John "The Hot One" Maxwell Leaving the Country

[Quiveringuterus]

I don't think its Mexico, but I teach English here in northern Mexico so I'll keep an eye out just in case ;)

[church_of_dog]

Can anyone who knows how to zoom in (I don't) read what it says on the black shirt of the fellow who is seated, over on the right?

[salex]

I wonder if he is down recruiting a crew of experienced irrigation installers to hire to work for him in the states?

[16strong]

I'm not a landscaper or botanist, but do the trees give any clue? Anyone know what kind they are?

[NachosFlandersStyle]

This is giving me flashbacks to those "View from your window" contests that Andrew Sullivan used to run. I would sometimes procrastinate for an hour or two trying to Google various clues, but I never got anywhere. Of course the people who won were always like "I could tell from the mineral content in the cinder blocks that it had to be Southeastern Uzbekistan, and then I narrowed it down by comparing the angle of a satellite dish with the position of the sun. Here are three pictures of the exact house."

Anyway I don't really have a guess, but the people in the photo look more South Asian than Latin American. Which would fit with the theory that he's "teaching English" in an "anonymous location" because he's in a country with a ban on proselytizing. I'm pretty sure you can go preaching Jesus in whatever part of Latin America you like without having to lie about it.

[NotALoserLikeYou]

I don't think there's any preaching Jesus on this trip, which is interesting. Sarah would have spun it if she could. Steve cannot be ok with this. I think john is going over there....for.....FUN. I predict hiking and adventures.

[samurai_sarah]

It might be South America BUT I don't think so, I'm from S.America and the features of their faces seem more Asian, Bhutan or Nepal perhaps.. Our ethnicity is definitely different and natives don't really look like that. (In big cities you can see variety like anywhere else). Of course, this is all based on what i know about my culture. And the soccer theory, is quite big in Asia, the only place in the world that is not big is North America.

I'll raise you, and will see your cards. ;) I say John is in Brazil!

[WonderingInWA]

I was going to guess Panama.

[Tiny Bubbles]

LOL, I just love all the guessing. Each time I read a new suggestion I change my mind!

[DaffyDill]

You know, I don't really care where John is. I just like that he has gone to another country where Stevehovah isn't, on his own, to see friends, and best of all, may well...enjoy himself!! :o

[Tiny Bubbles]

I wonder why the backpack tho? Ya, I guess it prevents lost luggage, as stated on the blog, but was his flight so complicated that this was a larger risk than normal? Or are the Maxwells paranoid about strangers having access to their luggage? Is John intending to be on the move enough so that it makes sense to have just one portable bag? Am I asking too many questions??

[PrairieGirl]

I wonder why the backpack tho? Ya, I guess it prevents lost luggage, as stated on the blog, but was his flight so complicated that this was a larger risk than normal? Or are the Maxwells paranoid about strangers having access to their luggage? Is John intending to be on the move enough so that it makes sense to have just one portable bag? Am I asking too many questions??

When it comes to Maxwellville, there are never too many questions. You should really question everything.

[salex]

I don't think he is teaching English I think he is visiting someone who is.. possibly the person taking the picture.

[Jana814]

Well, wherever he is, and whatever he is doing, I hope John enjoys his time there, broadens his horizons, and finds he can breathe and survive happily on his own.

Agree!

[Jana814]

You know, I don't really care where John is. I just like that he has gone to another country where Stevehovah isn't, on his own, to see friends, and best of all, may well...enjoy himself!! :o

Agree! Maybe he will enjoy so much he will want to stay longer.

[LucySnowe]

Wherever John went to has to be a warm climate. I hate checking bags and I've got carry-on packing down to a science, but it's nigh on impossible to travel with only a backpack if you have to bring sweaters and wool socks and other bulky things. And he isn't wearing even a light jacket or windbreaker (which he might do even if it's hot in Kansas, just to maximize space in his bag). Can't imagine the Maxwells handing him some cash and saying "Might get cold, just buy what you need when you get there."

If he's only going for a couple of weeks and won't need formal clothing, warm weather clothing, or specialist equipment (or any reading material apart from the bible...), and isn't planning on bringing tons of stuff back with him, there's no reason not to travel with a backpack only. It makes things a lot quicker at the airports and means if you have flight problems it's a lot easier to get moved to a different flight. (Not that this will happen to John since the Maxwells will pray for his flights to be on time.)

[LurkerOverThePond]

Maybe I am seeing things but to me John looks a lot happier in these two photos than he has seemed since the wedding of Joe and Elissa. After the blessed event John has looked somewhat sad or at least less smiley than his usual self, almost - gasp - unhappy. I don't find John especially hot (but I totally agree with someone who preferred the bespectacled and slightly nerdy Jesse ;) ) but he always used to have this genuine grin and twinkle in his eyes that he, at least in my opinion, lost after Joe left the boys' bedroom for some sweet fellowship in his own house.

Think about it: these siblings are all the Maxhell kidults have. When someone moves across the street there is one less person in their very restricted lives. No wonder John didn't look like his old jolly self. Maybe (and I realize this is just my wishful thinking) he grew increasingly dissatisfied with his life and this trip to the Mystery Land is the result of the process to take baby steps toward his own thinking. Yeah, I know I know...

