Hola!!

Heard you all had a dia de nieve! Hope you enjoyed it and spent the whole day studying Espanol! I have been studying quite hard this week and my brain is exhausted. However I am learning some really cool phrases and able to communicate with anyone about just about anything at this point. Next week, my family will continue to study, but I will be voluneering at an home for the elderly called, "La Alma".
This week we were supppose to go to the orphanage and make arrangements to start volunteering there. However, as things go in Mexico, there is construction in front of the orphanage area so when we got in a taxi on Friday to go, we sat in it for a 1/2 an hour and only moved about mile. We decided to try again this week.

However, we have decided to use some of the money you all donated to help some others too. We have been picking a person a day in which to give a few of the pesos. There are so many people in need that we decided to share the wealth. Each day, we pick one person and give them $5-10 pesos. We have asked around and learned who is most in need. It turns out one of the greatest needs in this town is the elderly. All children have the ability to a free education that comes with a free breakfast, so at least during the week, they are mostly cared for. However, there is no system in place for the elderly. They don't have a very good retirement system here. Elderly women have nothing if they lose their husbands. So there are all these old women in the streets who sit in the entries of a doorway (to a store or business) for 10 hours a day. They are all hunched over, heads bent down, sometimes sleeping, clothes quite dirty sit with a hand extended out asking for help. So, when you think that the small change you donated might not do much, it is providing a meal for someone who otherwise might not have one that day. Gracias!!! You are so awesome!

Today I also want to tell you about life of a dog here! You know how we have "pets"? Well, dogs here are considered more like house mascots. Every family seems to have one, but they probably have no idea where their dog is most of the day. The dogs here run wild around town, in the streets, fields, alleys, etc. They run in gangs or by themselves and not one we've run into has been agressive. Instead, most will completely ignore you as you walk by. However, around 7 in the evening they all seem to head home and then about 2 a.m. they all start a chorus of barking across the city! I am pretty sure the loudest one is next door to us! I even sleep with earplugs because of it!

One other cool thing that happened last week that made me think of you all. I know the J.H. kids know this story, but not sure about you highschoolers. Remember on Jan. 6th when the 3 Kings come to deliver presents to the kids? Well, part of the tradition of that day is to also eat Rosca de Reyes, a circular shaped fruit bread. In the bread there is a plastic "Jesus" figurine. If you get the piece with the figurine, you are responsible for hosting the "Spring is coming" fiesta called Calendaria on Feb. 2nd. Well, we happened to be here for Calendaria! All the schools and businesses were closed. People gathered at the parks and celebrated with re-inactments of traditional Aztec dances (very similar to the ceremonial dancers of the Indians tribes in Montana!). There was also a HUGE display of flowers for purchase in the local park. Venders were there with "elote" - grilled corn, smothered in mayonise and parmesan cheese! Muy delicioso!
Anyway, thought you'd like the connection to our studies of El Dia de Los Reyes Magos.

Como estan? Are you all well? les extrano mucho.....
Se disfrutan la nieve!

Phrases of the week:
"Estoy mango" - meaning I am so good, like I couldn't be any better!
Cabeza huerca - airhead
chafa - cheesy (like in.. that's soooo cheesy)

Sra. Koch