Random tidbits

Some random things that make me chuckle:

1. Cows on a leash. It seems that in order to make sure your cow doesn't run away, you put it on a leash (or a piece of rope) and then walk it, for exercise of course, or just tie it up while it eats and hangs out in your yard.

2. Balled up underwear. If you don't do your laundry on the pila - the big sink with rivets for you to hand scrub your clothes - you take them to a lavanderia. There, you drop off your dirty clothes and a few hours later pick up your perfectly folded and washed clothes. It's pretty easy to get used to this service, especially to my favorite touch - the folded (or balled-up) underwear. I wasn't sure if was acceptable to drop off underwear, but having it returned to me in a little ball proved that they are used to it. I think it's the cutest thing ever, after I get passed the thought of someone having that much to do with my underwear.

3. Talking about puberty to sixth graders, in Spanish. This was the first week that students came to the clinic. For each school, Primeros Pasos starts with the sixth graders and then works it way down through all the grades of each school. Therefore, this week we had sixth and fifth graders. They have to sit through a lovely workshop on nutrition, hygiene, and every 12 year olds favorite topic – puberty. It was really amusing to see how they were rowdy during the nutrition and hygiene discussion, and then quiet and nervous when we switched to the male and female reproductive parts… I think the best part was right when I was talking about wet dreams, I look over to one student in particular. He staring straight at me, but his hands are tucked between his knees and his arms are squirming. I thought it was really cute and yes, it made me chuckle.