Jueves de nuevo (Thursday again)

Our taxi driver, Tino, was making conversation with Lauren and I today since he had driven us back from Concepcion yesterday by chance.  He said he knew it was us but didn't know our names.  He had no trouble with my name but had more trouble with Lauren's.  He asked what we had seen around Huancayo and when Lauren said she was from Canada, he said that he had watched a movie that had said Franco-Canadiense.  I told him Lauren didn't speak French.  It's always nice to be able to use my Spanish since I don't really with the other volunteers.  Since he learned our names, today he said, "Adios, Amy and Lauren."  :)

Today there were only 3 girls in my younger class.  Last night it rained a lot, and our taxi driver said that sometimes when it rains like that, the canal overflows into the streets in Concepcion.  I was waiting with my students in the hall for someone to open the door to the classroom because a woman who works at the school told me that the man who usually opens the door was helping to clean up the streets after the rains.  She said everyone has to go help clean up the streets after it rains really hard like that.  I think the other students were not there because of the rain.

I'm pretty sure I've already introduced you to Paola and Milagros.  Here is a picture of Marycruz, the third girl who was in class today.  She's a bit of a troublemaker.  She's a good student, but she also is easily distracted.  She and the other girls asked if I was going to come with them on their field trip to Huancha on Saturday.  They really wanted me to go.  I asked Tino what it was.  He said he wasn't exactly sure where it was, but that it would be fun.  There would be games and since it was carnival time, there would be water balloons.  Yikes!  I asked Lauren if she would come with me.  I think we may go.  Ylfa (I keep spelling her name wrong!) is going to a movie for the birthday of one of the girls in her class at the police station.

Marycruz, aka Miss Troublemaker.  :)

Lauren and I gave an exam to our older class today.  We used the first half an hour to go over some of the things that would be covered on the test.  I wasn't really sure how long they would take to finish the test, but they were finished within twenty minutes.  We let them out early, which was nice for both us and the students.  I just graded all of the papers and I knew Sergio was going to do well.  He is so quiet in class, but he is sharp as a tack.  He totally blew everyone else out of the water on the exam!  So proud!

Sergio, quiet but so, so smart!

When Lauren and I were walking across the park to get to the taxis, this woman on a bench asked us where we were from.  I told her and she said that we were very pretty.  :)  Since we were earlier than usual getting back to Huancayo, we walked over to the post office.  I got some postcards and was asking the woman there about sending packages.  I'm so used to having a million choices at the post office in the US and here they only had one box size.  Tino said that otherwise I could ask Mari to look for different-sized boxes at different stores.

Our lunch today was much better than yesterday.  We were so happy to see a lot of fresh veggies.  They usually give us some avocado and cucumber for fresh veggies.  Yum!  Tino was telling us about some of the hikes that we could go on here.  There is a hike to a glacier that is an hour and a half away by taxi.  He said that the glacier is melting and that there are lots of holes in it now.  :(

Tino also asked Lauren and I if we would teach for a longer time in Concepcion.  We told him of course we would.  I hope that we will be able to.  I really like teaching there, especially the older group.

Tino told Ylfa and I that we could start our weaving lessons tonight.  I'm hoping that we do!  I can't wait to start on that.