Ooh Mexico,

It sounds so simple I just got to go

The sun's so hot I forgot to go home

Guess I'll have to go now

My time here in Mexico is coming to a close! We have 2 weeks until we leave for Nicaragua. The past couple weeks have been pretty busy. Last week we learned construction- how to build a 4x8 house (foundation and all). Each team had to build a house that would be structurally sound and the foundation would hold. So last week was spent mixing cement and pounding in nails. The catch was – we had to learn how to build the house as if there weren't enough materials available (because a lot of times in the places we are going to – we wont have access to power tools or some materials). So we had to scrounge around for extra wood, sand for the cement mixing, and nails. We got one hammer and a hand saw. It was actually easier than I thought to figure out how to build a house without materials.

Also we built an outhouse for the host family for team Nicaragua. This family has been living there for a year without any place to go to the bathroom. So we went over there and dug 2 holes, and built them an outhouse...

Tomorrow we are going on an outreach trip. Team Nicaragua will be leaving and going to Los Quijotes, Mexico (still in the state of Tamaulipas) 4 hours south of here. We will be staying in the little community there (about 20 families live there) and helping with some building projects and also hanging out and helping the people of the community. Apparently, according to Benito (the man who is taking us there), this place is very beautiful, with houses made out of palm trees; he said that every American that goes to that place doesn't want to return to Matamoros, because it is so pretty there. So I am excited to be able to see a little bit more of Mexico before I leave.