Week 2

I think I'm getting used to this.  Again, there are many things that we don't have that was just there in the U.S.  Basic necessities.  Carry your own toilet paper!!

We've been giving bible studies everyday here.  We have breakfast, some classes (Espanol), lunch, then out for bible studies.  A small supper, usually of fruit, bread, and leftovers are up for grabs.  It's very hot and humid, though it's cooled off a bit lately.  Extremely dusty and lots of buses and motortaxis.  We walk by many mango trees which we hit ripe mangoes off with branches and rocks.  Haha!  In US, most people don't care about the Word.. especially since life is so comfortable and just don't feel the need.  Here, it's like they just drink it!  We've had studies with 1 to 7 people at a time.  We gave bibles to those that do not own one and pamplets for the studies.  Absolutely amazing.. I myself have been learning way too much.  I'm able to understand much much more spanish!  I feel like on a happy drug, if there is such a thing.  :D  I think this is something that one must experience to realize.  So, moving on~

Vegan food is really good here, unlike nasty cafeteria vegan food served at Southern.  I had the best best lentils ever!  I never liked lentils until here.. haha  It's mostly Columbian food, since the cooks are from Columbia.  All the foods are made from scratch (fresh organic foods) and takes much more time to prepare.  Especially for 28 people.  Most of the food, it's a first for me and a very good first to put it simply.  As Jose always says, "It's amazing!"  We went mango picking!  Fun but very tiring.  Must've picked around 50 mangoes. 

I did some garden work or "clearing the jungle".  I feel so bad as a biologist.. but it was fun deforesting a bit.  ;)  So many interesting bugs!  Gigantic moths and beetles!  Spiders... yeah, hate those.  So far, a different bug everyday that I see.. especially after a rain.  I got my share of mosquito bites.. maybe 20 or so in a day?  My leg looks all red and lumpy.  Mosquitoes here are tiny and there are also biting flies: very tiny as well (piqueno).  There is a massive frog that visits every night.. might not be the same one but you have to keep your luggage and tents closed.. just an fyi. 

Ben has a panflute, which I got to try playing.  Props to woodwind players, I was out of breath so quickly!  Not as easy as it seemed on Youtube.. XD  I wish there is a cello here!  I've asked the Bolivians here.. they don't think it exists in Santa Cruz.. -______-;;  Oh well~  People love to sing here and I've been playing the keyboard that they have here.  Even in large churches, there is no piano.  They are all imported and so it's very expensive.  Actually, keyboards are rare too. 

I've been getting to know people better.  I know all the guys here but not so much the girls.  Mainly because they do not speak english.  There are a couple other people from the US, a family from Jamaica, Panama, few from Columbia and of course Bolivia.  There are 3 toyotas that we ride..  Very fun to hang outside the car: bumpy and lots of wind that just rushes by.  Nice during a hot day.  One of the cars kept having problems so we did have to walk a bit and push the car too.  I forgot to wear sunscreen.. think I got a shade or two darker.  We went to Quebrada Leon for a couple days: that was fun!  We didn't work much in the garden since the weeds just grow right back.  We went to a waterfall/national park.  We saw two waterfalls.. 86m and 120m high!  We swam and dove at the bottom.  Also played some soccer on the sand.  I hope I didn't step on one of the many small frogs.  lol  We took a large watertank on top of the land cruiser to sell.  We drove far out in the country.. saw people that probably never saw an asian.  lol  They could've all made pictures for national geographic or something.  So cultural and native.  Houses are made of palm branches, canes, and basic boards of wood.  The road was insane.. practically unusable after a rain.  Gave a couple random people rides to Calera.  Approximately 3 hours to walk to and 45 mins by car.  It's only 11km too!  Besides tamarin trees, I found out that there are grapefruit and different types of mango trees!  Can't wait until those are ready.  ^^  We played soccer with the people building the mens dorm at the school.  I wore my crocs to play but the rest of the people played barefoot.  Have to watch for the cow poop!  ;) 

Again, no pictures..  I'll try to upload them asap!  til then, hasta luego! 

Nov 18-22