Feliz Navidad!

I remember telling a handful of people that I would be updating my blog each week, and looking back, I find that really funny. A bold promise to make for someone who didn't know anything about the lifestyle here. Between Christmas preparations, winter school, visitors, graduations, and birthdays, each day in the last month has been packed. Luckily, since Christmas Day, the missionaries have had a bit of time off to catch up on laundry, make meals together, and play some board games. I'll walk you through some highlights from the past weeks.

Our mornings have been occupied with winter school (we call it escuelita). Each missionary a few students to work one-on-one with on Mondays and Wednesdays to make sure they don't lose progress while school is out. On Tuesdays, the female missionaries take all the girls and do a fun lesson in one of our expertise (art, health, science, or engineering), and the boys go with the male missionary for reading and documentary time. On Thursdays, they switch. The weeks before Christmas, I got to teach a printmaking lesson for the kids on Tuesdays and Thursdays. With this process, they learned to make as many copies of the same design, each a little different than the last. It was perfect for Christmas cards, and the girls had a blast. The boys were less enthused, but it's hard to get teenage boys interested in anything really.

Word has gotten around that an artist is loose in the Finca, and my work is in high demand. And not just from the kids who are personally offended if I show up anywhere without bracelet string or watercolors for them. The professional staff have big dreams for Finca murals, and I have already agreed to paint the clinic, the library, the office, the special education room, and a classroom. Although the requests have grown to be a little overwhelming, it has been nice to escape for a few afternoons to lock myself in a room and paint. I am currently working on a tree mural in the special education room (first mural priority goes to whoever buys me materials; sorry, clinic, I'll get back to you someday). The next steps include some moss, a toucan, an iguana, and leaves of various colors.

Two very important members have joined our Finca community in the last few weeks. Two very small, very fluffy, very integral members who are taking up way too much space in my brain.

And finally, Christmas!

Our Christmas Eve party featured a talent show where each house performed an act. I just happened to miss it, but apparently while the missionaries were fervently singing O Holy Night, the Grinch appeared and performed an interpretive dance. Personally, I'm glad I didn't have to see this shenanigans, as I believe Christmas is a no-nonsense time of year.