Vacations

The last week of June was vacation week, thanks to el Díadel Maestro. That meant 39 free and unoccupied niños. But thankfullywe managed to fill (in fact overfill) the week and the bored minds of the kids.

Monday: We spend the day making pulceras (bracelets) out of wool. The tricky designs and craft-work were quickly conquered by the kids and by the end of the day all had arms full with bracelets. The activity was so popular it continued into most of Tuesday and some even spent the next week turning up with new ones they had made at home.

Tuesday: We had our periodic medical control out at the family support centre. With a brigade of doctors and med students here at the school we headed out to do our health check ups. Height, weights and general checkups were all taken. And apart from the odd cold all came through with flying colors.

Wednesday: After a couple of weeks of detailed planing and writing and with the great help of a couple social work students, we presented workshops (talleres) on healthy relationship and sexuality, drugs and alcohol, and education. We broke the kids into 3 groups, the young kids together (minus the pulgitas) and separated the older boys and girls. The sexuality taller focused, firstly on respect for yourselves and the importance of respect, friendship, and support for your partner. We also touched on the delicate subject of sex and contraception with the older ones. Drugs and alcohol spoke of the reality of why people drink and even like to drink, but that it also has grave consequences. It finished up with alternative solutions to dealing with problem drinking. Finally we wrapped up the morning with the importance of education in all forms, not just in school. They all went down much better than expected, although it just about exhausted the concentration of the smaller conejos (8-10 years).

Thursday: Reforestation, with the help of the last group of families that had received stoves and 15 Pop Wuj students. We all ventured up into the surrounding hills of Llanos del Pinal and some even half way up Volcan Santa Maria. We successfully planted over 400 arbolitos. A great time was had by all, especially by the families that generously donated their precious land for the project.

Friday: After a very busy week it was time to recover, so making dream-catchers was just the perfect way to recuperate, and recover all thatspent energy of the week past.