That's all folks...

Berkeley, USA

July 3, 2008

Picture:  Love Ducks takes a last dip in Whittier (that's Rachel, my niece, in the picture);  Reunited in front of our welcome home sign-we got two of them.  One from the Woolsey kids and one from Sasha Hood.  Plus balloons and herbs.

Good:  Seeing Rinda!  Seeing friends!  Sleeping in our beds!  The food!  New cell phones!   A clean house!  A marriage license!!

Bad:  Multi-tasking.  Boy do we do a lot in one day.

Surprising:  How quickly it seems so normal to be home again.  We just slid right in. Woolsey Graduation was last night.  So we arrived home and went directly to the party.  It was a great way to connect with folks actually.  Today was unpacking (a bit), getting cell phones, a marriage license and long talks with neighbors.  

It is hard to believe it is over, but after such a long time of planing, our trip is now behind us.  It was amazing.   An experience of a lifetime.  

Looking back I am amazed at how smoothly it all went.    We had two 'bad' hotels and lost one clothes line.  Not bad for 5 months.   

 I am so glad that we had this adventure as a family.  I can feel the girls racing away.   I am so grateful to have had this time to really connect, to be with one another, and to make shared memories.  Thanks for reading about our journey.  It has been great to do this out loud.

Last night

July 1, 2008

Whittier, USA

Good:  Last day of the trip

Bad:  Last day of the trip

Surprising:  How mixed I feel about the last day of the trip.

I am so thrilled to be going home.  So are Maya and Kalin.  But I also realize that I am very sad that the trip over.  I have been working on a photo album, so I have been reliving the past 5 months through pictures.  It really has been amazing.  After so many years of looking forward to, and planning for this experience, there will definitely be a vacuum in my life.  I realize I am also going to miss this as well-posting about my/our life.  So often I do not know what I am feeling until I start to write it down.

Maya, Rachel (my brother's daughter), and I spent the day at Knott's Berry Farm.  We went because Rachel had a one year pass that was about to expire.  It's no Disneyland, but it was a great way to spend the day.  An odd, yet fitting, last full day on the road.  I know I am weary because I could not be bothered to bring the camera.  What a contrast to the bazillion picture we took at Disneyland.

Tomorrow we land at SFO at 3:50 p.m. (in sha'allah). 

Nearly home

June 29th, 2008

Whittier, California

Pictures:  Maya in the pool with Rachel;  Kalin in her favorite activity where ever we are in the world.

Good:  We are almost home!  

Bad: While Mexicana had our reservation-they did not have a record of our ticket!  In order to get on the flight I had to buy us new tickets-to the tune of $1,300- and hope to get a refund.  It was stressful, but I saw it as an opportunity to show the girls grace under pressure.

Surprising:  How quickly one can transition from one place to another.

Hierve el Agua

June 27th, 2008

Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico

Pictures:  From Hierve el Agua (mineral spring that formed an unusual 'frozen' waterfall with deposits over centuries)

Good:  Hierve el Agua was stunning.  Just magnificent.  The pictures do not do it justice. Jamie, Maya and I are so glad we invested the time, money, and anxiety to get there.  We wished we had longer there.  Maybe next time we will try to stay in the 'cabins'.

Bad:  It was the 'Indian Jones ' ride on the way there, though without the security of a track. Our driver was quite careful, but the slippery gravel and the quality of the breaks left me nervous.  Part way through I hoped that Kalin would know what to do if we never returned.

Surprising:  After the springs we were handed over to a different driver in the town of Mitla. i was relieved to see a brand new van, but it turns out that a new van gave us the opportunity to experience "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride" on the way home.  This driver did not meet a car, truck or motorcycle that he did not want to pass.

Mañana is our last full day here!

Monte Alban

June 26th, 2008

Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico

Pictures:  From Monte Alban

Good:  It was so beautiful and peaceful up in the mountains.  We had a lovely afternoon exploring ruins, taking pictures, playing cards, and enjoying the stunning views.

Bad:  The good news is I am having trouble thinking of a bad!  The only slightly bad thing is trying to figure out how much money to have in pesos to get us back to Whittier.  Not a a bad bad as life goes.

