Day 16

Observations:

-Last time we were here, La Carpio had one paved road. Now I've seen maybe six or so (so far).
-As I was riding the bus home today, I heard the Spanish version of "You'll be in my heart" from the movie Tarzan. Nothing like hearing Phil Collins sing Spanish.
-I've been having a bit of a problem forgetting to turn off lights in my house...if anyone has any suggestions as to how I can solve this problem, let me know.
-I drink way more soda and watch way more TV here than I ever did in the States.
-CFCI sent me an email about the support I've raised so far. I am absolutely blown away by the people of Anacortes -- thank you family, friends, neighbors, and everyone in between. I could never do this without you!
-During math class, one of my sweetest students commented on how much she liked my bracelet. I returned the compliment, telling her that hers was beautiful as well. With that, she slipped it off her wrist and put it onto mine.
-I've decided I really really really am a city girl. If any of you reading this ever entered my room in the States, you saw a plethora of pictures, poems, cut-outs from National Geographics, letters, scribbles, and attempts at masterpieces. I told myself that my wall were plastered from top to bottom because I was trying to bring as much of the world into my little bubble called Anacortes. Now, I just look around me and am overwhelmed by the colors, struggles, emotions...and it's not just things I see. It's things I smell, things I hear, things I taste and touch. Although not all of it is pleasant and there are many things I wouldn't mind forgetting, everything here is so raw. It's real.
-I hope Chicago is the same way.
-Yesterday while I was looking out the window on the bus, I watched diseases ferment in the drainage ditches on the side of the road in Carpio. Just as I was considering how nauseous the grotesque water must be at its own contents, I saw two kids dropping leaves into the flowing filth, racing each other. Then, just before the little boats passed onto the next block, the young girl and boy plunged their hand in, snatching up their makeshift toys and running back to the beginning to start all over again. Here's the thing: they were genuinely happy.

-Hannah