Sadness

I am feeling sad tonight as I organize and pack.  I only have 2 more days in this city and country that feel like home.

Cake

The children made a huge cake as a going away surprise. We find out it is Santiago's birthday in two days and the 'S' is perfect for us both.  Again it is an integral  (whole wheat) from scratch, with everyone taking turns and it comes out beautiful and delicious.

They are all wearing their fish shirts.  (Abram chose not to do the activity and Santiago was gone that day.  Santiago was bummed to have missed it but the cake and birthday song cheered him up)

These are such special children and I am grateful to have been part of their lives for these 3 plus months.

John Spencer architecture

John Spencer lived many years in Cuernavaca in the neighborhood of these sculptures.  Originally he was from England and from the Princess Diana Spencer family. 
He spent the last 20 years of his life building these sculptures surrounding this very old church.  There is one final piece, a butterfly that he built off site.  There is a place in one of the walls where it is supposed to go but there are legal complications holding it up from getting there.
This church yard is across from a school, so the children play here like they would at any other park, climbing and sitting on these magnificent walls.
There are arches that curve forward so far that it seems they would lose the integrity and strength of the arch structure and fall down but instead they are standing strong.

The last photo is me and my host family, Gerardo,  Katy and Amelia - Cash Hoy.

Ceramics

Nora, Berenise,  Nohemi and I have been painting ceramics.  We got the interest from Lucy who has been helping me with my Spanish.
Nohemi,  Lucy and I went to Tres de Mayo and bought paints and ceramics and went back to Lucy's and spent a fun afternoon painting.  Now Nora and Berenise are enjoying it too.

Besides these things, the girls also have painted a very, very large pig for saving money.  When it is full no one will be able to lift it.  It will have to be broken to get at the money. They worked on it together and it is bright pink and covered in flowers and designs.

It has been a fun activity to do together but I wish my Spanish was good enough to understand the casual, idle conversation that happens at these times.  

Someday........

Fish printing

I have done fish printing with my children,  Kitsap Unitarian children, Japanese exchange students  and a KUUF Women's retreat but it has been many years.  It was fun to do it with these children and to know they will have a shirt of their own creation to remember me by.

They loved the octopus!  They wanted to handle it so much and be the person to wash it between paintings that I thought it would get pulled apart.  But they are tough creatures.

Photos of my partner teacher and friend, Nora and Ximena with us both.

As tired as I am of trying so hard to use my limited Spanish with the class, I will miss these children immensely.  It has been a fabulous opportunity for me and the friendship I have gained with Nora and her girls, Nohemi and Berenise;   priceless.

Sunday I will do this activity again with my great host family.

Nora's house

For those of you not on Facebook,   1 person : )  , here is a couple of photos of Nora's house.
It is tall and narrow.   The car and the small pool, water cistern are on the ground floor.
The next floor has a front terrazzo, living room, dining room, small kitchen, 1/2 bath, my bedroom ' to be' and a full bath.
Off the kitchen is the Mexican double sink, washboard thing and tiny spiral staircase that goes up to a quite big laundry room.  The laundry room does not connect to the 3rd fllor, in fact it seems at a  higher level.

The 3 rd floor has Nora's huge bedroom with a king size bed, with a mattress to die for.  A full bath off her room.
A long narrow room that starts at the top of the stairs and connects back to the girl's room,  has the computer, stereo,  electric piano and bookshelves.  Then there is the girl's room and another bathroom.
Over Nora's bed is a huge brick dome with a cupola thing that let's in tons of light.

I also included photos of us painting ceramics on the terrazzo to show that area.

I am looking for a futon like bed for my room and I will stay there when I am back here.  The bookshelf that I bought for here will also go in there.

It is a wonderful place due to the wonderful family that lives within.  And now I am lucky enough to be part of it.

Squishy ball activity

The kids had great fun making squishy balls.  5 km and 450 (yes  450 )
ballons later the children had something to take home.

If you let the air out of the balloon too fast you get floor in the face.
The first time that happened was to Josebeth,  a total surprise.