SchoolsEstela RomeroNovember 21, 2019

"Lázaro Cárdenas"

SchoolsEstela RomeroNovember 21, 2019

SCHOOL VISIT.-

Going around “El Rosario” Sanctuary area and its different little villages, (communities, as we call them), is highly interesting. As mentioned before, El Rosario is the highest populated area compared to the areas and communities surrounding the other two Sanctuaries, (“Sierra Chincua” and “Cerro Pelón"). Elementary School “Làzaro Cárdenas” where we’ve been today, was opened a few years ago, as an additional elementary to the already existing 5 elementary schools for “El Rosario” region and politically heading community at the same time. At each school in El Rosario area, the population is at top with 6 grades each, at which an average of 20 children attend each single grade; what’s more, two of those schools even work afternoon shift due to the high demand!. “San Luis”, where this school is located, is a beautiful rather far away little housing settlement, which roads are just being paved at last, and which will connect them to the rest of the communities and services, makign this families’ lives here much easier!. This is the third year that the Symbolic Migration visits this lovely school!. We arrived just at the start of breaktime. On arriving, and hearing white bug “Rocinante” roaring and peeping at them, children all ran knowing that this was their Ambassador Monarchs arriving from the North!!!. They all croweded around the car and me fighting to each other as to who would help carrying our three flags, the box with the Ambassador Monarchs and the didactic material. Believe me, having 30-40 children carrying their material is a real welcoming bomb of happiness and enthusiasm to start a grandieuse day!. It was 11 hrs., time for break-time at all our schools, so that our children get a snack and a drink, either packed by mom or bought at school mostly. Well, this school is among the very few elementaries which offer luch room service at school at breaktime. The Federal State through its Education and Social Wellbeing Ministries provide all what is necessary to keep lunch-rooms running at each public elementary school all over our country, however, it should be mothers who are the ones to cook every day and the principal and teachers of the school rendering reports on the consumption, functionality and benefits of it to the school population. Not at all schools this works to the mid-long term time. Lunch shall consist of VERY nutritious meals and drinks. Two different servings at a time per child and a drink a day shall be energetic and nutritious enough for the rest of the school day ending at 1:30 pm. “I love when it is lentils soup and then a papas with chili taco, like today, sweet rice or oats warm atole (drink) to warm our bodies a little bit up”, —Emilio, 7, second grader expresses—. Each serving each day shall be a portion of soup either rice, pasta or leguminosa, with a bended maìz tortilla filled with either seasoned meat, chicken or potatoes; a warm drink, either tea or atole drink (a flavored liquid corn warm drink we love) or also rice or oats atole as mentioned, or local fruits’ fresh water drink in the spring shall close the delicious lunch each day. 5 (five) pesos is the cost for the lunch of the day. This fee shall stay at the school to improve facilities and to buy didactic material for teachers. While enjoying their lunch at breaktime, little children can play with a toy brought from home, which is of course allowed by teachers. Working at the classroom with these children was really exciting!. Through several of their books donated by Monarchs Across Georgia to our Symbolic Migration proyect, children could perfectly spot how unique our endemic plant and animal species are here at the Oyamel forests of Monarch butterfliies: “Oh, the Quelites, the Jaramados and Cenizos there!, I come with mom or grand-ma and pick them up in the forest in the summer; they are really abundant as the raining season increases and Dad says the more we eat them, the stronger our bones and the richest our blood will keep”, “and I come with Dad “a raspar Magueyes” (collect the sap of Magueyes) to get our delicious pulque at least once a week”!. “Mmm, cactus would not grow here with us; it is mostly too cold in the winter and they would die; only Magueyes are the most common ones we have, but they are so Mexican, but they grow well at the “Cerro Pelón Sanctuary area, since there it is much warmer than here with us; even a little asclepia for Monarchs grows there, we’ve been told. ! “Wow, look at the Agaves from where our Tequila drink comes out from”, “but in the end Monarchs have chosen our forest because they look for the nectar from our wild flowers which is what they just need and our pure water from the springs” —children shouted here and there in excitment as they went through the books, including the most classical book of Spanish literature “Don Quijote”, where “Rocinante” the donkey Sancho Panza rode, both loyal companionships to “Don Quijote” and his horse went through their wonderful adventures in La Mancha in Spain. They could identify and get to know how donkeys —”less and less seen nowadays in our small locations”, —as Estela told them—, have been, historically, among the main transportation means to mankind. “Most of all have a donkey and a mule and a horse at home, Estela!, our parents could not do withouth them!”, —they immediately corrected her—. They finally were so immensely happy to receive their “Don Quijote” book, and what is more, this season, for the first time, to keep their Ambassador Monarchs with them while they could decorate, share knowledge and express themsleves in their handwritten nd decorated letters sent to their northern friends in USA. They dropped Estela and their letters to be shipped back to VW “Rocinante” and headed home very, very happy of all they could share in the day learning that our locations are unique and a treasure to preserve!!!.