Let the Good Times Roll

I´m sorry that I didn´t post on Saturday, but it has literally been soooo busy here. I feel very productive now a days. Let´s see, let´s start with last weekend. We took our friend Palermo out for pizza in Luperon last Saturday and it was to die for...well it wasnt rice and beans...and it was the first time I had actually had a night out of the village. Nothing was really going on, but it was nice to not fall asleep at 730pm out of boredom. Then on Sunday we went to the beach. Gorgeous, of course, and we packed 20 of us...not an exaggeration, I actually counted..into Chris´ truck to take to the beach. Ugh, but it was nice because these families don´t get the opportunity to go ever, even though they only live about 2-3 miles from the shore. So then we began our second week of class and it went a LOT smoother this time around and we actually had tables and chairs so it was less hectic and I think for the most part the kids are responding to the schedule. By the end of the week no one cried anymore at school..well at the beginning, which was a huge thing. When kids cry and scream at school, neighbors and parents come running over to the school, which just disturbs class even more. Hence why we have a security guard staying outside the school now for us...he also keeps other kids away. We are very excited because we have had several parents come to us, wanting to get their kids into our school. (Remember, preschools are very rare and unheard of usually here.) It sucks to have to say no, but we simply do not have the space for more children. In future years loryn hopes to expand the program to several classes.
These past few days have been very hectic. Friday--One of our kids had pink eye, poor Julio. I was super cautious and am fine so far, Loryn was not so lucky and came down with pink eye the next day. Sorry let me backtrack..there has been a group of doctors and nurses here from Ohio here since  Thursday afternoon working with our healers and I have been with them everyday since. That being said, in Loryn´s absense Saturday, I, yes ME!, I was the sole translator between the nurses and the healers...and let me just say that it worked! I get discouraged often down here because I don´t know as much Spanish as everyone else, but with the group down here I was able to realize how much Spanish I actually do know. And it was very liberating to not have Loryn by my side as a crutch, God love her. When I am the only one struggling with the language it is difficult for me to learn because people answer things and translate for me, probably just to save time. But after these past few days I must say, I´m thrilled. One of the doctors even mistook? me for being fluent. Love it.
The group has also opened my eyes to new opportunities for myself, to give me more of an identity in the program. It looks like I may be´put in charge of overseeing the healers and making sure they are satying up on their home visits and skills once the doctors and nurses leave on Friday. (Side note, they amputated a guys toes, it was awesome.) This responsibility would give me an opportunity to do something with my free afternoons. This past week I worked with Carmen´s son Ney and kind of with her daughters in English. That was Monday, Wednesday and Friday for about an hour in the aftrernoon. I really enjoy it, but it was heartbreaking to look at the girls´homework and realize that in their school system, they were being taught improper, almost unrecognizable English. Education down here is very upsetting unfortunately. Oh and today I went with the group to climb the waterfalls. It was glorious.
There is so much more that I wanna tell you guys right now, but I am running out of internet time. I will come back into town later this week so I´ll leave you with this final bulletin: I milked a horse.
I love you all. Quote of the week is: òne can only mature to the degree that one puts others ahead of one´s self´.