"There´s nothing I can do... total eclipse of the MOON!"

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Just thought I´d give a quick update though nothing too exciting has happened lately! The main event being last night´s moon eclipse, which was truly beautiful! I don´t know if it was an eclipse in England too, but if it was shame on you if you weren´t up at 3am to see it. I didn´t actually know there was going to be one until we were mooching back to our cabaña at about 9 last night after a pretty good (for once!) English lesson on animals. All the kids were sitting on the grass with Jorge, so we quickened our pace to get past without being seen and have to join in (scivers I know) when I glanced up at the moon, which is wierd here anyway btw but more on that later, and it was glowing red apart from a tiny slither at the top which was still to be covered. So we sat down on the grass and watched! It was really funny to actually be able to see the shadow moving and the moon getting less and less moon like and more and more red. It was one of those moments when thinking about space makes you feel very small and insignificant, and makes my head hurt! I wish I had a photo but these moments are never as good on film as you remember them.

As I said the moon here is more of a U shape than a C shape which was pretty strange to see! We asked one of the kids if it was always like that but I don´t think he really knew what we were talking about because he started saying it´s sometimes round...as indeed it is everywhere! It must be being in a different place on the earth...or something!

We´ve been doing a lot more homework and a lot less playing this week, English homework is fine! And Spanish ok with the little ones but I tried to help with some maths yesterday and it completely bamboozled me! The actual sums were fine, I can do percentages no problem, but working out the wording in English is tricky enough as they try to catch you out, so in Spanish I had no chance!

On Monday we were privillaged enough to be let into the office ´lair´of Luis and Luisa to play with some toy computers, I have to say I was quite suprised by the absence of a chokee in the style of Matilda! Though we never did see what was in the red locker.... I think they´re warming to us now which is a definate plus! I even saw Luis laugh yesterday which quite frankly was a scary experience! I thought his face might shatter!!!

Today, we have experienced our first racism - SHOCK HORROR!!! A school group from Mexico City is staying at the camp for a couple of days and Urbana asked either Becky or me to help out with their activities, games and what not, so Becky volunteered only for the teachers to refuse her help because they didn´t want a foriegner working with their kids. I was horrified!! In England that just WOULD NOT happen! Not ever...no-one would even think that. I think the teacher thought Becky was from the US and that was why, but even when it was explained that she really was not it just wasn´t happening! So she´s freeeeee! Their loss! Urbano was really embarrassed by it though, and I feel quite sorry for him!

I would also like to make it clear for those who read my last post that I have indeed purchased a shiny new toothbrush! And it cleans beautifully! All for the bargain price of 60p!

I´m going to be off-ski now to pick up our squadron (that would be squadron 201) from school, but firstly to find out the Spanish word for antihistamine. Lovely as this country is I think I´m allergic to it! My nose hasn´t stopped running for the 3 weeks we´ve been here and I can´t breathe!!!!!!!

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