The Latest Cool Thing...

My friend in Cairo, Hani Morsi, put me on to this site (http://earth.google.com/) You'll spend hours spinning the globe around looking for interesting places. If you live in a large enough city you should be able to even zoom in on your own house. Since I live in the sticks all I get is a blob.

But, here is a picture of Tienammen Square in Beijing. I was there in January. The view is from an apparent height of 2,714 feet. Every picture in the globe is taken by satellite or high altitude aircraft within the past three years.

Some of the Autopista Gang.

El Nuevo Dia, (not THE el Nuevo Dia)the big Latin American newspaper, sponsored the HUGE university fair (San Juan Nights)at the Wyndham El San Juan Resort and Casino. They were taking complimentary pix of the attendees. Our gang (Roberto, MArie, Eddie and Moi) posed for this shot.

On a completely different topic, I have confirmed scuba trips in Beirut and Bahrain for next month's trip. Hani Morsi of American University in Cairo will be teaming up again. Hot dog!

Roberto Rampolla at the ready!

Of all the beautiful photos taken in Puerto Rico I could publish I had to use this. Some things simply defy explanation. Roberto, my good friend, is the organizer of our travel throughout the island. Sometimes he needs a nap. 'Nuf said...

Dont cha wish your boyfriend was hot like me?

Dont cha wish your boyfriend was hot like me?
Dont cha wish your boyfriend was a freak like me?
Dont cha, dont cha
Dont cha wish your boyfriend was raw like me?
Dont cha wish your boyfriend was fun like me?
Dont cha, dont cha

"Don’t Cha” With apologies to the Pussycat Dolls.

Sometimes It Rains on the Just and the Unjust Alike

One day, I forget which city and which school, it poured as we off loaded the bus. I looked like a drowned rat. I had to dry my hair on the auditorium curtain.

Just thought you'd appreciate that.

Or not.

Puerto Rican Sun Rise

This was taken at Guajataca on the western side of the island. We stopped at a little hotel for breakfast. Everyone immediately trekked down to the beach to watch the sun rise.

It weren't bad...

It's not all hard work

On Friday, after visiting five schools in Ponce (42 degrees C.) (That's 106 Fahrenheit for you Anglos) We relaxed on the two hour bus ride back to San Juan. There was music, dancing (in the aisle of the bus. Try THAT some time!), and some form of liquid refreshment.

Merriment ensued.

Why I Love Recruiting in Puerto Rico

At almost every school we visited the kids provided music or dance or food or all three. This picture is from Academia Liceo Ponceno in Ponce, my favorite Puertoriccano city. These kids went all out to provide entertainment for our group. They are so sincere and enthusiastic. You just want to take them all home.

School Visits...

We visited 34 high schools in 10 days. My first day in Puerto Rico I arrived at the hotel at 3:30AM. The bus to the first school left at 6:15AM. That was the warm-up. The next morning we left at 4:30AM. Calling it a grind really doesn't do it justice.

But, a couple times or so a day you meet that one special kid who's inquisitive and smart and you think "I have just the program and the fit to give this kid a great start." It's like Crack Cocaine to me. Or Candy Corn. Same thing.

Give me one or two good kids a day and I'm good for another week. By the time we got down to the last couple days though, I was thinking I REALLY would like to bail on a school. But, I never did. I could stop breathing, but I love working with these kids.

Puerto Rico Again. Where to Start?

OK, This is Ed Lavigne. He is the tour organizer of AutopistaAmericas. He works his rear end off to make this happen. It's more work than I would ever want to do. But, he does get to wear some great lids.

Stealin' Gas

So I was driving south on I-77 near Dover, Ohio. Gas has jumped 25 to 30 cents a gallon over the last two weeks. I pull off to reload and here's gas at $2.49.9 a gallon! $2.49! I felt like I was stealing it.

Hard to imagine.

Puerto Rico stuff to follow.

