When we thought it was over

The rat saga, unfortunately, did not come to an end. A new rat made a special appearance on Sunday, this time in Natalie's wardrobe. We heard a light commotion in the room and went in to find her pulling out her drawers, searching for this rat. I began to help and just when one drawer was about to come out, the rat launched itself out and under the beds. We poked around with some broom handles and found it in my empty suitcase. Again, it flew out and this time headed right towards me. I looked down to find it running in circles around my feet and let out a scream. Until that point I hadn't thought I would have reacted so strongly but nope. I did. A full out scream, complete with hopping from foot to foot. It then took off and disappeared. We think it might have escaped through the bathroom window. I'm crossing my fingers.

Sunday morning was really fun. Ethan, Natalie and I took a kayaking tour in El Cacao, where there is a large lagoon with mangrove trees and little inlets. A steady drizzle rained down the entire time, which cloaked the lagoon in silence. It was extremely pretty and a little surreal. We went through the channels and saw little bats that blended in with the wood. They were impossible to spot unless the guide pointed them out. We saw a monkey! Granted it was sleeping, but the idea was so neat. But, what was even neater- we talked to a monkey. After we moved on from the first monkey, we went around the lagoon and the guide taught us how to make monkey calls. Ethan was the best at it. We heard one call, so the guide called back. It responded and then Ethan responded. It went back and forth between the monkey and us for a good 10 minutes. We were willing it to reveal itself to us, but we didn't know how to say that in monkey talk. It was so close, we could here from its voice, but talking to it was just as much fun. On clearer days, they sometimes see alligators as well.

The rest of the day was spent relaxing at home. We practiced our cooking skills, made some delicious potato cream soup, some fresh bread, salad and snicker doodle cookies. It was a feast. Monday we had school again. As we walked up the steps I became so sick with worry, because Geny had spent the night on Saturday. On Sunday when we left for our outing, we sent him off to find his way home. I gave him some money for a taxi, but he still would have to take a bus or hitch a ride up. All of the scenarios were running through my head of what would happen if he had never come home, and his family was expecting him to be with us. I was so scared, but of course I was worrying for nothing. He was at school today safe and sound. But I got a little taste of what a parent must feel like at times.

School these past two days have been challenging. The kids, for the most part, don't study. We've spent the last two weeks learning forms of 'to be' and today when I ask them to do exercises, they don't even know what 'I am...' means. I feel bad because I feel like I’m not encouraging them enough, or that I'm making it boring, or I can't explain things well enough. Solutions are running out. So I baked cookies today to attempt to bribe them. We shall see. The hogar kids are learning a Christmas play and some songs so that's been taking up the afternoons. It's been raining non stop. It's probably about high 60's and everyone here is freezing. Quite amusing. I can only imagine Luz! We skyped her with her family today. She was all bundled up and looked so cold but so happy. She showed us her room and the snow and I got goose bumps. I'm so happy and excited for her. I shall be adamantly stalking her facebook as time goes on. :)