officially unemployed and homeless

Now that I am in transit you probably want to hear what I am doing... at the same time, I am highly unmotivated to spend much time in front of a computer when I could be hanging out on the beach or wandering around a new city. That said, updates will likely be few and far between, and without pictures (I'll get to that). Lo siento...

I finished my PC service amidst national curfews and demonstrations in the capital. We are supposed to spend the last week of service in and out of the office finishing reports, getting signatures and completing medical appointments. As we entered Tegus Monday afternoon, an announcement came on the radio: national curfew starting at 4:00pm due to the surprise return of the ousted president, Mel Zelaya. Announcing a 4pm curfew at 3:30 caused traffic to stop dead. What a way to start the last week...

The curfews resulted in PC cancelling our medical appointments and giving us vouchers to get physicals and parasite tests when we return to the States. That's great... IF you are going back! Since we only have 60 days to do the appointments, I'll be stopping at the doctor's office in Panama. Booo! The week was frustrating as we spent 42 straight ours held up in our not so luxurious hotel. A 24 hour curfew means no restaurants or grocery stores opened. The embassy was generous enough to donate military MREs for us (meals ready-to-eat, what soldiers eat in the field.) We planned to enjoy our time and each other's company as we don't know when we will see each other again. The final week of service is usually full of fun, socializing, taking advantage of your favorite Tegus restaurants, and other volunteers passing through for goodbyes. needless to say, we searched for ways to enjoy ourselves in the Hotel Guadalupe II for the ENTIRE week. But we survived the demonstrations, the tear gas and each other.

As official RPCVs, about 5 of us headed to the Bay Island (off the north coast of Honduras) of Utila. Possibly my favorite place on Earth. We spent an entire week diving, hanging out in the ocean and getting too much sun. I wasn't ready to leave. Unfortunately, among all this fun, I left my camera out and it became the first casualty of the trip. The camera was old and can be replaced. What upsets me is all the photos I lost from the last several weeks.

If Traci hadn't flown in, I may still be in Utila. It was a good thing she got us moving. With her, Alice, Rachel and I visited Copan Ruins and headed for Guatemala. Antigua, Volcano Pacaya (hot lava glows, roasts your marshmallows and melts your shoes), Chichicastanengo market, Guatemala City (where Alice took the GRE!), Coban, Lanquin and the beautiful natural pools, caves and underground river of Semuc Champey then back to Guate, through El Salvador and on to Managua, Nicaragua. Since I took a detour to pick up a suitcase in Tegus between San Salvador and Managua, I just spent the last 4 nights in 4 different countries. I'm ready to slow down a bit and look forward to spending a few days in Granada. Traci left this morning to return to those crazy things like a job, husband and my dog. It was great having her company and showing her around this part of the world. It's back to just Alice, Rachel and I living it up unemployed and homeless... : )