Hi. You've probably already met me in person, but this is another opportunity to find out more about

the crazy guy

who gives you English class. YES, it's true. A week before classes started

last year, something happened

and the next thing you know, here I am almost hairless

. What happened? To find out, try going to Locks Of Love.

The first thing you should know is that I like EVERYTHING! Well, almost everything. I don't like most TV programs. Or pickled beets. Or cell phones--even though I sometimes use one--see cartoon to the left here. And I usually don't like dogs that bite me.....

So almost everything is interesting for me. Except work. Ha, ha, ha. I mean work where I can't have fun at the same time I'm working. That's why I like to have fun and make jokes in English class. But the most fun of all is thinking about different ideas and sharing those thoughts with you and hearing your thoughts also.

Things I dislike: Trash in public places, racism, world hunger, inconsiderate drivers, lying politicians, intolerance, deliberate ignorance, hypocrisy, torture, corruption, ...

Things that interest me: People, solar energy, jazz, reggae, and nueva trova, forests, planting trees and gardening, peace, good food, learning new skills, tai chi, science, reading, languages, computers, camping, conservation, conversation, cartoons, bicycles, bamboo, dogs (ones that don't bite me)...

What would I do with a $1,000,000? I'm not sure yet, but if you're making an offer, I'll think of something pretty quick! What would YOU do with a million bucks?

I found that if and when I wanted to cut my hair, there was a place that could use it to make wigs for children who have lost their hair for some reason. The group that does this needs for the hair to be at least 10 inches long. There was also a "promesa" but that's another question. So, I went to http://www.locksoflove.org and found out what I needed to do and did it and that's where my hair went. So if you see some kid with hair that looks just like mine did, maybe .......

Better answer: I was born and raised in a small scientific community that was built in 1942-1943 in a rural area of East Tennessee as a secret part of the Manhattan Project in World War II. I've also lived in other Southern states like North and South Carolina, where I have lots of relatives. Also, I've lived and worked in New Mexico and New York, and my experiences there helped me come here.

What can I say? All those scientists (from a lot of countries) who came into this new community didn't want their children to be educated by people who didn't know too much and had really strong "hillbilly" accents. So they paid for really good teachers [even good substitute teachers] for the public schools. Most people who lived there had a parent who worked in the nuclear labs or facilities, so they were very interested in their children having a good education. And hardly anybody talks like the people from nearby towns, because their parents and grandparents had accents from other places.

I plead the 5th amendment! OK, OK, I have been here a little more than 23 years. You can do the math. I got to the San Juan Airport at midnight after April Fool's Day, spent the night in the airport, then took a taxi to the old bus station in Old San Juan and the bus (Puerto Rico Motorcoach) to Mayaguez and a public car to San German with everything I owned--not much. I didn't know much Spanish, and a lot of people, especially students like you, helped me learn. So, if you're 18 or 19 or 20, then I've been here a lifetime!

Well, I came here to learn Spanish and get a degree for teaching ESL (English as a Second Language). Some friends of mine from New York and New Mexico were studying in the InterAmerican University in San German and told me about a program and ......you see the results. I learned some Spanish and got a MA in TESL, and .....

Duh? Where am I? Where have I been for the last twenty something years? Of course! There are a lot of things to like and to dislike about Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico is a great place because of its people. I've been very lucky with the great majority of people I have met here. Less important to me but also impressive is the natural beauty of the waterfalls, mountains, caves, beaches, sunsets and forests. On the other hand, crime, overpopulation, the feeling that no one has power to change anything, government bureaucracy, and the lack of planning for a better future are areas that need our [yours and mine!] attention to make a better Puerto Rico. Those struggles are a challenge for this place I love, and I invite you to help me work to make it better.

Usually, I hear this question after I've been speaking with the person in Spanish for about 10 or 15 minutes and then all of a sudden they think of asking that. It's always a wierd question and my answer usually depends on how I feel and how I think the person will react. Once I told a person (in Spanish) "No, I don't speak any Spanish" and then she said "Yo lo siento, yo no se nada de inglés" and she left and came back with a friend to interpret. When she got back with her friend, she was a little embarrassed at first but they both laughed when I explained what happened.

Also, I learned that the best way to learn any language is to use and practice it, and to make some *mistakes and learn from them. So, as I say, it's better to be a "disparatero" than a "calla'o".

I still make lots of mistakes in Spanish, and continue to learn from them. So go ahead and make some mistakes in our English class, and you will see that you too can learn from them.

*If you want some examples of mistakes I've made [and learned from], just ask and I can give you a couple. And yes, I still make lots of mistakes and they haven't hurt me...(yet).