Once again it is time to respond to input from some of our Gentle Readers.
From a genteel lady in Atlanta who wants to know if I have a comfortable chair and a reading lamp in the room.
Fortunately, I didn’t injure myself laughing when I read that question. There are two chairs in the room – one is padded with two layers of cloth (no stuffing), and the other is a straight-back wooden device suitable for use in executions. As for lighting, there are the two florescent bulbs on the ceiling. If comfort is needed, I lay in bed to read – but remember, the bead has two thin foam pads on wood slats. As to reading material, I haven’t had time for leisure reading yet, but we foreign teachers have a small library, and there is a backpacker book swap store nearby.
Another Gentle Reader wants to know if we will adopt a kitty while we’re here. Not likely. One tends to get attached to fur-persons, and we would not be able to bring it back with us. We know our two American cats are well taken care of while we’re gone, but we would have no such assurances if we had to leave one here.
I ‘m getting requests for more food postings. Okay – we can do that. I need to get a few more pictures, then I will post some stories about the local food.
However, we do have the capability to do some cooking in the common room we four foreign
teachers share. Granted, its more like a camp set-up than a kitchen, and I haven’t included pictures of how we wash dishes, but the ladies decided this was a good night to show two of the students how western food was prepared. Notice the excellent stove – two gas burners set on the table – and notice our oven. No - its not a microwave – it’s a real oven - and used to good effect to make excellent banana bread. Spaghetti was the entrée tonight, so the sauce made from tomato paste, augmented by some fresh tomatoes, and seasoned just right. Cindy cooked up some market-fresh Italian green beans. 
There is no potable running water in the building, so all cooking and drinking water comes from the deliveryman. We even had garlic bread! One of the students was put to work schmushing up the bananas for the bread. Ah, it was a veritable feast! 
Finally, a number of you have kindly offered to help me with my longings for a good cigar – you have volunteered to smoke one for me. Alas, Gentle Smokers, the offer is appreciated, but it does me no good. Thank you for your thoughtfulness – but there are some Partagas #10s waiting in my humidor at home. They’ll be there in June.