Tuesday night we had a Valentine´s Day party for the staff. I think it was everyone´s idea, but the girls I work with took it over and went all out with food and decorations, even though there were only 8 of us. I made Strawberry Shortcake, but I am used to using Bisquick and there is none of that. I used a recipe out of Ruth Ann´s old Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. I don´t know if I did it wrong or if I just wasn´t used to it, but the shortcake was NOT good. Oh well. The strawberries and vanilla ice cream were wonderful. It is a lot easier now to be around town. Monday I was out with the girls shopping all over for things for the party. We went to the dulceria (candy store) and saw some kids we knew from church. We stopped in a clothing store and a baby store. It is much easier to walk around once you start knowing places. When you come here just for a week and only drive by in a car you can´t see in stores, don´t know what´s going on, you don´t know what exactly you are supposed to do in a different culture. Being with the girls makes me understand a whole lot more. I know that some of you may be wondering what exactly it is I am doing with the kids. I have understood that it is required for girls like me who stay at Welcome Home to work at least 4 hours a day with the kids to earn their room and board. I, however, have been working all day because otherwise I don´t know what I´d do with myself! The kids arrive at 7 or 7:30 and we go to breakfast at 7:30. I usually help the baby class (2-3 year olds) wash their hands and get their aprons on and eat with them in the dining room. They come back, brush their teeth and wash their hands. All the teachers groom the kids by doing their hair, brushing their teeth, washing, etc. Most of the kids step off the bus with very dirty clothes (which we really can´t do all that much about), dirty faces, and unkept hair. There is a family of three sisters, though, that always look wonderful... their mother can take care of them and really tries. The Kinder class really gets groomed well because they leave for school at 8:45. They have uniforms and different aprons for school. I think about the other parents at the school and how they get one, two, or three kids ready for school in the morning. You have to admire Brigida and her handling of feeding, clothing, and grooming 6-9 kids every morning. I have had to stay in with her kids while she has gone to devotionals and do their hair and get them ready.. it is a lot of work! In the morning I am usually with Geno´s baby class and Avy´s class. I sit around with the babies and learn what they do (numbers, vegetables, fruits, farm animals, etc.) and often I will help her make her materials. Today I traced a picture of a hen 6 times (they ALWAYS trace their pictures, they don´t make copies) and helped make little baby chicks coming out of eggs. In Avy´s class I do less.. she doesn´t need my help as much and the kids are more talkative and I don´t speak ALL that much Spanish. Geno´s class seems to be easier because I can entertain them by letting them chase me around the room. There is one little guy, Manuelito, who is only just about two and does NOT talk. He only says "Meh!" or "uhh!". He is so funny because he will try to chase me around (he loves it), but when I don´t let him catch me he yells and throws his little fists down in frustration.. but fun frustration. It´s quite funny. It´s hard not to have favorite kids. Claudio is one of the kinders, being 6 years old. I looked at his file and his mom is only 19. He is an only child, which is rare. He is very intelligent and when I do something like tickle his neck he always says "Aye, Meghan!". He is the kind of kid you just want to bring home with you. There are things they don´t have here that I miss. First and foremost I miss skim milk. Here they only have whole or 2%, and I am used to drinking a LOT of skim milk. I also miss cheddar cheese because there is not any cheddar cheese here. Most of the time, for dinner, i feel like a regular college student because I eat a lot of cereal. My ear infection is gone, my cold is pretty much gone, and everything is well here. Nice dream you had, Natalie. It reminds me to talk only in Spanish to you when I get home :)