girls just wanna have fun

I learned two new words/phrases this week that will forever remind me of fall.

leche de burra (donkey's milk) or if you prefer...
leche de ornitorrinco (platypus milk!)

Why do these remind me of fall? Well, my parents sent me a birthday package (that got here right on my birthday!) that included, among other things of delight, caramel apple suckers. YUMMM. I was eating one at the neighbor's the other day and apparently a slang way to say caramel is donkey or platypus milk. I did not know the word ornitorrinco (the way they were saying it, I thought they were talking about ornito Ringo so I was trying to figure out how the conversation had gotten on the Beetles!) but eventually they were able to describe it to me ... the animal that lives in the sea that has a face of a duck but its a mammal... and then I finally made the connection that they were talking about my sucker. :)

I've really been enjoying my time with the neighbors. Now that I can actually understand most of the conversation and participate a little bit, I like to just go next door or down the road and sit in the kitchen at night with the other women and socialize. It's actually a new experience for me because I don't really talk that much... I just listen. I've noticed in my English conversations that I have a very 'I can top that story!' attitude and I ALWAYS have something to say. I don't think I would have noticed that flaw about myself if I hadn't been forced to sit and realize that I can enjoy the conversation even if I'm not joining in. I've actually done quite a few things in the last couple weeks. I made baleadas in Sonja's kitchen (not very well, they made fun of my slowness but hey... it's a start :)), and then we just sat around and talked after supper while eating oranges with a yummy sauce (pepper, salt, hot chile sauce, a little garlic). This weekend we had a birthday party for one of my friends/another teacher Ana and a girl in K5 named Ana Sugey (sue-hey). The women prepared plates of food for everyone at the party.... we had yucca (which is a root that tastes kind of like potato), cabbage, fried pork, a lemon slice and a tomato slice. I helped out at the house instead of really doing much at the party and it was so fun. The women just joked around and completely include me in their life. Last night, Sonja, her sister Sandra, and her cousin Ellie came over to 'play' beauty salon- they painted all our nails and straightened our hair- just for fun, and just to enjoy one another's company.

I'm happy I'm able to have better relationships with my neighbors this year. :)