A visit to Escuela Issac Arriaga Continued...

This 6th grade girl had heard we were coming, and had already made this butterfly when we arrived. The note says, "Hija de la naturaleza que viajas de Canada. Trayendo tu belleza a nuestro pueblo. Ojala y nunca te alejes y nos abandones pues sin tu presencia nuestro pueblo sera un perdedor." She had also painted a miniature monarch inside a hollowed egg--complete with a tiny branch from the Oyamel pine tree.

The school has a central courtyard. This picture is taken at the beginning of the day, so the students are lined up according to grade level. During their mid-morning break, vendors bring snacks which the students can buy--fruit, bread and even candy. However, most are too busy playing, and the noise bouncing off the walls is deafening. From the same courtyard you could look up at the mountains, and see the 2 church steeples at the center of town.

When school ended, all 365 students flooded out the doors, scattered across town and home for "la comida", the afternoon meal. Children in red uniforms could be spotted everywhere. We walked up the mountain road, admittedly for some peace and quiet, but Adrienne had become famous. She could hear her named being called as she walked down the street, "Andrianna, Andrianna!" they called.

One of the best moments was meeting Celia. She emerged from her house holding her butterfly in one hand and pulling her family with the other. Celia showed us her family's candy store, and her brother Pedro identified the rooster that wakes him up too early every morning. Celia walked with us up the mountain to see the mine where her father once worked. It closed recently, putting 400 people out of work, including her father. He has been gone for over 6 months now, looking for work in the United States. He sends letters every few weeks, along the money he has been able to save.

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