tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28400850417794748612011-07-07T22:51:55.170-05:003 Months Spent in Tocoa, HondurasSacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.comBlogger801100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-69280761369223349572009-07-15T00:14:00.003-05:002009-07-15T00:18:25.887-05:00

This last week everybody in Tocoa has become accustomed to the toques de queda (curfews). On Monday and Tuesday, I was forced to push my night class back to 4 PM, because the toques started at 6 PM. But by the Wednesday the curfew had been pushed back to 10 PM, so I could hold class during regular hours. This week we had begun working on the present progressive verb tense. I am eating, you are

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-7220937891399985522009-07-05T15:00:00.001-05:002009-07-05T16:15:59.358-05:00

I spent a large part of my day working on a website I have promised my host brother. He is deeply involved with a local soccer club and asked if I would make a website for the club. So basically I have been fooling around with Adobe Dreamweaver and Photoshop. It isn’t easy to create an attractive website! I haven’t done any work on this software in months, so I spent most of the day relearning

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-4033385376624220292009-07-04T23:11:00.000-05:002009-07-04T23:13:24.892-05:00

Saturday was the first day in nearly a week without a six o’clock curfew. Since Monday everyone in Tocoa (as well as Colón Department) has been forced to be inside their houses because of an order of the new government under Roberto Micheletti. People have told me that the curfew started at 6 PM in Colón Department rather than 9 Pm for the rest of the country because A) Colón is locally know to

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-3903566081047338172009-06-29T22:26:00.004-05:002009-06-30T00:49:08.864-05:00

(Advisory: Some national and international channels are deactivated by the order of the current government....)This morning a protest formed on the bridge leading out of Tocoa. The bridge where this took place is the central vein of transportation between La Ceiba and Tocoa. My host brother told me he saw 500 people on the bridge. By the afternoon the police had set up a barricade 2 blocks away,

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-83168888709255164752009-06-28T23:38:00.002-05:002009-06-28T23:42:58.521-05:00

I just wanted to quickly share all of the links I've been following from the US embassy in Tegucigalpa:http://honduras.usembassy.gov/acs_pubannounc2009.html

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-52315745775401359322009-06-28T21:26:00.010-05:002009-06-29T01:35:37.284-05:00

Hey all. I'm doing fine, despite all of the news you have been hearing this weekend. Let me fill you in on my take of what's going on in Honduras right now.Manuel Zelaya was elected the President of Honduras in 2005, from the Liberal Party of Honduras (PLH). Since then he has been seen as an ally of Hugo Chávez and the recently formed ALBA (Bolivarian Alliance for the people of our America).One

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-57044125969685524912009-06-15T14:22:00.002-05:002009-06-15T15:30:26.996-05:00

Hey all,I hope that Minnesota has warmed up over the weekend. IT is STILL hot in Honduras. I went to the local gym for the first time today. A monthly membership is 350 lempiras ($19.50???). It's certainly not the best facility I've been to, but at the same time its all that Tocoa has to offer, so there we go. The gym is only open from 5:30-8 AM so I need to be there around 6 if I want to

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-31592502547770791932009-06-10T12:11:00.002-05:002009-06-10T12:29:16.305-05:00

I started teaching the simple present tense of verbs yesterday to my evening class. They seemed pretty receptive, but I need to remember that they are new to every word I teach them, and I can't take it too quickly with them. Nothing to worry about though. The thing that has helped me most is setting clear objective when writing my lesson plan. This brings clear purposes to my classes. Like I

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-81476088802646208542009-06-09T14:40:00.004-05:002009-06-09T15:08:44.795-05:00

the Banegas family, my hosts here in Tocoa, are big fans of soccer. They love soccer so much that the founded their own club here in town. The club is called the Boca Juniors. If you're not familiar with international soccer, Boca Juniors is the biggest club in Argentina. It is the 8th most successful club this year. It was even the club where Soccer Idol Diego Maradonna spent the majority of his

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-76823764811507107592009-06-09T13:31:00.003-05:002009-06-09T13:56:02.907-05:00

Hey I haven't blogged in a week but I will tell you what I know...Every morning for the last 2 weeks I have been waking up at 7 AM to a gratefully cool 82 degrees, and enjoy my coffee. By 9 AM we're back up to 89 degrees or so. I have an air conditioner in my apartment and am loathe to shut it off when I start my day. At 8 AM I teach a small group of 4 sisters. We play word games, practice

