April 29 - An After-Work Gathering At La Pizzeria To See The Intern Off, Meet The Spouses Of A Couple Cuso Volunteers And Wish Paul Well

Happy birthday, Paul!
Let's get the fried-food platter
and skip the dancing

April 28- Puzzling Out The Folleto, Although I Later Realize That Publisher Just Takes Care Of Such Things

It comes down to this:
Good paper and scissor skills
to make theory real

April 27 - In Which I Curse The Ridiculous Methods Of Reporting That Force You Into Pretending You Did Things That You Didn't, While Obscuring The Things That You Did Do

What kind of sick soul
invented logic models?
Useless paper maze

April 26 - The Rain's So Close You Can Feel It Pressing In On You

What's that, a raindrop?
Clouds loom. The air is so thick
Still, it can't break through

April 25 - I Remember That I Didn't Like Living So Far Away From Everything, And That It's So Damn Annoying When You Can't Bring Yourself To Be Rude Enough To Tell Your Fellow Passenger To Push Off

The flights are quite short
Though the four-hour bus ride
is pure inferno

April 24 - My Day As Viewed Through The Foods I Ate, First With Misael, Then With Edy's Family, Then All By Myself At Carnita Nia Lola

Bananas to start
A fried fish in Ostuman
Anafre alone

April 23 - Mild Panic When 21 Children And Five Adults Having An Otherwise Lovely Pool Day Find Out That The Ingredients Bag For Their Picnic Sandwiches Has Gone Walking. But Que Bueno, A Happy Ending

The ham bag's missing
But the fates are kind to kids
A store has stashed it

April 22 - In Which I Visit The Former Angelitos Kids And All Their Daycare Pals At Their Impressive New Place, Then Slip Away For Two-For-One Margaritas At Tanya's

Up to Casita

The kids appraise me, hug me

Hyped for the pool trip

April 21 - Returning To Copan Ruinas After Two Years Away Is A Bit Like Walking Back Into A Very Familiar Movie Set

Barely off the bus
when the first familiar face
plants me in Copan

April 20 - Yup, There's The Work Groove, And Me With Barely 3 Weeks To Go

Why are things clearest
just as I prepare to leave?
Two years would be best

April 19 - Home Sick But Unable To Lie Around Much What With The Bedroom Clock Reading 36 Degrees

No use wasting time
Taxes done, movie recut
Six-hour Advils

April 18 - Field Trip To Terrabona With Laurie And Brian

We're late, and it's hot
Still, the well pumps. The fields shine
Lives have been transformed

April 17 - Cheap Boat Trip With Jolly Nicaraguan Families Or Spend Three Times More For One Packed With Travellers: Not A Tough Choice

Nikas have more fun
Who'd pick a booze cruise over
clowns and pinatas?

April 16 - We Give Granada Another Try And Are Underwhelmed Again, But The Hoisin Ribs Are Yummy And It's Pretty Darn Fun Sleeping Under A Blanket For A Change

Hotel with a pool
Though we still don't get this town
Nice, but no Leon

April 15 - Our Odd Friend Is Finally Out Of Hospital After A Month, Thinner And Poorer But With His Mom Cooking Up Healing Pineapple Treatments

Roger's passing stones
The details make me blanch, though
we're glad to see him

April 14 - Long Hours Of Transcribing Reams Of Paper Covered In Really Challenging Handwriting

The stacks are smaller
Though it's much like the custard
in that children's book

April 13 - Something's Up When I'm Falling Asleep At The Computer And Even The Prospect Of A Big Pork Rib At Lekker's Doesn't Appeal

Am I sick? Or does
eight weeks of heat wear you down?
Lost in the ennui

April 12 - The VOICE Launch Is A Big Success, Though Some Guests Appear Slightly Unnerved By The Eggs Benedict

Slow start scares us all
But they come, as does the press
Damn, where's my swimsuit?

April 11 - The Delegation Is In Town And We Are Eager To Present The Best Possible Versions Of Ourselves

Higher-ups are here
We eat caballo bayo
Sure sign of big deals

April 10 - Does The Irony Come Through When I Sing Songs Never Meant For The Accordion, Or Are They Just Plain Weird?

Maybe John Darnell
would like his song in waltz time
Tweaking in 3/4

April 9 - Off To Galerias Santa Domingo, Where We See "10 Cloverfield Avenue" And Marvel At The Crowds Shopping For $80 (US!!) Shirts

An afternoon flick
in a mall that cries out, "Rich!"
Well-dressed kids ride trains

April 8 - A Mixed Cuso Contingent Heads To The National Theatre For Snow White And A Post-Dance Drink At Salvador Allende

Ballet's not my thing
But the flower kids are sweet
Bonding with my peeps

April 7 - My Cow Video Looks So Fine On The Big Screen As We Tuck Into Lessons In MovieMaker

Learning new programs
works best on a big TV
APEN's got good stuff

April 6 - The Sobering Reality Of Leaving On May 14 With So Much Work Still To Finish Up

Date picked, tickets booked
Working days: 27
Long days up ahead

April 5 - All The Speakers Were Quite Interesting, But The Guy Who Talked About Water Security Really Got Me With His Frustrated Sincerity

Every winter wet
Every summer sin agua
People, catch the rain

April 4 - Nothing Makes For A Nicer Farewell Lunch For My Companera Than A Generous Portion Of Lechon

A pig died for us
Honour him with garlic oil
And cracklen for all

April 3 - I Might Suggest That March And April Are A Bit Too Warm For Pleasant Living In Nicaragua

Housework done by 8
It's that our die of the heat
Though it suits yoga

April 2 - Every Now And Then Your Own Life Is Like Watching A Surreal Movie

Water's off, drama
grips the fevered gang next door
A David Lynch scene

April 1 - A Day That Starts Out With Waking Up In A Bunk Bed With A Severed Pig's Head A Few Steps Away And Ends With A Photo Shoot At The Intercontinental

Chicharra chorus
I rise for the hot ride home
Dinner by the lake