Things go pretty same ole same ole in San Andres, except I have definitely adjusted to the heat. It was a volunteer’s birthday last Friday ,and Mateo’s on Monday and after hauling a 5 gallon bucket of fresca de pina up the hills to the library with some of the other volunteers at 2ish in the afternoon and not really feeling much different than normal ascents, I knew I was on my way.

Fun fact, apparently it’s a tradition to convince people they’re supposed to take a bite of the cake with no hands and then shove their face into it. I had no idea, so I’m lucky it happened just as I was taking a picture of the bite…




People also get tostadas with salsa at parties (at least ours) along with cake. Double yum.





The most exciting news of the weeks occurred on Monday… I am an aunt once again. Scott and Jess had their baby, Brooklyn Grace, and I am super excited to get pictures. I got to borrow a computer with internet this past weekend and skyped pretty much all weekend, but maybe if I talk really sweetly I can get it another time. I don’t know though. I also got an update on Squeak from Rachel and a song from Ben and Chuck, so it was essentially the best email day I’ve had in 7 weeks. Maybe ever ;)

However, having internet was strange. I felt guilty being on it all day, like I was wasting my time here and also had a gigantic reminder of what it is to be an internet addict. Hmmmm…. It also made me incredibly homesick getting to see some of the people I loved, or at least email or text without some urgent need to hurry and get off the computer. But it’s only 2 more weeks and even though the moon reminds me every day how long it is, I have plenty planned here to fill the time. Schools were suddenly cancelled this week for some festivities, but I’m trying to get together a presentation on trash that’s based loosely around The Story of stuff and the dangers of not properly disposing of stuff, so I’ve been trying to busy myself with that and other random bits of lesson planning and library organization. Still avoiding the park.. hah.


Here’s an accidental poem created while making BINGO cards followed by a bunch of pictures that make me happy

I you he she it
We they and but or
So then because
Who what where when why
how


Marching band and parade some Sunday

(actually...this is at the bottom...)

World's tiniest lizard

The post office (do you see how I missed this? When it’s closed, it’s just a metal door…)

pretty view with a road that seems to drop to nowhere

The next few are all at Jess and Ronnie’s house, where we made the fresca:

Patitos!

Consuelta

I don't know "doves" in spanish...

Or Gerbils

There were also several other species of birds, and a really beautiful garden.

Making Fresca (3 lbs of sugar (!!), water and fresh pineapple…)

More birthday

Mateo, the birthday boy

Saidi, Jose, y Merceda

Playing “pato, pato, ganso” (duck duck goose) at a place my homestay mom volunteers

The photo shoot after (there are a million of these...)

And the walk back to the library (we found out our "monster hill" gets twice as big..)

That’s pretty much it! Sleep, eat, teach, library, eat, sleep or teach, library, eat, library sleep. I did have an amazing few nights with the full moon this week, including a date on the dock with my sweetie (from afar, of course) and going with the other volunteers after the library closed to some abandoned house that was built literally into the lake for some reason (I thought maybe the lake used to be shallower, but I was told no, it used to be deeper… so it *really* makes no sense…). The night alone there were clouds and thunder and beauty everywhere, but the clouds parted for literally the hour I was there and then obscured the moon once again. I felt really lucky. Then the night with the ladies, the sky was almost completely clear the whole time and we spent a good hour or so after swimming “moonbathing” on the roof of the house with venus shining down on us as well. The feminine talk was definitely flowing with all that lady energy.

Speaking of ladies, things have been much better with the volunteers too. After a talk with the two who are the most, um, difficult I guess, about communicating during stressful, chaotic English classes, I think communication in general has improved and we all have created more space for each other and seem to focus on similarities and respect differences better, which is rad. All in all we are a pretty well rounded team and have gotten a ton done at the library and making resources for the English teachers here and future volunteers. So at least there’s that.

This weekend we’re going to help at the college in Santa Elena, which I’m excited about. I may go in the morning and see Flores then, since I haven’t. It’s been a while since I’ve had some chicken bus fun….

<3

(videos mentioned above...)

this is how we are often greeted at 29 de Agosto (the school we help at Tues-Thurs)

Parade