Surprising:  I want to send a box of things straight to Berkeley.  The box that I bought at the "Pak Mail" store was a used solvent box.  I was happy at the price and glad to be re-using a box rather than getting a new one.

Scorpions-oh my!

June 25, 2008

Oaxaca, Mexico

Pics:  Scorpion mescal, fabulous murals.

Good:  We had a great outing to the murals behind the baseball stadium.  Interactive art.

Bad:  We miss Rinda : ( .   One more week!

Surprising:  Scorpions!  I went to a bar (boy has that happened a lot more here than at home) and as we were leaving the bartender offered us the end of the jar of scorpion mescal.   The scorpion poison makes it all the stronger.  One of my fellow drinkers had quite a bit and was regretting it within 15 minutes.  I just had a sip-in my fine tradition of trying a little of most anything.

Chapulines

June 23, 2008

Oaxaca, Mexico

Pictures:  Loveduck tries some chapulines (grasshoppers), the biggest tree in the western hemisphere (in Tule, not that I had a tape measurer), and yes, it is still raining unexpectedly from time to time!

Good:  Yesterday we had a fun adventure, complete with two (yes, two) trips to nowhere.  We went to Tlacalula where they hold a large Sunday Market.  From there we wanted to go to Yagul ( some ruins), but apparently there is a suburb called Yagul as well, with tract housing (Oaxacan style) and all.  So we returned to Tlacalula, gave up on the Yagul thing for fear that it would rain once we got there, and headed "straight" to the largest tree in the Western Hemisphere.  Well, we took a bus in the entirely wrong direction.  Good thing it only cost us 3 pesos each way ($.30 usd) on that wild goose chase.  Tule, the town with the ginormous tree, was actually a lovely place to visit.  And then we got to return to Oaxaca Ciudad in a colectivo (a group taxi).  I got the honor of sitting in the middle of the front-not that there was a bench.  I had a little cushion that was placed between the two seats, just behind the stick shift.  It was a great opportunity to give Kalin some driving pointers.

Bad:  Maya woke up with stomach cramps.  Once again I am grateful for Cipro!  One dose and she is a happy camper again.

Surprising:  The chaplines were not that big of a deal to eat.  I was prepared for something very foreign to my pallet.  They were a bit like eating really salty bits of cereal-maybe puffed rice.  I expected super crunchy.

Surprising:  

Hasta nunca.

June 21, 2008

Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico

Pictures:  the view from our roof;  skeletons from an art gallery;  

Good:  Last day of Spanish classes were yesterday.

Bad: Last day of Spanish classes were yesterday.

Surprising:  I am surprised at how sad I was to say good-bye to our spanish teachers. 

Learning a language from someone, struggling to share our life stories in simplified Spanish, is an amazingly intimate experience.  As I face more good-byes, quite likely forever with most of the people,  I realize once again how wonderful and horrible it is for me to have connections with people scattered around the world.  I am not very good with this 'hasta nunca' thing.  So we pretend it is not 'until never', but most likely it will be.  

Rite of Passage

June 18, 2008

Oaxaca, Mexico

Good:  The pictures and stories from California about gender neutral marriage licenses.  It sounds like it was a lot of fun.  Rinda and I are going to do fill in our forms on July 6th-our wedding day.  It is going to be extremely low key.  While we are thrilled to get a marriage license, our real wedding was in 1991.

Bad:  I feel badly for Jamie.  There is a way in which Kalin, Maya and I are just done with this traveling thing.  This is a our last week of Spanish Classes, so next week we will do more site seeing.  I imagine we would have felt this way during our last two weeks regardless of where we were or what we were doing.  The enthusiasm I had early on ("We're on a big trip" ) has vanished ("Only two more weeks").  I remind myself that in other circumstances a two week trip would be long.

Surprising:  Driver's education!  Jamie reminded us that now is the time. She has driver's ed when she returns.  In checking out our options for Kalin, I signed her up for an online course that comes from a school in Berkeley.  Can she really be that old (yep, August 2nd she can get her permit!)?  Can I really be that old (yep, just look in the mirror).

Bella it is!

June 16th, 2008

Oaxaca, Mexico

No photos : ( .  We need to bring the camera with us more often.

