El Clima

We recently welcomed a Rotary Exchange student from Venezuela into our home. Her English is limited so it has been a challenge to hold conversations. I must say though that she is really trying and it is a delight to speak with her and realize how new and different our local environment is compared to Venezuela.

As we were walking one day she pointed to the sky and said the clima (pronounced cleema) is very fresh!  She told me in her broken English how in Venezuela the sky is polluted and very, very hot.  Even more impressive to her was that we drink the water from our lake and even swim in it!  It made me realize how lucky we really are.  Then she asked me about the "ice in a cup" that comes at Christmas.  I had no idea until my daughter pointed out later that she was talking about snow globes,  and asking me what the name was for the "ice in a cup", or snow.  She is so excited for the snow to come!  She has no idea that once it comes it stays for at least four months!