20th Year High School Reunion

On June 13th the St Louis Ladue High School Class of '89 reunited after 10 years since our last gathering. This was also a perfect time to visit with my parents and to have my sister join us from the other coast as well as participate as an honorary member of our class (graduated actually in '90). Not mention my nearest friends of the Clark's and Miranda's and their kids who each get at least an evening for us to catch up on life's stories.

However, as you can see from the box to the right that this was an extra special trip for us beyond being able to introduce my 'new' wife to some of my oldest friends but we were able to share the joyful news that Pranvera and I are expecting our first child almost on Christmas day!! We could not be happier and it was extra special to be able to see the joy on so many of our friends faces who have stopped producing offspring at least 5 years ago, not to mention being able to congratulate my parents on soon to be grandparents!!

We had almost no time for ourselves in between family meals, seeing friends and attending the 3 official functions organized by the school and friends allowing us to catch up after so many years. Although there were hundreds more conversations than photos these are a couple memorable shots at our first night bar activity at the Schneithorst.

After a relatively late night of trying to remember who everyone was and collapsing 10 or 20 years into 5 minutes, we slept hard and rolled into the next day of visits with friends squeezing in some pregnancy naps. Our second event was actually at our old high school where we invited all the kids and had a BBQ in the gym with tours of the old hallways. With the exception of some additions, much seemed to be the same. Was nice to show Pranvera some of my old stomping grounds.

And our final reunion night was hosted poolside at one of our friends houses. Great fun to relive the old house parties of 20 years back except the conversation had changed slightly to getting advice on day cares, stories about who had divorced who and whether anyone had received plastic surgery. Regardless, it was great to see so many old faces looking so youthful and happy with their new partners and kids. Everyone has spread all over the country and although many of us have lost touch, it was just like picking up where we left off.

On our final day we treated Dad to an early Father's Day brunch and wandered about Central West End. Was able to enjoy an arts and crafts show as well before we arrived at Sidney and Sheila's for our token end of weekend Brazilian BBQ, see their two lovely children and our annual visit to Ted Drew's, a St. Louis institution for frozen custard desserts.

One Year Anniversary Getaway!!

We made it! We can't even begin to list the amount of massive changes both our lives have undergone during our first year of marriage, not to mention us trying to figure out how this marriage thing works without all these external variables. But we are happier than ever and celebrated by having absolutely no one else around us, for miles. Originally thinking we would splurge for 1 night at the 5 star Oriental Hotel in downtown DC, we both realized it was such a ridiculous cost that put us in the middle of a loud concrete city vs. taking an even lesser investment to get our own, brand new cabin in the middle of the mountains and woods for two nights no more than 2.5 hours away from DC. And it was almost everything we hoped for, except running out of water the second night and some glitches with the entertainment center.

But we had the stuff that counted. Wrap around deck, new BBQ, hammock, hot tub, and total isolation. We spent our days reading out on the deck or making day trips to the local national parks for some absolutely wonderful hiking. We had a bit of rain but nothing that kept us inside too long. Our 1 year dinner was homemade out on the BBQ and we had wine and roses to boot. The highlight for me was the photo album scrap book Pranvera made highlighting our first two year adventure together.

We realize how blessed and lucky we are having waited so long to find each other. It was worth it...

Worktrip to Haiti
It is great when the rare opportunity of combining work with pleasure actually brings you closer to family. On my most recent public private partnership training trip to the USAID Mission in Haiti, I was able to stay with and hang out with my cousin Rand who actually works for the Mission. Not only did he make sure each of our evenings was full of activity but I actual felt a warmer welcome by the Mission staff we had gone down to train.

Out trip started with a couple days of R&R enjoying the softer side out Haiti out of Port au Prince. Wonderful beaches, fresh seafood and warm weather made it feel like any Caribbean vacation. Now it was the chaos that we had to survive in order to get out of the city and the absolute lack of service at the beach hotel that brought us back to the developing island of Haiti. All and all the security situation has improved drastically since 1 year ago. Although the safety measure (armored vehicles and UN) are still in place most of this is a passive form of preparation should things flash again. The saddest thing about Haiti and the billions poured into the country in development is that they can never get over the hump. Lack of infrastructure, corruption, political will and annual hurricanes always seem to keep everything in crisis mode rather than gaining true ground.

The (limited) people we met were wonderful and fortunately the laid-back island mentality certainly whittles a softer edge to the abject poverty and over population. I was surprised to see only 10-15% of the capital city had power each night and shanty town upon shanty town had no electricity or running water (all illegal builds). Of course among the international community and the hotel, houses, restaurants and office we were shuttled back and forth between had all the pleasantries of any Western city. However, it was the connection to these points that brought you back to reality. By FAR, the worse (potholed and dirt) roads and traffic I have seen anywhere on the planet. A standard 1 hour travel time to get between any two points in the city, any time of day, minimum. It is my theory that unless something radically is done soon, the city will actually cease to move and be stuck in eternal grid-lock.

Our training was quite productive except for the small fact that there is VERY limited private sector business (outside the black market) and almost no foreign direct investment due to instability. This was bluntly brought to our attention during a private sector outreach meeting we hosted at a hotel for about 40 local businesses when they pointed out the fact that we want to help however the State Departments Travel Advisory NOT to go to Haiti is preventing any businesses from coming. Very good point I thought but the obvious reality that the UN still patrols the streets and supports the local police in any uprising isn't the safest place for people to invest (not to mention the ongoing kidnappings).

So, Haiti has a very very long way to go despite the USG's investment of $400MM annually in helping dig themselves out. Clearly a place where USAID will be in business for a long time to come.