unforgettable firsts

One year.

That's how long I have now lived outside the United States.

I used to think a year was a long time. Now I can hardly believe that almost 1/3 of my commitment here is over.

While most people I know have been marking the passage of time with landmark events like weddings, births, house purchases, deaths, and promotions, I have experienced my own share of “firsts”, though I imagine most of mine would hardly make someone else’s radar screen.

Some of the many firsts in my life since May 3rd, 2006:

1st Nica taco, 1st fruit drink out of a bag, 1st solo taxi/microbus interlocal travel, 1st horse and cart ride, 1st house without air conditioning, 1st time to wear bug spray to work, 1st visit to an island that isn’t a country (Ometepe), 1st quesillo, 1st time seeing a live chicken on a bus, 1st time sleeping in an adobe house, 1st time making corn tortillas, 1st time washing my vegetables with bleach, 1st encounter with monkeys and wild boars, 1st experience with constant power outages, 1st time to hang a hammock, 1st time to own rocking chairs, 1st time to de-poop shrimp, 1st time to ride a bike on a volcanic island, 1st time to see an active volcanic crater, 1st time riding in the back of a pickup truck (legally), 1st time riding a horse in a rural area, 1st time to witness an election and government transition of another country in person, 1st time to hitchhike and ride in the back of a truck on a highway...

May the coming year be full of many more unforgettable "firsts"...