It can't "GTMO" better than this

***"It can't 'GTMO' better than this" is one of many sayings here in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba***

I know I've been absent for a few days.  It's not for lack of things to write about, that's for sure!  Each day we are learning new things, discovering new places, finding new activities.  We have been settling in very nicely.  There is so much that I like about living here and to be honest, I haven't found much that I don't like.  At least not yet.  Or at least not anything that I don't like so much that I don't want to be here.  No doubt some things will come up, but I think I had prepared myself mentally for life to be different.  For the internet to be slower.  For the store shelves to be hit or miss.

 I love the slow pace of life.  If you are at all familiar with the phrase "island time", that would be an accurate way to describe life here.  Very few activities start precisely on time.  Thinking about the military and their reputation for punctuality, I didn't quite expect that on a military base.  But no matter, we are still showing up when events are scheduled and then finding ourselves with ample opportunity to take in the newness, meet new people and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere.  In addition to a slower pace, everything is so close by that it literally takes me no more than 5 minutes to get anywhere.  And that includes loading all the kids in the van.  Yesterday I needed some items at the commissary and I was there and back again in a record 17 minutes!  Fabulous!

Activities are also quite plentiful here.  Yesterday some of the kids participated in a 50 meter swim off at the Windjammer pool.  What fun that was!  After the races, MWR (stands for Morale Welfare Recreation) provided lunch for everyone for free.  This week I plan on signing various children up for swimming lessons, soccer and art lessons.  The other nice part of the activities is that many of them are free and then the rest seem to be quite a bit less expensive than the states.  Swimming lessons, for example are only $30 for a two-week session.  I remember it being more than double that amount for lessons in our town.

So, right now the tune I'm singing is, "It can't GTMO (pronounced get 'mo) better than this".  Hopefully, I'll still be singing the tune for a long time!