Good:  The teachers strike is over!  That means the Zocalo is a lovely place to hang around again.  It was so nice to go there in the evening for some sushi (special treat) and actually enjoy walking through it.  We spent a lot of time debating who was and who wasn't a lesbian couple.

Bad:  I (We) still miss Rinda.  She has a number of application in so it does not make sense for her to return.  

Surprising:  Hannah Eller-Isaacs is the winner of our contest. Her major prize is.... a free bed (okay, not so free, she has to share it with Maya) every time she visits us!  Plus the satisfaction of knowing how clever she is.  Bella it is.  We all had the name Bella on our respective lists-just not at the very top.  Somehow seeing it on Hannah's suggested made it break through the finish line.

This is our last week with Spanish classes.  The girls are very happy being in class without me (can you imagine that I take up too much space?!?!).  So I will continue being alone with a teacher most of the time.  It is much more intense, but I learn a lot.  I'm less frustrated with the whole thing-who knows why.  The girls love class without me because they mostly play games like taboo and pictionary.  Very few lectures on grammar for that set.  As for me, I am trying to master the 'objecto indirecto' and the 'objecto directo'.   Think I have them down in English.  Now to actually start using them in Spanish.

Name that puppy!

June 13th, 2008

Oaxaca, Mexico

Picture:  puppy x at 1 week.  okay, so this is our new dog and we cannot seem to find the right name.  it was so easy with bailey.  oh well.  we hope our greater community can help us with this task.  email all suggestions.  a personalized, carefully selected prize goes to the winner.

Good:  The weather is perfecto!  Warm days, storms in the evening, cool nights.  I cannot ask for better.  But I won't count on it lasting.

Bad:  We won't be in California on June 17th.  It would have been fun to be at ground zero on the day marriage licenses became gender neutral.

Surprising:  This is a theory made out of whole cloth so take it for what it is worth.  One of my fellow Americans was complaining about being ripped off here.  She thinks they are charging us too much.  I suggested that people from the US expected prices to be less here so feel cheated when we pay US prices for things.  And people here are used to tourists pretty happily paying higher prices for things than Oaxacans.  The system worked so long as the prices in the two places were so discrepant.  But now that the Oaxacans pay nearly what we pay for food, clothing etc.  we (Americans) won't happily pay more that the Oaxacans pay.  The only exception seems to be rent.  I am happily paying $700 (usd) for renting a 3 bedroom apartment.  My teachers here think I am being over charged.  But for me,  $700 for rent for the month is very reasonable.  So I happily pay that amount even though I know a Oaxacanian would only pay $500(usd) or so.  But clothes.  OMG.  They want way more than I am willing to pay.    I imagine this is the global economy at work.  I just do not know how it plays out.

Jamie is here!

June 11th 2008

Oaxaca, Mexico

Pictures: Jamie, Kalin and Maya busy at 'work' (hah!);  Jamie eats her first ever crepe-nutella, of course;  one picture with Mona-from the museum (jamie is in the middle;  mona is on the right).

Jamie ( my brother's daughter) arrived on Saturday (along with her mom, Mona) .  We were so busy when Mona was here that I did not get a chance to post. It is great having Jamie here.  She was a little shell shocked at first, but I think she as adjust very well.  She pulls her weight around the house and it is nice to have more energy around the house.

Good:  Dancing!  I signed up for salsa lessons and got some other dances thrown in.  I can go every day for two weeks.  It was great to get out of the house in the evening and move around.

Bad:  I have the strangest combination of being lonely and being desperate for more alone time.  Very strange.  Mostly I think I just miss Rinda.

Surprising:  I cried in class today.  Full on tears, though they never actually flowed down my cheeks.  It was over the direct object and indirect object.  Strange.  Boy, this is humbling!

Hola from Berkeley!

Hello All - I thought I should add a note from El Norte!  I've been in Berkeley for two weeks now.  I came back initially for a job interview, but unfortunately did not get that job.   So now I'm in full job search mode, applying for several jobs around the Bay Area.  I really want to work in Berkeley, but have to be realistic.  The economy means that there are fewer jobs available than usual, so I'm expanding my parameters.  I'm accepting all wishes of luck, job leads, interviewing advice and any other positive stuff my way!

