marketing and eating

Marja reporting here using Ava's computer..yesterday we spent the morning learning our vocab for marketing and then we descended on the market itself--a huge area with stall after stall of the most beautiful fruits and vegetables, pots and crafts we had eer seen. The colors were spectacular--and I think we were quite the site ourselves--the stalls wound through marketplace and created an intricate maze--so we were careful to stay together--the only two who got lost...well, tricia and I...but eventually found our back by asking which way the group of "chicas" went! With our ingrediants purchased (and a few other items like Mexico football jerseys and handmade bags...) we boarded the bus (their metro) to head back to school. We went back to our "homes" for "comida" and then headed back to school to cook and eat our creations--fresh tortillas with "pollo" and/or cheese fried, then covered with homemade salsa verde and "cremo" (sp?).

Following our meal we had a brief meeting to review the next days agenda (silvertown shopping after lessons in the morning to prepare us) and to chat with the girls about how we were all doing so far. We complimented the girls on their overall behavior--both in school and around town--they have done us all proud. We also spent a fair amount of time talking again (argh) about the dress code. Despite all warnings and requests we are still seeing a fair number of short shorts (often long ones rolled up!) and mini dresses. While the girls wanted to debate the finer pints of arm-length we tried to focus them on the fact that we werent looking everyday, but if we were noticing than the violations were egregious. By the end of our meeting I beleive I made myself clear, and was also everyone's least favorite teacher. Regardless, I am happy to report, everyone has come in this morning quite well dressed, and ready to go.

We also spoke to the girls about time spent with host families and that if they were to go out, their chaperones from the host families had to be at least 20 years old to accompany them. This too was controversial since several families have older teenagers who would happily escort our girls, but acting on all of your behalf we were not comfortable with 16 or 18 year olds as the only chaperones if they were out. I realize I am erring on the conservative side and many of your daughters are not thrilled with that, but ultimately I am thinking about their safety and what would make me feel comfortable as a parent.

So as you can see, even though we are focusing on "all things mexican", we have not left our "all things teenager" conversations back in the states. I let you know all of this simply so you are in on the conversations. However, dont let this overshadow the fact that your girls really are being wonderful and we are having a great time. There will be much shopping and haggling done today as we go to the big marketplace> Their Spanish speaking and receptive abilities are improving exponentially, and I am even learning a wee bit (like you cant just add an "o" to each word...although it does work sometimes--yesterdays great use of an added "o"--"eclectico" and it was right!) so there is hope for me yet.

I will post some market pictures and then shoot more today...one parting thought--we find that the more the girls can sepak with their host families and each other, the better their spanish improves, so if we can wean them a little from texting and calling, they will spend more time in their home developing their "Spanish legs"...I know they love hearing from you and you from them, but do try to let them fly at this point--I think they are ready! More as we have it--take care-m