Finding Dan and Erin: a Pictorial

The Kinzer Wagon at Playa Kanoa - surf's up!

Takin' a tour of the Ostrich farm

Feeding time!!!

Who's cuter? This baby ostrich is no match for Erin!

The ostrich farm's 'green' garbage disposal

Dan's very proud of the Curacao bookshelf he built

On top of the hill ... Pimpiriweg 17

Time to bring out the hammock and call it a day

One of our friends at the Tropikal Parke

The Lions we hear roaring every night wouldn't
come out to play, but this guy is almost as scary

Mr. K's International School classroom

The new gym at the International School

Erin getting settled into her new office

Packin' the wagon and heading home

This local has the idea ... sit back and relax

Exploring the Hato caves ...
Hey! Who turned out the lights?!

The Middle School yard

The International School of Curacao's Emblem

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words ... so we won't say anything. Enjoy!

Life in the Fast Lane

There are times when life comes at us really fast, and the last few months have definitely been one of those times for Erin and me. From getting married; to wrapping up a school year; to moving out of a house; to spending a month traveling between Los Angeles, Singapore, and the Maldives; to packing 12 suitcases; to celebrating the life of Dan's grandmother in D.C.; to teaching workshops in Atlanta; to the drive from Pensacola to Miami; to moving our lives to the island of Curacao; to starting our new jobs at the International School - this has been a time of little reflection and a tremendous amount of action.

The kids arrived today - early, eager on their first day of the new school year - and suddenly I was back where I belonged. I am not sure if I've ever had such a clarity about my place in life, about the notion that I may have been meant to be a teacher - in fact, I don't remember having felt this way before - but I certainly knew today. I arrived at my splendid occupation entirely by accident, and although I've always enjoyed it tremendously I have also always thought that it was one of many things I could do. This line of thinking was, and perhaps in some regard still is, accurate, but I now think that I would in some way be cheating myself out of a great deal if I someday decided to stop being "Mr. K" and tackle some new occupation. Today my words, actions, exchanges, and direction came so naturally, and watching the responses of the students was so much fun; it drew out an energy that I hope I've always had in the classroom but never really appreciated. I should be tired, perhaps exhausted, but I feel renewed.

And I feel blessed. A beautiful, brilliant wife who loves me more than I will ever deserve; a family that will always be there; a group of friends that is inspiring beyond words; and a life full of adventure. It is nice to be in a place that feels like home again - after several months of transition - and to sit down and give thanks for the blessings that have entered my life. I hope, and pray, and believe the same for all of you.

First Day of School

Cas Abou Beach ... beautiful above and below the water

This well camoflauged flounder couldn't hide from Dan

Neither could this little leopard eel

Sunrise over Curacao from our bedroom window!

Well, our summer adventures are officially over. Today was our first day at the International School of Curacao, and we spent several hours with the new faculty getting acquainted with the policies and resources of the school. Although the students won't arrive until the middle of next week it certainly felt like our first day of school all over again - so much is new and there is so much to learn. We both agree, this has been one of the best summers of our lives, but we also agree that this upcoming school year will prove to be just as exciting and rewarding. Our next update will contain a lot more information and photos of the school as well as a peak at our new ride and apartment.

Our last week of summer was filled with a lot of logistics - acquiring a car (1991 Mazda 626 station wagon); setting up our bank account; installing our DSL (you can now find us on Skype just about every night - dan.erin.kinzer - go to www.skype.com and follow the free download instructions); getting car insurance ($300/year!) - but we managed to squeeze in a trip to the famous Cas Abou beach and also went diving for the first time on Curacao. We actually used our recent certifications to go by ourselves - just the two of us, no instructor, and our International School connections got us all of our rental gear for free! It was great to be really under water again, and we look forward to many more dives in the future.

Now that this new chapter of our lives is well under way I think we can both look at where we have come from and where we are going, and honestly, and simply enjoy where we are. Being married - going and growing through this adventure together - is a source of pure joy every day, and I don't think either of us could imagine doing this without the other. It will certainly prove difficult to be so far from so much of what we've known, but with the addition of Skype into our lives, as well as the adventurous nature of the people we call family and friends, I am sure we'll always feel closer than we are in physical reality.

Don't forget to download Skype, and look us up - and book those tickets to paradise!