Clapi Clapi , Good riddance, Cali dreaming , not sleeping and Armageddon in apartment : yup : sounds like the end of the year to me !

Wow - it's been a long time ! So much has happened ... the words that come to mind right now concerning my mental, physical and emotional status are basically Dazed and Confused, along with exhausted, excited, blue, ballistic, freaking out, fidgetty ... basically, the very normal and usual emotional roller coaster that comes with all those big forks stuck in the road :-)

So what's new - well - I am now a vet, for starters, which is kinda exciting - I can now validate your passport applications (among other practical things like actually earning money). Hurray.

I am packing up and leaving for San Diego, California, in 7 days. So there is basically no walking space in my apartment (although some evil tongues would tell you there's nothing new about that) and I am going to scream if I have to fill in one more piece of paperwork.

I will be moving in with 2 other interns in a very cool house in Spring Valley. Actually, just the name Spring Valley sounds awesome. Spring Valley , Saint Hyacinthe. Spring Valley, Saint Hyacinthe. Yup, sounds somewhat more exotic.

Also very new : I can order beer in Spanish. Our class trip down in the Dominican Republic was fun - lots of sun, rest and sharing moments and memories ... The DR is a very interesting country. Sparkling resorts taking up the whole shoreline, poverty and dumps minutes away, the beauty of the small inland villages, the smile on people's faces ... they are poor but they could teach any one of us what being happy means.

So ... more news soon :-)

Here are a few pics !

xx aLi

Punta Cana

Punta Cana ...

Christian is a producer who made us visit his coffee and cocoa (and tons of fruits and yummy stuff) farm. He just may be the happiest person I have ever met.

Our class mascot on our last night ... Dave and I at prrrom

La St Jean in Jonquieres, with Diane, Yan and Guillaume !!

You can check out more pics at http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/olive231_alibabs/album?.dir=/e512scd&.src=ph&.tok=phXbxNFBlol3JBBJ