Thursday, February 13 in Xela

Sign on Bathroom Door at Coffee Shop

Thursday, February 13, 2014  Today was a good day.  A really good day.  I purchased additional notebooks and some lead for my mechanical pencil.  The words I used for "rubber band" and "index cards" left the young female clerk quite puzzled.  I figured I could skip those.  

Someone from the school was able to direct me to an cafe with wifi.  It was a coffee house that would  fit well into any American city.  Stupidly, I forgot to ask for decaffeinated which proved problematic later in the day.  Happily with my Latte con la soya I settle in with the wifi, checking my email and IM-ing with Tim.  It felt good.  

I left a little after 10 in order to buckle down to my homework at the school.  The coffee shop was far too distracting.  Along the way I found an excellent stationary story that quickly produced a very full bag of rubber bands.  I passed on trying my hand at asking for index cards.  

Back at school, unfortunately, the wifi seemed to be out and I could not remain connected.  I did pursue my homework with vigor, hoping against hope that I would really get the hand of things.  

Street Near Rosario's

Politicians don't believe anything

Lunchtime at Rosario's produced rice and some tasty pork.  I was not able to intercept her before she had my coffee produced.  A few more sips of caffeine were JUST what I needed.  Yesica, very graciously, agreed to help me find somewhere to buy a comb. I've been using my fingers to comb my hair for nearly a week.  I felt like a child following this young woman as she navigated the crowded streets, knowing just the time and place to pop across the street.  We ran into a boy who gave her kisses. (I won't tell.) On the way back to the house, we paused as she checked her Facebook in an internet cafe. (Tiny space filled with 5 old computers. Q1 per half hour.)

Off to school.  WHAT A GREAT AFTERNOON.  I must have turned some corner, because we did little formal exercises and just talked, Aisla correcting me as I confused tenses and direct and indirect articles.  We talked about religion, politics, governments, and economics. The most intense time was when we shared the stories of our faith journeys. El Espíritu was certainly in that space with us. By 7 p.m. we were out of time for me to finish reading a chapter from a young adult's book.  What a great afternoon.  I told Aisla as I got up to leave Yo tengo la suerte que tú eres mi maestra.

  (I am lucky because you are my teacher.) Gracias a Dios.