Michele writes….. “My kitchen is my happy place.” In most cultures, the kitchen is the heart of the house. While Nicole’s happy place has proven to be the garden hanging laundry, mine is by far the kitchen. I love everything about my kitchen. From the gas stove/ oven to the view out of my window that overlooks the back garden and Volcan Agua to the kitchen table where the kids or Nicole will come to chat while I cook.  Having kids around who love eating vegetables and trying new food has been so much fun for me.  I also have gotten so at “home” at the grocery store.  I can now order my own meat at the counter, a necessity since Nicole refuses to enter the meat section 😆. Not gonna lie. While it’s not as overwhelming as the meat section at the market,  it’s still a very different experience.  I have had so much fun learning typical food dishes here and being able to replicate them at home.  On my past trips, we have simply avoided vegetables that weren’t cooked, but I am so proud to say that I have learned to appropriately wash vegetables here so that we are able to eat them without worry.

And when the lights went out…. my kitchen prevailed. Gas powered stove and water heater means that life can continue despite the blackout.