You never know what to expect when you travel overseas (technically over gulf but let’s not get too technical) so when your trip goes according to plan and schedule you are almost surprised. It was uneventful, except for the dive bombing bats at the pool, however Oscar assured us they were friendly bats, but that did not make our Oklahoma vet students feel any better. Yes I did say pool, and yes we actually have these nice little cabins that sleep 2 or 3 people, and they are poolside. When you expect to be roughing it and come to find out they have really nice accommodations and fried chicken and beans and rice and this fruit juice made from cantelope and watermelon and cane sugar, well surprise, surprise. Now I still am not counting this as vacation, but I guess I can’t claim to be roughing it out, like Mongolia, or Ashburnham, or tough places like that. But when you have 2daughters on the trip, I can at least claim that it was best for them, and be all noble like that. And if you remember I was almost knighted last year in Mongolia, so I am almost noble.

Our hosts, Oscar and Tamy, are wonderful ambassadors who have built up the “cabana” to help host guests to the country. Oscar is a pastor of a church he founded here in Catarina and now has about 450 people. Tomorrow morning we will help with a children’s ministry, and tomorrow evening at 6:00 is the church service, so we are looking forward to that. Caitlin and Emily are really good with children so they will be in their element. I tend to scare kids (it started when I would give tours of the animal hospital and wanted to show them the “dog freezer”, but I could always hear Nancy telling me to behave or else, so I tried to be good, but I think the kids could still sense that I was up to no good), but I promise to try and behave, or else you know what will happen. Actually I never know what the “what else” is, it just sounds really bad when it comes from your wife so some things just are not worth pushing. Someday I may find the “what else”, and if I survive I will tell you about it. And if there are any guys out there who know what the “what else” is, please send me an anonymous email, after all there is no reason we all should suffer; us guys need to stick together more, as girls do it all the time like its some kind of pack mentality survival instinct thing. I hope not too many girls are reading this. If so then I will let you know “what else” is sooner than later.

Well we lost 2 hours due to the time zone thing so I am a bit tired, but I don’t think it has affected my writing any as I am still focused like a laser and never go off track. So I am going to cabana cabin bed, alone, that’s right, I have my own cabin. Maybe our hosts like me, or maybe they are just worried about me, but either way, I have some privacy. I hope they aren’t planning on any surprises, or else…..

Blessings from Catarina
Dr Mike