Our house is rented through June, so I'm relying on the kindness of my Woolsey neighbors for all the necessities of life.  I have been sleeping in Woolsley School or with Nico the 5-month old in order to give his parents a break.  As of tonight the guest room is free, so I'll have 4 walls and a door to call my own.  That will be nice.  I'm also back in the cooking rotation and as a bonus am able to spend more time than I ever have with the kids around here, Nico, Julia and Grace.  I'm loving that.  I'm also grateful to the many friends who have offered walks, coffee, guest rooms, dinner, advice and good ideas.  

I'm volunteering at both Berkeley High and Willard Middle, something else I'm not usually able to do much.  I can't believe how nice it feels to be spending time around teachers and kids doing school stuff, even if it is just packing AV equipment, moving books, or cleaning up after a dance.  Makes me know I'm in the right field.

I miss Kalin, Maya and Laila terribly.  We talk or email every day, but of course it's not the same.  I REALLY hope to be able to spend the last week with them, but probably won't be able to do that until a job is secured.  So do wish me luck!

Rinda

Nuestra casa nueva

June 4, 2008

Oaxaca, Mexico

The view from our front door, Maya makes tortillas, pictures from the teacher strike in the Zocalo.

Good:  We really like our new house and neighborhood.   It is a little more residential, though still very urban.  Each morning we have a nice (to me) 20 minute walk to the meeting spot for caravanning to school-Amigos del Sol.  The school used to be in Centro, but after the violence in 2006, they moved to the north part of town.   There are still social and financial repercussions from then. 

Bad:  Rinda did not get the first job she applied for, so she will be staying in Berkeley to put in for more positions.  We are doing just fine without her, BUT WE MISS HER!!

Surprising:  Yesterday, we learned that one of our Spanish teacher had a badger when he was a kid.  He even slept with it sometimes.  We were shocked when we translate the word he told us in spanish.

Good-Bye Bailey

June 2, 2008

Oaxaca, Mexico

Pictures:  "Dinah" and "Dinah" with her littermates.

Bad:  Yesterday 'our' new puppy died.  She was very small when she died and we think she may have been so premature that she was not viable.  It was a stressful weekend as we watched for news from Stacy, our breeder.  On Sunday afternoon, Bailey died in Stacy's hand.  We cried a lot over a puppy that we never met.

Good:  Stacy has another black, tri-colored female that we can adopt.  They call her Dinah.  we have not yet selected a name.  So we will still have a new puppy this year.  The other good news is that we moved into our new apartment:  three bedrooms-wahoo!  It is amazing to have so much room again.

Surprising:  I went out dancing on Saturday night.  It was so much fun.  I got to bring a young thing from Glendora to her first gay bar.  

Bailey is here!

Oaxaca, Mexico

May 28th 2008

Our new puppy.  We are pretty sure we will stick with the name Bailey.

Here she is with the whole litter:  6 in all.  Ours is the only black tri.

Good:  Bailey is here!  I had meant to mention that we were planning for a puppy before she was born.  But, Rinda's job search took up the last post.  Plus Bailey was born a little early.  She is a black tri-colored miniature australian shepherd.  She was born on the 27th at 1:03.  It was great to wake up to that news.

Bad:  Have I mentioned that it is a miracle than any of us ever speak at all.  I am so humbled and humiliated  by this Spanish experience.  It actually feels as if I am moving backwards around speaking.  All the verb conjugations pile up clogging the spigot that allows speech to flow.  I was nearly in tears in class today, and I have very nice teachers.  At my best moments I remind myself that it will take time and that I need to have faith that it will come.  At my worst I figure it is all useless and I may as well give up now.  I think this is stirring up a bit of high school insecurity!

Surprising:  The new student in our spanish class is from Berkeley.  Well,  actually from Tennessee, but she is studying at Cal.  She is only here for two weeks, but it is nice to still have 4 people in our class and someone to talk about the Bay Area with.

