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Yesterday evening I went into town to meet Lucia and Ramón and eat Chinese food. Got a colectivo (cross between a taxi and a mini-bus) into town, They’re 50 centivos cheaper than a bus, though saving the equivalent of 1/2p was not my motivation. Got rear-ended by a car, so will likely stick to the buses in future.

We went into the Palacio Municipal where there is a big day of the dead alter set up and happened across some kind of civic opening. The alter (large table) is covered in papier mache skeleton figures, all beautifully finished and painted – some of them dressed, one of them a dog, others painted red as diablos, in different poses (carrying day of the dead bread, relaxing, juggling skulls). Incense was burning and there were food offerings on the table to. It’s all a bit camp somehow (a bit like the Tim Burton film “Nightmare before Christmas”). Mexico has a sense of humour, however macabre.

Then La Catrina walked in followed by Palafox (who was a priest or arch bishop or something) of Puebla centuries ago – a Spaniard who provided the original Mexicans with religious texts in their own languages and set up a library. After they had spoken (Palafox putting on a Spanish lisp!) a lady dignatory said something and then a band (guitars and little guitars) struck up and food was handed out. I have been really lucky happening across these “Mexican culture to go” events.

I told Ramón I was a bit miffed that Catrina was synonymous with death – he pointed out that actually Catarina would be the Spanish equivalent of my name (phew!) and that Catrina is used as an adjective to describe someone who thinks themselves a bit superior, or is a snob (as well as the embodiment of death bit). So, back to me again!

Nice chat (ion both languages) with a taxi driver on the way home.

Met with Alison today who is happy for me to think about some projects for kids at home linking in with Juconi. Spent a lot of the day writing out the lesson plans and designing a certificate which I’ll give to the boys at the casa during my ‘bye bye party’ (it’s meant to be a surprise). I’m going to take in the remainder of the sweets I bought in Britain (still cola cubes, lemon sherberts and army and navy left) and some cakes or crisps or something. I feel a bit sad about leaving now.

Eva popped round, still fed up that she’s being given crappy jobs to do at the main office. She gave up her job to come and volunteer, because she want to work in the field later and is determined to get the right kind of experience.