HELLO

hey hey

its about time I showed sign of life on my english blog since I had the gall to announce it to everyone! I cant even remember the last time I was on my english blog... oh well...

here goes nothing: I am in Jipijapa, in the final days of my "stage" in the family. for now I am with Ben, Rox and Emilie in a café internet to my great delight. Later, I´m bringing Ben and Rox to my hole in the jungle house because they´ve been living the entirety of their stage in the city and are anxious to see tarantulas and get eaten by a milion different things like I am!

Right now I look like a leper. I have red blotches from "manta blanca" all over, but especially concentrated on my right forearm, I have a zillion little bubbles of bites on my LEFT arm, my skin is peeling in my back and shoulders, I have scratches everywhere, and also from the Cane extraction expedition, the tender part of both my forearms (underneath) are riddled with smalls cane darts.

So right, about the Cane extraction, that was yesturday and yesturday was the best day of the stage so far! Lets start at the beguinning! I got up early, assessed my bites from the night adn quickly went off to town my my daddy and his grandson, it took 30minutes of walk in the jungle and 20mins of a ride in the back of a truck. we got to UPOCAM, which is the building of the organisation with which we are working (Union Provincial Organisation Campesinos de Manabí) and, on Guillaume´s initiative, we made CREPES with maple syrup and nutella for all the ppl at UPOCAM while they were waching the MUNDIAL Ecuador vs. Costa Rica! And we WON!!!! what Euphoria! I was really SCARED each time they scored! and when they WON... HURLUBERLU total!! OMG!!! soon after, the 11 gringos got in the white truck (like the outdoor cage hold-on type) and we went out into the streets of Jipijapa to get to America (a community where we are going to work) but it was HAVOC in the streets to get there! cars and trucks FULL of yellow-sporting supporters screaming and banging! we had SO much fun with them in our truck!! and we were off on the superspeen highway in the truck! its so FUN!!! what a trip! WOW!!! anyways... we eventually got the the location of our exploit and eagerly got into the forest to learn what we were to do... so we had to move 50-75 logs of Cane (like bamboo) 5metres long of varying weight 200metres out of the jungle... through ravines and slopes and such... we got all dirty and sweaty and disgusting but what FUN! finally! we did somethign!! I loved it and I cant believe anyone complained! it was great, problem-solving, teamwork, etc... it took us like 4hours!!! after, we went to Amilie´s for "lunch" at 3 and had guess what? RICE!! (duh... 3 times a day...) and nummy home-made Juice of Honey Dew Melon and a banana! mmm.... we all wanted MORE we were so tired and dirty! anways. After it was more car and bringing some ppl home. we went back to UPOCAM at Jipijapa and I had to wait for my dad to finish working. we killed time with Ben, Guillaume and Jorge the annoying/hyperactive/intrepid little boy of UPOCAM who follos us around. we juggled and talked and had fun! and the night, I got to take a happy washing in the jungle and wash my clothes too!!

Anyways, just for the record, the days are usually less filled and exciting, obviously. Today, im just chilling...Tuseday was horrendously boring at the 28th anniversary of UPOCAM... urkl. Wednesday also. I just went to see Jessica and helped her at the primary school... it was ok.

The weekend at Puerto Lopez was really intense. Emotionally roller-coaster-ish from the high of jumping in to the Pacific the first night fully-clothed to the low of recalling the end of my musical life. Plus, many things happened to the group. Some get closed, others, more appart. Patrico left us... long story I´d rather not right out, but im really afraid for him right now. Me, Ben and Rox are spending much more time together, etc.

But the stay with the family before that was slightly moronic... I hated it for the most part... see my french bloh for more info...

Must be gone...

GO SEE PHOTOS!!!! HUGE UPDATE!!!

Emilie-Anne