Tag 14 - It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Since today we have a Christmas tree. 100% synthetic, with golden decorations, several fairy lights, two of them blinking, one in red, one in blue. Ouch, that almost hurts. It must be from China. But at least it won't shed needles. Is there anything else positive I can think of? Oh yes, it can be reused. No tree has to be cut down for it. And the Chinese people have to make a living somehow. Nevertheless...

Today was a very relaxed day in the project, because all the classes only did painting. There was a template, watercolors, and a brush. The three most beautiful pictures will be awarded and then hung up in the new office. I was amazed at how concentrated and patient the children were.

The weather is unusual for this time of year. It should actually be warm, cloudless, and dry every day. Instead, it has been cloudy for days and occasionally it rains. Just before I went home today, the sky darkened and thunder could be heard. The streets in Pantanal turn into mud deserts in no time. They are not paved. I have to forcefully suppress the thought of what I would have to wade through. With all the free-roaming dogs, the horse manure (horse carts!), and what the residents throw and pour onto the streets... Luckily I made it through today.

Photos: our Plastique Bertrand, the children painting, and the river that I cross almost daily (also full of garbage).