Antonio leaves for Spain

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Antonio, another of our new young friends, left for his home in Spain today. He said he will see us next month. There are so many students coming and going that it is hard to keep up with who is here and who is away. Antonio is another of the library users that we have come to know. Antonio is one of the students I have enjoyed learning to know because he is doing more than most students would do around the city of Prague. He works with Latino students and residents of Prague. He and I have talked about the patients in our clinic in Annapolis and all the various dialects of Spanish they use. He also meets Latinos from different parts of Latin America who are in Prague for various reasons. Some are university students obviously. One day recently he was so proud to attend the graduation services at a major university for someone he had been working with. Others are refugees from persecution in countries in Latin America where political problems exist. Of course Annapolis has the same mix of Latinos. They are wonderful people in both locations but often discriminated against and having to live tough lives. He is dedicated to the work so I admire him. I am so used to living and working with wonderful Latinos in Annapolis who give freely of themselves in service to other Latinos who are having tough times. I think of those wonderful interpreters at the Outreach Center on a daily basis and pray they are well and continuing their valuable service to the community. Ida, Barbara, Rosita, Nikki, Virginia- women who love and care and whose lives are a true blessing. They give of themselves each week to help others adjust to a new community and to help those who are ill. We also have doctors who are bi-lingual who give of themselves in service to the Latino community health effort. I wish now I could hear Dr. Olivares playing his guitar as he waits for his patients to arrive and in doing so cheers up both staff and patients. I miss my friends but love meeting new people here who are also giving their lives in service.

The good news is the flu bug seems to be leaving the campus. At least no one new has come down with the flu in the past several days. Doreen came to the library yesterday saying she is feeling better, not great yet but better. She was so sick that she was taken to the hospital last weekend. Her temperature was so high she could not get up, did not know her roommate and friends. She said her mother in Israel was so worried she called numerous times. Mothers never stop worrying about their kids.

We put a full day in the library today. We want to get as much work done as we can before we leave for Krakow on the 24th. There is still a lot of work to do.

On Tuesday evenings we have been joining with others in Lauren’s apartment discuss Henri Nouwen’s book Turn My Mourning Into Dancing. Lauren has a bathroom scale that registers in pounds. We have wondered if we are maintaining our weight here or gaining. Actually I have felt that I have lost a few pounds. The every skeptical Nancy was sure I have gained. She always thinks I have gained weight. In 2000 while we were in China I lost about 14 pounds, but until I could prove in on a scale Nancy was sure I had gained weight. She looks at me as an anorexic looks at himself and see sweight gain even when there is weight loss. Oh well ............. Anyway, I was right, I have lost about four pounds and now weigh 168. I have not been that SMALL since I was twenty. Nancy has not gained nor lost. She is still her BIG 99 pounds. those are guesses. We weighed with clothes, shoes, etc. and are used to weighing after a bath and before dressing. I was 102.5 on the scale and he was 173.7. So, he is guessing what our clothing, etc. weighed. I must admit he had on his heavy shoes, leather vest and camera on his waist so he probably did have on 5 pounds of clothing. I don’t know how much I had on in extra weight due to clothing. I was pretty sure I hadn’t gained since when I thought I had, I cut right back. I only carried a few pair of slacks and they all fit. If I gain, I will have to buy new slacks. You know how cheap I am about spending money!!!

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Photos

Antonio
Antonio left today for his home in Spain.