otra vez...

..................RIP Vaquerito/Reguleto April 27, 2011 - June 26, 2011..............

so lunas brother was living with a member of the fam so i was super happy because they could play and grow up together and i could see him get bigger just like her and everything. a few days ago he got sick with vomiting and diarrhea and died yesterday. i didnt know he was sick until yesterday my friend (one of the main owners who is out of town) called me all frantic saying that her mom called her saying the puppy was super sick i told her right away id go see him. by the time i got there they were digging the hole.. pobrecito. he was so adorable and was perfectly fine until that point i still cant believe he died. anyway so now i have to keep super close watch on luna because she could be infected through playing all the time and because she was always at that house with me whenever i went. unfortunately until she gets older i'm not going to bring her there anymore just incase. she only has the first vaccine so shes still vulnerable. HOWEVER, i'm worried but not extremely worried because luna has always been bigger and more stronger than the others (and vaquerito), she always is out with me so shes been introduced to more things in the streets so has built up better defenses, and she always eats puppy dog food which gives her the nutrients and what not that she needs to grow strong and fight off diseases. the other always stayed in the house and ate kitchen scraps like rice and what not which just doesnt have good vitamins for a growing pupperoo. either way, its sad and cross your fingers for luna.

my projects are moving along. 1.) I'm a mural machine. i dont know why but i like murals so much for some reason and its something that i can do (and is needed in san isidro) so i'm doing it hahaha. this past week we started painting white the walls to one of the schools, we painted the foundation and started a picture there, and this week were going to finish los angeles (where we did the rain forest mural) to move on to another place. everywhere i go, in picture books for kids, i see possible mural ideas and things i can paint. theres another school that is pretty big and has toonnnnnnssssss of wall space its ridiculous i'd say probably about 40 walls (the size of the waterfall or tree murals) and so i'm looking around for different things i can put there because i already got the "okay" from the principal. in the high school once shantonu gets back from vacation were going to start the 'world map project' where on one of the walls were going to draw a map of the world and have the students paint it and learn about the different cultures. i'm super excited about that. i love painting :).

--my recycling projects are also coming along. the municipalidad is implementing a 'pilot' recycling project in bahia and through all my work and nudging in how we need a better trash and recycling system in san isidro too (and how were always forgotten and left out from being in the campo) theyve agreed to put in 4 (at my request) recycling stations that will go in the two (elem-mid) schools, the high school and the local governments office (where the consejo local juvenil office is). this is pretty exciting! will give more updates once this begins.

--i'm starting a NEW aerobics group. my MWF aerobics are still going great with tons a women and regulars and soccer which is super fun. one of the ladies even wants to join a womens soccer league and have out aerobics regulars be a team in it which is cool and exctiting! however in los angeles a barrio i'm working in which is a little far from the high school where we have aerobics has asked if i can teach there. unfortunately i think that exercise is so important especially for the people here that i have agreed and so MWF at 9 in the morning i'm going to this barrio to do aerobics there... :( i kind of dont want to because i'm going to be so tired and aerobixed out but its just so important i cant say no. i'm going to try it out to see if they even come.

--my diabetes and hipertensive groups are going well as well. we recently had a march with all of them to the park where they learned a little more about their diseases, nutrition and i gave them a little sneak peak on what aerobics is like (how embarassing--in the park in front of tons of people...and they wanted me to dance which i do not dance i do aerobic exercises haha)

there are more but ill fill you in on them once theyre more in the works. :D