Se cuiden el espacio...

"The wheels on the bus went round and round"...and screeched to a halt...and round and round...and screeched to halt...and screeched to a halt. We got on the wrong bus today. I am pretty sure that if the driver had slammed on the breaks one more time, she was going to jump out the window. Our short ride to Bomba Sucre wasn't short enough. The next gauntlet to the foundation was a double moto ride...you still pay a mil apiece, but one of the riders hangs halfway off the back while slightly dragging her legs. That rider was me...and still, I would do that same route ten times over to get to my destination.

The boys were put to work doing some heavy lifting upon arrival at the school. Our goal today was to clean out the back porch for a learning space. While I didn't take a good before picture to show the area in its 'glory'...you get the idea looking at the next few photos.

We spent about three hours doing general cleaning in the building and assessing chores for the future. The next plan is to tile this patio and make it a little more comfortable for Cerys' one-on-one literacy sessions with the kids. I would like to hang some gutters with plants to start a garden as well...paso a paso. 

At 3pm, everyone began to crowd around the one shade tree(/jungle gym) on the soccer field to listen to instructions about 'Sports Day'. Basically, every game included a lot of running around. If anything, I am sure the kids' parents love this day as they no doubt sleep very well on Friday nights...at least the majority of the boys do. The girls often join in for the first hour, then trickle off to the sidelines to form the cheering section. 

I took this opportunity to pull one of the girls aside and do a short interview with her: Ana Paola Nunez Perez. She is 9 years old (turns 10 on August 26th). She lives part time with her grandparents in another barrio and part time with her mother, Dilia, and her step-father, Jose, in Valle de Gaira. She she lives with her three siblings (Luis Miguel (7), Leider (5), and Sarai (7 months) when she in Gaira. She isn't sure where her biological father is, but has been told he is working in the Sierras somewhere. 

Ana's favorite food is manzanas (apples). Her favorite pastime is jumping rope (alaptias). Her favorite people are her family members. When she grows up she wants to be a doctor because she loves what they do for people. 

When I asked her why she liked to come to CSF, she let me know that she hasn't attended public school in two years because her mom had pulled her out due to the fact that the school was 'puerco'. She has been home-schooled since leaving and relies on her time at CSF to gain get regular education. 

Ana and I finished talking, just as 'Sports Day' was wrapping up. I was able to catch one last glimpse of the kids in action before setting off down the road for home.