Richard’s Reckless Travels

So as you might all be aware, I’ve been putzing around since I graduated in December. Just to mix things up, I went to South America to go practice my Spanish. I’ve been pretty productive! I built a bicycle, my 22nd (and golden!) birthday is next Saturday, I’ve gone on miles and miles of bike rides, done some volunteering for a TEFL program, been a regular at trivia night. But, as most know, such activity can be wearisome. Therefore, I am doing what every cestovatel would do, I am going to take another vacation. Where to you ask? Why none other than Ft. Myers, Florida. Maybe I could write it off as a business expense on my taxes. I bet I could say that I’m acclimating myself to Nicaraguan weather. It surely will help me do my job better! Who knows? Without it, I damn well may have to ET my Peace Corps service. We don’t want something like that to happen, so I am playing it safe, and going on vacation.

In other news, I went to a Peace Corps event at REI where we could speak with RPCV’s and ask them whatever. I went with the intention of picking their minds about what I should pack. Coincidentally, there were only two people who went to the event (out of about 50-60) who had received an invitation to serve in the PC – me and another girl. And what do you know – she’s going to Nicaragua as well! She is going to be the same type of volunteer I’m going to be (Business educator/advisor) and is from Boulder. So I told her about a group we had online where she could converse with everybody (as of now there are 10 of us in the group) about things to buy/preparations to make before we take off. Exciting! The RPCV’s were great. I ended up speaking with a lady who served in Honduras (it’s right next door to Nicaragua, so I figured she’d be a good person to ask), and she gave me some good tips – get a digital camera, a sleep sack is good for visiting other PCV’s, and “Oh you’re going to have so much fun!” This lady I might add, had a warm bubbly voice that I can describe in no other way than an old woman who makes cookies regularly for guests. Not an old woman scratchy voice, but an upbeat/rolling/warm type of voice. She was an over-50 volunteer with her husband and apparently they had an amazing time. She mentioned that after he husband cut himself with a machete, the PC medical kit was “wonderful for butterfly stitches.” Well I’ll keep that in mind next time I’m considering self-mutilation. Now that I think about it, this lady’s voice freaked me out for the first 10 minutes.

Aside from all the aforementioned nonsense, Phil and I have been seeing endless concerts, with more to come. I think before I leave, we’re seeing at least 4 more. The great thing about going to concerts with him is that we’re always up front which yields but one thing – Phil being harassed (I use this term lightly) by the band. An example from the last concert we went to (British Sea Power): We are standing right in front of the stage when one of the guitarists bends down, grabs Phil’s shoulders, turns him around, and then proceeds to ride atop Phil’s shoulders until Phil dropped him on the next victim. The guitarist than crowd surfed all the way to the back of the room and back to the stage where he made an almost catastrophic landing with his face. Luckily he pulled through. Phil must have some sort of a magnetic “look at me, terrorize me” look to him at concerts. Whatever though, at least I get a good laugh out of it.

On an unrelated note, I might have decided on a pair of sandals to buy!

And to cap off this entry, check out the rad-ass picture I found!