Yes, over a period of just three years it seems the entire infrastructure has been renewed, affordable housing has been constructed and many old homes have been renovated – how Americans would envy these roads, new bridges and beautiful sidewalks…

 The beaches continue to be free, clean and provided with good life-guard service, the air is clean as is the water, as a matter of fact, the entire island of Sao Miguel has become less prone to litter in general, the removal of which provides jobs and sometimes I just cannot believe how many “miradouros” (special points from which to view a beautiful scenery) or picnic areas with CLEAN WCs EVERYWHERE have been added. On any given weekend you see families en masse putting fish or ribs or chicken on the provided barbeques, armed with blankets, pillows, picnic baskets having a good time. Some have playgrounds for small children, as a matter of fact I have NEVER seen a more child-friendly culture in my entire life. And to top it off, they are well behaved! Kids can still be kids and play with wooden tops, skip rope, bike or kick the ball around on the street, fathers are doting on the little ones and everyone is crazy about babies. I have yet to see a mother without a father present at the office of a pediatrician – the company they work for gives them time off for those important events and THEY carry the baby in their arms! Quite a difference from the morose fathers I observed when last in New York City in Central Park which told me by the expression of the faces of young husbands pushing the latest model pram, that they would rather have been watching a football or baseball game on TV. Thus you have a really closely bonded family unit – nothing is perfect (cheating on spouses is not unusual) but basically young men make good fathers, brothers, uncles or cousins.

 Here in Caloura where I live a talk to the mayor had great results – I simply mentioned that being multi-lingual I had overheard comments about litter near the very best hotels and that very same afternoon he and his assistants came to inspect the area – it was SPOTLESS the next day and has remained such.

 Well, I did give him one of my business cards which might have helped and shamed him into action. The school-grounds I see when going into schools to assist with English conversation are spotless, the discipline is outstanding and I recently told one of my teacher friends that were she to reprimand students the way she does here, she would already have been shot in the USA. THAT is why I teach HERE – was her answer!

 The flowers keep blossoming in profusion and life’s rhythm has changed little if at all. There is no stress, “amanha,” which can mean today or up to 3 weeks (or whenever they think about it) would surely drive some folks crazy but if something is of vital importance it is done immediately if not sooner. We have just settled into the natural rhythm of island living, nao problemo!

 My personal language skills have improved a lot, our landlord’s little girl has contributed greatly to that and when my husband had a brief hospital stay (that was FREE) the entire family showed-up to ask what room he was in as they were going to visit him daily. That is the nature of the Azorean people, helpful and accommodating, sharing and working hard, yet sometimes hardly working when there is a FESTA of sorts. Wait, I take that back! The preparation for the FESTA IS hard work and takes time!

 If you go into my husband’s photo galleries you can judge for yourself, nothing is wasted and a “Boa Tarde” or a thumbs-up will generate the biggest smile you ever saw. Pedestrians still have the right of way and a wave from one car to another shows you the level of courtesy.

 This year there have been fewer tourists due to the adverse economic conditions and they mostly have been from Germany, Scandinavia and Canada as well as some Portuguese from the mainland. The British as well as Americans have been conspicuously absent but as everyone knows, it is virtually impossible to keep the Germans from travel as they are most inclined to “Wanderlust” and adventure.

 But with all of the ongoing construction, refurbishing of old homes and building of new ones as well as schools and other public edifices, life is still laid-back and a siesta a MUST. How civilized!

 Past Christmas we stayed at the Hotel Terra Nostra in Furnas which was wonderful as the huge park was in full bloom with Camellias and Azaleas as well as many other flowers. The Poinsettias were again HUGE but the winter was relatively dry for the Azores and the beginning of normal dry season delayed a couple of months – now in full swing after the tobacco has been harvested and fields produced plenty as shown in my husband’s gallery. Some HUGE potatoes were harvested and prices for fresh fruits/vegetables are lower than they were last year. We eat plenty of the huge variety of both. Ever tried fresh figs with vanilla icecream?????????????????

 Our landlord surprised us over the past couple of months with several crates of various types of “batatas” for which he absolutely REFUSED to be paid. I have come to understand the Azorean culture better and know how it is a constantly free-flowing exchange of giving and receiving without much fuss – just the natural way of life.

 Give me a local farmer or worker any day; he will be more friendly, helpful and outgoing than the (too fast) BMW-driving member of the “upper class.” It is a shame that this is an aspect most tourists miss out on as mostly they do not even acknowledge their existence. THEIR LOSS………..

 We had to partake of the Portuguese Health-Care System on various occasions this year and my husband’s experience at the huge hospital in Ponta Delgada was excellent. The staff was most helpful, the nurses there within moments and most conscientious, the physicians most thorough intent to get to the bottom of my husband’s problem which they did.

 Leaving the hospital after a stay of 4 days and a multitude of tests having to pay nothing would be every American’s dreams for sure.

 The same applies to higher education – other than the books and an annual, quite affordable fee, it is FREE; not requiring parents to take out a second mortgage on their homes at a time when they ought to be saving for their own retirement years. The way the medical system, schools and universities are funded by the AVT (added value tax on a sliding scale of luxury goods not required for basic living) instead of property taxes guarantees equal access to all, whether rich or poor.

 We have not returned to the mainland, just too lazy to do so and everything we would wish for can be found RIGHT HERE on Sao Miguel. We can watch the latest movies in English with Portuguese subtitles but few are worthy these days, nevertheless we have seen some excellent foreign language films.

 The students I taught pro-bono in Ponta Delgada at the Morada da Escrita have improved and gotten the highest grades; something that truly pleases me. I shall continue teaching pro-bono as long as I am able and find it most rewarding.