Feliz Dia de la Maestra! :)

My Intermediate class after our fiesta for dia de la maestra...

Some of my favorite students from the morning Basic 2 class...
Fellow SECAP ¨Profe¨s...

Oh I´m Part of the Magic, Alright

Therese always told us to never turn down an invitation from anyone in Ecuador. You never know what could happen. I´ve had my share of ¨kidnappings¨ and ¨darring vueltas (i.e. going in circles)¨ during my time in Ecuador and breakfasts that last till 7PM, but I very rarely regret taking invites from students and friends while here. I´ve gotten to visit tiny pueblitos in the North, I´ve eaten typical food at students´ homes and most recently, I´ve gone to a magic show at the University with my friend Rachael and her student, Mauro. When Rachael asked me to tag along, I didn´t know what to think. Magic shows can either be really cool or really hokey. We arrived a little late to the Politecnica´s auditorium, where we joined close to 200 students taking a break between finals and thesis writing. Some of the jokes were difficult to understand and untranslatable without ruining the punch line but every time the Magician from Argentina came around looking for volunteers, Mauro hinted to not make eye contact and we wouldnt get chosen...but alas, the magician was looking for an assistant who he described would be ideally ¨chiquitita¨ and thus my magic career began walking on a man who was hypnotized and laying on a bed of nails. Thought you all might enjoying seeing the photo!

Jungle boogie, doo doo--doo doo

As my time in Ecuador begins to come to an end, I figured it best to spend my last long break away from the city and out into the Jungle. Some of the new March´08 Volunteers had some time off too, so we all planned a trip to Tena. After arriving in Tena after a 5 hour bus ride, we were quickly fitted for our new fancy footwear, ie big rubber galoshes, and whisked off to the cabañas. After a quick lunch and a little rest, we headed out on our first trek through secondary rainforest. Our guide and translator were both excellent and showed us the various medicinal and edible plants in that area. We ate a plant that tasted just like a Sour Patch Kid and one that we were later able to make into something of a pasta dish. The second day we went out on a much longer hike that included canyoning in small bat caves, trudging through river water and getting to see a good number of lizards and snakes. We ended the day tubing down one of the Rio Napo´s tributaries and relaxing as the sun went down. Finally on our last day we were able to go on a small hike and visit a community where we shared the typical drink of chicha and some more tasty plants along the way. The entire time was a mix of lengthy hiking and lengthy naps in the hammocks. At one point, a friend found a tarantula, which I later found out is probably the largest species in the world. After our three day adventure, we headed to the actually city of Tena where we saw our first monkey climbing down the stairs from a bridge. We spent our Saturday white water rafting in Class III rapids, which were just perfect for our group--not too much work but just the right amount of splash in your face. All in all, it was a memorable trip, filled with scenic views and never a dull moment.