Hello from afar!!

ya know, this internet thing is amazing.  I can actually sit here and to the same things I did from my own family room in another place.  Here, I don't have a computer at home, but you can buy time, or a membership into a computer club.  Then you can come every day for a few hours and browse, or listen to whatever you want.  Hey, you can even write a letter or two.  You can also post on your old fourm haunts. 

Things are alittle different than they were when I left.  Things are more modern.  All of the old 50's American cars have been replaced by small Chinese models, and there are many more cabs.  Hey. and gasoline is ALOT cheaper here...a whole lot.  When I was here before, we used to go to another city to buy our fancies, but now it is all right here.  The big whoop in this town is the opening of a "mall".  In America, it is an average sized mall, much like that where a grocer chain would be an anchor.  But here, there is fancy and fanfare...hope for a prosperous future.  We know we are not far away from ugly things, a few days ago being reminded of that, but we live with it.  The nature of a personality forged in adversity.   I am actually shocked at how much this place has changed.  I am not sure if it is good, or bad, but probably both like most other things in a dynamic world.

Some things don't change though.  The holding of new realtives in your arms, the greetings of old neighbours.  The joys and pains of memories shared,  understanding through memorials how precious life really is.  The quiet of the garden, the noise of commerce and progress...and mostly, the place where everybody knows your name, and they are always glad you came.

ma 'asalaama (I leave you with peace)