Well, I've finally got my pictures scanned and online. If anyone is still reading this, you can go here to view them. I tried to organize them. The toddler class is first, then it works its way up to the older kids. Most of them are explained through by their picture name. The pictures toward the end are from when the group from my school came the last week, as you can tell by all the extra Americans around. Please excuse my spelling on some, as I spent two hours scanning and naming pictures last night.

It's a little hard to share these pictures because, as I was sharing with Natalie, they are just some more poor children to the majority of you. I know I become de-sensitized to poverty when I see children on television, or in print, and I understand that most of you will view them in the same way, just as I would view someone else's Mexico pictures. I can't explain or use enough words to tell how much I love these kids and how much they mean to me. Even after knowing them for just ten weeks, I felt like such a part of their life, and I felt like I really knew who they were as individuals. Anyway, I just had to state that as you take a look at the kids.

So i've been back in the States for a week and two days. It has been really strange, actually, and it's odd being back in my consumer lifestyle. I have noticed that I have had trouble adjusting to things. For one, I am still struggling to listen to sermons. In Mexico I got very used to trying to listen to sermons in Spanish, getting bored, and then daydreaming. I feel like I've lost a lot of Spanish already, by being back. A lady tried to talk to me yesterday in Spanish and even though I knew what she was saying I got frustrated, embarrassed, and gave up. That's disappointing. When I know I can revert to English and be understood, I am embarassed to use my bad Spanish.

I got back home and said to myself "now what?". I had such a consistency set in my life in Mexico that coming back to a week of running around, visiting people and catching up was out of place and a little awkward.

People keep asking me, upon my return, if I had a good time. Yes, I did. I am so incredibly happy that I took this opportunity, stepped out of my routine and my school schedule, and did this. They also ask if I miss it, and I honestly reply that yes, I miss it a lot. I get to go back in June for a week, but then I know that it will probably be 9 months before I am back again. That is hard to think about.

On the video that Andy made for the college group's trip to Mexico, Melissa talked about how hard it was to befriend the children and the people, and then to pick up your stuff, say goodbye, and walk out of their life. It is hard on a person when they have been there for a week. It is incredibly difficult for someone who has been there ten weeks. It is hard to be another American who has gotten to know these kids (and I must mention the girls that I worked with as well), and then goes back to her normal life, and counts her time in Mexico as another life adventure. I am not quite sure how to accept that.

When I was in Mexico I would go to the internet two times a week, and it would be the only time I could listen to some of my favorite bands, as I did not take my cds down there with me. One of my favorite bands, Copeland, was releasing a new cd, and this song was on their website. It reminds me a lot of the love of Christ and how that should propel us to take action in our world. I'm kind of a strange person, and I take on songs/sayings/quotes for certain periods in my life. "Love is a Fast Song" by Copeland is the song for Mexico. You can hear it here.

You don't have to be ashamed
'Cause you're a miracle through and through
Oh, and you don't have to be ashamed
Of the miracle inside of you

What has love become?
(What has love become?)
It's not like we used to hear in those old songs
And it's not like yours
(And it's not like yours)
What has love become?

Your love is in motion
And it's spinning me around, yeah
My heart is in motion
For the movement that's in you

You should not be angry
If all she wants is your money
Oh, you should not be angry
'Cause all you want is her body

What has love become?
(What has love become?)

It's not like we used to hear in those old songs
And it's not like yours
(And it's not like yours)
What has love become?

Your love is a fast song
And I'm dancing 'cause I'm in love with you
My heart is in motion
For the rhythm inside you
Your love is a slow song
It's resounding through my world again
My heart is in motion
For the song inside of you

I guess this is my last post. I hope you all enjoyed reading.

Well, Meghan's not in Mexico anymore.

I am back to rainy Portland (which I love).

