I've established a routine with the kids so day 4 went pretty smoothly. I know what to expect from them, and they know what to expect from me. I decided to allow Zoe to be my "helper" today to see if her behavior improved and it did indeed! I also allowed her to "design" a hopscotch pattern by placing tape around the borders of the tiles on the floor. Juan Pablo and Jonatan were able to play with the cups in peace since none of the bigger boys were there to interfere. We had a really good day.
Back at the home base we ate lunch as a group just like every meal, but had a VERY intense conversation that Jaiya was the most passionate about since she takes an opposing perspective or challenge personally. We spent most of our time discussing the US Presidential Election and which collection of individuals were the reason "Hilary Lost" the race. Border patrol and immigration were also hot topics.
Later in the evening we participated in a program that helps students at a local university practice their English. My best description is speed dating with a language barrier [insert weary emoji]. I did however have a fulfilling conversation with the instructor who was in his late 20s and obviously spoke English fluently. One meaningful takeaway for me is Asians own a lot of businesses in Cartago and they follow EVERYONE around the store with suspicion they're going to steal. Until this exchange I incorrectly assumed this only occurred when Black people shopped in Asian owned establishments.
I ended the night with a great conversation with Ivory. She's hopeful her time in Cartago will be fulfilling. After this discussion I'm confident we'll keep in touch with one another.
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