I'm back, just in time to leave.

I could offer an apology for not blogging for awhile, but I won't for two reasons.

1. I'm not sorry. 

2. Neither are you.

  That being said, I thought I'd take advantage of the abundant internet access to get in a little update on my existence, and offer an excuse for a lack of future blogs.

  As some of you may know I am about to leave for the Dominican Republic.  I'll be living with Edonia and Domingo in the village of Los Toros de Azua.  It is in the mountainous region of Azua in the Southwest of the country, which is the Eastern 2/3's of Hispaniola (Haiti claims the other 1/3 of the island.)

  I'll be leaving in 6ish days (January 18th) to spend approximately 6 months there, dependent on hurricanes, malaria, regime changes, dengue fever, sunburn, or starvation (defined as a lack of nutrition or love).  While there I will be helping Domingo farm a 5.5 acre plot that belongs to my grandmother.  This plot was purchased during the 90's just after my Gma spent 2 years there in the Peace Corps.  In theory the bounty of this land is being split between Domingo, another guy named Luis, and the poorer villagers.  We'll be working with platenos, yuca, corn, avocados, oranges, grapefruits, mangos, guanabana, guayaba, and cherries. 

  I'd imagine you're wondering, if I know anything about this kind of farming, or if I know any spanish.  The answer is that I know very little of either.  I've done a fair amount of gardening and spent all last summer working with corn, and I took one year of spanish and I'm decent at french.  What I do know, however, is that I have the ability and motivation to work at both of those.  Yea it's going to be pretty tough at first, meaning for the first 4 months, but I expect I'll be all the better for it.

  On the side I'm hoping to get in a lot of reading, and have gotten some help from one of my professors in doing a little personal research into third world conservation and environmental choices.

I am scared out of my mind.  When I took my first malaria pill yesterday, I felt like I was choosing the pill that keeps you out of the matrix.  If Wisconsin is the blissful ignorance of the matrix, then the Dominican is the freedom and hardship of the robot filled reality.  I hope I'm doing my adventure ahead an injustice by making that comparison.  I am excited by the possibilities though, and I'd prefer to emphasize that.

I am just as excited for returning to Madison.  I'm constantly growing more fond of my friends and our time together.  This past semester had its low points, but looking back now, I can't imagine why I ever had a reason to be down.  My friends and family and animal friends are irreplaceable.  Kevin and his ridiculous imagination spent 20 minutes painting a picture of fall semester that can still make me giddy weeks later.  Not even a wedding to Rachel McAdams or Feist could give me the feeling it gave me.  I'm going to use that dream to keep me cool in the hot sun, dry in the rainy season, and warm in the aching cold of Dengue fever.  I will miss everyone dearly, but I know there is adventure at hand.  There will be glory for some, and love for all.

  As for further posting, do not expect many.  From what I understand there is no internet in the village, so contact will depend on the frequency of my trips into Azua or Santo Domingo.

Just look at the big dipper, and know that I'm looking at it too. (Note to Dan and Chris, this does not work.  No dipper.  Pretend the Southern Cross is what I'm looking at.)  

I leave you with these wonderful lyrics from the Flaming Lips - Do You Realize?

Do you realize you have the most beautiful face?

Do you realize we're floating in space?

Do you realize that happiness makes you cry?

Do you realize that everyone you know someday will die?

And instead of saying all your goodbyes,

let them know that you know that life goes fast.

It's hard to make the good things last.

You realize the sun doesn't go down.

It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning around.

Love,

Tommy