Sunday, July 6

Well we're all here, and raring to go. Excited but also a little apprehensive, can we really be helpful to the students!! Oh I should say we're all here but my luggage isn't, hopefully soon. Saturday night there was lightening and some of the loudest thunder I've ever heard. So sleeping was very intermittent. Finally up at 7am and breakfast with the group at 8 am in the hotel. First thing at the dining room I ran into Ron and Amelia team members that I met on the Australia program. What a surprise and great to see them. Breakfast was a good buffet, then we were off, but not until we had a group picture at the front of the hotel with Carl trying to juggle four cameras. We met Chuy this morning. He's a teacher at the school.

There are fifteen team members and last night we met all but one. Emily flew into a different airport and was taken directly to Dolores Hidalgo. At 9 am we left for Dolores on the bus. It was a beautiful ride, but I think I missed quite a bit because I fell asleep. We are staying at the Hotel Posadas Los Companas, right near the center of town. Carl called to say he would be late because he had mechanical difficulties, so Chuy took us on a tour of the town. We know where the basics are, bank, money exchange, and internet cafe.

He also took us through the flea market. Very interesting. Lots of different sights, sounds and smells. We had lunch at the hotel, a very good chicken and veggies. After that we all went in different directions; some took a walk up to Universidad to see how far it is, others found an internet cafe, and still others did a little shopping. I went for a walk with Amelia and Ron and found a large shop of Talavera ceramics. Very tempting maybe we will go back.

Back to the room and a rest for awhile after checking on the Mexicana website for status of lost luggage. Nothing yet, and no answer at the phone number provided.

Dinner at 6 pm with Carl at the hotel. Very good carne asada, with guacomole, chips and margaritas. Carol had a wonderful Margarita shower three glasses and all. Team meeting during and after dinner. Introductions were made in Spanish, a new twist on the introduce the person next to you, and all of those preceding. Interviews of teammates, and introducing them to the team. Three teams were set up, and team goals were established.

Lots of questions were asked about how this teaching thing was going to work. How many students per volunteer, is it teaching or conversing. All of this will depend on the teacher, and we are reminded to be flexible. If the teacher has instructions, we follow them, if not, we wing it. Size will depend on the class. Each team is assigned to specific times frames, and no one team works more than a few hours a day. Some teams are working offsite and are gone the whole day. We also have an "entertainment" committee made of Diana and Ellen. Offra is in charge of seeing that lunches are made on days we are offsite.

This is going to be exciting and wonderful!!


Sue

Thought for the Day: "Volunteers are the only human beings on the face of the earth who reflect this nations compassion, unselfish caring, patient and just plain love for one another." Erma Bombeck