Blessed

April has been a blessed month. Earlier in it, Kenny came out to visit me and we explored Georgetown and did things there that I wouldn't(or couldn't afford to) do on my own. It really was a fun time and so nice to see her.

And earlier today my parents arrived to met me in Barbados for a short visit. The place we are staying is certainly off the beaten path but no matter what we do, it's just nice to see them and talk without losing half the conversation due to internet connectivity.

The parents on arrival:)

 It was also nice to be able to tell them in person about my apartment break-in back in December.

Now break-ins usually aren't seen as a blessing but mine truly was. I was drugged which was nice because it prevented me from waking up partway through the break-in and getting myself hurt trying to be heroic. Plus it provided just another opportunity for random acts of kindness. My laptop and bag, phone, camera and wallet were all stolen. My landlord gave me the laptop I'm currently using to type to use for the rest of my stay. Peace Corps was great about getting me some funds to cover some of my losses, Kenny bought me a new camera, another Peace Corps volunteer gave me a bag and my cousin Joey just sent down a new smart phone for me. So all told, I didn't really lose out on anything. Plus it was the impetus for my move to Georgetown which has been such a great experience. The work I'm going here is so much more rewarding and I think will be sustainable far after I leave.

It just goes to show that everything that happens, while in the moment, may seem bad, can turn out good if you give it time. Like grapes. Give it time and you get wine. Don't like wine. Just wait longer and you get vinegar:)

And while on the subject of blessed, let me tell you about my bus ride to the place we're staying in. So we rented through airbnb and the directions said get off at the last stop in Long Bay and the house will be 100yards up on your left. Well, I get off the bus, and mind you this is in the dark as all stories like this should be, and right before the door shuts I ask the driver: "So this is Long Bay Road?" To which he replied: "No, and which one are you looking for?"

Oh boy, wrong way Ferreira is at it again. "Errr, I don't know. The one in St. Philip?"

So, as to cut the dialogue short, come to find out there are multiple Long Bays and multiple Long Bay Roads and none were that close to where we were and to make matters worse I didn't have a street address number just the road. Great. I hand the written instructions I had(luckily) printed out to the driver to see if by reading them he could make out which road I should be on. He couldn't. BUT, he did recognize the name of the person from whom I was renting. So what does he do? He pulls out his phone and calls him! He figures out where he needs to drop me off and then takes the bus off-route to drop me off! Talk about blessed.

There are certainly many really really bad things that people do to each often for really pointless reasons. But there are just as many, nay more, good things that people do.

There are a lot of kind people in this world. If you can't find one, be one. 

I'll leave you there.

Dad

Until next time,

Danny