I was so busy last week with the group being in town that I didn't have time to write. We did a lot of stuff, the most important thing to me was hanging out with Pastor Pedro, his family, and Stephanie and Sheila who stayed with them during the week. We had a lot of fun with them, and they have told Stephanie and I that their door is always open to us, especially for when we come back in June. Most of our time with them was just sitting around talking with them (i'm incredibly surprised at my spanish abilities) and laughing together. We tried to get the girls to say "holla!" for us but they were really, really hesitant until Pastor Pedro walked into the room and did it right off the bat for us. So "holla" and "lucky" (from Napoleon Dynamite) were our catchphrases for the week. Tuesday night we took the family out for ice cream and had a grand time.

I don't have time to explain everything we, as the group, and I, as an individual, did all week, but it was incredibly busy. The projects were to build a kitchen for the church, a house for a family, and some finish work on another house. In between those projects everyone hung out with their host families, went to church two times, visited the rehab center, and nearly everyone visited a migrant camp at least once as there were three opportunities to do so.

Wednesday night Geno, Brigida, and Leonor had planned to have a "slumber party" with me after church, yet I figured it was just going to be us sitting up talking and eventually sleeping. I was not prepared for them to make me homemade quesatacos, cake (and smash my face in it) and have a game for me. We didn't go to sleep until 1:30, which I don't think agreed very well with any of us because we were all out of bed by 6.

Thursday afternoon I went back to Welcome Home to hang out a little with the kids and to start packing. I also had no idea that the girls would organize a small going away thing with the kids for me. We had balloons, music, cupcakes, and juice. I helped see the kids off and then discovered after they left that I would not see them Friday morning like I had planned on because Good Friday is a holiday in Mexico. I saw the kids off without really saying goodbye!

Thursday night there was a "potluck" of sorts at the church because both groups brought things to eat. This was a meal for the youth group and the families that hosted students. Because Geno and Brigida and Leonor would not be at Welcome Home the next day working I had to say goodbye then and there. Not an incredibly happy time, I must say. It is very reassuring to tell all my new friends that I will be back in June to see them.

We left Friday morning around 9:45 from Vicente Guerrero and made it back to Portland about 4pm on Saturday. The drive went really well and we made incredible time, considering we spent at least 2 and a half hours with a side trip to La Bufadora.

Connie, Stephanie, and I all took turns driving my parents' minivan on the way back while Evonne, Cameron, and Andy were also passengers. We made ourselves into a little family and had a great ride home. We listened to a lot of music, did some dancing, talked a lot about mustaches, etc. Evonne did a great job of being my copilot. I drove from 9:30pm Friday to 6am Saturday and she asked me tons of questions to help keep me awake. As much as our vanfull hated to leave Mexico (there were quite a few "let's just turn around and go South again" comments) we were happy to make it back to Portland. I didn't sleep the entire ride home (and was up at 5:30 on Friday morning), so last night when I went to bed my head hit the pillow and I was out.

So that's it! It has been a little weird being back, I almost feel as if I never left and nothing has changed. I created so many routines in Mexico for myself that it feels very, very odd to be without a set schedule like that. Tomorrow my kids will go back to Welcome Home and have a new volunteer face in my place. I cannot wait until June.

For those of you who are still reading this, I may have one more wrap up entry about my time in Mexico. Also, I plan on getting my pictures developed this week, getting them scanned, and putting them somewhere online. Check back this weekend sometime and I will hopefully have that available. Deportas bien, todos!

On Monday I made Geno check my hair for lice. Last weekend I had gotten paranoid about it and just wanted to know once and for all if I had it. Luckily she detected nothing. Thursday, however, we had the honor of de-licing one of the toddlers' hair. It was not a fun time.

For all of you who are wondering, the Warner group arrived safe and sound last night around 5:30. I got a surprise knock on my door and went squealing to see Stephanie and a few other girls who came by to pick me up! It's wonderful to see people you know when you haven't seen ANYBODY you know for two months.

