the second slide just filled people's homes. How can one make sense of walking by the mud filled homes knowing there are people entombed in the mud. I am still trying to sort this out.

Saturday is a team meeting to prepare for a full week of nutrition lesses. We will teach three classes each day for about 50 students in each group; three days at one school and two at the other.

I wonder how useful I can be with so little Spanish?

Hasta Luego