dave, joyce and mikael Hi Nathaniel and Laura: Thanks so much for the photos of your place. It looks great and we hope that you are enjoying the space and having your own place to live. We have been enjoying our trip that will be over soon. Each place is unique and fun to visit. Tomorrow monday the 19th. we are visiting Amsterdam to see the Van Gogh museum and the church grandpa opened back up after WWII. We will take the tram in and probably walk too. L'Anni has been great and we are enjoying her 3 story house with small backyard in The Hague. Joyce keeps commenting on how we look like the people here except we don't speak Dutch. Love to you both. Pa, David.

Nate Hi everyone! Thanks for all your writings and for looking at our pictures!! We are now on our way to Merida. This city, of around a million people, is close to the northern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula in the south of Mexico. We plan on finding a place to live in a small town on the coast, and commuting to our teaching jobs that begin Mid-July. To Mr. Burleigh's class - thanks for your questions! We probably won't have the chance to respond until this weekend! Tonight we are starting our 26 hour bus ride, and Thursday and Friday will be used to settle down in our new home. That's all for now...we've had a great time in Guadalajara, but are glad to leave the big city! Hope you are all doing well. Talk to you soon!

Mr. Burleigh's class at SCS Nate and Laura - We're still checking up on and enjoying your pictures online. Our students wrote up a few more notes and questions for you. Continued best wishes - we hope your having a fantastic time. - Jamie Burleigh Laura and Nate - I love the pictures of the peacocks. Yesterday we too saw peacocks at the Ashville Game Farm. Sincerely, Shane Davis I hope you are having a good time - Mikael Hi Nate and Laura - How are you doing in Mexico? How many kids go to the school in Mexico? Sincerely, Travis Holcomb Is the dancing in Mexico different from how we dance? Have a good day - Bob Hibbert Did you two get in an apartment building in a town? Did you learn how to speak Spanish? Have a great summer - Dan Mickel Nathaniel and Laura - How are you? Do you like Mexico? Are you having fun? Sincerely, Mike Nann

The Ladies Man Hey it has been meeting you guys, I hope that we stay in touch.....I´m still hot even with my finger up my nose. Ya Baby..........

Uncle Dirck Hi Nathaniel, Hi Laura, It's your " Dutch Uncle " Dirck who is visiting the family & over for Dad,s 97th. birthday. ************************************************************************************************************************* Did you realize Nathaniel that you have chosen, like your grandpa & uncle, to teach EFL ??? My dad, your Grandpa, went out to China in 1929 as an English teacher. I have been in EFL since 1967 so you are a third generation teacher of EFL. Dad told me a corny joke about the use of singular and plural that I have never forgotten. The setting is in a remote area of China and a student is asking a question in class. It goes like this : Professor ... Sir, please tell me, is pants singular OR plural ? Well now Jason, I think it's singular at the top and plural at the bottom. Ha, ha !!! All the best to both of you in EFL ... which is an exciting, demanding, & satisfying career. Love, Dirck < ; }

laura hello again, for teh time being you can see our classmates and our school on our friend chris' website - www.offexploring.com/nakita go to his photo albums, then open the album called 'me vida en guadalajara'...and please don't judge him for his spelling. he, he. (chris, if you read this...i'm justdefending you) studies have been conducted to test wether there is any correlation between spelling ability and intelligence - and there isn't.

laura and nate hello everyone, we just loaded a bunch more pictures and the compuetr failed us last minute. we'll try to post the rest really soon. still to come are picture of classmates, host familes and their houses and of guadalajara. -laura and nate

Donna & Madison Laura, It looks so beautiful. I just want to get on a plane & meet you there. It seems so peaceful...hardly like work at all. Maybe if you are there long enough we will be able to spend some time with you. We will see. Your Mom took some great shots of Madison & Me. I picked out a bunch. Two 8x10"s your Mom included with her initial package of the cost of the film, then she gave me a friend rate om the rest of the shots. I would love to send you some photo's, or other things letter's or what not. Do you have an address where I can send you mail. Hey yuou've not wriiten since 4/27/04. Keep in touch. Love ya!!!!!!!! Donna & Madison