And...Rinda's trip home was long and uneventful.  Think of her tomorrow morning.

and then there'll be three

May 25th,  2008

Oaxaca, Mexico

Good:  Rinda has a job interview.  She applied on Monday and was offered an interview of Friday. Thank goodness Gogi did not go to the Church Retreat so she was home to convey the message. Rinda had a nice conversation with the Assistant Superintendent from the district.  It is nice to feel like Rinda has a strong resume.   She really is so experienced as an administrator now.

Bad:  It is an in person interview!  Rinda is flying home on Tuesday.  Because of the uncertainty of timing, she has an open ticket.  We hope she will be back in 10 days or so.

Surprising: I am a little nervous to be here on our own.  I am sure it will be fine, just more tiring to be the one communicating with the world.  I am glad the the school work will be finished, in'shaallah.   We will all have to step up a little more to do Rinda's jobs while she is gone.  

nearly at the finish line...

May 23, 2008

Oaxaca, Mexico

Pictures:  Hector and Veronica, our spanish teachers-evidence of Spanish class for Kalin's school, and the view from the rooftop classroom at our school.

Good:  Three more days until we mail the school work to Berkeley.

Bad:  Three more days until we mail the school work to Berkeley.

Surprising:  Only three more days until we mail the school work back to Berkeley.

Okay, not really surprising!  We have given ourselves a deadline of May 26th.  That way the teachers will have the work by June 1st.  Kalin has been working for hours every afternoon to get her stuff finished.  And that is after a morning full of Spanish classes. We are all a bit frazzled- with tensions running higher than ever before.

We have decided to move to a new apartment on June 1st.  Our niece/cousin is coming for the last three weeks of our time here.  We decided that a three bedroom apartment (rather than a studio with a loft) for $200 less a month was a wise decision for family harmony.  It is a more residential area, but we can still walk to the Zocalo, stores and restaurants.

And how is Spanish going?  Well, I am humbled.  Really I find it amazing that any of us speaks at all.  It sure demonstrates how amazing it is that humans developed language.  We like our school a lot.  One of the teachers in particular does a great job of balancing all of our temperaments, skills, and levels.  With two weeks down and four to go, I find it hard to believe we will be speaking much Spanish by the time we leave.  But we did learn a joke today-that I am not going to post.   If you speak Spanish, ask me to tell it to you when we get home.  Then I can practice at least a little bit of Español (did you know they capitalize that now!?).  

Rain, rain, rain

May 19th, 2008

Oaxaca, Mexico

Good:  Rain.

Bad:  Rain.

Surprising:  Rain.

It has been raining in the afternoons and into the evening.  Torrential down pours.  Walk-through-a-foot-of-water-puddles rain.  It is great because it cools things off.  It is bad because we get soaking, and I mean soaking, wet.  Surprising because many people stand around inside waiting for it to end.  Two days ago I waited with folks at the grocery store, all of us lined up in a queue, under an overhang.  After about 20 minutes I got tired of waiting.  I reminded myself that I voluntarily step into this very substance nearly every day, that I would not melt, and that I would only look a little foolish slogging through the downpour.  Last night we all got caught (see photo).  You may ask yourself-do they have rain gear?  Well...we did bring rain jackets, but they just do not provide full protection with this sort of rain, so we have not bothered to pull them out.  We may have to invest in umbrellas if this keeps up.

Much to Celebrate!

Hola!

Today there are many things to celebrate in the Ibrahim-Bartley family, in Mexico, and in the U.S.  For the family, we are very happy that both Maya and Kalin have completed their math curriculum for the year!  Both are finishing up odds and ends now, but the heaviest courses are mostly finished.  Whew!  They both did well, but there were many times when we all longed for Berkeley High and Willard and their wonderful teachers!  Congratulations to Laila, too, who was the math teacher for both of them.

