May 22nd, Papaaaaantla

I wasn't going out on the ATV at 6am, but I didn't want to stay in too late, making me feel like a slob. So.. I got up around 8, and headed to the front of the house to see what had to be done. There was mucho work. This, being the first solid day of bright sun, was to be one of our biggest hatching days. I helped Roberto fill up the two big 10'/6' tubs before the the boys got back with hundreds of turtles needing a place to swim. We ran a huge hose (one of those ones used to fight fire) from the tubs at camp down to the ocean. Roberto turned on the pump at the beach, and I held the hose steady. Deanna waited on the sideline to call down to Roberto when it was time to turn the hose off. Then...it was game time. The first tub was filled easily enough, and so was the second, but problems arose when it came time to fill up the five bins about 5' from the two tubs..the two tubs the tub just barely reached. Naturally..I started laughing and freaking out about how we were going to handle this dilemma. Fernando stepped in and rallied the few men and women wandering around the camp, to help drag the hose up closer so that it might rieach the other bins. Fernando didn't seem the least bit worried and kept the same expression as he soaked myself and the few other people observing. He couldn't control the hose any better than I could, but he kept giggling the whole time. Phase one was soon completed, and no less than 10 minutes after filling the tubs, Ramido and Changa pulled into camp, with two huge bins of squirming and ready to swim tortugitas. We carefully placed each and every baby into a tub. They swam all over each other using such strength, ramming themselves right into the wall. They were pretty cute.
After doing a legitimate amount of work, we all enjoyed breakfast together. Juan Carlos or "Juanito" as he has been dubbed, is by far the cutest 2 year old I know. He is the adorable first child of Changa (53) and Lolita (19). You can often see him running around camp in his diaper with his half full cup of milk (the other half is all over his shirt and face) or saying "hola" as he sits on the front porch existing.
Juanito ate breakfast with us. Well..not really "with" us. He just ate our food. He snagged most of Roberto's huevos-eggs, my frijoles-beans, and with Fernando's help, unsuccessfully drank half a carton of Nutri-Leche. Juanito would reach for the baca-cow, on the carton, and Fernando would tilt Juanito's head back and the little boy grabbed the milk with both hands and tipped it all over his face. Roberto kept saying how masculine he was doing such a thing as drinking milk without a cup, he helped Juanito wipe his mouth with a smirk and make a grunty man noise after. Not so successful, but nevertheless, really really cute.
Then...the children came. Until summer vacation starts, Fernando will be having hundreds of classes coming to the beach and releasing turtle. This is a way to get some form of income, but it is also one of the sweetest things. Most of the kids look to be in about 3rd grade, and couldn't be happier about not being in school AND getting to play with baby turtles. They all take their shoes off, roll up their uniformed sleeves and pants legs, and walk in their line to the beach. Then, all hell beaks loose. They are freaking out with the water almost touching them, and then after letting their turtles onto the beach, screaming for them to go faster so they will be the "winner" to the ocean. Kids are also naturally blunt. In any country. These two twin girls were my buddies, and asking me if I was a woman, where I lived, where my shoes were, why I was here etc. I love kids and just seeing them being themselves makes me love them even more. I also love that Fernando is getting kids involved at such a young age. The school systems here are truly a mess, and a sense of hopelessness is very strong in Tecolutla, mostly due to the long term effects of having an un-reliable and corrupt government. The fact that these kids get to see nature in action and how wonderful it can really be if they take care of it, is no greater lesson. It leaves them all with a sense of responsibilty towards these little turtles and their habitat. It's amazing.

After a successful afternoon, Roberto, Blanca, and myself ventured to the beautiful Papantla to experience the festival in El Tajin. I can describe it in two words: Ridiculous and Glorious. Before the show at the festival actually started, there was a CD of maybe 3 songs that repeated over and over again for 2 hours. One song in particular repeated "Papaaaaantla!!!!" so many times, Roberto and I just started singing along. I really haven't laughed as hard as I did when I Roberto made his crazy face and sang and played the air guitar. It was great.
During the show, there was a recreation of the Gods sending explorers to the ruins, sacrificial dances, and freakin FIREWORKS. The fireworks really came out of no where and made my whole night. Also, the giant horchata was pretty good too.
Everything was done around 1 am, and apparently busses stop running sometime around midnight, so luckily one of Roberto's friends who lives in Tecolutla was there and offered to drive us back. Now I can say I've succeeded in recreating the stereotypical mexican carpool. Five kids, including a small child under the age of 4, riding in the bed of a truck, as Grandma and Grandpa ride shotty, speeding around curves and up hills, braving the horrible terrain that is any Mexican road. I loved every second of my hour ride, with the exception of when my feet fell asleep...and when we were almost hit but a bus.

Tomorrow is Friday. Which means. MY BROTHER AND MOM GET HERE! HOORAY!!!!