Civilization!

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We are back in Tena again after a long week in Chichico Rumi. The week was absolutely amazing. We arrived in the village Sunday afternoon, and used our free time to tube down the river. In order to do so we had to take a water taxi up river to a small town where we got our tubes. The "water taxi" is basically an extremely unstable covered canoe with a motar. This is also our daily transportation to work, which can be an interesting ride when there has been a lot of rain and the river is strong. So, after getting out tubes we hopped into a truck, which looked like it was used to transport criminals, and drove through the jungle to get to our luanch point. For thopse who are from Arizona... this was not Salt River tubing. This was like white water rafting in an inner tube. However, the rapids were few and far between, which made for a pleasant ride through the middle of the Amazon. The scenery was surreal. Plush vegetation, dangling vines, a Kitchiwa here and there (these are the poeple who live in and around Chichi. After the tubing, we had a quick wash in the river and headed up to dinner. The girls and I were both a bit nervous for the food in Chichi, considering the rest of the group had told us the food was a bit bland. However, dinner on night one was FRENCH FRIES! Who would have thought. They were authentic fries though... the thickly sliced potatoes covered in grease. There was some sort of meat that looked like hot dogs mixed in as well. That meal quickly prepared us for what we would be eating the rest of the week. Carbs, carbs, carbs. I have eatin enough rice, potatoes, noodles, and beans this week to last me the entire trip. The food is tasty though. Breakfast is typically the smalles meal of the day, consisting typically of either eggs, bread and cheese, or fruit. Lunch always begins with soup, followed by rice and either beans, eggs, or chicken. Dinner is usually similar to lunch.
Monday, day one of work: up at 6 am for a run with Annie, Matt, Pam (all American), and 20 year old Jaime. Breakfast at 8 and then down to the river to take the boat across to the school. The school is located in the village of Puntachinta, a very poor community where naked children and dogs roam the streets looking for food. We spent the first day working in the garden behind the school. The garden we built by a volunteer four years ago, but had since overgrown and become useless. WE also did work on the new kitchen that was recently constructed. The kitchen is a big deal for the school because this will be the new attraction at the start of the next school year. Most children do not get lunch at home, so there is hope that the lunch at school will encourage children to go to school.
After 4 hours of manual labor in the garden, we returned back to Chichi for lunch and an hour of down time. I spent most of the at time playing with Lucas, one of the three monkies in the village. So cute... you put your arm out and he climbes right up onto your shoulder. There are also several animals that look like tiny anteaters that roam around, as well as chickens, dogs, and the adolecent boys of Chichi.
The second half of our work day consisted of digging and hauling sand from the beach up to wheelbarrows at the foot of the stairs. We do this every day from about 2:30 to 4:00. This is hard work.
Let me explain the layout of Chichi. There is one main road that runs from Tena though Chichi. This was built by Texaco four years ago when oil drilling began in the rainforest. In return for allowing Texaco to build this road through the middle of the village, an internet cafe was also installed, along with a basketball court. (The women in the town are amazing at bball) The village we live in is located down off of the side of the road. You walk down a long dirt path, over a few streams, and emerge into the village. This is only about a 3 minute walk. Most of the family we are staying with live up closer to road road in half built houses. (they build as they can afford here). The dining building/kitchen, our bungalo, the museum, and the bathrooms are down in the center of the village. There is also a path leading down to the river that jets off from the back of the village. Therefore, the village is basically on the waterfront.
The week has been tiring and I am covered in bug bites. However, it has been rewarding thus far, and extremely eye-opening. A few days in Tena and we will be ready to return. I must say that I have never been more happy to have a cold shower than I was today! Ah, the simple things in life...

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