Back to the Island

Next up: a ten day recruiting trip to Puerto Rico. It'll be a hard working trip, what with all the school visits and university fairs and the HEAT. At least I'll have the weekend, my friend Eddie and, of course, Mick. This will be my first employment since I resigned at the end of May.

This photo was taken last year around Christmas. I was on the west end of the island near Crash Boat Beach. I'm sitting on some old Spanish ruins.

It's a good life if you don't weaken...

Sherwani, Pretty Woman in Sari Redux

I am re-posting this picture to compare it with the earlier one this month from Sri Lanka. This pic was taken at Nazareth College in Rochester, NY last March. I think Sameela from Sri Lanka wins hands down. I, of course, still look fabulous.

My friend Priyanthi and me

My friend Priyanthi and me
Originally uploaded by MikeWigal.

Funny how life works. This woman made what was essentially a cold call e-mail to me when I first started my international student recruitment job in September 2001 (910 to be precise). Through the years we have worked together to help her place qualified Sri Lankan staudents in my college. Through my wife's illness and death she was a rock of support, wisdom and comfort for me. And now, on the other side of the planet, I'm attending her daughter's wedding.

Priyanthi is a very intense, serious, focused, sincere woman and it's like PULLING TEETH to get her to smile. She smiled ALOT on this occasion, though. I think anyone would agree it's a pretty smile...

musicians, family and friends sing-along at party

musicians, family and friends sing-along at party
Originally uploaded by MikeWigal.

We had the best time at this party two days before I was to leave. It was so much fun we all got together the next night for another one. Sashi, the bride is second from the left in this photo. Dissa, my Dharma brother and Sashi's father, is in the red shirt. I think he had a pretty good time, too.

I have a couple good photos of Priyanthi, the bride's mother and my good friend. She hates having her picture taken, which of course makes me take even more. I'll put them up soon.

Bathing at Millennium Elephant Foundation

Bathing at Millennium Elephant Foundation
Originally uploaded by MikeWigal.

I think this was Pooja cleaning up at the end of his work day. Pooja was born in captivity here. I hope to return in January to help care for either Pooja or one of his compatriots.

Buddha overlooking Kandy, SL

Buddha overlooking Kandy, SL
Originally uploaded by MikeWigal.

This statue stands guard overlooking Kandy. Although Buddha did not believe images should be made of him, I guess people can't resist. Just like every other religion. Still, it's a beautiful place to relax and meditate.

Kandy Lake, note the Cormorant in forground drying it's wings

Kandy Lake, note the Cormorant in forground drying it's wings
Originally uploaded by MikeWigal.

This is a beautiful lake in the central hill country city of Kandy. The famous Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic containing Buddha's tooth is off to the left beyond the building you can see which serves as police headquarters. That building is from the era of the British Raj. If you let your imagination loose you can almost see the old walrus-moustached soldiers of Her Majesty's forces holding forth.

While walking along the shores of this lake I had the thought, "It's good to be alive."

Rajah, his Mahout and Me at his Temple at Belanvilla

Rajah, his Mahout and Me at his Temple at Belanvilla
Originally uploaded by MikeWigal.

Rajah is a nice older elephant (about 50 years old) who serves at the Bellanvilla (Buddhist) Temple in Colombo. He has a cracked left tusk. The Chief Monk came to feed him some fruit and allowed me to feed Rajah. The Mahout lives with his elephant throughout their lives (both of them). He only takes about one day a week off to visit his family. Otherwise he lives, eats and sleeps within sight of the elephant at all times. There are about 500 domesticated elephants in Sri Lanka and from 3 to 4,000 in the wild.

I can't resist a pretty woman in a Sari

I can't resist a pretty woman in a Sari
Originally uploaded by MikeWigal.

You may think this photo has appeared on this blog before. But, you would be wrong. This is Sameela, an absolute sweetheart, whom I met at the wedding. Her sister will marry the brother of the bride at THIS wedding in December. Did you get all that?