[Palimpsest]

Wherever John went to has to be a warm climate. I hate checking bags and I've got carry-on packing down to a science, but it's nigh on impossible to travel with only a backpack if you have to bring sweaters and wool socks and other bulky things. And he isn't wearing even a light jacket or windbreaker (which he might do even if it's hot in Kansas, just to maximize space in his bag). Can't imagine the Maxwells handing him some cash and saying "Might get cold, just buy what you need when you get there."

If he's only going for a couple of weeks and won't need formal clothing, warm weather clothing, or specialist equipment (or any reading material apart from the bible...), and isn't planning on bringing tons of stuff back with him, there's no reason not to travel with a backpack only. It makes things a lot quicker at the airports and means if you have flight problems it's a lot easier to get moved to a different flight. (Not that this will happen to John since the Maxwells will pray for his flights to be on time.)

I agree. I'm another person who vastly prefers not to check bags. I can easily manage for 2 weeks in summer with just a carry-on that fits under the seat, but I do wash out some things even just by hand.

However, that is an awfully small backpack. Let's see: Bible, travel documents, small baggy of manly toiletries, change of socks and undies, extra T-shirt, extra long-sleeved shirt because he has to layer two, light sweater for the AC on the plane. I think that backpack is now overstuffed so take out the sweater. No room for a spare pair of jeans. Or PJs.

{L_MESSAGE_HIDDEN}:

Hidden so as not to increase Steve's paranoid thinking.

If he hasn't crammed in extra shirts, perhaps the FJers who find John hot will get their wish and see a photo of John shirtless while he does his laundry. You can fantasize about him sleeping nekkid too!

I hope he is not going anywhere very hot. I really wouldn't want to sit next to John on the flight home if he's been sweating into one pair of jeans for 2 weeks.

[WonderingInWA]

I agree. I'm another person who vastly prefers not to check bags. I can easily manage for 2 weeks in summer with just a carry-on that fits under the seat, but I do wash out some things even just by hand.

However, that is an awfully small backpack. Let's see: Bible, travel documents, small baggy of manly toiletries, change of socks and undies, extra T-shirt, extra long-sleeved shirt because he has to layer two, light sweater for the AC on the plane. I think that backpack is now overstuffed so take out the sweater. No room for a spare pair of jeans. Or PJs.

{L_MESSAGE_HIDDEN}:

Hidden so as not to increase Steve's paranoid thinking.

If he hasn't crammed in extra shirts, perhaps the FJers who find John hot will get their wish and see a photo of John shirtless while he does his laundry. You can fantasize about him sleeping nekkid too!

I hope he is not going anywhere very hot. I really wouldn't want to sit next to John on the flight home if he's been sweating into one pair of jeans for 2 weeks.

Sarah didn't say how long he was going to be away, did she? I got the feeling he'd be staying longer because she said something about "adapting to the culture" or something like that. I hope he's gone at least a month and that he meets and falls in love with a woman there so decides to stay. Wouldn't that just send Stevie into an outrage!

[Palimpsest]

It's only for 2 weeks per a Maxwell response in the comments under the post.

Unless John goes AWOL. :twisted:

[Howl]

I think John's in Cuba. This would explain Stevehovah's reticence in naming the country.

According to a Jan 2015 NYT's article

Can any American citizen visit Cuba now?

A. Yes, and no. Any American wishing to visit Cuba for one of 12 purposes may now do so without having to apply for a license on a case-by-case basis. Tourism is still banned by the embargo, so beach holidays are off the cards. The 12 categories of legal travel to Cuba include visits to close relatives, academic programs for which students receive credits, professional research, journalistic or religious activities, and participation in public performances or sports competitions.

It is also easy enough to fly to Cuba from Mexico. Mexican officials do not stamp a US passport for visitors going to or from Cuba

[HermioneSparrow]

This is giving me flashbacks to those "View from your window" contests that Andrew Sullivan used to run. I would sometimes procrastinate for an hour or two trying to Google various clues, but I never got anywhere. Of course the people who won were always like "I could tell from the mineral content in the cinder blocks that it had to be Southeastern Uzbekistan, and then I narrowed it down by comparing the angle of a satellite dish with the position of the sun. Here are three pictures of the exact house."

Anyway I don't really have a guess, but the people in the photo look more South Asian than Latin American. Which would fit with the theory that he's "teaching English" in an "anonymous location" because he's in a country with a ban on proselytizing. I'm pretty sure you can go preaching Jesus in whatever part of Latin America you like without having to lie about it.

Completely agree!

[HermioneSparrow]

I'll raise you, and will see your cards. ;) I say John is in Brazil!

Let the bet begin.. I'm still betting on South Asia!

[WonderingInWA]

I'm sticking with Panama, or maybe Guatemala.

[kpmom]

I'm really enjoying this thread!

Our very own "Where in the world is John Maxwell" game!

I was wondering whether this is Cuba too, like a poster upthread. That would make Steve's hesitancy to name the country understandable.

ETA: That and the (possible) Cuban coffee they are drinking in the picture, although many Latin American countries drink Cuban coffee. I do remember Sarah's birthday post about John liking his coffee black and strong, and Cuban coffee is very strong!