Just a few things:

One good thing in Fast Food Nation was the mention of In-N-Out in California. They use all fresh ingredients (including their fries they make from scratch each day), pay their part time workers starting at $8.00, pay some of their managers 80k a year, and look at what they offer. Nothing is expensive, their stores are extremely clean. Compare that to McDonald´s and their way of doing business-- why do they have to do it that way? In-N-Out has such a strong following, mostly for their great, fresh tasting food.

My parents called Sunday night and that was good. I was anxious to hear from them since they had left on Monday. I put lots of pictures up in my room, some maps of portland and birthdays cards I received in November.

I didn´t bring any cds with me- mostly because I know I can live without them and wanted to prove that to myself. However, i didn´t count on all the kids down here loving rock and roll. They want to know what I listen to, and I try to tell them, but have nothing to show them. They listen to a lot of American music, but also a good deal of bands out of Mexico. For a while I considered asking Dad to bring down my cd wallet when he comes- it contains a bunch of stuff I had been listening to right before I came down here, on burned cds. Then I remembered that my cd player won´t play them... so I might not do that after all.

Today I rode with Rosa as she took home a group of kids early. Juanito was sick, so she took all the kids from his area home early because it is about 20 minutes away. I got to see where the kids live and it confirmed to me their great need. At school they can be made good looking (donated clothes, school uniforms, and the teachers do their hair), yet that was the dark realization of where these kids live.

Abby found yesterday that Dulce, one of the four year olds, has lice. Obviously that was not a happy discovery. Poor girl, it´s not her fault, but oohhh I do not want to have lice in Mexico. yikes.

I have been reading a lot lately, and I´m afraid I might run out of books. I have been reading the book of Isaiah in the mornings when I wake up. I´m playing the guitar a lot and finding it easier to switch between chords now. For those who know it-- my first song has been Aaron Sprinkle´s song... and now I can´t remember the name of it. (Natalie, Stephanie, Lizy-- it´s the one we all know). It is nice when I don´t have cds that I have my guitar to at least make some music. Going to church has been interesting. I don´t feel like I can sing because I don´t know what I would be saying... so I really miss singing.

I did my first load of laundry on Sunday. I have never hung up clothes to dry before, so that was an experience. I am so used to the instantaneous gratification of clean laundry done in an hour and a half, dry and ready to be folded... I´m not used to waiting a day and a half!! It makes you plan ahead.

I know these are all sort of scattered thoughts and I´m sorry for that. While I am working or by myself I think of all these things to write, but once I get here I just forget it all.

the end.

`your goodbye
it keeps me listening
for your voice
around each corner' - Copeland