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-20208596810105731342009-06-01T13:02:00.000-05:002009-06-01T13:03:15.137-05:00

So I am in Tocoa Honduras. It is a town of ten thousand plus about an hour south of the Caribbean Sea. I came here to teach English to youngsters, and will be doing just that through the middle of August. Woo!Getting to Tocoa was a journey though. Back last Friday my friend Jake drove me to Minneapolis. I spent the evening packing and repacking all of my things, which included a backpack full of

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-32974885443903396742008-05-30T13:21:00.007-05:002008-05-30T15:01:02.292-05:00

I had little idea of what Lenay and I would be doing for our last weekend in Costa Rica, and for that matter, South America. There had been much speculation over the past week. Would we go to Lake Nicaragua with some Ticas Lenay had met? Victor and some students were planning a trip to Perez Zeledon as well. Even our expatriate friend Nicole was trying to get something going! What Lenay wanted

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-3934794988502864212008-05-23T19:10:00.002-05:002008-05-23T19:15:20.749-05:00

When we visited the park, I decided to make some videos. While it's a chance for you guys to see my mug, they're stupid.So Enjoy

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-29217323362287005702008-05-23T18:32:00.006-05:002008-05-23T19:10:09.863-05:00

What makes Quepos such a beautiful beach seven kilometers away. Manuel Antonio National Park. I heard that it is home to some of the most beautiful species living in Costa Rica. I hear howler monkeys every night. Maybe I'd finally get the chance to see one! This was to be my last weekend in Quepos, so I obviously didn't want to miss my chance.The Texans at D'Amore were planning on spending that

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-23032400068537427842008-05-23T16:49:00.009-05:002008-05-23T18:31:28.327-05:00

So I had just left the beach in Jacó. Knowing how dangerous roads can be in Costa Rica, Lenay and I saddled up to make the seventy kilometer drive back to Quepos. What's dangerous about Jacó and the highway in this country is that petty crime is rampant. I had even been warned by my host father about highwaymen lying in wait for motorists. A group of bandits speed their car past a couple of

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-14128684467385524122008-05-21T20:15:00.007-05:002008-05-23T18:24:17.676-05:00

At 9 AM early on Sunday mornig I standing underneath Lenay's window. Calling out to her 'LENAY; LENAY!,' I saw her peek from behind the window curtains. She had to get up and see this! She opened her mouth, just about ready to speak, and then stopped. groggy apathy quickly transformed into an anxious recognition of the day's activities. I was in the middle of the road with two helmets, sitting

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-54003793751064452772008-05-19T17:32:00.003-05:002008-05-19T18:33:21.204-05:00

May 12th, 2008Good God I'm tired. I have been every night. But then again, being out of the house for 18 hours of the day will do that to a guy. Even this one. But at least I've settled into this routine. THe last one for that matter, until i come home to the ominous reverse culture shock, whatever that means. I'm coming home soon, but let me get a few more words in before that, ok?For as busy as

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-47896422108968001022008-05-13T11:27:00.002-05:002008-05-13T11:29:50.676-05:00

Lenay made this really funny video. She had lugged her video camera around some badass dunes in Ica. What a trooper.Enjoy...

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-69965928719260753802008-05-03T12:43:00.004-05:002008-05-03T14:03:40.861-05:00

I am living in Boca Vieja, which is a few streets of houses and about a five minute walk away from Quepos. I don't really don't know why it has its own name though. My host parents are Rogelio (Yeyo for short) and Lettvia. In their mid-sixties, they are retired on pension. Having two of their children married to Americans, they had been looking forward to practicing their english with me. They

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-78210608168593061242008-05-03T12:17:00.003-05:002008-05-03T13:42:46.867-05:00

Quepos is very different from what I have been used to on my trip. That is to say if I've gotten used to anything. Ok, let me start over. For the last week, I have been roasting in the jungle, in a place that's average May temperature is something around 33 degrees celsius (really hot!). Remember that not three weeks ago I went to sleep shivering in Cusco, wearing socks, booties, whatever to keep

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-86097779110162779372008-04-29T11:43:00.004-05:002008-04-29T12:02:44.324-05:00

I am in Costa Rica. It is hot and muggy, and I haven't stopped sweating since getting here. But I'll talk moe about that later. I wanted to write one last post about Buenos Aires, but there is just so much left to say. Instead, I made a top fifty of my two weeks spent there.So here we go...1. Alfajores (ultra putas)2. Parillas (grill houses, number one stand alone reason to visit Argentina)3.

