Sept rains

   I heard and saw footage of the floods in Vt.  It sounded pretty rough for some folks and I know there is still a big recovery effort underway and fundraising to help communities.  We have been getting lots of rain in SR, that's an understatement, many streets are flooded.  I don't want to minimize the devastation in Vt. yet I can't help but think of the folks here who are affected by the flooding and the comparison with Vt.  This happens almost every year here to some degree though this year seems particularly bad and early.  There have been several deaths related to the flooding.  Unfortunately here there is no FEMA, no emergency relief, no food shelves, no Phish to raise a million bucks. The people with dirt floors who get flooded out I can't imagine where and how they get help.  Yet life goes on, folks ride their bikes and motos through ankle to almost hip deep water, outdoor markets open in spite of streams running thru them.  It's impossible to avoid flooded streets if you want to go anywhere.

  And we are lucky, our place has only a bit of water in our yard, many ex-pats along with Khmers have been flooded out of their homes.  We squegee our balcony, put on rain gear and venture out.  We wash our feet/legs when we return, don't want to think of what's in the street water. And with all the rain tennis gets cancelled, not so much a hardship.  So we are fairly comfortable.

 Lately I've been missing home, Vt.  Maybe it's the time of year, Fall in Vt. is the best.  Crisp apples, the Fall leaves, Octoberfest micro-brews, the cool evenings.  And of course really missing our good friends and family back home.  Though at this point not in a hurry to return, just a bit of homesickness.  Perhaps a cheeseburger will help.

  And in spite of the rains I have been playing some tennis.  I've been having some great matches, sometime winning and sometimes not.  I finally took 2 of 3 sets from a guy I play who's very good.  I didn't think it was possible for me to accomplish that.  But I feel my game has improved and feel I'm in great shape for an old fart.  Watch out when I do return  to Vt.

  And work has been very satisfying.  I am having fun and being challenged in my work of teaching the teachers.  Not only is the language a factor as one of the teachers has very limited English and the other is only slightly better.  So when we do the training their supervisor has to translate for the most part and his English is good but not great.  In any case we are all committed to having the program work so it's been good and interesting.  I am still looking forward to teaching several teachers at another place so this is good practice.  I was also approached by a woman wanting help setting up a PS program, virtually from scratch.  Sounds like it could be exciting, we'll see what develops.

  All is well and wet.  The rains shall pass as all things do.  "All things must pass."  -G. H.