sorry again for not writing

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well..only 3 more days...sorry i havent writed. we were so busy and i never had access to a computer. then we went to the amazon and there was no electricity so ill try and make up for the lost time...

on the 1st...we traveled to salasca where we were lived indeginous style....it wasnt that bad. my lady had a tv in every room, computer and dvd player. we got to watch them cultvate the land and then we went home to have dinner. for dinner no joke...i had 10 potatoes and a little piece of cuy...gianea pig..i know isnt that sad we ate the little hamster thing..it wasnt that good though. after we went tot a dance where all the indeginous people hang out and we danced together they honored us and gave us a traditional beverage. it was cool. the women their are beautiful.

on the 2nd we wook up and they had a shaman cleanse heidi and natalie and they told them what was wrong with them by killing a ginea pig and examining every piece of it....it was sad i left and didnt see the cleansing because i couldnt see another ginea pig die!!!!! we then watched them dye clothes from natural die...it was a beautiful color and they got it from fungus off of cactus. very neat...after salasca..we went to banos and had a free day. tara, amelia and i went on a bike ride at 2:30 to look at the beautiful waterfalls...their were like 10. the bike ride was 15 km and then we walked down hill to a waterfall. it was amazing...we were like 30 feet away from it...then we had juice next to the waterfall...when can u have juice by a huge waterfall!!!!! we didnt get home until 6:30. long day

on the 3rd we took a bus ride to the amazon. we went to a town called tena and took a cab to the river and we took a canoe to the amazon. the hike was 2 and half hours long with our back packs...omg...it was hard and long. i had the worst backpack...i wound up getting a new ugly one with no padding on the shoulders...i had bruises the next day from the weight of it. when we arrived the place was absolutely beatiful. we were in the middle of no where but it was like alittle resort!!! we didnt get there until like 6pm and they made us a 3 course dinner...every meal we had their was great!!!

on the 4th...we took a hike to a waterfall. the hike was about 3 hours. they told us like2 but i knew..from experience..that ecuadorian time is way longer!!!! hahaha...i fell as i was climbing the water fall and started crying...i was saying..i want to go home..i want to go home..i hate this place...can u imagine me saying that,.,,yes!!!! haha but i was atrooper and lasted the whole camping experience. then we went back for lunch and then our guides showed us some of their local art. they use all of the things in the jungle to make alot of the things that they have. i got to keep one of them. it is a trampo de pescado and it is used to catch fish!!! that night after dinner, we had a shaman, again come and cleanse us. he took halosinagens from cactus and gave it to only people that wanted it. our teacher told us that he wasnt responsible if we had it....so i didnt drink it. i only stayed for a little while becasue they had to do the ceremony in the dark and u couldnt see anything. it was interesting to listen to it...he was sucking out the demons. he told the people the next day what he took out of them!!cool huh... me and katherine went back to our cabins and tryed to go to bed in our fly nets and with our candles...cuz of course their is no electricity in the amazon....

on the 5th.... we went yuca farming....and yes i have proof of me doing manual labor...pulling and peeling and cleaning the yuca...it was fun...i took pictures of every stage for proof!!!! after lunch...we went to the local town and bought arts that they made to make money. i was heartbroken cuz i saw a little girl with a really big stomach and i think becasue she was malnurished. i bought some stuff and then someof us went back to get prepareed for the wedding. natalie and adam got married. we had to show the indeginous people something form our culture that we do...i was the maid of honor and i caught the boughet.... being that i am going to married 1st anyway..it was fun..then we dance around the campfire.

today we woke up at 5am. we did a tea ceremony where u wake up early, drink tea, and educate and talk to the children..the tea is suppose to give u energy but only coffee can give me energy at 5am. we started our hike our of the amazon at 7 and it was alot shorter. after the canoe ride, we were going to go back to the town but they were having a stike about the cost of transportation in tena. they were bloking the roads. we took a canoe about 50 min to town and then took a taxi. the canoe ride was really nice and relaxing. we barely made it to the bus. the bus had to wait for us. it was the most uncomfortable experience ever!!!!... i was disgustingly gross and dirty...i had tar and mud all over my clothes and my legs. anyways..we got to quito and it is really nice. we had dinner and i ate sooooo much!!!!!! i am sooooo full..

that was my week...i cannot wit to get home. people are starting to get a little testy and alittle snappy!!!!! i want to go home. at least when u are home u can leave and get away from these people...but here ur stuck!!!! but anyways...3 more days

love ya and miss ya!!!
kelly

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