My long-time friend Klara is spending 2 weeks with us here in Bucerias – here is her perspective on being our guest in this crazy place!
The Perspective of a Guest
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Hashtag Where’s Jose?
It’s hard to believe we’ve only been back here in Bucerias for 4 days – our feet have been moving since the airplane wheels hit the tarmac! Friday was our re-entry day….. get the rental car, start unpacking the zillion suitcases, fill the fridge, meet the new baby that had been born to our neighbors in our absence, and go to two different taco restaurants to get things started. Friday night was the start of the sleep adjustment period – which means NO SLEEP due to the heat and the animals.
Saturday was a friend day. We met Chris and Darren in Old Town PV for lunch and then headed to the airport to pick up our first houseguest Klara. She may have thought she was coming to rest, but within a couple of hours of her arrival, we were all busy at work at the fundraiser for the orphanage Manos de Amor. The children’s home depends completely on donations and fundraising, so this event Rhythm and Ribs is absolutely vital to its existence. It was an amazing event to see – hundreds of people arrived to listen to the fantastic band Luna Rumba, buy silent auction and raffle items and eat ribs. And I mean eat a LOT of ribs. My job was to collect tickets at the Rib stand (Klara was working at the taco stand!). Hundreds of people lined up to exchange 5 tickets (50 pesos = $4 Canadian = $2.75 American) for a small plate of delicious ribs. Now let me just say one thing ….. if you go to a fundraiser for orphans, do not yell at the ticket taker because you think you should get all-you-can-eat ribs for $2.75. Seriously – that’s dumb.
Karen collecting tickets for Ribs
Sunday we went to church and then over to the market at the marina in La Cruz to get our giant shrimp and some veggies and pasta. Sunday dinner was tortilla soup and guacamole and a beautiful beach sunset.
The final task to feeling settled was a giant wash down of the house on Monday morning. Because we had left windows open to keep the house from turning into a raging inferno, we had a month of dust on every imaginable surface. And one really bad smell to track down. Note to self: do not put a package of frozen fish in the cupboard for a month….. frozen things should be in a freezer at all times.
Monday evening, after a relaxing day at the beach, Klara started preparing our shrimp and pasta feast while I was determined to get back in a proper workout routine. So I threw down a yoga mat and put on a pilates tape and got to work. About halfway through, Klara told me I had guests out at the gate. Being as I was just heading into the Plank series, I was more than happy for the interruption. Standing on the sidewalk were Isabel and Laurentino and two of their friends. Normally these children, who live at Manos de Amor, go home to their tiny tarp house in San Vicente for the weekend. Because their mom really can’t care for them, they get on a bus on Monday, along with their 5-year-old brother Jose, and head back to the orphanage for the week. Sometimes they get off the bus close to our house and stop in for a visit, so I wasn’t totally surprised to see them. But when I asked what they were doing they said they were looking for Jose. (Thus the title of this blog #wheresjose?) And could they have a glass of water. Seems they had gone to the home of their friend before going to the orphanage, and Jose had disappeared. Two hours ago! HE’S FIVE! So we panicked a bit. Grant panicked a lot. I suggested we get in our car and start driving up and down all the streets. Grant yelled at me to call the police. I looked at him incredulously – I don’t have a clue how to call the police!!!! GRANT: “Five year olds shouldn’t be lost for 2 hours!” ME: “no really, I don’t know how to call the police” (so now I know something else I need to learn). So we started driving around and hollering “JOSE” out the window on every block. At one point, Isabel told me she had forgotten her money at her friend’s house so we went back there – and as we pulled up the gate opened and out came Jose. I jumped out of the car and scooped him up and softly said “Jose, where have you been?”. “Sleeping” he whispered. “Where were you sleeping?” “En una cama” (In a bed). So while we were searching for him everywhere, panicking that maybe he had crossed the highway, he had found a bed and was busy doing whatever it is that 5-year-old boys do in 
dreamland. We drove them all back to the orphanage and went home for Klara’s delicious meal. But my heart struggled to settle. In Canada I often grumble about over-protective helicopter parents who won’t let their children out of their sight. Here I love little ones whose parents can’t – or won’t – meet even their basic needs. Here I drive up and down the streets wondering #where’sjose? I am so grateful for organizations like Manos de Amor – and there are others – that provide a home for these lost children. I am glad to know they feel safe to come find us when they need help. And I am glad I spent 3 hours arguing with drunk gringos about the price of ribs so these children can have food and clothing and schooling and love. Mostly I am just really glad to be home where I belong!
