Let me begin this entry by saying that I LOVE KELLY CLARKSON, and I'm so happy that she picked up some Grammys on Wednesday. I cannot get enough of "Since You've Been Gone". Before I left Uganda, I used to imagine my village singing that after I left, celebrating my non-presence, an anthem of liberation.

Thanks, Jennifer, for the introduction!





On a more serious note, I love coffee shops. Coffee has never been drunk in my home, but I've always loved the smell of coffee. My teachers in elementary school always had a mug of hot coffee in their desks, and I remember always loving the trip to their desks in the mornings to ask a question or turn in lunch or milk money and have the chance to inhale the aroma. Coffee shops are also great places to go and read, study or just hang out. Luckily, there are two coffee shops on the island. They both opened since I moved here, and, luckily, one is located in the hotel that is within walking distance from my apartment. I live next door to the general manager of the hotel, and he refers to me as their best customer. It's called Kofe Plus, and I'm there several nights a week working on lesson plans or assignments. I'm there now posting on this blog.

The other coffee shop, Koko Bean, is a couple of miles away in a shopping center. They close very early, 5:00pm. I have class three nights a week until 6:00pm, and the other days I'm at school until around 5:00. I try to make it there on Saturday mornings because they make the best cinnamon rolls on island; friends compare their goodness to sex. They used to make the best chocolate muffins. Recently, they changed the recipe. The muffins now taste like chocolate cup cakes made form a Dunkin Hines mix--not bad, but not muffins as they were.

This morning, I changed my routine, and instead of buying a cinnamon roll, I bought the pan cake breakfast. It was sooooooo good. I was served a plate with scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon, and two huge, fluffy pan cakes. Borrowing a description from my good friend Richie Garcia, they were "amazing". It was too much food for me. I only managed to put away half of the meal, but each mouthful was a beautiful experience. After I finished, I had to thank all of the workers involved in the pleasure experienced by my taste buds, stomach, entire body. It was a great way to start an overall great day. Thank you Koko Bean.