Useful tourist & scaly invader

My pal Tsering says to me today, "Brent, you are a useful tourist." Thanks buddy!

March I felt like a useless floundering tourist with good intentions. April I felt overwhelmed and occassionaly grumpy. Now I can honestly say I'm serving some useful functions here and there, and I feel calm, at peace with my life here. Meditation, prayers, good food and exercise have improved my mental and physical well-being. My students, friends, colleagues and teachers ooze character and compassion through their pores. Opportunities for change abound. Come join the fun, monsoon season's just begun!

A foot long lizard scurried into the middle of the class in Charan today. Children screamed and ran to the farthest corners of the tent. Class could not resume until Shankar shooed away the scaly fellow. "Surely," I thought, "they must deal with stranger critters than a cuddly little lizard!"