Apologies to DD for lifting some of his content from his blog http://dizzydick.blogspot.com/ but his video was just too cute. Most posting about my excursion after I get some breakfast...

Special Day? 10-10-10

So far 10/10/10 has been fairly normal, for here.  I'll wander out (my mis-spelling yesterday morning of wonder for wander may have been a Freudian slip) later and perhaps change my mind.  It may be when I finally stop the 'waiting' and start the 'living'.  Who knows.  I've been reading blogs while drinking my first cups of coffee.  So far I've threatened Ben down in Texas with a swarm of blond female programmers who will program him inside out for his blond joke in his morning blog.  Not sure that sounded like a bad thing, though.  I've read a few that are talking about fall chores and self sufficiency.  I used to attempt the path of self-sufficiency.  That is why I still have a house on 3 ac. back in Nashville.  I wanted to garden, have chickens and goats and make my own soap and shut out the world.  I didn't get far because of money issues, and lack of confidence (the real reason...).  I still read those type of blogs, and live vicariously.  I looked around my hotel room, and realized the reality of not having any season related chores.  Partly because down here in Honduras, there isn't any real change in seasons.  Mostly because I don't have a house and land.  I eat literally all my meals out since at this point I don't even have a microwave.  At some point I became more interested in hiking the AT (Appalachian Trail) than in self-sufficiency.  It really is the same idea, but coming from a different angle.  To live for 6 months with what I carry on my back,  buying food to resupply as I go.  Instead of stockpiling everything, I just use less.  That has resonated more with me as time has gone on.  Just need less.  I have been attracted to the idea of minimalism as the natural progression from backpacking.  Get to where all I actually own will fit in a studio apartment or, even better, an RV.  This has been the difficult part for me.  I have so much stuff.  And, that is relative.  I got rid of somewhere close to half my stuff when I moved to Washington State 2 years ago.  I put half of what was left into storage in Nashville, and loaded what was left into a large truck, put my Jeep on a trailer behind and drove it out to my new home.  When I got this job in Honduras there didn't seem to be any way to afford to send my stuff back to Nashville, since it wasn't considered part of my 'relocation', so I am having it shipped down here.  357 cubic feet of stuff.  That represents some minor (relatively) pruning during the time I was in WA.  At the moment I'm living out of my suitcases in a hotel.  I have so much stuff just in 3 suitcases and a backpack that I can't keep track of it all.  Last night I 'lost' my stash of money and credit cards.  I honestly couldn't remember where I put them.  I started unpacking everything, knowing that it all had to still be in my room since I hadn't left the room.  I did find it.  I also became somewhat overwhelmed with the amount of clothing and other things I brought with me.  In the process of talking to Mom on Skype I knocked over a cup of coffee to the floor.  I have no paper towels here, and the only towel they give me is one bath towel, which is white.  I used toilet paper to clean up the spill.  This morning I remembered that I have a chamois with me, brought as part of the 'camping' things that I thought I might need.  It hadn't occurred to me to use it the week I've been here.  It would have been good to use when I hand washed some things, to get the water out more before hanging them to dry.  I have so much stuff I don't know what I have.  And, it's just 2 suitcases, a carry on, and a day pack.  sigh.

So, this is the thought process I start when I read of yard chores (with the associated rakes and hoes and tillers) and cleaning out of garages (sports equipment, yard furniture, etc) and such.  I look around my disheveled hotel room and think 'I don't want the responsibility anymore'.    I'm not sure any of this makes any sense.  It's just where I'm at this morning.  I'm thinking I need some breakfast.  So, I have to put shoes on and walk downstairs.  Am I cheating?  I'm not growing my food, not even buying it at the store.  Did I cheat by leaving the country until the economy gets better and I can afford to come back?  I don't know anymore.  In fact, at this point, I don't know much of anything it seems.

The Point of the Exercise

Ara's posting on Oct. 6 that I read today http://theoasisofmysoul.com/ has me in a reflective mood.  I have to keep reminding myself what the point of this exercise down here is really.  It is mostly about paying off debt.  I needed to go someplace that my income would be enough greater than my outgo that I could pay off around $110K in debt.  That does include my house that will hopefully sell.  The economy in the US is such that I was finding it difficult to meet that criteria.  Honduras is a place where my credentials qualify me for a job that allows me to live cheaply and pay debt.  What goes along with that is being in a place I have never, ever, experienced before, nor anything like it.  I have never really been outside of the US, except for 3 weeks in Germany for work a couple of years ago.  I do want to get out and see Honduras while I'm down here, but on my own time.  By that I mean that I'm taking it slowly.  That is in conflict with all kinds of admonishments from blogs and other places to get out and experience life now.  Below is a clip that I found on a blog:

 

When I was in Washington, it seemed like I wasn't really living my life, more like I was just waiting.  Here it doesn't feel so much like I'm waiting.  More like I'm looking out tentatively waiting to feel like it's time to step out and explore, and that that time will come.  I'm where I'm supposed to be, I'm just getting centered so I can step out.  When I was back in Nashville and in Hot Springs around friends I reconfirmed that being back there with friends is the primary point of the entire exercise.  I want to be able to be back among friends without the debt, and free to get out and experience life.  To do that, I need to get myself into better physical shape, and start eliminating excess baggage.  And, I need to enjoy myself along the way while I do that.

