博客存档 - MOUTH TO HAND LEARNING CENTER

SEEING THE SUN

BY PAUL KLEIN

All my life I prayed for a miracle: to have a voice. My thoughts were mine alone, and that is the loneliest thing on earth. The first day I met Judy was like the first day I saw the sun. Within minutes I was talking to her on the laminate. I could talk! My world opened up, like a flower unfolding. Now all those thoughts that were trapped inside are bubbling out, like a soda can that’s been shaken. What is more precious than talking? What is more precious than friends? What is more precious than sharing who we are with each other?

12/19/2024 1 Comment

Christmas in Uruguay

Today I would like to write about the Christmas traditions in Uruguay. Here Christmas is very different from the US. I don’t need to wear my winter jacket because it is summer! It is hot during the day and chilly at night.

There are not as many Christmas decorations as in the US and the trees are fake. People spend most of the time at the beach. There are no Christmas stockings but they do “secret Santas. (We write down, on a pieces of paper, friends’ or family names, and we put them in a bag and pick.) Then we exchange presents on Christmas eve. Santa Claus is called Papa Noel here, and like in the US, he flies on a sled and brings toys to good children. (He comes when people are eating dinner!)

On Christmas eve, traditionally people eat lamb with vegetables and potatoes. For dessert, they eat flan with dulce de leche. After dinner there are fireworks. On Christmas day, people go to parties and dance.

I am really happy to celebrate Christmas my family in Uruguay!

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12/12/2024 1 Comment

Notes from South America: #1

As I write this, I am in Uruguay. I live here from November to March. My parents bought this land 6 years ago. They were looking to buy a place for vacation in South America. Uruguay is a safe and beautiful country. We built our house and decided to build summer houses for guests. We wanted to add services for guests like horseback riding, breakfast and polo lessons.

Also on our land is Cafe Feliz, a place where people with different abilities can work. It is located by the stables on our farm. It is a coffee shop where people can come and drink and eat what we bake. I work there four days a week, in the afternoons. The other days I work at the stables. My Mom and my sisters created Color Esperanza which is a foundation to help families in need with kids with autism in Bolivia and Uruguay. It helped to start and fund Cafe Feliz, and it also provides free equine therapy.

I enjoy living in Uruguay. My Dad bought me a horse, which I ride almost every day. The weather here is warm and there is a nice breeze from the ocean. I will keep posting my adventures down here.