We had this community service project on 125th street on Friday at a pre-k daycare center working with underprivileged children and it made me feel really grateful not to have had to go to a place like that. The teachers were strict and harsh all the time! I remember how awful I felt when someone yelled at me as a kid and see these kids getting chastised several times in the course of a day and wonder if they're used to it or if they still feel badly about it. It also gave me this strange urge to see all the people I know as children, see how they act when they're natural and not so self-aware.

The Mattinglys, a British family of five, arrived on Friday as well, and we've been showing them around the city. Unfortunately, I can barely speak because of my sickness, so they all have the impression that I have a really raspy, masculine voice. Still, showing them the city and hearing their perspectives makes me realize just how incredible New York really is. They're almost like the Weasleys--fascinated by our "please curb your dog" signs and intensely interested in the taxi system. They're all really smart and kind and get along very well. The oldest daughter goes to Oxford and the father and mother are working on an archaeological dig in Libya. They're kind of bohemian, and all of their kids were home-schooled until high school, but they don't seem to get tired of each other. The son, Douglas, who's twelve, reminds me of a younger Harry. When he was stooping over a Calvin & Hobbes book at Forbidden Planet and had to be dragged out, the resemblence was uncanny. The whole family is loveable and interesting and wonderful to have, although walking so much and explaining the landmarks has taken its toll on my health. I also haven't been able to use the computer for a few days because the whole family is living in Renata's and my bedroom, so my apologies to all the unread blogs and websites out there.