They tried to get organized and we all went off to church. Later on Stephanie, Sheila and I hung out at Pastor Pedro's house (where Stephanie and Sheila are staying). We had a grand old time sitting and talking and I am amazed at how much Spanish I can speak and understand.

After the church service Geno was asking me if the girls could sleep over one night, and one night would be best to do a "slumber party" before I leave. I am really excited about this. While we talked about me leaving Geno started to cry, which surprised me. While I have made these girls my friends the language barriers doesn't allow for the sharing of many emotions and I felt like Sally Field last night thinking "they like me! they really like me!" I told her she had to stop and saving her crying for later, but she didn't listen and kept on doing it.

I am not looking forward to saying goodbye.

I think LuzAdriana is trying to repay me in her own 6-year-old ways. For the past few days she has brought me flowers both in the morning and when the Kinders come back from school. She hands them to me with a huge grin on her face. She thrusts her arm out and sticks the other under her first arm and flashes me a tooth grin so big that it makes her eyes close. It makes me happy that this is how she has chosen to repay me, even though I know she can´t do much else. She thinks of me, remembers me, and tries to show she is appreciative. An important lesson: even when I don´t have much to share I can always find ways to show my appreciation and thankfulness to others.

I forgot to mention something I observed on Friday when we took the kids to the river. They were all supposed to bring lunch with them, to pack one from home. All of the kids brought rolled up taquitos wrapped in foil and carried in a plastic bag from the store. The only ones who deviated from this are two boys who don´t have other brothers and sisters at the daycare. Jesús brought his in a lunchbox while both he AND Claudio both brough prepackaged drinks. The rest of the kids brought no drinks.

Tuesday the girls and I walked to the globos (market) after work. I wanted to try to find some things but ended up buying nothing. While we were there I noticed more Americans (or Canadians) than I ever saw before. In fact, the whole time I have been here I have not seen one other non-Mexican at the globos. I know there are people who live here who go there, but I have not seen them. So, it shocked me a little to be looking at shoes at a table and to hear some young guys from up North speaking in English. Not broken, accented English, but English I am very used to.

For some reason, it made me uncomfortable. Brigida looked at me and whispered "Americanos", and I laughed and we made eyes at each other and I whispered "vamanos". I have gotten so used to being around my Mexican friends while I am out in the town. I don´t know why I avoided the situation or even felt uncomfortable, but it was sure interesting. We saw some more young kids and so I assume that since Spring Break time has started there are groups over at the Big Orphanage.

To emphasize my citizenship even more we went to the farmacia. While we were in this little store there was a large family that came in. They left the same time we did. As they were settling into their car a woman in the back held a baby on her lap, who was clearly not having a good time. She proceeded to point to me and say "Americana". Woo! I´m a walking attraction here.

If my skin were a little darker I might be able to fit in. I have seen a number of Mexicans who have paler skin and lighter hair, but as my skin is actually very pale I can´t fool anyone.

The girls I work with keep reminding me that I¨m leaving in a week, doing their mock crying and such. At a meal one day this week Geno mentioned to Mitzi (one of the toddlers) that I was going to be leaving soon. I was standing right next to her and Mitzi grabbed a hold of my arm and said "no!". I said "si", but she she refused again. Ah! I love her.

For those of you that do not know I had originally planned to stay here until the middle of April, to make it a precise three months. When I left Portland, however, I was not quite sure then how I would be getting home in April. Because there are a few things in April that I want to absolutely be sure I am home for, I have decided to come back next Saturday. A group from my school is coming down for a week and I¨m really excited. My dad leads the group every year, so I get to see him. My roommate and good friend Stephanie is one of the student leaders and so of course she will be here as well. I have not seen these people since the middle of January so I am counting down the hours until Saturday evening when I will see them at church. They will be traveling many hours overnight in a caravan, so if you think of it, remember them in prayer.