Speaking of teachers, today (May 15) was national Day of the Teacher in Mexico.  In the U.S. we give teachers cards and flowers and maybe lunch or a mug.  In Mexico it is a much bigger deal.  I haven't read up on it yet, but the unrest here two years ago which resulted in rioting and very violent police action was in part a response to political action and eventually a 6-month strike by public school teachers.  Each year since then the city has geared up for the day with HUGE squads of police in riot gear, helmets and rifles and bullet-proof vests riding through the streets in open trucks and occupying the zocalo and church squares.  This year the day also coincided with a big election at one of the major universities for its president - also a very big political deal.  I think the teacher day has become symbolic of all labor unrest in the country.  There was lots of graffiti with revolutionary slogans and images.  It was scary,  I must say, as the police presence and the graffiti increased throughout the week.  Our school had us start 90 minutes early today to finish by noon just in case we couldn't get there because of the marches.  Our street was on the march route - 20,000 teachers participated!  I've included a not very good picture of some of them.  The state department warned U.S. citizens not to join in any marches, but I was with those thousands of teachers in spirit.

Finally, we are celebrating the California Supreme Court decision handed down today which says that it is unconstitutional to deny same-sex partners the right to a marriage license and the rights and responsibilities that go with it!  Laila and I are sorry not to be home to join the celebrations!  We know that this is far from the end of the battle, but what a huge step!  Its ironic that Kalin turned in her research paper on the history of the legal battle for marriage equality only last week!  What a hopeful addition this would have been!

I had to add the last picture of K, M and L on the couch studying.  On one side, Laila was helping Maya with her Spanish homework.  On the other she was helping Kalin with her Health Curriculum, labeling the various male and female sex organs in great detail.  Oh the richness of life!

Mothers' Day!

Mothers Day was celebrated here in Mexico on Saturday, yesterday.  Turns out it's a very lively holiday, with 12 hours of live, very amplified music from the church plaza across the street.  It was lovely until the last two hours, from 10 - 12 p.m.  The previous night there were a lot of fire works shot off from very nearby, so nearby that we ran inside from the patio, screaming and terrified, thinking that shrapnel was heading our way.  Mothers are very important here, and any excuse for a celebration is seized upon!

Laila and I woke up this morning to a banner and two very sweet cards, as well as breakfast cooked by Maya.  We feel like very lucky moms!  Really, both girls have done so well with everything that has been asked of them on this trip.  There have been many uncomfortable moments both physically and emotionally, right along with the great stuff.  And each of them has handled it with all the grace and honesty available to them.  Even at the hardest of times, their ability to recover has been the most important thing.  This time has brought us all even closer than we were before.  I know this is such precious time, poised as it is on the edge of their growing up and away.  Once again, we are very lucky moms!

Also pictured:  Kalin's improvised office arrangement for finishing her research paper. Necessity is really the mother of invention.  The paper is finished and handed in!  Maya also finished the first draft of her paper on world religions.  We're getting there!

Language school starts tomorrow and we're excited!!

homework, homework, homework

Oaxaca, Mexico

May 9th, 2008

Pictures:  Maya doing her last page of math homework!  The apartment.  Maya eating a candied apple that she purchased by herself using her new found Spanish.

Good:  We are making excellent progress on homework.  Kalin is working on a paper on 'social change' for Social Studies.   She chose "Marriage Equality" as her topic.  It is at once hopeful and horrible to review and research the struggles.  We are having our first experience figuring out how to cite websites (Web sites according to MLA).   It was intimidating at first, but then I reminded myself that this is a 9th grade paper, not a dissertation.  

Bad:  I had a "I have to get away from these people" moment today.  So I did.  Down to the copy shop, but it did the trick.  I think I will have to build in some alone time here.  Don't know why it seems different than other places.  Maybe it is all the sitting around doing homework.  We start Spanish classes on Monday.  We are all nervous.

 Surpring:  That our Spanish phrase book includes "Lo siento, no puedo levantarla" (I can't get it up, sorry) and "No te preocupes, lo hago yo."  (Don't worry, I'll do it myself) in the 'social' section.  I trust none of us will be getting that social!

Two months

Oaxaca, Oaxaca Mexico

May 6th, 2008

Pictures:  Our apartment and the Zocalo

Good:  The apartment is adorable.  Both girls insist that we are not going anywhere.  It is a bit small and could use a few more windows for ventilation.  With the doors open it is lovely, but at night we keep them closed.   The staff does not speak English which is fabulous so we have to really use our limited Spanish.  Hopefully by the end of our time here we will be much better. We start language school on Monday the 12th.

