1st Day of Class

We started our classes today. My teacher is Chiqui. Gene's is Saira. Both seem pretty good, but it's hard to say after only 1 day. Our classes are from 9 to 1 this week so we'll have time for all the holy week activities in the afternoons. Since the school is really crowded this week, Julio asked if we would like to have our classes in our apartment, where we'd have a much quieter place to study. He brought us over an extra table and 2 more chairs. Gene has set up his classroom in the living/dining/kitchen room. Mine is in the "patio," entrance, which is really just the pila. So far, it works great, and we're both happy to not be in the noisy environment of the school, which or course is right next door if we need anything.
During a break we walked up the la Iglesia de Merced on the corner to see the alfombra with our teachers. These things are amazingly beautiful. We found out that they create a new one each week during lent.
One day while we were wandering around, we came across a little shop where 2 men make the "formas," or stensils, for the alfombras. They are very intricate designs and made of heavy cardboard. Every one of the hundreds of alfombras that are made in the churches and in the streets for Good Friday is different from all the others. And every one is a brand new design each year. The artists invited us in and let us watch for a while. We were fascinated by the intricate designs and their creative abilities. It's even more fascinating when you see what the people create using these formas and many colors of sawdust and other materials.