Author: Brian

Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, Systems Engineer, Papa, and eccentric individual.

I am constantly conflicted with building my LinkedIn and online persona, and my desire for privacy and anonymity.

To Swaziland with Love!

We’re here!  After all he wonderful Uno games, and even an in-flight cribbage game, 36 of us have landed and spent the night in the brand new Protea Transit hotel at the Jo’burg airport.  The Peace Corps seems to be a little more developed than our expectations.

Just kidding.  I just had the last hot shower I may have for a long time.  Same to the running water, electricity in my room, and flat-screen TV.  Good way to pamper us before we get to see what the real Peace Corps experience is like.

Internet access so far is highly limited and expensive, clocking around $9 per hour or $15 per 250MB.  I’m certain this won’t be the last you hear of us, it just might be a few weeks before anything else gets put up here.

Thanks to everyone who helped make our goodbyes so pleasant!  We will miss you and write often!

My Laptop was Stolen! LARGE REWARD FOR RETURN

So maybe you are booting up my laptop and you saw that I put www.briandeyo.us on the startup screen.  I hope this is the case as that means my laptop has been found by someone that might care about what its future could be.  This laptop was stolen from me less than 48 hours before my wife and I join the Peace Corps.

Please Please Please contact me either through this blog, email “brian[at]briandeyo.us” or please call the Tucson Police about case 1006220819.  This laptop was to be my lifeline back to this country while overseas.  There is a reward for the return.

The laptop was taken along with a SolarGorilla solar panel, an external PowerGorilla battery , an external Toshiba 320GB black & white hard drive, several MicroSD cards, and other small belongings.   A reward will be offered for ANYTHING returned.

Please contact me if you have found this laptop!!!!!

Letting go of the small stuff

I’m finding solace in menial tasks of microscopic importance.  It’s important to follow how much money I have, but is it necessarily important enough for me to have an excel spreadsheet tallying my purchases and receipts.  Do I really need to spend the time doing the absurd task of copying over strictly the files I need?  The first answer in my mind says “yes, of course it is important.”  I only need to take a deep breath to remember that what is important has more to do with seeing people and being open to happiness. 

Right now that deep breath seems inaccessible at times, and I am relieved when I relax enough to enjoy myself.  I’m thankful for all the time I have been able to spend with people, and I’m glad that I get to spend more of it.  With a little less than 96 hours to go, time is short and I’m taking as many deep breaths as possible. 

The experience really is akin to riding a roller coaster.    On May 11th the roller coaster left the platform, and it has been slowly inching its way up a hill so steep that we can only glimpse what lay on the other side.  With butterflies in the stomach and a health dose of nervous anticipation we are about to crest that hill.  Hands in the air screaming WHEEEE!!!! all the way down.