The Dangerous Side of Mexico...

I'm a person who likes to try new things. I love the adventure of something new and unknown... even if it is a little gross. I like to be able to say that I at least tried something, even if I didn't end up liking it. This past week I got the opportunity to try something VERY new... Menudo. Menudo is a delacacy here in Mexico. It is brewed in the finest soup, seasoned with spicies, and loved by almost every Mexican I have met...It also happens to be cow stomach! I tried a bite and found myself chewing for a loooong time. The texture is rubbery and actually a little fuzzy... I'm glad to say that I have tried it, but would be perfectly happy to never try it again :)

Some of the deadliest creatures in the world live here in Mexico. On a fieldtrip with my students we were able to see one of the most dangerous centipedes alive! It is about 6 inches long and the one we saw was living in a glass cage in a nature center. If you get stung by one of these guys you do not have long to live... scary as that sounds, these critters can be found naturally in Monterrey. Some of the staff have seen them before!!! I'm just praying that this staff gal doesn't see one anytime soon :)

Pyramids, Wigwams, Tongues, and Nasal Passages…

The title of this blog might sound random, but to a teacher nothing is random! My students and I have been building all sorts of projects in our history and science units. I have had to be creative because I cannot find the same supplies as I could if I were in the states. Instead of building a Mayan pyramid out of sugar cubes, I had to improvise and we built it out of galletas (cookies)!!! My roommates have learned to never throw anything away that can be used for a science project!
Mayan pyramid made from cookies!

My 3rd graders working on a model of the human tongue.

A model of how our nose works made by my 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students.

Beautiful girls figuring our how to make a wigwam out of pipe cleaners.

Perla's Birthday

Perla is one of the girls from the Hope Program who I have been getting to know. A few weeks ago Perla turned 16! We celebrated with a costume party, a piñata, and salsa dancing! It was so much fun and I believe Perla felt loved :)
Perla and me dressed up for her party!

Some of the jovens in costume for the party!

The Hope Program

Some of the beautiful girls in the Hope Program with Christy (staff)

The Hope Program is an opportunity for teens who have grown up in a casa hogar (children’s home) to receive high school and college education. Here in Mexico public education is only provided up through the 8th grade. After that education must be paid for by you and your family. The Hope Program provides a way for students to get an education who would otherwise not be able to receive one. These students live with Christian house parents on our property. Not only are they learning trades at school, but these students are learning how to function in a healthy family, how to get a driver’s license, how to take care of a house, and most importantly how much Jesus loves and cares for them. I personally think that the Hope Program is one of the biggest areas of fruit in this ministry.

SMCA - My Classroom

School officially started on the 4th of September. I feel like I have been in a whirlwind since then! Teaching 4 grades is harder than one might think! As some of you know, we had some trouble getting the curriculum for school... actually that issue is still going on. Pray for that if you would. We are still attempting to order it and get it down here.

School has been busy, but a lot of fun. The kids and I are studying Native Americans and Native Mexicans this month. Our big end-of-the-unit Powow is scheduled to take place this Thursday night. It is bound to be fun. I've also been trying to do some more hands-on learning with my students in the Science area. We have been growing bean plants in class, dissecting seeds, and creating our five sense organs out of clay, styrofoam, random tools, you name it. I think that the kids are having a lot of fun... and hopefully learning as well :)

Zucchini Bread

This past weekend I had a discussion with some of the Mexican teens here at B2B about Zucchini Bread. One of the guys got a chance to taste some Zucchini Bread while visiting the States. He brought some back to Monterrey and now it is the rage! I told Memo (orange shirt) and Jose Pablo (black shirt) that I would teach them how to make it. First off finding zucchini here in Mexico was hard. All of the veggies here that are like zucchini are called the same thing "calabaza."However "calabaza" could range from summer squash to a pumpkin! I finally found something that looked like a washed out version of Ohio zucchini to use for the bread. The boys and I had a great time cooking in my small kitchen. We made four beautiful loaves of bread to share with our neighbors. Even Jose Pablo, who was skeptical of bread made with "calabaza", said that it was very good :)