Not Better….Just Different
Aside
Because we have not completely wrapped up the zillions of details of our move south, we are back in Canada for three weeks to finish taxes, finish construction, and finish packing. There are a lot of ‘finishes’ before you can truly experience new beginnings. Last year when I met with a Career Coach Warren, he told me my Kolbe Index indicated I love to brainstorm and start projects, but I get bored with the carry through. I am strong in “Fast Start” and not so strong on “Follow Through”. (Mind you he told me I should NEVER be an implementer, working with my hands and now I’ve laid tiles and sawed stuff with a power saw….). The point is that I am pulling at the reins to get going, but I know that we need to finish well. So we are back in the North doing Follow Through stuff that must be done.
It is impossible not to compare my two homes – and I don’t mean our physical houses (although there are some serious differences between my fancy new house with all the fancy new appliances and my simple Mexican home). No, I am thinking about the differences between the world I have lived in for all of my life and this new place I am trying to be accepted in. Maybe I am mostly thinking about the differences in me and in Grant and in the things that we now value. Not better. Just different.
So here is a preliminary comparison
The Obvious Stuff
- It is cold in Canada! There is great irony in that fact that my Canadian friends are rejoicing that this has been a mild winter (usually warmer than -15) and my Mexican friends are lamenting that it has been a very cold winter (in the mid to low +20’s). The human experience is just very tied to weather and no matter where you live, every conversation begins with a tiny bit of complaining about the weather.
- The food is unbelievable in Mexico! We often ask ourselves
what food we miss from Canada, and the list is pretty small. A Tim Horton’s coffee. Houston Pizza (the really thick meaty kind). Spring rolls from Viet Thai Restaurant. My zoodles since I couldn’t pack the spiralizer last time. A pumpkin pie. That’s about it. When we are in Saskatchewan we constantly whine about the lack of proper tacos – or any Mexican food – in Regina. Taco Time doesn’t cut it after eating Chilaquilies at Ponchos or Mole Enchiladas at Taco Itzel. We are slowly raising our picante level and are making our own Green Sauce now which makes everything delicious. Still can’t stand cilantro however which eliminates me from every being a true Mexican foodie. - The noise level is hilarious in Mexico. I have told many stories about the joyful celebrations in our neighborhood in Bucerias. First Christmas, then New Years, then the Patron Saint Festival, then some teen girls Quince, then some random dude’s birthday, then the 9 hour Karaoke party, then…… You get the picture. At the end of our 6-week relocation trip we were just beginning to ignore it all and sleep at night. Then we got to our house in Lumsden – a new ICF home (Styrofoam and cement) – super insulated and unnaturally silent. No traffic in the valley after 9. No music in the streets. Total silence. And then we couldn’t sleep there. We laid awake the first night home, unable to sleep because of the eerie quiet. It was beautifully peaceful, with the moon sparkling on the house rooftops – the complete opposite of the loud joyfulness that surrounds our Mexican home. Not better….. just different.
- $$$$$$$. Much of Mexico is poor. I know that there are many poor people in Regina as well. There is addiction, child abandonment, child prostitution, poverty, illness…. It’s in every city in every country. But in Canada we have social networks of government that at least make an effort to close the gaps. We have medical care and education for everyone who will show up. There are welfare programs and food banks and intervention programs to try and save the children who are lost in family dysfunction. In Mexico, the money that should flow to those who are struggling is blocked by crazy systems and non-existent programs. Children are not mandated to go to school – and in fact there are crazy bureaucratic barriers that make it difficult or even impossible. Children must show a birth certificate before they can register for school. Only a mother can get this birth certificate. Many did not get one at birth and now cannot afford the $200 it will cost. Or children who have been abandoned by a mother have no way to get this piece of paper. And so they cannot go to school. Those who need it most cannot access education. Wages are unbelievable low. Minimum wage has just been raised to $73 pesos (that’s about $6), not for an hour but for A DAY! $6 a day to raise a family. How can a family or a community prosper in this environment? It has been inspiring to watch both the Mexican community and the many Gringo associations step up to care for the people who have needs and I am super excited to be part of organizations such as La Fuente Riviera Church and Manos de Amor who care for the poor, and especially the children in Bucerias and many surrounding towns and villages.
