Buenas tardes! Como estas?

It has been a few weeks since we last posted so I thought I'd fill you in on what's been happening here in Mexico.

You heard about my journey to school on the buses in our last blog - well, this has all changed. I am now lucky enough to be picked up and brought home again by private taxi! Two other families from my school, who live quite near to me, were already doing this and so we managed to join in. We have the same driver everyday - his name is Miguel, and we having to learn Spanish very quickly to speak to him! It doesn't make my day any shorter because I am collected first and dropped off last but it is good to be travelling with other children.

The students at school are very friendly and, most of the time, I enjoy it. However, I get a LOT of homework - about 3 hours every night, sometimes more!

The school, although international, runs on an American curriculum and so we have to sing the American anthem every Thursday and pledge allegiance to the flag!! Do you even know the words to the British National anthem?

In October, we had a school campout. Well, it's called a campout, but it was actually overnight at a water park. This was in an area called Oaxtepec - another opportunity for you to go onto Google maps! It was good fun and, because there are only 28 pupils in my school, we all went, including our families. We played silly games, enjoyed the swimming pool and diving boards, ate good food and generally enjoyed two days away!



My school didn't get a half term holiday in October, but I will get a week off for Thanksgiving. I don't have to go into school for the week, but I will have two days' of home assignments. Thanksgiving is actually on November 25th and, because two Americans live in our house too, we will be having a Thanksgiving dinner! What can you find out about Thanksgiving? Rachel, one of the Americans that lives here, is a great cook and we have had some fun baking already so I'm looking forward to helping with the cooking.

The charity we have come out here to work with has had two mini brigadas on Saturdays. This has been great for me because I've been able to join in! This involves taking medical aid to poor areas on the outskirts of the city. We take large tents with us to set up on the road, to give us some shade, and are based at a church that has applied for a team to come. The people can come and register for medical, optical or hair care. We also have a children's area, so that they don't get bored while they are waiting, and a jewellery area. If we have a dentist with us then there is also a dental area. One of the churches we visited are involved with a charity called Compassion and, although their building is very basic and only about 50 people attend the church, they feed up to 300 children three times a week!! It is a very poor area and there is a lot of crime and so the children are very grateful for a decent meal.

It is difficult to remember that it is November because the weather here at the moment is hot and sunny. We are still just in t-shirts and only occasionally put a long sleeved top on in the evening.