I just needed to remind myself of this today.

Obligatory First Picture

I stumbled out of my hotel room, hair uncombed and no shoes, with my camera in hand.  The cleaning maids who had been chatting and laughing out in the hallway immediately became silent and eyed me.  I tried to smile even though I haven't had much coffee yet.  I do have the coffee maker in my room now, so I do have some coffee, a major improvement over last weekend.  I wondered to the end of the hall where the balcony is open air.  The banner announcing that this is the Plaza Futura blocked any view.  So, I padded back to the stairs and went up a floor, pointed the camera out the balcony, and snapped the above shot.

I'll try to do better after more coffee, breakfast, a shower, and a cab ride into town.

Blogspot doesn't like emailed HTML I guess. Livejournal posted the picture correctly from the email. I'll have to work on that I guess. If you see the picture instead of html above, then I figured it out.

There aren't any pictures... yet

I have been asked where the pictures from Honduras are on my blog.  I haven't taken any.  I am unhappy with the quality of picture my current camera takes, and I didn't want (and couldn't afford) to buy a new one right before I left.  I will take pictures this weekend when I go into town, I promise.  So many people who blog have nice cameras and take professional quality pictures to display on their blogs.  Mine will only be tourist level, I'm afraid.  However, I will put some in, I assure you.

I looked at the apartments here at the hotel tonight.  I am hoping to just get an apartment here.  The larger one would be plenty big even if all my stuff arrives from the US.  In fact, I would want most of my stuff.  They also have an efficiency type room that has some neat features that would be fine if my shipment gets stopped and stays in the US.  I still haven't heard the outcome of that yet.  Staying here has many advantages, and few disadvantages.  Especially with the 2 bedroom apartment, having guests from the US wouldn't be any problem at all.  Well, as in Washington State, the bed I would have to offer might be a hammock...

Work continues to have growing pains as I attempt to integrate into the group.  The group that is there will be cycling out by the end of the year.  One guy who came in yesterday is the only one that is for sure (as sure as one can be down here) to be here in 3 months.  It is a strange feeling.  I do admit to having a countdown timer on my laptop at the room here for when my contract is up (357 days...), but all in all I like it down here.  This coming weekend is a 3 day weekend, and I intend to get out with the help of Carlos the taxi driver and see the town.

The important thing for now is that I found my socks.  I have things in 2 suitcases and a roll away carry on, and there is no rhyme or reason to what is in which one.  I had 3 pr. of socks that were floating around being worn or in the wash, but I put the last clean pair on this morning.  I did find the gallon ziplock of the rest of the socks hiding in the bottom of one of the suitcases tonight, so I have clean ones to wear tomorrow.  Such is my life now that that is about as large an issue as I have in my day to day life.  I'm trying to keep it that way.

I wasn't arrested

Carlos was here to get me this morning and drive me to work.  I got on post with no real problem, different guards with different issues.  Did the morning constitutional to my building, and then got breakfast at the DFac since I was early for work.  Busy day, lots went on.  I'm tired tonight, and I'll try to catch up tomorrow.  Turtle Lady said I needed to let folks know that I wasn't in jail at least.  The bosses gave me a ride home, and pointed out the sidewalk out of the post that goes on the other side of the drive from the serious Sgt., so I should be good from now on.  Oh, and I don't fall under the rules he was quoting because technically I'm a resident of Honduras.  I don't have residency yet, but I'm in the process.  I actually live down here.  I'm still getting my head around that.  Of all the people I know who were going to 'leave the country' when Bush was re-elected, then the others who were going to 'leave the country' when Obama was elected, I'm the one who actually left.  And it wasn't for political reasons.

One more difference living down here:  Google comes up in Spanish, as do a few other sites.  It can be disconcerting to see a familiar site pop up in a language I don't understand and have to go from memory of what is where.  I'll be glad when I speak Spanish...