August, 2015
The Not So Obvious Stuff
- We move a LOT slower in Mexico. Those of you who know Grant and I in Canada will not recognize us in Mexico. We are slow …. Bordering on lazy.
I suspect this is somewhat temporary. We arrived in Bucerias in mid-December really tired (especially house-builder guy Grant) and we have taken some time to rest and vacation. We sit on our balcony or in our garden and read and play Candy Crush and talk and maybe even nap. While I expect that to change, I am pretty committed to guarding our time here. We are definitely planning to be involved in the orphanage and the church, but we are not going to organize every minute – we are going to leave time to just play with the children and to open our home for fun stuff with our new friends. Grant is ready to start building our dream home and I am continuing to do my job from a distance so that will be enough structure for us. The rest of the time will be for beach picnics and boogie boarding and watching hummingbirds in the garden. I welcome you keeping my accountable for this plan! - My heart is very soft. I am now a crybaby. I cry at everything. I cry because the hibiscus bloomed. I cry because Lupita is too cute today. I cry because every child should have their own dad, not just an old white guy from Canada who throws them around. I cry because I knew I shouldn’t have tried the ‘mas picante’ sauce. I cry at the airport and bus station because the kids are here. I really cry at the airport and the bus station because the kids are leaving. I think mainly I cry because I now have time to feel stuff instead of just rushing to do stuff.
- Home is wherever you are today. When I am in Mexico I refer to Lumsden as home, when I am in Lumsden I refer to Mexico as home. Today, I am trying to embrace the snowy day, the beautiful new home I am in, the friends I have missed, the family I will soon spend time with and I will make sure I get a Tim Horton’s coffee and a springroll and some pumpkin pie. I will try to figure out how to import butter into Mexico. In a couple of weeks, I will pack 6 more giant suitcases with the stuff I haven’t been able to buy in Mexico, like my zoodle spiralizer, and I will head to my new home. I will try to embrace the crazy noise and the humid days and I will build a new life. And I will be home. Not better….. just different.
Our simple Mexican kitchen
Our fancy Canadian Kitchen
Our Mexican yard
Our Canadian yard
Heading into the Mountains
Yesterday was another memorable day as we drove 2.5 hours up into the mountains to meet a new community and some sweet new people.
I find that my heart is very soft here and I cried lots of tears as I hugged young children and senior citizens. We ate authentic Mexican dishes given generously and proudly and were graciously welcomed into tiny simple homes.
In October you all heard the good news when Hurricane Patricia swept passed the populated areas around Puerto Vallarta but you may not have heard how the communities in the mountains were affected by the rains. Rivers overflowed and many villages were badly damaged by floods. La Fuente Riviera Church headed up to these villages at that time to deliver food and clothing and in the process they formed new relationships with people in the town of Mascota and surrounding villages.
Yesterday we went to the small town of Tecuani, a farming village nestled in a beautiful valley. It is a peaceful village, but the people are poor. In October, the church met the principle of the school and asked “how can we serve you?”. He asked for help painting portions of the school and the surrounding fence. So yesterday we took a team up to paint and hand out clothes and shoes and to play with the school children.
While everyone else was scraping and painting and working hard, I was snooping around the school’s 3 classrooms. As I walked by the Grade 3/4 class, I heard in perfect unison and in perfect English “Good Morning”. Then they burst into laughter – they were excited to practice their limited English with a gringa. I applauded with great enthusiasm and they sang me a song. Then the teacher of the Grade 1/2 class invited me in to spend time with her class – practicing introducing themselves in English, counting to 20, asking me questions, and finally singing me a song about elephants. Then the tricky part – they asked me to sing the song back to them in Spanish – which I did (okay with a bit of mumbling!). They were so shy and so well behaved and so excited to show off their language skills and I was blown away by this community that ensures its children are educated and are learninga language that will help them succeed – even though there is no English spoken in their town.
We then wandered around the town, meeting the curious townsfolk. The most moving moment of the day came when we met Candio, an elderly gentleman living alone in a tiny cement one room home. Pastor Fredy asked Candio how old he is and he said he is 85. Fredy then asked when his birthday is and he said the 21st of January. Fredy confirmed “21st of January? That’s today!”. The old man’s face lit up and his toothless smile broke into a grin “Then I guess I’m 86!”. He invited us in to sit with him, we sang him Happy Birthday and gave him his first Bible and a toque for the cold mountain mornings and prayed with him. He said we would always be welcome in his home. I sat beside him and as I saw his eyes fill with tears so did mine. Such a humble and simple life – and yet generous. I know Candio is lonely and I so hope to visit him again someday.
