Blessing of the fleet

We attended the annual blessing of the fleet which took place at the Chuburna harbor. We understood very little of the ceremony but were impressed by the solemnity and the number of people who attended. 




Dona Eloisa, her daughter Margarita in the background
and a granddaughter. Mother and daughter are
English class students.

Oscar and Veronica, English class students,
 flanking their mother and sister.
 

Marieli and Lilliana, her mother, are English class students.

Jesus, alterboy and English student.

Hummingbirds

For the last two years when we arrived here in October, a mother hummingbird has been building a nest on a hook on our porch. This year she was busily at it when we unlocked the front door.  A few days later she settled down into the quarter-sized nest to stare at us as we stared at her while sipping wine and gin and tonic. A week and half later we noticed she was leaving the nest for longer periods of time. Eventually, we saw tiny beaks sticking out of the nest. The next several weeks we watched the tiny, tiny things grow into tiny birds.

 

 

Mom taking a break.

 

 

See, Bro, this is how you do it.

 

 

Crap. You mean I gotta do this by myself?

 

 

This is the last time I'm feeding you. Get out of the house!

 

 

Yo, Ma. Lookit me!

 

All three of them continue to hang around, drinking from the feeder, dive-bombing us as we sit on the porch and attacking any other hummers that come close to "their" feeder. Dee talks to the mother: "Oh, what a pretty girl you are. Yes, you are." She whistles tunes to them. Tells them that we mean them no harm.

 

According to my reading they will head north across the Gulf sometime in late January/early February for a summer up north before returning here in September/October.

Revolution Day

On November 20th, Mexico commemorates the Revolution of 1910-20. Students from pre-school through high school participate in La Dia Desfiles--Day of Parades--in their respective communities. Here's how we celebrated here in Chuburna this year.

Chuburna falls under the political jurisdiction of the city of Progreso (pop. 55,000). Therefore, police protection is provided by the city, as is the police band when needed for important events in Chuburna.

 

Every school student, regardless of age or revolutionary nature, marches, or is semi-dragged through the streets.

Each school's color guard features the best students. Invariably, the color guards are all- female.  

This year's classroom lessons in nutrition were driven home to the parade-watchers. 
The instruments are made from cardboard, plastic bottles, and whatever else to kids can find to create what they need.

Each school stops in front of the city building to perform. 

The oldest students' routines would be an OSHA no-no in the U.S. On the pavement. Some with no shoes. No ground padding. Up in the air. Having fun while showing their agility.

 

 

 Note: No children were hurt while performing in this parade.

 

Xiomara (show-mara) is a high-school student that we support through the Apoyo Program.

 

 

 

Daniel, third from the right, hangs with his friends after the parade. He wants to be a doctor, an un-heard of desire without the support we give him through the Apoyo Program. 

 

Serafin, a student in the English class we help teach, enjoys an after-parade snack with his  revolutionary cousin.