Mother's Day Postcards

We're seeing less and less masks when we go out these days even though I noticed one lottery ticket kiosk advertising that they had masks available for sale. Santizing hand gel is becoming a bit more available. We still have plenty of soap!

We also have water. A month or so ago, there was a 5 day shut down of the water so that huge pipes could be repaired. The people of Mexico City are blessed that the repairs where completed when the influenza errupted. On the local news, we hear people asking the government what to do about the schools in Mexico who do not have water. Those schools cannot be properly scrubbed down with water, soap, and bleach like the majority of schools in Mexico. Those schools have dirt floors and do not even have small cisterns to supply some water. There were several cases of flu reported in this poor and densely populated area of Mexico City. The reporters say "How can we be surprised? The people in that area do not even have water available to wash their hands with." On another news report, one reporter began to laugh and said new situations are developing within families in Mexico City where one can hear "Mom, really, I'm not a drunk! This beer is full of alcohol and I am using it to santize my hands!" They are trying to have some fun in the midst of everything.

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms. Mother's Day is the biggest holiday of the calendar year in Mexico. The pictures are of two postcards I received as a gift from the city of Ecatepec. A string of postcards with pictures from various parts of Ecatepec were given out to each mom who passed by on the sidewalk. The top postcard is of the City Hall and the bottom postcard is a photo of the Saint Peter Xalostoc Church and its gazebo. At the speedbump on the street where you have to slow your car down, a church handed out roses to each mom with her window rolled down for some cooler air. Lots of balloons, purses, and flower arrangements were sold from hatchbacks parked at various corners throughout the city.

Today our girls went back to school. The Mexican kindergarten principal told me that none of her students or staff had a single friend or relative affected by the flu. Even though cleaning the school was a lot of work, she said that it was worth it. At the older girls' international school, their new extra academic schedule began. One Korean student went back to Korea with his family so his final grade for the year will be based on his grades up until two weeks ago when school was postphoned. As each student arrived at the school gate, they were asked if they knew anyone who had the flu. Everyone got their squirt of hand sanitizer as they entered the school. The science teacher continued her rounds to each student with the pump during the whole day. They plan to continue with their mini-musical that is planned for this Friday. Practise today wasn't too good:)