Showing us how he used to blow this horn to call his cows
He says he will never take his new hat off!
This flower that I saw yesterday reminds me so much of so many of the Mexican families I meet – my eyes tell me that they are too poor, that happiness cannot flourish in the poverty and struggle. But then I see a child laugh or an old woman smile when I greet her and I see that there is life and love that continues to bloom in a dry and broken country. How I long to be able to pour a cool drink of God’s love on the places I visit.
And so I continue to wonder what my calling is here – where should I dig in my hands and my heart? Where can I serve most effectively? What do I have that others need? For now, I am enjoying exploring this beautiful country and meeting its amazing and resilient people.
Unfortunately, yesterday I also met its ravenous mosquito population and apparently I was a delicious gringa buffet! Today I pay the price….
Weekend!
Weekend! We’re currently living this weird life – a mash up of vacation, working from a distance, retirement and everyday life. We’re trying to figure out a routine that includes the regular stuff like laundry, office hours, church, volunteer work, house cleaning, grocery shopping, iguana recovery, garden tending, etc. We’re also keeping some time for fun and exploring and learning how to embrace new experiences. So Saturday is a free day that we will need to learn how to fill.
We did have one errand to do on Saturday. We have decided that we are only going to plan to complete one task per day. Everything I read says every little thing is just harder here. You can’t easily pay your bills online – you have to stand in line at a bank or office. And whenever I walk by a bank – especially on a Friday – there are super long around-the-block lines. Yesterday we needed to pay our telephone and internet bill. So that’s all we planned for the day. No point getting uptight – let’s just expect to wait and leave the day with the flexibility to handle whatever the line looks like. And wouldn’t you know it – we realized we could pay the bill at the Oxxo (equivalent of a norther 7-11) and we were done in 5 minutes. So we had a whole free day ahead of us – no one to see, nowhere to be, no tasks needing care.
So what else would you do in paradise? We packed a picnic, wrestled the lawn chairs away from the still visiting iguana, packed up the boogie boards and headed to the beach. An absolutely perfect day – waves large enough to give us a ride without filling our cavities with sand and sea creatures. It was fun and might even qualify as a bit of exercise.
In the evening we decided to check out the festival in Bucerias Centro (downtown). We had no idea what craziness we were in for. Mexican people are ‘lively’ at the best of times – but give them a festival and you reach a whole new volume level. It was like the fair at home – food stands, liquor stands (ok that part’s not like at home), children’s rides, dancers and singers and vendors everywhere. At home, the fair is at a fairground – a giant piece of land where vendors and rides can be spread out. Here everything is just dumped in the middle of the already narrow streets. Every street is filled to capacity. The irony is that this 8-day festival is to honor the Catholic patron saint Our Lady of Peace. The absolute last thing I saw or experienced last night was any semblance of peace! On the last day of the festival, all the fisherman in the region will form their boats into the shape of a cross out in the ocean and will arrive in Bucerias for a blessing for the upcoming year. It was an interesting view of a Mexican celebration – and as was to be expected the music went long into the night.
Parade float heading to the church
Cause nothing says Mexican cultural festival honoring a Catholic saint like Indian belly dancing….
Poor Poncho had to shove his Restaurant sign in the middle of the leather belt booth so people would know he was still open!
Sweet toque and delicious corn!
Seems like weird prizes at the arcade booths??????
This stuff looks more familiar….
One last update on our iguana infirmary. Our injured friend Iggy has been with us since Wednesday. She was obviously not well after getting a chomp taken out of her tail. She has been mostly sleeping – first on our window sill, then wrapped amongst our lawn chairs. Grant the animal whisperer chatted with her often, gave her water and beans and fruit. We thought for sure she must by dying as she wasn’t moving much. But today she got up, sat in the sun in the garage for a while and finally wandered off down the street. And not to be forgotten, Iggy left a rather large pile of lizard poop by our front door as a last gift. Great.
Crazy Critters
One thing Mexico has is lots of critters – some good, some not so good. We have met only a very few of them, but I’d like to introduce you to some who have visited us.
The Cute Critters
As always, Grant attracts all kinds of cute creatures – they just love him. So we’ve met a LOT of kitties and dogs. Of course, what is cute during the day is a sleep hazard at night. So it is a bit of a love/hate relationship with each animal we see. It is never really clear if these animals have a home and just choose to avoid it or if these animals are strays.
