Sciopero!!

Ho uno spirito rivoluzionario!!! The students revolted at school today. Sweet.

Background info: in the past students were able to go outside and leave the campus during break, and this year there's a new director who doesn't allow students to do so. This created a problem for students who used to buy lunches during break at nearby stores, plus there's a huge park directly across the street that is absolutely beautiful.
So today the students all striked and refused to go inside when the bell rang for school to start. The director came outside and got about a third of the students in, but the rest of us remained. Everyone was cheering and clapping "protesta! protesta!" and other chants the entire day. The police and newspaper actually ended up coming after a couple hours. It was sweet. At break time everyone walked to get food and cheered to all the kids trapped inside and hanging out of windows wishingly.

So... I don't really know if I'll be getting in trouble for this... but it was really cool to be a part of it! And anyway only three kids in my class went-- I was with all of the others outside all day, so I can just say I was following my peers! And my host parents and most of the teachers don't care at all, they thought it was cool that the students fought for something!

It's a good thing it didn't rain all day like the forecast said.

(top right: the leaders of the revolt starting a chant. middle left: the director [in orange] yelling at students, with a police officer above him. bottom right: sit-in!!)



Oh! This morning I saw Shasta and Sierra!! Everyone thought I was crazy for taking a picture of the sad homeless dogs. Ha.

I miss my puppies. :[

Maria's house last night: she lives in the middle of an orange orchard at the bottom of a huge canyon with crazy cool caves all over the walls, and some of them are pouring out water into giant natural aqueducts with koi fish in them... it was beautiful. We just walked around the property all evening and played with the horses. :]