meet Lupe

we met in costa azul one afternoon as i was tromping around the grounds taking pictures... i turned around to see her curiously watching me from a safe distance. i said hello, asked her name, age... all the normal easy beginner spanish sentences, and she instantly started talking.

she introduced me to polly - the neighbor's parakeet, then pancho, her own families parakeet.. and then mentioned the sunset. so we headed to the beach for a stroll on the sand and she told me all about her favorite animals, how the sea snakes in the bay are dangerous, sharks in the distance and even a story of a girl that drowned at the beach. sounds a little morbid, but she lives a hard life and still finds room to marvel at God's creation.

at 9 years old, the girl easily told me about her life, her school, her family... i understood probably 75-80% of what she was saying. everytime we hang out with some locals, i'm reminded of how much i love kids. they're so simple and straight forward. they give you perspective you could never get from someone your own age. they just want to have fun! so... thanks lupito! te quiero mucho chica y espero que nos vemos pronto!