¡Que rico!

And by the way, that subject heading is a phrase everyone here uses for everything that is good in any way, shape or form.

The last few days have been absolutely incredible. Saturday, we went to Otavalo, an Indian market, for some power shopping and bargaining Ecuadorian style. Afterwards, we bummed around Cotocachi, an active volcano crater, took a boat tour and so on. I can´t tell you how much I love being in a program that has an explicit rule stating "No playing around active volcanos without prior approval."

Sunday we left for the jungle. For the record, malaria pills are bad news bears in a big big way. I was so ill in the car ride until we got to our surprise rest stop: Papallacta Hot Springs thermal baths. Basically, the 12 of us went swimming on a chilly, drizzly day in steaming, hot pools. VERY nice. After that headed up and down mountains for a good five hours until we hit a teeny little town, got on a big ol´canoe for another hour and finally arrived at a jungle lodge in the middle of the Oriente (rainforest). A bunch of us went swimming up river a ways and amid tales of anacondas and pihranas (of which there were none) had a grand time. Sunday night we did a short night hike and found all kinds of creepy crawlies, poisonous toads, etc. to give us nightmares.

Monday, we hit the road at 9 for a four and a half hour hike complete with an obscene amount of bug spray, more creepy crawlies, blinding bees, unbelievably steep muddy paths and so on. We stank to high heaven but it was the most fantastic hike I have ever been on. As a reward, we built a log raft and floated/went swimming for a few hours.

Tuesday, however, was the highlight of the last two weeks. We took the canoe to visit an indigenous Quichua family. They showed us their home (high on pilings, straw roof, area for smoking meat, etc.) and taught us how to harvest yucca (a potato type plant), coffee and chocolate and how to clear land for planting. The boys and I got to use machetes to clear the bush...muy MUY chevere! Then, they made us a fantastic meal of yucca, chestnuts, plantain, heart of palm and chicha ( a ceremonial drink). I´m still not sure how I felt about descending on a family like that but they were extremely kind and it opened a window into an entirely different culture.

We left on Wednesday which was quite an ordeal. The heavy rains the night before literally washed entire trees downstream...of course, we were headed upstream in a motorized canoe. A sometimes scary little adventure. On the way we stopped at an animal reserve for injured animals and those confiscated from illegal trade. Monkeys, capybaras, birds, snakes and more monkeys! The drive back to Quito took hours upon hours but there was much Spanish to be studied, sleep to be had and cookies to be bought at every road block.

Today and tomorrow is orientation, registration and so on...then, finally, classes!