Today, Lauren and I initiated our Gonzo Goodwill Tour. While it may be a few months before our hostel site sees any action, we figure it's never too early to start buttering up the neighbors. One of our biggest fears is that during construction, one of our neighbors denounces us... yes, denounces us. It seems a bit formal and odd but apparently it's very normal for neighbors to file formal complaints against one another with the town hall. This could add yet another layer of red tape and ultimately slow construction and worst of all, opening. So, in order to pre-empt any complaints, we did what any American would- baked cookies! Yes, it's a bit small-time, but Lauren slaved over the oven and today we went door to door to introduce ourselves with a warm smile, a plate of chocolate chips, and a desperate plea of "please, please, please call me before calling in a complaint."

I think our mission had the desired effect. The neighbors seemed surprised and impressed by the gesture and at the very least, we'll have faces to go along with the nasty phone calls we get.