June 8, 2003

My South America adventures only began 10 days ago, but already I have had enough experiences that I could return to the States happy! However, there is no chance of this happening, and I can only hope that the trip so far is a sign of what is to come.

My sister, Sarah, my best friend, Kristie, and I arrived in Quito, Ecuador after 16 long hours of traveling. However, the excitement of being in a new country hides feelings of exhaustion and we immediately went to touring the colonial city of Quito. We spent two days exploring churches and plazas built in the 1500's and most importantly, trying new foods! The Ecuadorian delicacy of "cuy" is what we consider a household pet - guinea pig! While passing a restaurant, I made the mistake of pointing out the grilled guinea pig (which is actually the size of a small dog) to Kristie and Sarah! Of course, we were spotted by a group of Ecuadorian women who that it would be hilarious to force us to try this delicacy, which is served whole. It did prove to be a interesting experience as we tried to smile and hide the fact that we were sick to our stomachs!

After the "cuy" disaster, we hopped on a 8 hour bus to Bahia de Caraquez, the coastal town where I spent my last summer volunteering. I chose to surprise the students that I taught English to, and simply walk into their classrooms. They however, were the ones who surprised me as they screamed out "Tia Michelle" and trampled me with a huge Ecuadorian hug! We remained in Bahia for a few days to volunteer a little more, teaching english, physical education and planting trees in order to make their school something more than classrooms without windows. Saying goodbye to Bahia was just as hard as it was the first time and once again, I had to promise my "father" of the home that I lived in, that I would return to marry a nice Ecuadorian man!

Leaving the familiarity of Bahia de Caraquez, we headed to the Amazon where we would test our athleticism and courage against the many insects of the jungle! We started this adventure with a 40 K bike ride on a windy road through volcanoes, waterfalls, and rolling green hills with houses built above the clouds! Covered in mud, our bike ride concluded at a site on the Rio Pastaza, where we would begin our White River Rafting adventure! We put on our wet suits as we were trained in rafting techniques, only to be drenched by the most powerful rain I have ever seen! Who knew it rained so hard in the Rain Forest??? Of course, my sister and I were forced to sit at the front of the raft, where with ever rapid, we found ourselves drenched and fighting to hold on! Nevertheless, we made it through, only tipping once and wanting to do it again!

The rest of our Amazon excursion was spent hiking in knee-high rain boots and ponchos, swimming in waterfalls, searching for Cayman crocodiles in the darkness, visiting with the Shaman of the indigenous tribes, and of course, being eaten alive by the insects! It was amazing not only learning about the culture of the indigenous tribes, but also about the life experiences of other travelers who came with us. One night, we found ourselves laying in hammocks under the stars, captivated by one German's comparison of life before and after the collapse of the Berlin Wall. After 3 days in the Amazon, we returned to Quito covered in mosquito bites and mud, but with incredible memories of world so different from our own!

The past two days have been spent venturing to Otavalo, the largest indigenous craft market in South America, and to "El Mitad del Mundo", the Middle of the World, also known as the Equator. The trip so far has been wonderful, not only for the adventures, but for my spanish and tennis! My spanish improves with every conversation I have with a local and for the first time after my knee surgery, I was able to go out and hit a few tennis balls with my sister!

So after unforgettable experiences in Ecuador, we say our goodbyes today, and in the morning we fly to Buenos Aires, Argentina for a whole new series of unforeseen adventures!

-Michelle Duncan