Reach out and Touch Someone

Here is our phone number for those of you who might need (or, want?) to get a hold of us at some point:

From a phone in the states, you dial -- 011-57-310-452-8669.

This has been mother tested and really works!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.
We are thankful for all the friends and family that have kept in touch with us over the past 2 years! Geographical distance can feel like a handicap sometimes, so thank you so much to all of you who have kept in contact with us, kept our spirits high, and made us feel loved wherever we are.


(a blast from the past, this is our last night on our last camping trip in Mongolia, sleeping under the stars)

So, still waiting on home internet...

Well, as is to be expected outside the customer service mecca that is the USA, we signed a contract for internet service over 2 weeks ago, but haven't heard from the company to instal it since then. We haven't paid anything, and the contract doesn't technically start until service is hooked up, so I can't find a reasonable explanation except incompetence. In any event, when that finally resumes, we'll be able to post more often. As it stands, I am balancing my computer on a wash basin in a rare case of being able to steal internet.

So, lately Jess and I have been really busy. I am volunteering full time at the Defensoria Del Pueblo as well as taking Spanish lessons about 3 nights a week and teaching english two nights a week. Jess has negotiated her hours down because she was working pretty much all day, every day, but that hasn't taken effect yet. So she is still working all day, every day.

We are picking up the language little by little, and we are making some friends. In addition, I am shedding my Mr. Bean-like persona (I think). However, in this city people seem very conscious of their appearance, which is fine for Jess because she looks good. Me, however... man of rumpled shirts and unkempt hair, of the biweekly shave and obligatory white socks... I get the feeling I don't quite cut the mustard (what does that even mean?).

In other news, the Feria de Cali is coming. This technically takes place from Christmas to New Years, but as I understand it, really embodies a celebration for the better part of December. It is Colombia's biggest festival, but as of yet no one can tell me what happens, except a lot of drinking and dancing.

Also, in regard to the election, many people here seem to approve of the Obama election. I have a hard time believing anything will be all that much different in regard to overall US policy (I've lived with A bit of Carter, Reagan, HW Bush, Clinton, and W Bush), however, from our current vantagepoint, even a return to the status quo is a welcome change. Here, despite the (very popular) Colombian President's strong ties to Bush, people really seem to like Obama. Maybe it's just fun to say his name.

Strange...

If you type "the adventures of jess and clayt" into google, it suggests "the adventures of jesus and clayt."