New Year

2008 has arrived and far too much time has passed since my last entry. What have I been doing? Well, I made a trip to San Antonio and spent some quality time with the family and Corey. While there, I attended (and even participated in) the wedding of a high school friend. Congrats Jeremy and Mary. The trip sped by as I expected. I was back in Veragua before I knew what had hit me.

I spent a slightly crazy New Years Eve in Cabarete with 30 or so other volunteers from around the country. Celebrating the new year in Cabarete with the multitudes of Dominicans and tourists has become something of an unofficial tradition for volunteers. I think everybody enjoyed themselves.

The guys and I didn't manage to make the trip to Pico Duarte during that first week of January, though we've rescheduled and confirmed the trip for the first week of February. I'm eagerly awaiting that. Check back for photos. Also coming is the Close of Service Conference, the first official nod at our rapidly approaching goal.

Here in Veragua the attitudes remain calm and relaxed, not quite ready to kick off the new year, willing an extension of the holiday season. School finally started back up this last week, and clients are slowly trickling back into the lab, completing 2008's freshest homework assignments. I can tell there won't be much in the way of new activities over the next two months. Has "senioritis" set in?

So that's about it here. I won't be home much the next few weeks, which I'm sure Chuqui won't be happy to hear, but he's just a cat. Hope everyone is having a happy and healthy new year. I'll try to do the same.

Peace, David