Next week I will be working with them. They always have a ton of activities planned-- visiting a couple different ministries, building a house, and working on building a kitchen for the church they visit here. They visit this church (La Hermosa, meaning "the beautiful") and stay in the homes of families in the congregation. This is the church that Geno and Brigida attend and the church I have been going to twice a week. Because of this I am going to be working with the group on the kitchen, hopefully, and doing their other activities with them.

Consequently tomorrow is my last full day with the kids at the center! It is hard to believe that I have been here nearly 9 weeks. I almost feel as though time has stopped, because it can´t be that I´ve been here 9 weeks!

Jess: I thought I was really going to miss my car. Anybody who knows me well knows how much I love my car. I love driving it and listening to music in it. And really, I don´t miss it all that much. I do miss driving, and I miss my car, but not as much as I thought I would. When it´s not here to see and use, I forget about it. I do, however, have a picture of it on my wall, thanks to Natalie.

I thought I was going to be really, really bored here but I've actually enjoyed the quiet nights and having to find things to do. It has been really great to relax and not have so much to do. Next week when the group from the school comes down I will be doing all their activities with them and I might go into shock!

One thing I´ve begun to miss is food. This might seem weird, but my apt doesn´t have a stove, just a refrigerator and microwave, and I don´t like using the gas stove in the main kitchen (it scares me), so I don´t eat good food on my own. I miss good cheese and skim milk.

It also never occurred to me how much I would miss being with my friends. I knew I would miss them, but I wasn´t quite sure how that would happen, or how I would be aware of it. My friends down here are wonderful, but language barriers still hold, and I can´t be really myself around them. I am used to being pretty crazy with my roommates, and I feel like my sarcasm and ability to make jokes have deteriorated. Sad, huh?

Friday we took the kids to the river, which was a really fun time, and the first outing with the kids that we had had since I have been here. We took them on the bus and found a calm place in the water for them to play. They were so much fun to watch- they ran down to the water and started stripping off their clothes. Most of them don´t have too many inhabitions, so they were all splashing around in their underwear. Brigida had made a cake, we brought ice cream, and we had received a fresh batch of strawberries so there were strawberries with cream as well.

The kids got worn out, though, and we took them home early. Most of them fell asleep on the bus on the way there. Poor little Irany, who is about two and a half, fell asleep in her plate of ice cream! Poor thing.

Yesterday Erma picked me up to go down to El Rosario. Victor was driving her minivan, and there was a lady and two other girls a little younger than me from Canada who went as well. I got to interview Señora Espinoza. She says she is 98, but they are not really quite sure when she was born because she wasn´t registered for quite a while.

Her father was Italian and came over because he was from the Rothschild family in France (he was half french/half italian). He was promised to a girl back in Italy but met Sra. Espinoza´s mom, a Pima Indian, and fell in love. He married her and was disinherited from the family. They raised ten children in Baja, Sra. Espinoza being one. During the Revolution, because her father was a foreigner, they fled to Calexico in a covered wagon, and they lived in the United States until 1927, which is where Sra. learned her English.

They call her Mama Espinoza, and she´s apparently famous. She has a hotel and restaurant in El Rosario, and I hear it´s the last good pit stop for a long while. She started serving her own food to people who would pass in cars in the early days, and eventually opened a restaurant. The Baja races go through El Rosario and she has fed the stars since the beginning. She remember so many names, including Steve McQueen and James Garner. Now it´s an obligatory tourist stop. After interviewing her, we all went in to eat, and it was all white tourists! I hadn´t seen that many white people in one area since San Diego! We had a special treat because Mama Espinoza then came in, sat at our table, and sang her blessing song over our meal. It was kind of funny watching the rest of the people in the restaurant look and gawk and thinking "what is going on over there??"

She´s a wonderful lady. She raised ten of her own children and then took orphans into her home. Now she tries to help the poor whenever she can. She seems to be a matriarch over her whole community. Erma tries to help when can, and brought down two huge bags of rice and beans for Mama Espinoza to distribute as needed.

