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So my days here are going well. The school-wide recycling project continues to chug along and it's looking like this year will be markedly better thanks to the addition of a much needed educational component (that's where I come in) and improved coordination between all the parties involved - schools, Silvia's foundation, the mayor's office, the multi-national cement company Holcim, Lions's Club... Damn, anyone else? Phew!

As many of you guys know, my main focus since I joined the project in late January has been to increase youth participation and impart the underlying importance of recycling on both kids, parents and teachers. Since the program's inception three years ago, not much of an effort was made to actual educate students as to why the hell they were missing classes to go out and pick up what many parents simply viewed as garbage. And to make matters worse, a competitive spirit was encouraged (for understandable reasons) which pitted schools against each other to collect the most amount of recycling. However, an accompanying educational component was never developed and (surprise, surprise) each school's participation rapidly deteriorated into nothing more than trying to outdo and ultimately out "garbage" the other schools. Parents complained, teachers gave up, and school directors made side deals with business owners to receive massive amounts of recycling to win the competition. Sounds great for the kids, right?

Sad emoticon.

But that's where I come in. This year we wanted to take the first steps to create a cultural change. I've been visiting the nine schools participating in the program almost every day, meeting with students to discuss the hows and whys of recycling. On good days, you can see the change happening, as we talk about the effects of clear-cutting trees and burning plastic and watch videos on how recycled soda bottles get converted into plastic chairs and broom bristles. On bad days, however, I wake up and my voice sounds like I drank a hot cup of sawdust just before going to bed, from the hours spent corralling groups of 44 teenagers, all too eager to change the subject or yell out snippets of poorly pronounced English they've picked up from the latest Steven Seagal movie they've seen.

But I am making steady progress, and in a week or so I'll pass my 1,000th student included in the educational program. A drop in the bucket compared to the 6,000 students here in Metapan, but it's at least a start. Plus, a few weeks ago, we organized a city-wide parade and awareness event in Metapan to promote recycling and reward the schools with the best participation. Here are a few shots from the day...

We're still a decade away from creating a similar culture of recycling like that of any "green" city in the US, but at least we're taking the first steps.

And finally, in other news, the grad school situation is really starting to take shape. I've got some decent options in front of me and it's definitely pulling my mind back towards the states and getting me back on those travel websites to shop for return tickets home. Chances are I'll be pulling the trigger on a flight this week, shooting for sometime in the beginning of April. It's gonna be tough to transition back to life stateside for the second time, but thawing temperatures and opening day at Fenway will surely help.