Patzcuaro...

Hola otra vez!

Ok, some prayer requests...

I have a week and a half left in Morelia. Pray for excellent progress with my Spanish in the remaining time, many opportunities, much wisdom, and much courage in living and speaking the truth to my family, friends, and teachers, time-management and diligence in setting the right priorities, etc.

Pray in earnest for the school in Magdalena for the coming year: new school, new teachers, new students, new language, new rules and expectations, new culture, new living situation, new schedule...you get the idea.

Pray about my trip home to Leo for the Auction (3 layovers, one long day) and then to Princeville and then to Texas (to see my brother, his wife, and daughter) and finally Magdalena, all in roughly 10 days. Should be interesting.

Joel, Kristi, Joel´s parents, Mike and Susy Zobrist, and the "young'un's" have all left, so there´s only two AC´s at Baden-Powell. It´ll be different to not have so many others around, but probably better overall for my Spanish since I can´t escape to American companions as often anymore.

On the way to Patzcuaro, we stopped in three little pueblitos along the way: one had the first university (a Catholic seminary for training evangelists and priests) in the Americas, another had a small church devoted to Santiago (James) that just happened to be celebrating Saint James Day (many horses, pilgrims, a carnival, and continuous fireworks, consisting of monstrous bottle rockets about six feet tall that sound like cannons going off, etc.), and Zinzuntzan, a former temple site for some native Indians (pre-conquistador).

Ok, Patzcuaro...for those of you who like art, you´d love Patzcuaro. Very picturesque little Mexican town, with the classic square, fountain, artists´ shops, etc. There are wood carvers, woodpainters (using crushed marigolds, gold leaf, bug juice (seriously), crushed rocks, etc.), weavers, a former convent home that took up 3 city blocks known as the House of 11 Patios, guitar-makers, basketweavers, etc., all incredibly intricate and detailed. There was a troop of teenagers performing a traditional dance called "the Dance of the Old Men" that´s kind of interesting, and a type of ice cream called Pasta de Nieve. It tastes kind of like soft-serve ice cream with honey and caramel. Supposedly there´s a secret ingredient, but it seems like every street vendor in Morelial sells it, so it can´t be that secret. I like it! Also, there´s "flotante", which is Pepsi with Lime ice cream, which I like as much or more than root beer floats, which is really saying something. All in all, very enjoyable. Probably my last excursion in Morelia.

On a side note, there weren´t services in Morelia on Sunday, so I had a chance to visit the market with my Mexican family, eat Mexican-style pizza, watch the U.S. get smoked 5-0 in soccer by the Mexican team (yes, I endured a lot of comments from my Mexican family), and generally enjoy the fact that I can pick up a lot more of the conversation now.

Let´s see...que otra? I´m looking forward to getting to the Leo Auction, seeing family and friends and enemigos, eating chocolate chip cookies, sweet corn, haystacks, apples, etc.....(I like Mexican food, but I also miss American food...) in about a week and a half. Other than that, not much!

That´s enough!

Todd