Xmas Greetings

This blog may well be the nearest I get to wishing everyone out there – old friends, new friends and friends of the Mariposa a very happy Xmas and a great new year in 2009.  We are really gearing up for Xmas here, I have no idea how it is going to turn out!! Could all be  a complete disaster or really good fun or a combination of both (most likely the latter). Guillermina and Cassidy (our youngest guest at five years old) spent a couple of Spanish classes putting up the  Xmas tree and it is the BEST!!! It consists of a dead coffee tree branch stuck in a pot (we have also just done the coffee harvest and those of you who have tasted the Mariposa coffee will know how exciting that news is!) covered in silver paper and with all of my ancient decorations from the UK plus afew newer acquistions. And lights of course….one of the guests commented it looks like something out of  aVogue magazine…….We have a lunchtime party here at the mariposa tomorrow (the 20th dec) for over a 100 of the primary aged kids from Panama – we have to get them all here which means a few journeys in the bus and the camionetta…..then we are doing lunch, a cake, pinatas and hopefully we can get the kids to play some games. The general behaviour of kids at parties here is to sit absolutely still in a circle of plastic chairs and not respond to any entreaties from strange extranjeras to dance, play games or otherwise have fun; but then go absolutely wild when the pinata gets strung up….I will try and post some photos. The 24th is the traditional Xmas meal here and we doing one for all of the workers and their families which will involve, again, over 100 people! I am really keen to do it though as a way of saying thank you – we now have at the Mariposa (and I really don’t know anyone who has stayed here who would disagree with me) the best team in the world…..to the point that, in October, when we were really low in numbers and funds everyone worked for over a month on half pay. So I am going to make  a little speech….that will be some test of my Spanish and I think I might get a little over emotional!! Then the 25th all of the guests (did I mention we are full over Xmas, throughout January and into Febuary????) and all of the workers are going to the beach….I don’t know how yet but Ismael and Bergman are organising it……
Well, that’s it for the Xmas post……I hope the rest of the world in 2009 can take from the incredible spirit and humour that Nicaraguans use to get them through the tough times…….and most importantly I hope the big powerful nations learn a bit of humility and stop punishing the little guys!! Is that too much to ask for?????