Neighborhood Critters
These animals live in our neighborhood and roam the streets like an inner city gang. They clearly believe this is their hood and who are we to argue?
The Creepy Critters
These are the things I am not so keen on – especially in my home or yard. But they were here first and I am trying to come to a negotiated space agreement.
We have only had a couple of these cucarachas – and I have purchased all manner of traps and spray to keep it that way. They run faster than the wind and are giant. Giving them their own very popular Mexican song seems ridiculous to me. Gross.
Spiders of every shape and size are around – but we have only seen a couple in our yard. So far so good.
Tiny geckos can be seen running up walls and trees. Geckos have the same place in the lizard family as kittens do in the wild cat family. They are the cute version of scary critters. This little guy was living in our guest shower for a while and although it always made me scream when I saw something scurry out of the corner of my eye, I was okay with sharing the bathroom with him. The guy on the right was just hanging out (literally) at a nearby outdoor restaurant. Better than the wasp infested lights we have up North!
Yesterday I was not so keen on sharing my space with this guy I saw sitting on the wall in our garden. Every time I came outside, I heard something run behind the fence so I figured it was a cat. Not so. If you look up on the wall you will see this black lizard looking down on us. He was pretty shy and really just wanted to get some sun. So I gave him lots of warning (coughs, door slamming, yelling) before going outside.
My explanation to Grant was “I don’t like the black lizards. But I’m okay with the green ones – they’re not as scary. Who doesn’t like Iggy Iguana?”. No sooner had I spoken these words then I went out my front door and what do I see climbing up on my window sill? Yup – a big green one. And it turns out I don’t like them either. This poor guy had an injured tail – probably a dog bite – so he wasn’t moving too fast and just wanted a place to recover. He sat on the ledge for 24 hours and when he finally moved this afternoon it was just to go a few feet further into the garage, nestled amongst the lawn chairs. Hoping he moves on tomorrow – I’m thinking of a Sunday picnic which means I’m going to need those chairs.
So those are the critters we’ve met so far. There are also some amazing colorful birds and butterflies and a hummingbird who visited. Haven’t met any snakes or scorpions but I know they’re out there waiting to introduce themselves at the right moment.
What Makes a Home?
I’ve told you about setting up our house – buying kitchen utensils and towels and creating a garden. But when does a house actually turn into a home? Maybe I was wrong. Maybe it has nothing to do with towels after all. I have decided that a house becomes a home when people know they can find you there. When friends knock on your door and join you for a laugh or a snack.
If that is true, then yesterday our house became our home. I guess it already was since our children had spent lots of time eating and laughing here. But yesterday I was thrilled to receive surprise guests. We were in the kitchen doing some tidying up, when I heard a little voice calling my name. “Karen. Kaaaaren….” Grant and I looked at each other, not quite sure what we were hearing. We looked out our kitchen window – which looks through the garage and out to the grate dividing the sidewalk from our home. There peering through the gate and calling my name was little Jose, with Isabel and Laurentino beside him. Apparently they had been given a ride to somewhere nearby and were walking back to the orphanage. Remembering where we live, they had stopped in for a visit.
I was super pleased and ran out to give some hugs and invite them in. First stop….. fruit bowl in the kitchen. Second stop….. Wii game console. We went for a walk, played some games, bought some caramel popcorn and then the kids announced they had to go. Grant drove them home – and I felt like a real Abuela (a Mexican grandma).
It was only a few minutes later that our invited guests arrived for our first dinner party. Gregory and Martita and their sweet children joined us for a Mexican feast. I made the guacamole – the enchiladas and burritos and sopes were brought in from the neighborhood restaurant. Soon I’ll be making it all myself …. maybe…… Again we ate and laughed and raced Mario around the track. We laughed at them for wearing sweaters and complaining it was cold (only 75 degrees!) and they laughed at us for using a dish cloth instead of a sponge to wash dishes. Our cultures and languages collided and melded and became a new kind of friendship – one where we know we are different but we choose to be united anyway.
That is what I think home is. People coming together to enjoy one another in a place where they feel safe and comfortable and loved, whether they have been invited or just happen to be wandering by. Yesterday we were lucky to have both – and now I know this house can be our home.
