The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

9 days until we leave Angola for summer break.  You'd think we'd be skipping around, delirious with joy that soon we will be back in America.  Somehow, that isn't happening - instead it's just the opposite!  Yes, we are definitely happy to be leaving, and YES, we cannot WAIT to see our family and friends - but it's just getting harder and harder to deal with all of the last-minute stuff that invariably makes you feel like you are losing your mind.  I swear, it's like JoAnn and I are playing a twisted game called, "Who will crack first?"  She's having crazy nightmares about psychotic maids, and I keep *almost* bursting into tears at the drop of a hat.  It's no wonder we don't really have any other friends!  ;-)

Our internet has been bad for weeks.  This wouldn't be too big of a deal, except that it makes talking to family nearly impossible.  We have a land line as well, but that drops calls almost as often as using Skype.  After 2+ weeks of pestering the maintenance crew about the internet, someone finally came to the house today.  He told me that one modem (the one that is supposed to work the best) needed another technician, who couldn't come until Monday ('Monday' is code for 'never').  The other modem he fiddled with,  then called someone.  This went on for over an hour, and in the end - nothing got fixed, nothing changed, and he told me as he walked out the door, "Paciencia, Madame."  I smiled and nodded, but on the inside I was screaming, "ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME!!!???  I've had nothing BUT 'paciencia' with this place and all it's challenges, and now I have HAD IT."  I am so done with living in Angola.  I know having a nice long break will give me the strength to come back with a good attitude and renewed 'paciencia' but for the next 9 days.....people had better steer clear!