Looks like we may stay here for the full two months.  Kalin does not even want to go to the ocean.  We may have laid down on our last new bed.  Though two of us might head to the beach for a few days in the midst of our Oaxaca time. 

The transition day was hard as usual.  Our flight was a red-eye but for only 6 hours with a 1 1/2 stop in Mexico City so we were tired when we got here.  We napped for 5 hours!  I am glad to say we managed to sleep last night.   

Bad:  See above about windows.

Surprising:  Cinco de Mayo was nothing.  We were prepared for something, but saw no sign of any recognition of the day.  Must be a holiday created by American Breweries.

Home again, nearly.

May 4th, 2008

Whittier, CA

Pictures:  Egyptian feast.  Mohammed's birthday candy-all the way from Cairo.  

Good:  It is so great to see my Dad.  He continues to do so well.  It was especially fun to cook recipes from Egypt.  Mimi's brother, Tom, and sister-in-law, Beverly, came over to enjoy the meal.  It was a very nice night.  Beverly had been to Egypt so she understood what we were talking about.  Beverly was one of my Dad's nurses in hospice last summer.  Tom and Bev's marriage was a wonderful things to come of that time!

Bad:  The room the girls have to share it very small with no storage space.  They mostly do great, but things flared up this morning.  To top it off, Mimi's computer is in their room so they have an intruder multiple times a day.

Kalin adds that it is 'bad' that she had to watch 'Boys don't cry' for school work.  It was very intense and sad.

Surprising: How quickly the time flies!  Tonight we leave for Oaxaca.  Can't say that I am looking forward to a midnight flight.  Two months in one place will be nice.

Good-bye Roma

April 30th, 2008 ( I am back dating for my own record)

Rome, Italy 

Pictures:  Three coins in a fountain (Trevi) and St. Peter's Basilica

Good:  We had a great last day here.  Maya, Rinda and I went on a sight seeing binge.  Kalin wisely chose to stay home.  St. Peter's Basilica, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps.  It was a lot to cram in, and a lot of fun.  St. Peter's was amazing and excessive at the same time.  We could see how such a creation might contribute to the Reformation.

Bad:  We do not have our tickets confirmed to LAX!!  When we got to Frankfurt, I left Rinda, Kalin and Maya at the terminal while I made my way to the Air India desk.  After I wandered away I realized that since I had their passports they would be unable to get to where we needed to go.  This might be a mistake.  Well, I'd just go fast.  Wow-what a big airport.  I had no idea they could be so big.  At the Air India desk they confirm we are set at United.  Hooray-this will be easy.  Uh, oh-United has no record of us.  And the flight is over sold.  By a lot!  Back to Air India.  "Oh, that cannot be.  They confirmed you are on the flight."  Back to United.  Well,  we will put you on stand by, but don't hold your breath."  Rush back to Kalin, Maya and Rinda.  but where did I leave them.  Wasn't it terminal A.  But there is no food court in 'A'.  Panic!! We are running out of time.  And we are on stand by.  We have to be there if they call our name.  Try to get help from security.  They are no help.  Dash back to terminal "B".  FInd them.  Dash back to terminal "A".  Wait in line at Gate 65.  Wait over here to see if we are called.  Say a prayer to the Goddess of the Air....Yes!  They called our name.  Hooray we made it.  Weird seats, not sitting together, but we are on our way to LA.  If you ever fly in Europe, it helps to know that flights between EU countries are 'domestic'.  That detail would have helped me to understand how they could be in the domestic terminal when we had flown in from Rome.

Surprising:  How amusing it can be looking for a wireless connection on the streets of Rome.  We were desperate to call our travel agent to get her to work on our flight to LAX.  Internet was down in our apartment-once again!  The internet cafe would not let us turn up the volume to use the skype that was loaded on their computer ( I nearly lost it!!!).  So we ended up wandering up and down the streets, looking for an unlocked network.  We finally found one, around the corner from an outdoor restaurant.  It must have been quite a sight-me yelling into

this very large 'cell phone'.   We took a picture to commemorate the moment (too bad it was on the other computer).  It was a great trip event-the low of my near temper tantrum at the internet cafe to our peels of laughter.