Seeing school and Peter Pan

Our day today started with our driver, Jaime picking us up at 0730 for our trip to la officina. We got there and had to be waived through at least three security checkpoints to actually get into the office. Once inside we met with the LABU (Latin America Business Unit) HR department who went through the benefits of being an expat in Caracas. They were actually very nice and answered all of our questions - although, I seemed to momentarily stumped them when I asked about domestic help getting TB skin tests. The next person we met with was with Simon with Cecon (the Chevron Security Detail). He had a nice little office which had a glass door where all of the monitors and TV's were for security - that other room was filled with men in blue blazers watching TV's and screens. Simon laboriously took us through the Chevron security details/plans and contingencies for different emergencies. He also went through common sense details about looking for danger, watching where you are going, being careful at ATM's etc... Once he was through with the official details, he went on to give us specific details on crimes which are committed. It seems prostitution is rampant here, and several of the prostitutes "don't look like your usual prostitutes." I totally get that; the higher end the working girl, the less she looks like one. Kind of like the girls working on the Seawall in Galveston. But I digress. He went on to tell us - in very hushed tones - and apologizing to us the whole time he was relaying the story - with gusto- about a nice man who was travelling on business, who met a woman at the hotel bar - then he pauses to tell us about Venezuelan women and used his hands to demonstrate the size of their BREASTS - and (with a red face)- one thing leads to another and I guess she had scopolomine on her breasts and SOMEHOW he ingested it and woke up robbed the next day! There are several morals to this story, but Chris and I were in so much shock we declined to comment, thanked him for his time and expertise, and went on to the next part of our itinerary. I wondered how a woman with Scopolomine on her breasts would not get anough absorbed transdermally to cause serious problems. Throughout the interview, he kept having to open the glass door to the security detail which was monitoring the "news" for new developments - to "keep it down, por favor" so that we could hear him. Now, my chair was facing the T.V's they were monitoring, and I SWEAR they were watching soccer and the equivalent to Jerry Springer. Just Saying. I could be wrong. I will DEFINITELY stay away from Venezuelan women's breasts - I don't care how much they would pay me - no breast exams, no way, ever! When he told me that story, I almost Peter-panned (peed in my pants). After CECON, Dayana (pronounced Diana - who works for HR) took me to the school for our offical visit. I met with the Admissions director and she was wonderful. She took me on an offical tour of the school and I got to see the kids potential classrooms - see pictures- and the grounds. She school was built into the side of a mountain and has several "layers" or floors. It is amazing!!! I am excited for the kids to go there. After the school tour we ended up back at Chris' office and went to lunch in the building with Stacey Olson and her husband. They offered us great advice about choosing a home, vacations, child care, etc.... I went back to the Hotel after lunch and Chris stayed and worked until about 6pm. I took adavantage of the time and worked out and caught up on email.

We are heading to bed now, more on house hunting tomorrow.