Laura and Nate Hello to Mr. Burleigh's Class, we`re really glad that you all looked at our pictures. Getting your questions and comments was really nice too. We hope you write us again when you have time. Here are the answers to each of your questions. Dan Mickel - Yes, they do have siestas in Mexico. In small towns a lot of stores are closed between noon and 2pm or between 2pm and 4pm. In the cities siesta's aren't are common. Yes, the food is good here. It's a lot of meat though and Nathaniel doesn't like that so much. I really don´t know where the light in the ghost picture came from...that's why I thought it might be a ghost...Yes, we're having fun, but also getting homesick - I (Laura)miss my family. Nate got the website online thourgh a service that helps people who travel keep in touch with the families and friends. - Laura and Nate Travis Holcomb- I (Nate) got my hat out of the tree with the long bamboo stick that is in the picture! It took a few minutes because there were a lot of thorns stuck in it. Yes, we like Mexico. Hey, by the way Travis, do you still have your bike? And did you ever get to use those skis? -Laura and Nate Bob Hibbert- Yes, the cacti were all different shapes and sizes. A lot were round, some ( we didn't get a picture of) were tall and skinny poles. Some have flowers, some don't. Some even have a fruit called prickly pears. And some hurt more than others if you walk into them. The choya cactus has spines with little hooks (like a tiny fish hook) at the end, making the spine really hard to pull out of the skin. The culture question is a hard one...I'll (Laura)have to give that some more thought. Mexico has a complicated history. There are a mix of cultures here, just like in the United States. There are Indigenous (Indian) cultures that are still alive in some small towns , there is the Spanish cultures (from when Spaniards came here to take over) and there is American culture (because the US is so close) The cultures are very different, but there are a lot of similarities too. -Laura and Nate Shane Davis- Yes, Laura and Nate both like Mexico. I(Laura) like the food more than Nate does. Nate likes the music very much. But it's hard not knowing Spanish. Yeah, the picture of Puja with Andy's hat on is funny. She is lying on Andy's bed in that picture. Andy loves both of his dogs very much and he takes them almost everywhere he goes. -Laura and Nate Mike Nann- Yes, it's very hot and sunny here. I(Laura) have already gotten three sunburns. But in the evening it cools down, and that's really nice. In San Miguel, it coukld be as hot as 95 degrees (shorts and t-shirts) but at night as cold as 50 degrees (long pants, socks and a sweatshirt). Have a good day in Schuylerville. - Laura and Nate Mike- Hey, what's up? I've (Laura) been thinking about you. I think you would like Mexico. sometimes the guys on the street here yell really loud- if they are selling fruit, they yell all the names of the fruit. I(Laura) liked sleeping in the tent. Nathaniel did too. But it was a little small. We eat lots of different foods here - chicken, tortillas, corn, avocados, quesadillas, tortas (little sandwiches), tacos and lots of other stuff. I`m glad you liked the pictures. Maybe if we stay here a long time you can come to visit us with your parents. I(Laura) miss you and I miss the rope swing by the river in Schuylerville. Maybe we can go there again sometime. And we can both jump off the rope! Now Nate is gonna write to you. - Laura Hi Brother! How's it going in Schuylerville? Do you like the job you're doing now? How is the baseball team doing? We're having a really good time in Mexico. The family that I am staying with is very nice, you would like them. We start school on Monday, and will be in class for a month. I have to take a noisy bus to school every day for forty minutes! Guadalajara is a very big city! Have a good day in school. Love you - your brother, Nate Goodbye everyone, Laura and Nate

Mr. Burleigh's class at SCS Nathaniel and Laura - We as a class have been following your adventures online with great interest. Thanks for posting all of the fantastic pictures. Looks and sounds like your having a great time what an experience! Each of the students in our class has put together some questions and/or a message for you - if you have an opportunity to respond at some point, wed love to hear from you. Continued best of wishes the rest of the way. Jamie Burleigh Do they have siestas in Mexico? Is the food good? What was the light in the ghost visit picture? Are you having fun? How did you get the web site online? Hope you dont get lost. Dan Mickel How did you get your hat out of the cactus? Do you like it down where you are? Good luck Travis Holcomb Are the cacti all different shapes and sizes? How is the culture different from ours? Have fun and good luck Bob Hibbert Does Laura Like Mexico? Does Nate like Mexico? I liked the picture of the dog with Andys hat on- Shane Davis. Hi. How are you? I like the pictures. Is it sunny and hot? Have a nice day in Mexico. See you later. Sincerely, Mike Nann I like the pictures on the computer. What kind of Mexican food do you eat? Do you like to sleep in the tent? Have a good trip. I miss you. Mikael

Mom-Joyce Hi Nathaniel and Laura-- We gave this website address to Mikael's teacher, Mr. J. and he and the other students in Mikael's class all looked at the photos on Friday, April 23. This is what Mr. J. wrote in Mikael's journal: "We had a great time looking at Nathaniel's pictures today! The students were very interested. Thanks for the address." Mr. J. is planning to follow your website--and hopes he and the class can communicate with you at some point down the road. He thinks its a great way for the students to learn a little about Mexico--and a nice connection through Mikael! Enjoy what time is left at the karacadir--and have a good trip to Guadalajara! Love you! ~Mom/Joyce

Donna & Madison Wow everything looks so beautiful. I'm so happy for both of you. Today is thursday April 22, the day Laura spoke to us at Rocky's. Today Donna & I went to Babies R Us to check out some ideas for a nursery. There is so much to choose from. I am sure Donna will go with some kind of animal theme. I feel so sad and happy for her at the same time. I am sure it is very bitter sweet. The seem to be holding up. Sunday I will watch the boys for Emily so she can work. Now Laura if you were here I would be able to go to church & YOU could watch them before I get home...the nerve running off to Mexico. It is beautiful!!! Oh!! it is sooo cool that your Mom has volunteered to help Donna out with the yoga. That is very sweet. Donna really enjoys it. Well same ole around here. In fact nothing has changed. Will is in the dining room getting hammered as usual and he brings in the biggest bimbo's you've ever seen. I just want this girl to shut up so bad. But guess what you'll be happy to know that she will get hair extentions...just like Paris Hilton. Oh yeah there's a role model. I want to spew. Anyway. we will keep intouch. Take care. Have a great time. I 'm sure the chilren will bring you all the joy you deserve!!! God's Peace Donna Marie

Sara Osborne Hi Nate & Laura: Joyce forwarded me your message and I've been enjoying your photo album. We LOVE hearing about your travels. It sure is a lot more colorful there than it is in s-ville right now! This is a teriffic website too. ciao. Sara.