Monday August 20, 2012

Monday August 20/12 update

I had a good sleep but only the clock was forcing me to rise and shower and do chores, like laundry and the dreaded cat litter.

When I flicked on my computer I was flabbergasted to see 71 Undeliverable Mail emails for something I did not send about 2 hours earlier, something about properties for sale.  I hurriedly sent an email to my whole address book warning folks not to open that particular email (and not one of those came back…).  I am in a quandary how some AOL account in the US (received this info from Gmail later) hacked into my email???   I NEVER give out my password to ANYBODY so this came as quite a shock.   On the advice of two good friends I have now changed my password to something completely new so we should be safe again.

My dear wife bravely visited my Mom yesterday with my sister Leonie and most of the day went well although Mom apparently wanted them to stay much longer which caused a bit of a scene.   Mom wants everything her way and her schedule uninterrupted but has no patience for the schedules of others for others and their families.  It is truly sad and this causes a lot of heartache for Leonie who really busts her hump for Mom in our absence.  We love you Leonie and truly appreciate your efforts.

I am trying to set up a Photography Club here, beginning with some of the fine folks we have already met.   We will have to see how that will unfold as the response so far has been light.

We have an erupting volcano to the North, many miles away and it has always been on my Bucket List to watch one in action.  So I have discussed with Miguel setting up a trip for about 5 of us for 1.5 days with a few side trips in the bargain.   Miguel says he knows a local guide and a hotel for $15 a night.   The following report is only a few hours old.   

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/20/life-idUSRTR36ZNI

Then I got an email enquiry from an overqualified Ecuadorian teacher named Victoria who speaks great English about our Amigos School so I called her right away.   We arranged to meet in an hour near the school, which just gave me time to bus there, drop off my photos to Joseph at Joe’s Secret Garden, and get to the meeting corner.  She drove up in a little white car and, just as I climbed in, Chris came up behind us, so he got in too.

We had a full complement of kids, teachers and parents and community help today.   Chris #2 did a fabulous job with the kids with some practice introductions and replies, even drawing out some of the shiest youngsters.  Chris and I and Victoria busied ourselves preparing foam letters and sorting them so the kids could come up and grab letters for their names and paste them on the wall.  It was so much fun watching them place their letters themselves, especially Santiago who had to bend his name around the pole.   Linda again kept them occupied fully during the second part of class with the coloring pages which the kids dearly love.  Even the mischievous boys were behaving today and the class easily ran over an extra ½ hour but nobody minded because they were all having fun.  This is the way we envisioned the classes would go and today was just ideal.   I just wanted to kiss and hug every kid there.

Chris #2 and Pamela were very comfortable in front of the class and Victoria was an incredible asset because of her fluency in both languages.  I believe she was a hit with everyone, even offering to Miguel that she would like to work with teenagers at a later point if our little schoolhouse ever evolves in that direction.  Finally we feel that everything is falling into place.   The Community President, Patricio, says we can expect to see some donated desks on Wednesday.   I mentioned to Miguel that we need to seek donations of computers and free Internet to really make our jobs easier as there are so many visual resources on the Net.  He said the Kookaburra Café is looking to donate us one or more computers!   I suggested that maybe he talk to the Judge Juanito to see if he can get Etapa to donate some free high speed Internet….  Then we would really be cooking!!

As usual I walk by the edge of the Feria Libre market to catch a bus home and past the live animals for sale.  How these animals don’t just take off is beyond me, since most are not tethered in any way.

That was today’s excitement.   Please see all photos at souvenircuenca.blogspot.com.  Hugs to all.