*defeatedlikeyou

Avast! Tis that time o' the year when all we band o' brigands come together ta celerbate what we in tha pilferin' community 'ave come ta call: "Innernashunal Talk Like A Pirate Day!"
Fly yer colors an let tha world know that deep inside, yer jus' a kid, an' that kid's gotta dream, an' that dream's ta be tha most feared Corsair in all the world! Be it fer gold, power, er simply put fer the love o' yer life, the deep an' crushin' blue....sailin' fer adventure on the briney sea! So secure the riggin', splice the mainbrace, an let those lilly-livered landlubbers know who ye are! I be a Pirate, by thunder! Drink up, me hearties! Yo ho!

Finally back in the U S of A! I got to Boise a few days ago and already I love it! I seriously am hard-pressed to find something to complain about here. I've never seen an area that had everything imaginable. The ONLY thing I haven't seen here is a Panera, but as those seem to be popping up all over the place, I'm sure there will be one here soon (if there isn't already). But seriously...Boise has practically EVERY restaurant that owns a franchise. The downtown area is very small but very clean and neat. There are a lot of high-tech jobs springing up here but land value and cost of living is cheap, so in short...high salaries, low cost of living, awesomesauce.
Boise has a ton of really decent thrift stores too! I know that sounds cheap, but we went in one the other day and found some really decent, nice stuff for really cheap! Unlike most places, they actually encourage you to plug in the electronic stuff to make sure it works before you buy it. These guys are too honest! Boise also has a Zoo, two museums (Art and History), a huge public library, several really nice parks and ampitheatres, malls, factory outlets, ice skating, bowling, snowboarding, lakes, mountains, etc. I could go on and on...
Also, it seems that the work prospects here are very good. I've only been here a couple of days and have already applied for several graphic design positions. Everyone here is very friendly too. I like it. In fact, I dig it! (you know...Idaho...potatoes...digging potatoes...)

Just as I seem to get used to the fact that everything comes in one of two flavors; lime and salt, or chili-lime and salt...it's time for me to leave already. I shall miss being woken up at five in the morning by the guy who sells propane outside our window yelling "GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAS......GAAAAAAAAAAAAASS". And then the bread man who comes by shortly after on his bike honking his horn in an absurdly loud fashion. Then there is my personal favorite, the trash collectors, who like an annoyingly loud alarm clock that you can't turn off, stand outside your house and ring an irritatingly ear-splitting bell for about five minutes straight! However, I am yet to stop the tamale man who rides around with a recording blaring so that I can turn his advertisement into an instant-hit techno song... "Tatatatatamales tamales tamales oaxaqueños!".



No, to tell the truth I really will miss Mexico. I have to admit that the food here is superbly fresh and full of flavor (even if it is either lime and salt or chili-lime and salt!). Nothing in the States can compare to the abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables that can be found here. I mean, I grew up on a farm...so unless you were that fortunate, you probably are used to nasty iceberg lettuce from Kroger and waxed Washington apples that have been genetically modified to look great and taste like cardboard. I have to admit that I expected Mexico City to be a lot hotter, but I think I was cold more often than I was hot here! All things considered, it was a wonderful experience, and I look forward to my next visit. Hopefully by then I will have learned more Spanish and will be capable of making my way around on my own!

So, ¡Viva Mexíco!...until next time!