HOLA!!!!
So right now there is this guy walking by our home like he does everyday around five and it sounds like he's saying "yargainyup". It's taken me 3 weeks, but I finally realize he's saying "Yerba, atun" - which means "herbs, cactus". It's common for people to just walk the streets selling their goods. Yesterday a truck drove by with a fridge, bike, bed frame, fruits and veggies and various other odds & ends in the back. The driver used a loud speaker to advertize these goods as he drove around the neighborhood. A few people came out of their houses to look over the items. I needed 2 aguacates (avocados) so I even bought something from him.

Again, wish you all could just be here! Lots to tell you this week. Matt and I have been having a great time working at the orphanage this last week. The kids there really want to communicate with all of you when I return. Their names are Uriel, Ari, Sergio, Esly, Alison, Reina, Ryan, y Daniel. They are awesome, funny kids just like you guys. They play soccer way better than any of us though! The girls are part of a prehispanic instruments class where they play instruments such as conchas (seashells - which they taught me how to play), turtle shells, gourds, animal shaped whistles, maracas and tambores (drums).
** See photos**

This week is Carnival! It a big fiesta before the Catholic custom of Lent starts. (When Jesus went for 40 days and nights into the desert). It's the same idea as Mardi Gras in New Orleans, but on a much smaller scale. Here, people run around and break cascarones (hollowed out & dyed eggs filled with confetti) This custom of cascarones comes from years ago when people picked flowers and threw them at each other in the plaza to celebrate Carnival. As industrialization occurred, flowers were hard to find, so they made paper flowers with hollow eggs as the center of the flower. Someone at some point put confetti into the eggs on the flowers. Then, they got rid of the flowers all together and just kept the confetti/glitter filled eggs. So for 5 days before lent, kids and adults buy cascarones (30 eggs=$1.00) and they run around the plaza and break them on each others heads. It's crazy and you do it to whomever you want. Needless to say, we came home Sunday covered in confetti and glitter!

I traditionally make these with all of you before Easter, so you'll get a first hand experience of the tradition the week after springbreak! ***See photos***


On Friday night we finally took advantage of the local circus. For three weeks we have seen these cars driving around town shouting through a microphone..."solamente diez, diez, diez pesos por una noche de talento y animales de todo tipos" (ten, ten, ten Pesos for a night of extreme talent and animals from all over the world). We finally paid the 10 pesos to see what a Mexican Circus would be like. (10 pesos=80 cents). Well, it was worth the price and my kids are still talking about it. To us, it would be a little hokey, but for kids it was awesome. They got to go up and feed the zebra, ride on a pony, be entertained by the clowns and the highlight, for my boys, was that the elefante pooped while performing his stunts!

words of the week:
changa/o: monkey
papalote: kite
totopos:tortilla chips


This is our last week in San Miguel. I can't believe it's already been a month! Can you? We are all half way until our lives return to normal. How are the studies going?



For those of you who wrote on the comments, here are you answers. The rest of you only have to read this if you want to:

PERIODO UNO: Hablan todo el tiempo en espanol con Sr. Lehman? Favor de dar un abrazo a Sr. Sharr y Sra. Nelson para mi!

Eva - will see if I can find Vaselina - should be quite entertaining!

Rosalia - libros - Si!!! But they are in espanol. But the one I am reading right now is also in English - Like Water for Chocolate. Have you read it? If not, it's a great book to give some persepective on the relationship hispanics have with food and family.

Enrique - I've got your recipes!!!

Reina - the kids your age also love Basketball here. But there is NO sign of futbol americano expect from my family as we go out and toss the football in the street. I think it bewilders the people!

Viviana - I do indeed have a regular toilet - but note to all.... In almost all of Latin America you NEVER throw the toilet paper in the toilet. You put it in the garbage can next to the toilet. The septic systems can't handle the paper!!!

PERIODO DOS:

Julio - There are drugs here as there are in all parts of the world. Here, the worst abused substance is alcohol as it's cheaper than drugs and easily accessable. In fact this morning as I walked the boys to school, the police were physically holding up/supporting a man as he couldn't stand, nor walk he was so intoxicated. I am not sure what they did for him, but it's not unusual to see a very poor, intoxicated and obviously homeless person. These people, in particular will use what little money they have to drink, rather than to eat.

Jorge - Do I still pay the american price? In some places si, in others, no! Now that they know me in the market near our home, I get the local price, but in other big markets, they give me the American price (which is still very fair by our standards!).

Roberto - Bullfight? We are hoping to go to one before we leave. Unfortunately there were none scheduled in this town while we were here. I am still wondering if I'll have the stomach for it!

A5/6: Catalina y Esmeralda...FELIZ CUMPLEANOS!!!! Tried a new helado today... Guayanabana....Delicioso! Not exactly sure what it is...Maybe guava?

A7/8: Lolita...Was Mexico awesome? Where were you exactly. We are just 10 hours from the Pacific Coast, why didn't you come see us?! :)

Carmen and Margarita....FELIZ CUMPLEANOS!!!! Ahora son muy viejas!

Hasta luego...Les extrano mucho....Sra. Koch