English class sucked yesterday. I sent home all the kids except two new girls, both very young, maybe 6, and neither can read. But they were excited to be there. The two new boys, older than the girls, only wanted to fool around and play with the other kids who I had asked to take a recess...I lost my cool & sent them home. I asked if they wanted to learn English (in Spanish of course) and said it didn't matter to me if they didn't so go home (VETE!) If they want to learn come back Wed.

So I made 2 groups, from 1:30-2:30 is the new kids, and from 2:30-3:30 is the kids who have been coming all along. There's 2 who have been coming, but they don't practie at home, and fool around during class, so tomorrow I guess I'll "assess" them and decide which group they should be in. ooooh I sound like a teacher...ok kinda...I guess teacher don't get pissed and tell the kids to go home. But I bet sometimes they wish they could!! ha ha again- good thing I do this free.

But on the positive side, I read in the hammock and took a nap. Walked down to see when Poppi would be done working- he's still helping Gume building a rock wall- and then Sam and I went to the beach. Eriika came to clean the house and brought me tacos Chela made and hey were yummy.

Today we drove up to Cruz Grande, Chela came with us and we went to the bank to get my debit card....finally!! Ha ha it was still an exercise in comedy. We had to sit with a guy who called a number,to get someone in English to set my pin. This took a few minutes, then a guy came on the phone, asked me a bunch of questions, then got permission to stay on the line while I followed the automated prompts, which of course were in Spanish. They wouldn't let Everardo do it, so I said ok. So he told when to put in the 16 #'s expiration date, then he told me choose my pin. So it didn't work, he said wait, and we did it all again after about a 5 minute hold. Failed a second time, put me on hold again. Then a new person came on and said my name is...how may I help you?- in Spanish. So I explain in Spanish and he says ok let me get someone who speaks English. Hold for another 10 minutes. By now the guy at the desk is giving the phone number to Everardo so we can do this from home, but I tell him I'm not really on hold, they just put the phone down and I can here them...

So he listens for a few minutes, then gives it back to me- here he is...so I go thru it all again, and this time he adds putting in the 3 digits on the back of the card...OH that's what was missing...success!!
After doing Chela's shopping we stopped at this little roadside stand she knew and had grilled chicken; it was fabulous. Interesting bathroom where I had to go out and scoop a bucket of water in this big round cement tank, for throwing in the bowl (paper into the basket).

After we got back, we went to Marquelia and I got my hair all cut off, pixie cut. What a huge relief! And for 30 pesos, plus 10 as a tip, about $3. While I was doing that, Everardo got the front brakes done- and materials & labor- 585 pesos...about $45! What a deal eh?
But that was a relief also cause we started getting worried about the brakes the other day.

But a wonderful as Mexico is, you have to be careful, sometimes when you think you're getting a pretty good deal, it may not be true- you have to remember where you are, so if something is cheaper here than in the US, it still might actually be even cheaper. If it's a big purchase, check around to see what those things go for in Mexico, cause maybe it's a good deal & maybe it's not...Sometimes people you think are helping you, well they are helping themselves, too. Sometimes they make a buck or two off you, that's not too bad, but with a huge purchase, they may make a lot of bucks off you, smiling the whole time cause you are smiling thinking it's all good. So that's my word of caution. Trust your friends, but check things out for yourself.