La ropa limpia

---

I finally worked up the courage to go ask Maria and Adolfo if I could do laundry at their house. They live right behind my house, but I had never introduced myself to Maria. I met Adolfo my second day here because I saw him walking along the driveway to Finca Dracula. I attempted to get across to him that I knew Erik Lindquist because they know him, but I'm not sure I managed to accomplish that task. Andyway, I opened the gate and walked up the steps to their house yelling "Buenos" (short for buenos días) as people do here when they're looking for someone. I then introduced myself as Emily and also as Erik Lindquist's student. Then managed to ask "Puedo lavar mis ropas a qui?" Maria said "sí" and took me down to the washing machine (the house was built on stilts and it was under the house). She tried to explain to me how to use it, but I have no idea what she was saying. There was some other machine that I think I was supposed to use first, but then she just kind of watched me putting my clothes in the machine and said "okay, esta bien". As I went to leave, the dog was barking at me and trying to bite me. It was the same dog that bit me before!

After the laundre debacle, I went up to the office to use the internet. I expected to stay there for forty minutes or so and then go grab my laundry. That didn't happen. The two kids who were hanging out with me before came again, plus their little brother. I hung out with them until after 5. I took them down to my house to see the salamander and gave them each a piece of chocolate. I also walked around the gardens with them for a while. When we got back to the office, they were typing to me through the translation app that I have on my computer. Janeth, the little girl, asked me how long I was staying for. I told her six months and the literal translation of what she typed was "I don't want to let you go". She's sooooo cute!!!!! The two older kids ended up playing games on my phone and computer, and they just constantly wanted to be around me. I didn't get any work done, and I was worried they were going to break my electronics, but they were adorable!

After they finally left, I went to gather up my laundry from Maria and Adolfo's house. Maria had tossed it all into a bin, and when I went to put it into my laundry bag, three kids, all probably older than ten, came down and watched me. I asked them their names and told them mine, but didn't say much else. I'm assuming that they are Maria's grandchildren. As I left, the dog tried to bite me again, but what's new?

I ended up with laundry all over my house- hanging off of railings, chairs, doorknobs, tables, mantles, etc. Then I went back up to the office for a little while. When I got back to my house, I was really hungry. And I ate a lot. I ate a bowl of those weird doughy noodles, two spoonfuls of icing, potato chips that I melted cheese on, a piece of chocolate, plantain chips, and then three bowls dry banana nut cereal while I watched a movie on my laptop. Sheesh. Needless to say, I was really full, but I'm not particularly worried about it, since I haven't eaten much any other day. I don't mind binge eating on american food every once in a while.

I was going to put a picture up of the kids, but while I was typing this, they walked in, and I thought it would be weird if they saw me posting their picture. I'll either post it tomorrow or later today.

---

Photos

The Kiddos
Maybe it's just election fever, but the kid in the Indiana Jones shirt looks like Obama to me.