EXPLORA IS A 5 STAR PLACE

To day, as promised we all went to EXPLORA, a science museum here that is very interactive and lots of fun - and there were some new things too. The last time we went was in 2003 or 2004. The museum is mainly physical science (sound, light, stars, energy...). As a preparation, the kids read a number of short books on sound, tools, storms, energy and related topics. They had a form to fill in with two things they learned from each book and worked in groups of three preparing it. The monitora (child care worker) who was working with them today is very good at doing these things and she had the kids who haven't yet learned to read draw a picture in answer to the question. While they were there they had 11 questions to answere related to the exhibits. We were met by our special guide - who was great. He showed them all the locations where they could answer the questions. An example of the questions: In the Wall of Colors, how many colors can you make? They shown different colored lights (red, yellow and blue) on the white wall in various combinations and the kids cast shadows that were different colors and they could mix them. Other exciting things included the echo tube - when speaking into it what you said was echoed back. There were also a bunch of cumputers that could connect with the web amd also ones that had Scolastic's Magic School Bus programs, speaking Spanish. These were lots of fun and included puzzles and scientific stuff too. The older girls liked being able to search for things using Google. True, we have access to the internet here but with more supervision and less time.

A big bonus was that they now have a planetarium! It is a half sphere that is maintained by air being blown into it and seating is on the floor but we had a nice private show and learned about a number of constalations we can see from here. It was very effective and they were ooing and ahing about it.

There was a demonstration of electrical energy. The hairs on our arms stood straight up.

We are still without running water. A bit came up to us briefly last night, enough to fill the toilet tanks (I could hear it) but not enough to come out of the faucets. We get water in containers from a gas station and also a nearby fruit seller. If there is not enough for a good shower for everyone tomorrow we will go to the swimming pool in the afternoon, swim and then all can bathe and wash their hair. We will send our 'laundry worker' to a nearby place to wash clothes in machines. I hope they have water. It is a question of pressure. If this were the rainy season we could collect a lot of water here - enough to use the smaller semi-automatic machines.

OH, a couple of our staff and a few of the kids have seen a crocodile in a small stream at the foot of our hill. Today as we were driving out we could see three men looking at something in the stream - it was the croc and we all got out of the van to see her/him - basically brown and about 5 or 6 feet long, and almost our neighbor.

Tia Sue