kids, projects, and trash

Just a mini-death trap adventure this week, class, our town project and a massive earache. I asked my momma to come down so she could put the drops in my ear, but she didn’t really think it was as urgent as I did. Though she and Pops have promised to come down in something “serious” happens. I still contend my ongoing ear infection is a “serious” struggle. Aside from my minor aches and pains, we have been getting our town project going here in the training community (we are here for another month). We ended up making contact with a great teacher who organizes a youth group that meets twice a week. (Side note: our contact is the English teacher at the local school, however, he’s never formally studied English, nor can he speak it. He is the newest teacher at the school, ie “low man on the totem pole”, and got stuck with the subject. The government provides no English training and gives the public schools $25 per student, per year… basically these teachers here are making miracles) For our time in the training communities, we had to implement a mini-project that is taking place in a few weeks. The kids and the gringos (any white person here is automatically a gringo, any Asian person is Chinese or a chino, any slightly overweight person is fatty or gordito… these people get right to the point) will be putting on a play with the kids about the environment as well as doing a Cleaning Campaign around our town. The mayor’s office is hosting an Environmental Campaign (which will last a few months), which kicks off with our play and a movie to follow. This is a great initiative by the mayor’s office, as it is a topic that deserves some attention. Just for example, when someone is done with their ice cream, Coke, or napkin they will simply throw it on the ground, be it the street, the park or the beach. Trash collection wasn’t even required by the government until last year (now, every municipality is required to have their trash collected by hiring a private service..$$$$). Not to get too pedantic, but the environment is a growing concern for many people, and since going green seems to be the new black and is becoming a very sexy initiative around the world, many small towns are catching the fever and implementing some very cool and creative campaigns for environmental consciousness.

On a lighter note (my mini death trap adventure) I did have to cross another bridge o’er a river this week, when the other gringos in my town and I went to the river with our youth group this Saturday. I’ve included some photos of my town and of our adventure (Cultural Side Bar: Many many people do not smile in photos here, they will smile before and after and will have had the best day of their lives, but do not smile for the camera…. Haven’t gotten the “why” part figured out yet). Thanks for all the great emails! I like to hear what is happening with everyone back home!LIOB chicas.