Ciudad Valles, San Luis Potosi, Mexico -- Today has been an adventurous day, but I suppose I should probably start with yesterday...I've been accompanying the Spanish 3 class, interrogating them in Spanish (not really, but helping them, yes) and doing whatever I can to help out here. It's really been quite an enjoyable week. The weather has been cooperative (a bit of rain, thus leaving mud), but not too hot and I now have a bit of color to my skin.
Yesterday we went to a small village, called an Ejido (A-he-do), and did our VBS thing. It was like way-back woods like. There were homes and buildings built out of sticks and with thatch roofs, spread out; pigs, chickens and dogs running around. It was something that I haven't experienced yet here in Mexico.We sent the teens out with some youth to go do the inviting, and they came back like an hour later. Meanwhile, we planned the specifics of the afternoon and as well as a make-shift evening service. It was a great afternoon... the kids had a blast and were well-behaved... the best behaved group of kids that I've ever seen.
And the evening service went very well too. The teens had some problems with the food that was prepared for them that evening, but personally I didn't think that it was too bad. Today was their day off. So, we travelled about an hour and a half away to a place called Xilitla (he-leet-la) where this architect from I don't know how long ago (American, I believe) and he was a bit crazy, but he began building many projects and a house and it was just like something you've never seen before. It would have been a contemporary flamboyant house if it were ever completed.
Near the end I climbed up the stair case (there were no walls or a roof on it, but 2 concrete spiral staircases going up some 70 feet?? and then with stairs going up to a middle platform. Now, mind you, neither the staircase NOR the platform had railings or anything to keep you from plummeting to your death. And this platform was about 5 feet in length and 4 feet or so in width.SO. I made it up there with no fear until I got on the platform. I stood there for like 10 seconds and then I felt the need to sit down... because you're on a mountain anyway and you can see EVERYTHING and having edges with NO railing... this is the stuff nightmares are made of.
On the way up, one of the bows of my shoe came off. Later on, we all had a moment of silence for my bow. I tore the other one off the other shoe and will glue them back on when I get home.
Like I said, I only stayed up there like 10 seconds and carefully, but as hastily as I could (which was slowly), made my way back down. Ehhh... it still gives me anxiety to think about it.
Anyway, we saw a waterfall today which was pretty cool and tried to get up to the top, so we took an ardous slippery path up the mountain, only to get to the top, all of us heaving, and find out that there was nothing to see, and it wasn't the top of the waterfall. So, back down we went. And Kathy Pugh went with us and was a trooper! She was cute, and went all the way with us.
I believe the highlight of the day for all was zip lining. There was a place there to go zip lining, and so we went. I've never done it before and when they asked if I wanted to go, I was like... well... you live once. Be adventurous. Experience. And so I did, and it was a blast. And, well, if I could have a job zip lining, I would do it. I would work in a zip lining park and take people and zip line myself all day long.So, anyway. It's been a long day. Tomorrow we're having breakfast and taking the kids souvenir shopping and then having lunch with the missionaries working here. After that, they are leaving and then I have time to kill waiting for my bus to take me back home at night (there's only one, or else I'd leave earlier). It'll take about 13 hours or so (depending on lay-overs in bus stations) to get back home. But about 12-13 hours in the bus.
Saturday I'll have a couple of hours in the morning to freshen up and then at noon the kids will be at my house and then in evening and Sunday morning I'll sleep in and get rested up. Monday will be a bit busy preparing for Tammy's arrival (and doing laundry) and then Tuesday, going to pick her up.The time is flying.
What a wonderful experience this week has been. The kids were wonderful in the villages/ranchos, the youth who came were easy-going, respectful and did their work while enjoying learning about and seeing the Mexican culture, and well-- it's just been good.SO, I'm going to get to bed. I'm pretty tired and have a long run at it until about Sunday.
Take care.
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