First Field Trip

On Thursday Cruz had his first field trip with his school. It was originally planned for next Monday but when we dropped him off they informed us they had to change the day and they would be going that day. The trip was planned for 11:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.   I knew that would be difficult for Cruz considering he takes a long afternoon nap so I planned to go with them in case he got too tired and needed to go home. I knew he would not want to sleep if he was in the van with the other kids so I ended up picking him up a little bit early and drove him there myself so he would nap in the car on the way. That gave him about a 45 minute nap and thankfully that was enough to get him through the day. I am also thankful that Thursday David had not planned to go to Honduras to teach at the Institute. That gave me access to the car and he was able to stay home with Ben. Things just fell into place for us to be able to participate on a short notice.

Cruz sleeping (recharging) on the way there

We drove into Chiquimula to a place called Los Laureles.  We have been there several times before to see the animals and eat at their steak house.  It was our first time though to get to ride the tractor/ trailer ride and eat at their other restaurant that is on the back of the property.

Our first activity was loading up on this trailer and getting a tour of the property.   Cruz was beside himself excited.  We rode for a long time and saw lots of horses, cows, pastures, and corn fields.  It is a beautiful property!

Aboard the trailer we were seated in these chairs that were secured to the floor.  Cruz started off sitting by me but it didn't take him long to move up to the front with his friends.

                       

I am pretty sure he thought that ride was one of the most exciting things he has done in a long time.  That boy was in heaven being pulled around by that red tractor!

looking at the corn fields

We stopped at this horse barn to see the horses.  The owners have some beautiful horses that they raise.  We always enjoy seeing them.

Mrs. Jane (the school director) telling the kids about the horses.  She was also teaching them to say "horse" in English.

Cruz and a few of his friends looking at the horses

 

They said this horse might bite so you can imagine that this was the horse Cruz wanted to be around the most.   Maybe it was that naughtiness that they have in common that drew them together, ha.

He was eager to get up on this saddle and pretend he was riding.

Back on the trailer you can see that all the little boys crowded the front to watch the tractor.

We ate lunch there on the property.  We had one big long table that all the kids and adults gathered around.  I liked that.  Here is Cruz with a few of his buddies showing his true table manners (or lack of).   That boy never ceases to stand out in a crowd, but not always for a good reason.

They served us cheeseburgers and chips.  We had our choice of drinks between horchata, rosa jamaica, or tamarindo.  Cruz chose rosa jamaica because it was red but ended up drinking most of my horchata.   The man sitting across from us had a grilled chicken plate served with black beans and tortillas.  Cruz wanted his tortilla and beans- bad, and he "very sweetly" let everyone know it.  The locals joked about the Guatemalan kids being excited to get cheeseburgers and the American boy screaming for black beans and tortillas.   I love that!

Next we loaded up and drove across the property to see the mini zoo.  The red van in the background belongs to Mrs. Jane and Cruz is obsessed with it.  He loves it because it is red but also because it is big.  He calls it "Mrs. Jane's Bus".  He asked me if he could ride in the bus with the other kids and since there was room I let him.  That was the last time he rode in my car until we left the school to go home (and he didn't want to get back in our car then).

touring the "zoo"

looking at the monkeys

a group photo

Afterwards we drove to the Chiquimula mall to see a 3:00 movie.

all of the kids being a train as they marched in

We saw "Lluvia de Hamburguesas 2".  In the States I think it is "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2".  I knew nothing about the movie, nor had I seen part 1 so it was all new to me. 

Cruz and I in the theater.  He was super excited.  It was his first time to go to the movies and he did very well.  The movie lasted an hour and a half.  He got a little restless about half way though but then sat in my lap and was fine.  He watched the whole movie, never fell asleep, nor ever acted up.  I was very proud of him!  The kids all got "kid packs" of snacks which included a large box of popcorn, two packs of mini marshmallows, a pack of sour gummy worms, and a drink.  We snacked until we couldn't eat another bite.  I had such a fun time sharing that moment with Cruz.

When the movie ended we headed over to the play land in the mall.  Cruz gets to play there often so he was very familiar with it.   The added bonus was getting to play there with kids he knows.  He loved having his school friends there to climb, slide, and run with.

the very large playland at the mall in Chiquimula

Cruz and a friend clowning around

We had planned to get ice cream cones at the food court McDonald's but their machine was not working so instead we marched all the kids outside, down the sidewalk to the other McDonald's that is outside the mall.  There they all got a large ice cream cone and afterwards more play time on the playland there. 

what kid doesn't love an ice cream cone!

It was nearly 7:00 before we returned back to the school to go home.  Once there Cruz decided he wanted to go inside and have school.  Never mind that it was dark, the gate was locked, and everyone else was leaving to go home.  He was not ready to go.  It didn't help that his teacher informed me that he didn't have school the next day.  Cruz was not happy to hear that.  He LOVES school, and he LOVES being with the other kids.  There is only one more week left in the school year and I am certain that the reality of it ending is going to break his little heart.  I am thankful that it has been a positive experience for him and I love all of the things, like this trip, that he has gotten to experience because of it.  He has certainly had a big year.