Friday Night in Mazamitla

Well the first week back after winter break was wonderful. It's amazing how much I missed this place and the kids, they're just amazing.

We are fortunate to have three visiting teachers here on loan from our site in Zacatecas for a couple of weeks. Anne and Nadja are Social Work students from the University of Basel, Switzerland. They are teaching our students intensive German. The kids LOVE it! They are just eating up knowing a third language. The classes are two hours long, but the students are just glued to their seats, soaking up every drop of the German tongue. Jeremy, is a UNT Alum in international studies and Economics, and he is teaching our kids Economics. It's AWESOME because they need this credit to graduate and now they get to learn from the expert. Also, Jeremy's focus is on Eco-Economics, which is right in line with the "green theme" our school is developing. He took the class to the park today and we drew Supply/Demand graphs in the dirt with sticks. These kids are so smart, they are picking up on this stuff really fast. I am daily amazed by their progress and their level of understanding. Think about it, these kids are being taught a third language, in their second language that they are still learning. They just eat it up. Its motivating as a teacher to see the kind of thirst for knowlege these students have. They learn with zeal, asking questions, testing the bounds of their new found knowlege, ever eager to know more, more more about the world they live in!

We are also bless with two additional teachers who will be with us all semester. Niko from New Jersey, was just looking for some meaning, and a way to make a difference in the world. Niko is a really cool guy, the best way I guess I could describe him is "on fire". I think I'm lucky to know this guy, he is going to do alot of good in this world. The other is a Social Work Graduate student from UT Austin doing her final practicum placement here at our Mazamitla site. She will be working mostly with our sustainable development programs, but being a native of Monterrey, she has agreed to teach Mexican History and Spanish literature for us this semester. I am very excited about these two. They are going to make a huge impact on this community.

Moxie came with us to the park for Economics today. She trampled on our line graph when Jeremy stood up with the stick he was drawing with and started gesturing with it. I think she thought he was going to throw it for her. It was funny, but I guess you had to be there. The kids played with her for over an hour. I think she's a little tired, she's been crashed out on the bed since we got home.

Well, happy weekend to you all.