Perro Salchicha

"The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you're uncool." -- Almost Famous

1)  The Town Fair -- my town is currently having a 5 day fair, called La Feria de San Sebastian.  Its your typical fair with rides:

music:

educational demonstrations (here's a guy talking about the awesomeness of yucca, aka cassava):

and of course, a dog show:

Perro salchicha

My counterpart organization also had their own stand/booth at the fair:

I created a Three R's pamphlet as well as a pamphlet
holder (thanks, internet). My pamphlet literally stands out from the rest.

Requisite photo of me with a counterpart

My counterpart organization's booth

2)  Uncle Chan's Redemption?  -- Is Ken Jeong's documentary about the walk-on Notre Dame kicker, Reggie Ho, enough to make up for his "Uncle Chan-ish" role in The Hangover films? 

3)  Incertidumbres -- I've been to the capital 3 times recently because of my shoulder injury and there was a lot of uncertainty about what treatment I would need.  But the results are finally in and I'll just need some physical therapy.  No surgery needed.  On the bright side, being in the capital allowed me to drink root beer and buy some habanero peppers, the seeds of which I just planted at post. 

4)  Landfill or Incinerator -- the recent NY Times article about incinerators and the problems associated with it made me want to comment a little bit about the topic.  Whether you're in the "developing" world or in the "first world", the problem of garbage essentially boils down to this:  people can reduce the amount of garbage they produce.  Many people just choose not to.

Just take a look at Zero Waste Home and (as the NYT article points out) cities like San Francisco and Portland.  If more people did what they were doing, we wouldn't be debating whether or not landfills or incinerators are the better choice. 

Garbage collection at post

5)  "And hey, I met you.  You are not cool." -- I just saw Almost Famous for the first time even though the film came out in 2000.  Can't believe I've never watched it before b/c its pretty awesome.  And not just because Jimmy Fallon, Marc Maron and Mitch Hedberg were in it.  Not to mention the guy who cut off Jamie Lannister's hand. 

Tranquilo Como un Pepino

1)  You've Been to Guatemala? I've Been to Guatemala -- 

In Boquete with William, a fellow PCRV
in Panama and an RPCV from Guatemala

Joel, I would've worn the San Antonio shirt, but it was in the laundry hamper. 

2)  Panoramic Videos -- I don't know how to take panoramic shots on my camera, so I end up taking 360 degree videos instead:


Cinta Costera, Panama City

3)  Book Reviews -- Since drastically reducing my internet usage recently, I finished 2 books.  Sorry, Luke, the nativity scene is taking longer than anticipated.  Anyway, the books were Joe Abercrombie's Red Country and Jeff Olson's The Slight Edge.  I liked both books overall.  Both easier reads than Plato's The Republic in Spanish, which I've put on hold.  But I'm still undecided about the ending of Red Country.  My first reaction was that the build up to the big showdown fizzled.  Its an unconventional ending though, I'll give the author that. 

4)  No Picante  -- Say what you will about Cameroonian food, at least it was spicy.  Desafortunadamente, in Panama (ie, the town where I'm posted), the food is a tad bland.  Even if you wanted to grow habanero or jalapeño peppers, you won't find any seeds being sold in town.  Hmm… Did somebody say 'secondary project'?  I think so. 

5)  Poco a Poco --  One morning, I was trying to plant some seeds in the backyard, but the soil was very hard since the dry season already started.  I told my neighbor I should've planted the seeds during the rainy season.  She then said, "Poco a poco, se puede ser."  (Little by little, it can be done).  She was right.  The soil was ready later that afternoon.  Poco a poco.  Kinda like development.