In the early 1960s a plan was headed from the Baja tip to the North and had an emergency landed near El Rosario. The Americans on board were stunned to find no doctors in the area to help, and shocked at the poverty they saw in the people there. A while later they returned with supplies and doctors to serve the community. Thus began an organization called the Flying Samaritans . Because Mama Espinoza spoke English she acted as interpreter and is still now seen as one who helped start the Flying Samaritans. Yesterday they were having a clinic in town, and someone came to meet her while I was interviewing her. They try to help her as much as they can, and I can´t blame them. She is an amazing woman.

In her mannerisms and talk she reminded me of my own grandma, and so that made me miss her.

All in all the trip went very well. She has written a book, which I bought. The fish tacos are delicious, and I cannot wait to return to her restaurant someday.

Dr. Foltz, thanks for commenting. I´ll try the fairy tale thing. I´ve gotten their four pictures done. It was quite surprising, actually. I saved the hardest one for last: drawing what their parents do for work. They raced through it! I got a picture from most all of them without any prompting or coercing! I was very surprised and I have my own reasons for why, when the kids in the States had such a hard time with it, but I´ll save those to share another time. One picture I got is the cutest picture I´ve ever seen, and I think I might frame it.

As for social dynamics one thing I've noticed a lot is the simple act of politeness and formality. When we greet in the morning, we give a short hug and press cheeks. At church everyone greets everyone when they come in (if they come in before the service starts) and says "Dios te bendiga" (God bless you). If you are walking somewhere on side streets and come across someone else, and make eye contact it is always right to say "Buenos dias" or "buenos tarde" (good morning and good afternoon). The only exception I have seen of these has been teenagers, but I think that normal.

The kids actually allowed me to take pictures of them coloring without jumping up and attacking me. I then took the camera outside and kept taking pictures of them while they played. Two girls specifically came and wanted to look at the back of my camera after I took their picture... but I don't have a digital camera! They've been around too many Americans, I tell you.

We got two new kids this week, two brothers, Moises and Elias. They are in a tough situation, I think that it is just four siblings, and their oldest brother works to take care of them. We have no idea where their parents are, but it is just the four of them battling it out. They are both smiley kids and happy to be at Welcome Home. Moises got to go to school for the first time ( I think), and had a great day. Elias is this talkative little kid who wants to know everyone´s name. He asks everyone "¿Como te llamas tu?" (what is your name). He asks everyone, and asks them more than once. He talks all through nap time (he has refused to take a nap), and just yaks and yaks to himself. It´s actually quite amusing. He is still asking Geno and I our names five times a day. When he gets an answer he doesn´t repeat it either, he gives a little grunt of "huh" and seems satisfied. He also wants to know the names of everyone you know. I have successfully told him that the names of my parents are Steve and Jackie and that no, I don´t have a baby (he wanted to know the name of my baby).

Yesterday I had a great opportunity. One of the kinder girls, Luz Adriana, has some old torn up shoes that are just pitiful. They are a pair of white Mary Janes that she wears every day. I think they are too small because the backs and the sides are bent outward. They are covered with dirt and the layers of sole are coming apart at the toes. Yesterday Brigida and I walked the kids to school and then to the shoe store where I bought her a pair of new, sturdier black Mary Janes. I just had this urge to do it and it wasn´t planned at all.

I had thought Brigida would just give her the shoes when the kids came back from school and changed into their own clothes, but she came to ask if I wanted to give them to her. I hadn´t planned on it, so I hesistated, but then finally said yes. I took them into her and told her that they were for her, and helped her put them on. Her face got so bright (her eyes sparkle all the time) and she just sat there while the rest of the girls stood around and admired her new shoes. I felt bad because I hadn´t bought shoes for everyone but all the girls could agree that Luz´s shoes were REALLY bad, and even the day before Elizabeth had teased Luz in front of the whole class that her shoes were really ugly.

