As 1/3 owner of a new restaurant: Angeline, segunda calle poniente #3, Antigua Guatemala—one can get lost in the day-to-day struggle to build a successful business. I often walk for an hour in the early morning. It’s a great time to think, reflect, get priorities straight. Sometimes I don’t leave the premises of Angeline for the rest of the day. So the walk is super important to me. I was thinking about the many things I love about this city, this country, this business.

1. Antigua Guatemala is a beautiful place to live. The climate is perfect, its a healthy lifestyle, great fresh, local produce. An ancient and fascinating culture that one is surrounded by on a daily basis.

2. Everyday brings new and unexpected adventures! It is never boring or staid.

3. I am learning the restaurant business–it is an addiction. I am learning how (and how not!) to run a restaurant.

4. Not to be cheezy: it is an opportunity to do some positive good by employing local folks, paying a decent wage, inputting the local economy. I’m not a big supporter of NGOs—I like this much better.

5. I’m learning how to manage people, to be tough when I need to be, to be decisive and strong and fair.

6. I love the opportunity to speak Spanish all-day, everyday. I love living in a Spanish speaking country.

7. As the music director at Angeline, I play guitar (flamenco, tango, classical, jazz) for many hours each day. This is really what my life is about.

8. I have the opportunity to share all this with my youngest child, Aaron. He is living here, with his girl friend, Jaki. They are studying Spanish 4 hours a day, working at Angeline, playing soccer, dancing, living in a foreign country. It’s an amazing experience for them (he’s 21, she’s 19) and I’m happy to be able to help them.