My adorable new student group arrived this evening with clean boots and backpacks. One of them is familiar, a girl I had last summer on my Dragons course. One of them also could not come last minute, so we will be 11 for the fall. We greeted them with lei-like necklaces made of sugary sweets wrapped in dyed corn husks and gave them each a calla lily and bird-of-paradise flower. Luispe fired off a Chinese popper-thing of confetti at the airport. It was pretty fun. We also gave them welcome packets with info and maps inside a costal, or like plastic shopping bag. L-e-g-i-t.

However, we've gotten word the road is out on the coast, too, so we will have to stay in the area for the time being. The Inter American highway remains closed as they continue to dig out victims from the mudslides. I spoke to Jose's family out on the coast and they expressed that they have not been well, but everyone's dry and alive. People are suffering out there and I find myself feeling heavy knowing all this is going on around me. The images from the news are terrible, people crying at funerals already and mud, lots of mud. It started raining heavily again this evening, which apparently has been hampering search and rescue efforts.