The rest of the day whenever I saw Luz she grabbed on to me and hung on tight. Every time I look at her she gives this big, silly grin. I´m just happy that she has some new shoes. Her little sister Rosa, is also at Welcome Home, and I know the shoes will be passed down to her in time. They will got a wear out of them for a measly 11 bucks.

I talked to Erma yesterday and made final plans to go down to El Rosario on Saturday. She will visit with the lady who I will be interviewing, we will eat lunch at her restaurant, and Erma will visit another family in the area. If you think of it, please pray for our drive. Mexican roads and drivers make me nervous, and it is about an hour and a half drive. Erma said we will leave about 11 and be back in Vicente before dark. I am terribly excited about this interview!!

I feel like I´m running out things to say, so seriously, if anyone has any questions, feel free to post them, even if it is something small like "Meghan, my best friend, what Mexican dish are you going to try to fix when you get home?" and I would answer truthfully and say "Flautas!"

It has been incredibly warm here the last week. January and February were cold, and I ended up wearing my sweatshirts or track jackets all day. The classrooms are built with concrete, built to keep the heat out, and they do just that. So during January and February we were all bundled up. Even outside in the middle of the day was cause for a light jacket. It´s starting to warm up, however. It does get really breezy (we are about a mile from the beach).

The kids were back all week. Avy, the teacher to the preschool class is gone to Mexicali. I couldn´t get a definite answer all week, until Friday I asked Geno and Brigida if she is coming back, and they said they don´t know. However, I guess Brigida and Geno´s niece (who is 19) is coming in the meantime.

Wednesday through Friday left me really tired. The kids are a handful. Even just eating a meal with the preschoolers as the authority figure is hard work. Trying to get them to all act normal while eating is a chore. Trying to get JoseManuel to not shove a cookie in his face didn´t work.

The kids have begun to correct my grammar and pronounciation, which I find funny. They had jello at lunch one day and I asked what it´s name was in Spanish. Yoseline and Irene told me, but they had to repeat it. I finally realized itw as "gelatina", and repeated it. Yoseline was NOT satisfied with my pronounciation, though and got close to me and kept saying "gel-a-TIN-a" a few times over. I kept repeating until proclaimed it was good enough.

The kids express a lot of frustration over my inabilities to understand them. A lot of people do this when someone who doesn´t understand their language is trying to communicate with the,: they just talk louder. The kids are so funny when they try to yell in my face what I really do not understand. I have to laugh and tell them I can I hear them, but I really do not what a particular word means.

The kids start to get really lovey and clingy with me. LuzAdriana and Evelin are among those in the Kinder class that do it. I tried to teach Luz a handclapping game the other day and now she´s obsessed with it. Irene is really the only preschooler of the bunch that wants to hang around me. And my little Mitzi in the toddler class loves me. I snuck into the toddler class the other day because I missed them (I had been with the older kids three days straight), and tickled and snuggled with her. I finally told her "ok, me voy" (I go), and she kept saying no.

I started to run out of books so I went searching in Welcome Home´s library. For being a Mexican charity they sure do have a TON of English books. Why people donate these, I have no idea. I picked up "My Side of the Mountain" by Jean George, and "Harriet the Spy" by Louise Fitzhugh, two kids´ books for just about the age I want to teach. They have some John Grisham books there, too, so I picked up "The Rainmaker".

Last night the youth service at church had food afterward, we all brought things to make enseladas. We all just stood around and ate, and I had fun hanging out and joking around with people. And chasing Benita around the church. They started to play instruments, so I picked up the bass... I haven´t played it for so long, and I miss it. I also miss the upright and I know I will be completely sore when I try it again.

Yesterday when I was in the library I played the piano and fiddled around on this miniature organ they have. I absolutely love it, it´s so much fun to play. I don´t know WHO uses it, but I´m so taken with it that I want to bring it home. I don´t have anywhere for it, so I can´t.. but man, I´d love to have something like that. It´s got all sorts of fun extras on it.

I can´t think of much else to say. I hope all is well wherever you are.