Costa Rica’s school calendar ends the first few weeks of December, depending on the school. The kids have been hauling home a year’s worth of work. If I saved it all, I’d have to rent another house. But we go through every page and each drawing.

Coco showed me a drawing of a globe. She said they were studying about heating the globe.

“Do you use a hair dryer?”

She laughed so hard, I thought she’d fall off her chair.

“Perhaps you meant global warming?” I asked.

“Whatever mami. Look over here I drew a beaver.”

And that is what keeps life exciting.