I'm moving in June!

I FINALLY got my living situation finalized! In June, after PST2, I am moving in with Nina Isabel and Don Gonzalo, an 85 year old couple up the street. Yes, they are Tomas' parents but they never interact, Tomas never goes over there and he better not start... So I'm VERY excited about moving and have high hopes that life will improve once I'm out of where I am now. I'll have my own house next to their sheet metal structure, and I'll have to build my own bucket bath area, but I'm not worried about it. All I care about is that there's an end in sight to my living situation with Tomas and his family!

Other than that, I've been relatively busy this week. Don't get me wrong, I've spent some serious time in my hammock, but a few things have been going on around here. On Friday, there was a serious Mother's day celebration at the school. It lasted 3 hours and it was full of dancing, singing, games and prizes. It was kind of hilarious to watch and I've got some pictures of the highlights on facebook if you want to check them out. All the grades were in charge of a dance or some sort of performance, and there was some serious booty shaking and waltzing going on! The outfits were probably the best part...SO MUCH SYNTHETIC FIBER! All the girls were decked out in prom-dress like dresses, full length and shiny! And the guys were in their Sunday best. Some mom's had poems read to them, and others had to dance in front of everyone for prizes. The celebration of course took the place of classes that day, and on Monday the kids are off from school for the holiday also. Salvo kids rarely actually have class. But it was fun and I got free lunch out of it (food was only provided for mother's but because I'm white and because I showed up I got lunch too!) My amiga/neighbor Paula dressed up as a man for her dance and it was totally hilarious. Everyone was rolling with laughter!

I maybe finished my census yesterday? There are supposedly 80 houses in the community, and I've been up and down the roads in all directions and I've only got 73... I don't think I'm going to tell my counterpart that I'm missing 7 families mainly because I'm fairly convinced that the remaining houses are up the mountain farther than I made it, and frankly, it's too hot to climb back up there again!

I've got lots of work to do today to get ready for my Asamblea General (community meeting) that's coming up on Thursday. I'm going to make some posters about my census and a poster with some pictures from home describing myself, so it shouldn't be too difficult. I've got to hand out invitations tomorrow and then Tuesday I'm off to San Miguel to work on a library project with Rotary International for the school here. Then this weekend I'm heading back to San Vicente for Fiestas Patronales (patron saint festival) in my host community for a visit with my host family there. So I've got things to look forward too and to keep me busy this week, which is good.

Anyway, I've rambled on and this blog is very scattered, but last but not least I want to say:

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY MOM! I miss you and you have no idea how bad I wish I was home with you!! Literally CANNOT wait until July 20!!!! Give yourself a big hug for me! Love you mucho!