PS Today we had a surprise guest too – a hummingbird joined us for breakfast in our garden. How cool is that?
Saturday in Paradise
Today we did nothing…. no I’m not even exaggerating …. we actually did nothing. And it was freaking awesome! Just a perfect Saturday in Paradise.
Dancing in the Streets
Our family Christmas vacation is officially over! It is sad to say goodbye- but now we will find out what it is like to live in another country with no family or familiar friends around. We will have to create a life. Where do we even begin to establish a daily routine?
Brett and Luis head out for more Mexico backpacking
Yesterday we drove Brett and Luis to the bus station to send them on their way to Guadalajara. We knew our first task was to fill up the cupboards with groceries – it is time to cook like a normal person again (never really my strength and now I have to figure it out with new ingredients and new flavors). But it was already 1:00, so no point getting groceries until after lunch right?. We headed into Centro and found a giant torta (sandwich but in a big bun) for $30 pesos (around $2.50). We then wandered through the market looking for a colorful picture to hang above my stove in my kitchen. If I am going to cook, I need to be inspired and I definitely need a cheery picture. As always, I got stuck in a never ending loop of indecision when faced with too many choices. Yellow or green background? Purple or blue flowers? Writing or no writing? Ceramic or wood? I recently told Meigan that perfect decisions are not always necessary – sometimes a good decision is enough. But today I could not take my own advice. No inspiration and no decision here. So we headed home, planning to get our groceries.
In the afternoon I did some work at my computer while Grant painted a pot and had a nap. I sat in the garden and read an inspiring book about water wells in Africa (One Thousand Wells by Jena Nardella – a great read!). Still no groceries – but of course it’s now close to supper time and everyone knows you shouldn’t get groceries when you’re hungry. We could tell it was going to be a fantastic sunset. So we looked at one other and said “Supper at the beach tonight, groceries tomorrow!”. Perhaps this is our new normal “Manana – we can do it manana”.
After dinner on the beach, we wandered through Centro and saw a band was about to start playing in the square. It was a plain old Thursday night and the square was packed with Mexicans and Gringos alike. Candy floss and peanuts and ice cream and tequila available for purchase.
Candy Floss Guy
Peanut Guy
Within seconds of the band beginning to play everyone was dancing – entire families, tiny children, teenage couples, grandmas and grandpas and ME. And since Grant hates to dance, guess who I was dancing with? First the beach vendor who sells peanuts (I had turned him down at least 3 times that day in various places around town – I didn’t have the heart to turn him down again) and then a Mexican grandpa in a ball cap. There is video evidence of both of these dances but they will never see the light of day! I am sure I looked like a silly old lady, but it was fun to be part of the activities of the community.
My good friend – and hero – Veronica
So that is a normal day here in Mexico. A bit of work, a bit of lazy, a bit of fun, a bit of dancing, a beautiful sunset, lots of food – all done with laughter and noise amongst my new community of friends and neighbors. And today ….. today I will get groceries…..
We have a Garden!
When we first rented this house the most obvious problem for me was the lack of usable outdoor space. There was no way I was moving to Mexico and sitting in my house looking out the window. I absolutely must have a place to sit outside and drink morning coffee or evening wine while I read a book or pray or think. Or eat coconut popcorn. There is a pretty good balcony off the bedroom which is great in the morning. But I wanted a garden. And what I had was cement.
So being a woman of great faith – Grant would call it something less flattering – I proceeded to find yard furniture that would work in ‘the garden’. I knew if I could imagine it, Grant could build it.
I got permission from our landlady to paint the walls and we (ie Grant) set to work. Even though we were totally exhausted from the last few weeks of construction in Canada, we couldn’t begin to relax until we had the right environment. I bossed, the Kids helped and Grant’s creative side had fun.
We then set to work gathering plants and pots and dirt from one end of the Bay to the other. We had bougainvilleas in the trunk of our VW and palm trees in the truck we borrowed from the orphanage.
And now we have a Garden! It’s small and we are still waiting to buy some tile and a piece of turf – but it’s definitely a peaceful place where we love to sit throughout the day. We eat all our meals there and sometimes I take my computer and work out there. But mostly we just spend time together chatting and laughing and listening to the crazy activities around us. We have no idea how to grow tropical plants – and are already shocked at how fast they are growing. But I have a garden. And if you look closely in the pictures, you will see a smiling metal pig amongst the flowers and trees just as I dreamed!
Karen Moves to Mexico 
