hotel rwanda/supercommuting

Tuesday night I finally had the chance to the see the film "Hotel Rwanda". Wow, what an amazingly powerful movie it is. After the two hours, I found myself in a state of disbelief and horror and shame, that we, ie the West, sat back and allowed one million innocent people be slaughtered without hardly blinking an eye. The movie shows the frustration of the reporters who realize their media bosses will most likely bump their footage of the atrosities in favor of news more palpable to Americans, as well as that of the UN peacekeepers who were put in an untenable position of not being able to defend properly the people they were sent to look after. Horrible, horrible. Apparently we have learned nothing from the Holocaust, or Rwanda even, considering the current situation in Darfur. "Hotel Rwanda" is a must-see movie: the acting is simply amazing, and it is the kind of film that gets people thinking and talking and hopefully DOING something. It has been a quiet week so far here in the village. I have a couple of articles to edit, and last Friday I received my first paycheck in two months. That was very nice. :-) I am missing my daily skype sessions with Big Jim though. Last Friday, he moved into a house with a few other contractors, and they are still waiting for the telephone people to come 'round and install the DSL line. So, our contact has been limited to quick e-mails when Big Jim can get to an Internet cafe and short phonecalls when I can manage to get through on his mobile. Much of his work has shifted toward Lahore way (where today's weather forecast is for 91 F and "low drifting dust"), so he is spending quite a bit of time on the road with Nasir. But I will get to see Big Jim in less than four weeks now, which is very exciting. :-) The plan is to spend a couple days with T. in Frankfurt, then head to Munich for the wedding, and then Big Jim and I will go to Brussels for a few days. This is where we met in May 1997, so we have decided to return for a little R&R and nostalgia trip. We plan to visit our friend M., who owns the bar/restaurant where Big Jim and I stumbled upon one another, and stay in the same hotel as I did on that fateful vacation. I am sure we will pass by Big Jim's old apartment as well. Really, really looking forward to these few days. Big Jim and I have not been on any sort of vacation for, well, way too long. I came across an interesting article on CNN.com today (http://edition.cnn.com/2005/TRAVEL/04/06/bt.super.commuter/index.html). It is titled "The rise of the super-commuter". Turns out that traveling to work in another continent is not so unusual these days. Definitely interesting to read other people's perspectives and ways of coping. The Internet obviously plays a big part because it allows more frequent contact with home, which is critical. I know Big Jim has his own rules, eg he always leaves his slippers here because this is his "home", although there are certain comfort items that he always likes to have with him. Anyway, interesting article; check it out. It is off to the goat track now. Will try very hard to keep precious Boo out of the poo. She is two for two the past couple days, and if she keeps this up I am going to have to buy some more doggie shampoo soon. hasta pronto, mylifeinspain