Vacation Time Empathy

I'm in Canada for two weeks. (Happy 50th Anniversary Mom and Dad!)

While in Canada, I've been hearing a lot of this kind of stuff:

    "Wow, Walter* . . . what you are doing is fantastic . . . what a sacrifice you are making.I really admire you."
    or

    "I really have to hand it to you, Walter, for living in a place like that."
     or

    "I don't know how you do it. Don't you miss Canada? Don't you miss your friends?"

Okay, listen up people. I appreciate the kind words of encouragement and everything, but you make it sound like I'm living in some kind of concentration camp.

The fact of the matter is that it isn't that much of a sacrifice at all. Nicaragua is really quite an interesting place and my quality of life is actually pretty good. And . . . it doesn't snow . . . EVER.

Moreover, I'm having a lot of fun doing what I'm doing.

But here is the real kicker: it gives me a tremendous amount of joy doing something that I believe to be meaningful.
 
And I feel really lucky to be able to do it.

*Walter is the name I choose to use in Nicaragua. My family and friends call me by my first name, Howard. (To be explained in a blog entry coming soon.)