ouch!
My wise dad says there are no such things as accidents, only acts of stupidity, but when it comes to little boys running around after being cooped up in a classroom all day - accidents are bound to happen, and last week, Reid got to experience one firsthand. Turns out Reid was doing what he does best, getting his wiggles out, and while playing some complex version of tag, rammed nearly headfirst into apparently a wall of a kid with glasses. Let's say the glasses got one point, and Reid got a severe penalty that resulted in a trip to the nearby clinic for stitches. All is well, and his stitches are healing nicely, but it was interesting to navigate a small slice of medical care here.
Because it happened on school grounds, the principal actually drove and accompanied us to the clinic, stayed with us, and paid for the treatment, which would be reimbursed with a claim to the school's insurance. I was fully prepared to break out proof of our traveler's insurance and ask for copies of everything so that, later, I could defend any coverage needs. I was pleasantly surprised that this emergency visit (which obviously would have preferred not to have happened) only took about 90 minutes. The most important piece is that Reid has a very brave story to tell and has a scar, sort of like Harry Potter.
the best things happen in libraries
We hung around Merida this past weekend and took advantage of the gem known as The Merida English Library. Basically, a bunch of expats got together 30 years ago and started a non-profit that has become a wonderful community resource for English speakers and learners in the city. We've checked out a few books, and they have a robust children's section with a Saturday morning reading program complete with snacks and crafts.
While we are committed to immersing ourselves in the culture and language here, we recognize that doing things like story time in English fills our buckets in a familiar and heart-warming way. It also has provided some great personal connections - one of the students in Ryan's program at UADY is a volunteer there, and we met a sweet family from, you guessed it - Iowa. We actually ended up doing the bike ride on Sunday morning together. It was refreshing to remember how much of one's personhood is and isn't tied to physical places. I also plan on attending their "art committee" meeting as they organize an artist studio tour in February. This all proves that libraries truly are one of the safest, best places on earth.
bust a move
Given that we do not have a car here, the bus and our own two feet get a lot of mileage. Furthermore, the heat here leads to us sweating a lot and looking for excuses to get a refreshing beverage or ice cream. Weekends seem to be a time when we are really on the move, walking around, riding the bus, and willing to try new things. One of our favorite new things is fresh juice. It's really just fresh fruit blended to oblivion with water, but it is delish. It is especially refreshing after a bike ride, playing Barbies, exercise class (video evidence below), or jumping in front of monuments. We'll see where we move this next week as it turns into October. Thanks for reading!
I am loving those killer moves, mamacita! Also, I am dearly lacking in the aguas frescas department - please ship some to my parched face.
¡Santos dioses mayas! Les ocurren cosas muy curiosas. Espero que Reid esté mejor.