Hello everyone! This week was fantastic! So much more has happened since we spoke in the school on Monday. We have so far three more schools set up for us to go speak at. Two of them are schools in Guate-Guatemala City. They are private schools and are taught in english so we get to speak at a little higher scientific level with these kids as they are also older and the exciting thing is we can use Power Point so we can use more pictures of the projects that are underway with the botellas (bottles) and llantas (tires).

Along with the school project we are also working on some more thing around the parque. We are buliding a new compost area. We got to dig holes with a pole digger and set them with cobb, which is a mixture of sifted dirt, sand and concrete and pine needles! They are almost dry and then we can add the sides we cut out of scrap planks. We also created an area for the cow that comes by sometimes. Felix one of the works brings his cow on some days and he ties him up behind our house, so we created an area just for him and protected the baby trees from him so they will continue to grow. Next we are creating an area for drying out firewood and plant starts. Sarah is also going to plant a garden behind our house for more herbs! We also will start sewing more costal bags for the earth bag kitchen we are trying to finish before the rains come and cobbing the bleachers for the futbol field. So much to do! It is awesome because it never stops!

We are going to bed around 9 or 8:30 almost every night and getting up around 6 or 7 in the morning. It is wonderful that you just cannot sleep in here!

So far we have seen quite a bit of wildlife! I have killed 2 big spiders so far. They are pretty ugly and like to get into everything! We have a mouse in our volunteer house so I think that is why Chimi the little grey kitty in the pictures has been haning around our place and not sleeping in Mateos room every night. We also have a few scorpians, Sarah found a baby one on her washcloth the other night...eeewwww. Aaron has a few larger ones in his room, I´ll try to get a picture for you. :)

The shower situation is great! Also did I tell you we have a flushing toilet?! I was so happy!! For showers we boil water on the stove and add it to a big tub in the shower stall and drop the curtain. It gets pretty steamy inside and it is really nice after a long day of working in the yard.

Last night Kelsey, Dom (the english gent) and I walked into town to get some icecream and we actually ended up walking in the procession for Semana Santa with the community. It was crazy beautiful! Women were carrying an Idol of Jesus and an angel on their shoulders. It was about 15 feet long and 8 feet wide with women on all sides of it. There was a band playing and a preist and an alter boy with a burining inscense thing. Everyone in the community was there. We couldn´t walk around it either as it took up the entire road. They sung songs that reminded me of hymns but I am not sure exactly what it was. There was also a point where everyone kneeled and prayed. Their excitement and dedication to the Lord is beautiful!

Today we are hosting the workers from the new school site for a BBQ and a futbol game! It is going to be exciting!! Hopefully we can keep up with them! The elevation is definately getting easier but I´m not sure about the running part! :)

I also will be getting a cell phone so I can call home Mom and Dad or you can call me with a phone card, which is actually cheaper. I´ll let you know when I get it.

I´ll write more next week!

Love you all!