Half the way there...

Well, we are half way done.

Yes indeedy - 25 down, 25 more to go.

In the the past month (almost, we are a whisper away from a full month on the road, so let us round up and be on with it), we have learned/observed a number of things, at least some (or maybe just one, short and sweet) of which I would like to share with you.

This country is beautiful, gorgeous in geography and in personality. She is the sly fox who saunters up to the bar, all confidence and hips. Yet, when she orders her drink (a root beer, wouldn't you know it), she smiles widely at the bartender, tips 40%, and then beats you, mercilessly, at pool. She is a force to be reckoned with, yet benevolent and gracious. You can't help but like her.

For all the faults, the shortcomings, and aggravations, we live in a country full of generosity. Full to the brim of passionate and creative people who are conceptualizing, planning, establishing...working toward making a difference.

"What difference?" you ask, flabbergasted at our happy-go-lucky, "I'd like a cherry on top" perspective. "I don't see a difference. I see things getting bad, if not worse."

Yes, things are bad. Uncomfortable. Down right awful for many people.

But, you know what, look harder. I am sorry, but where do we get reflecting on how terrible everything is without offering suggestions for change or highlighting all the wonderful things worth struggling for. So squint if you have to, pop a quarter in the pay-to-view telescope and examine the distant horizon. Heck, just keep your eyes open - really open. I promise you will find the "good". And if you can't find it, although I promise you will, go create some. We can always use more.

On to house-keeping issues - we (pardon my language) suck at this blogging thing. Terrible, awful, stink, fail. At this juncture, we believe it would behoove all of us involved if we just focused on getting a brief description of our day on paper, then go back and fill in the details. Please don't think we are shirking the organizations, or the overall trip, but we are now 9 days behind in blogging, but on-time in real time, so, we would like to let you know about all the volunteering we did in that gap. So, from this point forth, we will treat you to short descriptions daily, before venturing back to regale you with, long, overly descriptive tales woven into to inconsequential tales about our lives and interactions.

Sound good?

I will take that as a "yes".