This posting was intended for Saturday August 27th, but the computer world wouldn't let me in!  Hopefully I am past the initial problem and not creating any new ones!

Back in the land of bottled water and non-flushable paper!

We are both grateful for a weekend to rest.  The last several weeks have been very busy with preparation, travel and settling in.  Valerie has had 4 full days; two spent in meetings and preparation, and two with the school kids in class.  Garth spent his time helping Valerie set up her classroom and assisting with an apartment renovation.

Welcome gift

Our accommodations are quite nice.  We have a 2-bedroom apartment with a kitchen/dining area, living room, bathroom and a laundry!  We arrived to a welcome gift of kitchen supplies from the missionary community.  It was very nice to have these food basics, as we had not found time to get downtown to shop.  The difficulty is that the labeling is in Spanish, making preparation and cooking a challenge.  I’m sure we will have some interesting “pot luck” meals.

The weather has been cool.  According to the locals, cooler than normal with nighttime lows of 57 F, and daytime highs about 75 to  80 F.  And, apparently, it has been dry.  In the week we have been here it has been sunny three of the days, overcast the others, and only a couple of showers but last evening (5PM to 8PM) it rained about 2”.  At times the rain was so loud on the tin roof it actually hurt our ears!!

The view from Valerie's classroom

Although the locals have indicated it has been dry, to us the jungle is very green and lush.  It is quite beautiful to see the plants and trees flowering and producing all types of fruit.  I only wish I was able to identify some of the varieties and felt comfortable in sampling. 

It looks like a good day to go grocery shopping and reconnect with some friends we made on previous visits to Shell.   Valerie will also do some lesson prep and Garth might go to the airport shop to tinker and get familiar with the tools.

These photo's might give you a feel for our new home town and some sense of what our surroundings are like.

School courtyard

Walking to the school

Valerie's classroom is ready!

West from our front door

Preparing to leave

We are feeling a bit overwhelmed while packing and saying our final goodbyes.  However, we are excited for the journey we are about to embark on.  We hope we don't leave something necessary behind - it's too far to come back for it!  Val's greatest worry is that the school still hasn't given her a concrete teaching assignment.  It could be any level from Grade 1-8!  Garth is going to be pulled in at least two different directions.  Originally he planned on working with MAF and now the HCJB hospital wants his talents also.  Not to mention the orphanage will get wind of Garth's abilities - and Val's (word is they are lacking teachers this year).  We both hope our aging bodies are up for the challenge!  The adventure begins August 21...