The new normal

I'm working on the new normal.  Although, in Honduras it will take awhile before any of it seems 'normal'.  This morning started out fine, although I was running a bit late.  I had called Carlos, a taxi driver recommended by many on post, to pick me up at the hotel.  I didn't have much time to eat my free breakfast at the restaurant, so I asked what was 'rapido' (my Spanish spelling may be as bad as my English, just sayin' )  and he recommended cereal.  When he sat the nice large bowl of corn flakes in front of me I realized the bowl was warm, which I thought was odd that it was still that hot from being washed.  Then I noticed the steam rising from the milk.  The cereal was hot!  It was actually good that way, but a bit of a surprise.  Carlos was waiting for me when I finished, and I walked on post with no issues after showing my temporary pass.  It took about 10 minutes to walk to my building, but I figure I need the exercise.

The day went quickly.  One of the guys showed me around and I finally got a local cell phone, a coffee maker and coffee, and some plastic hangers.  I tried to use the coffee pot, and it started smoking.  I'll take it back tomorrow.  sigh.  The cell phone has everything in Spanish.  I'm going to find a translator online in a minute to translate the several messages I've gotten.  Cell phones are cheap down here, and I'm thinking that the phone numbers don't stay out of circulation long.  The instructions for the phone are in Spanish, also.  So, I punch buttons and hope for the best.  Why is it that in the US instructions are in 3 or 4 languages, and down here when I need the second language version, everything is in Spanish only???

Two other things that I find different down here are that the water faucets turn backwards.  Also the doors into places open backwards.  In the US, the doors into public place all open out so that if there is a fire it is easier to evacuate, a crowd doesn't have to step back to get the door open.  Here, they are push to enter.  It's the little things that make a place feel odd.

I called Carlos to meet me after work, and did my evening constitutional walk to the gate.  There I came up against a very serious Sgt. who had no intention of allowing me off post alone.  Seems I'm supposed to have a buddy.  Having a specific cab waiting to take me to my hotel didn't phase him.  He talked to my boss, who was not having much luck,either.  Finally he said he would allow me to leave, but implied I might be arrested tomorrow morning for being off post alone.  sigh.  If it's not one thing it's another.

In all of this, none of the problems have been with any of the local people, who have uniformly been pleasant and helpful.

Tonight supper is cold pizza from the Pizza Hut across the street.  The desk staff called in my order for me, and delivered it to my room last night.  It is basically standard Pizza Hut stuff, and the 2L of Pepsi is a good alternative to the bottled water, since I still (whimper) don't have a working coffee pot, 

Here, every day is an adventure.  And, I guess that's what I came down here for.

Decisions, Decisions

I have an email in to my shipping person with my company to see if she can intercept my goods and just have them sent to my storage unit in Nashville after all.  I am thinking that I want to just live here at the hotel for the year or so I'll be here.  Even if it's 2 years, the cost of living here is about what rent would be, and everything is provided.  I will hopefully find out tomorrow if it's possible.  While talking with Turtle Lady this morning (I can skype again!) we figured that volume of stuff picked up as noted in my invoice would fit easily into a 10x10 unit.  So, worst case, I might see if they have a suite where I can store my stuff here in the hotel in a second bedroom or sitting room.  The good part about that would be that I can go through it and start mailing stuff I want to keep but don't need down here back to the states, and I can get rid of the things I really don't need (probably at least half of it).  So, I'm still making it up as I go.

Breakfast this morning has come the closest yet to making me ill.  Not too bad, but the tocino (bacon?) wasn't cook well.  Mostly I think it is just travel and nerves.  Since my laundry is in the process of being done (I assume...) I am waiting until I'm on post tomorrow to get a cell phone and local money.  The laundry.  Well, they have machines here, and I could not get the guy to understand that I wanted to use the machines myself rather than have them do it for me.  I finally gave up and handed it over.  It should show up sometime today.  I guess this is a good thing, I'm just not used to someone else doing my laundry.  However, free laundry, free breakfast, free internet, all included for what rent would cost elsewhere.  I'm thinking this is the way to go.  I just need Chris, and his Spanish, to negotiate for me.  He has primo service and pays not so much.  I don't expect as good a deal as he has since I am very gringo and there is what they call the gringo tax here.  However, if he can get it to a reasonable amount for me, I'm thinking I'll stay here.

Woo Hoo!!!

I have mic now!!!  I turned on the computer and the 'annoying' popup that I cancelled out of yesterday popped up.  I dutifully did what it asked, and my mic now works.  I CAN SKYPE!!!  Of course, no one is on to Skype with this early...

sigh

While down at dinner I ran into Chris, a coworker who speaks Spanish and lives here.  He loaned me a mic, and I have found that it's the mic input that seems to be either blown or turned off somehow.  He tells me that I can do laundry here, which I need to go start, and that the stores are closed on post on the weekends.  So, tomorrow I'll get a cab to the mall and try to get a cell phone for local calls and a headset with a usb input rather than audio jack.  I did feel better after talking to him, although he is one who constantly talks about how dangerous it is.  Now, off to do laundry.