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-91532147556449749242008-04-28T17:17:00.006-05:002008-04-29T11:39:35.634-05:00

Last week Lenay and I took a long, I mean long trip to see the waterfalls at Iguazu. Situated at a border between Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay, it's a long shot away from Buenos Aires. But I've been thinking about Iguazu since preparing for this trip. We were going.Before leaving the city, we needed to move our lugguage from Hostel Nativo to Manu's house. Frankly, I didn't trust a certain

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-7948018553539471252008-04-22T22:27:00.007-05:002008-04-23T08:57:25.108-05:00

In an effort to take advantage of Uruguay's proximity to Bunos Aires, Lenay and I made an excursion across the Río de la Plata. I loved the idea, because filling my passport with visas has become a preocupation of mine. It's unhealthy, really. I'll spend hours on end staring at my passport, as I did with my toy passport at the festival of nations as a child. Buquebus ofers a day trip to Colonia,

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-46971490205022059372008-04-19T18:43:00.010-05:002008-04-19T20:48:41.786-05:00

Lenay woke me up today at noon. How wasteful of me to spend my time in Buenos Aires, yes I know. But you go out in this city on a friday night. I mean, people aren't even having dinner untill eleven at night! It's an early night if you go home anytime before four in the morning without your fernet.She dragged me out of bed this morning because Manu was on his way over to the hostal with Pauli.

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-73872281592803461432008-04-19T17:08:00.008-05:002008-04-20T11:29:15.741-05:00

For weeks now I've been meaning to write a blog about the experience I had volunteering in Peru. I don't know why I'm behind. I could say I've been busy, traveling and just haven't gotten to it yet. But honestly, I''ve just been having so much fun on this trip. It has been life changing, and my volunteer program was no exception. So here goes...I spent my last two weeks in Peru volunteering in

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-20630234383433688262008-04-18T07:59:00.016-05:002008-04-20T11:30:50.205-05:00

Coming to Argentina as a footbal fan, I had prior knowledge of how big the sport is in this country. I had to check out a game. But which team? Argentina has dozens of clubs. Furthermore, because buenos Aires has two HUGE rival clubs, I had to pick. BOCA JUNIORS, or the team Maradona played for has won six Copas Libertadores (one of the South American championships). based out of a barrio near

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-91953502827618059912008-04-17T10:36:00.008-05:002008-04-20T11:31:27.543-05:00

Aside from nearly getting carjacked, I've been quite busy in Buenos Aires. Besides registering for classes three thousand miles away, I've ridden my first subway. Coming back from the city center felt like riding in a Cusqueño combi bus. I've visited the Casa Rosada. Basically the historical white house of Argentina, I was hoping to catch a glimpse of Madonna serenading her people. Inside was a

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-40186485813393012882008-04-17T09:07:00.005-05:002008-04-20T11:31:59.185-05:00

Buenos Aires. What more can be said? I'm sitting at the computer in my hostel on Godoy Cruz street in Palermo. It's eleven in the morning and I've hardly gotten out of bed, because my late nights have been dominating my schedule. Last night my friends Emanuel and Paulie took us to a parilla. It's a restaurant that specializes in beef. Grilled argentinian meat. I was taken to the upper balcony of

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-71855152145584024932008-04-15T00:29:00.004-05:002008-04-20T11:32:50.176-05:00

Lenay and I spent an hour to get to Lima. At the airport, I exchanged my remaining nuevo soles for american dollars. At 10.25 our flight took off, taking us over the Andes to Argentina and its jewel of a city. Lenay and I sat in row twenty six of our TACA flight. That means back of the plane, next to the bathrooms, and no reclining. Most uncomfortable chair of my life.Our time zones jumped ahead

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-73865198896131779262008-04-14T23:52:00.005-05:002008-04-20T11:34:33.561-05:00

Our flight was to leave at 7.30 AM on Saturday morning. No matter. I could still go out and enjoy the last night in Cusco. Afterall, Alexia did leave me about ten free drink cards for the uptown bar. So Lenay, Fio, Diana and I left the house at ten on friday night after a send off dinner made especially by our host Mom. Lenay left us to go salsa dancing at uptown. The rest of us went to Diana's

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-87893552738292210452008-04-10T17:59:00.003-05:002008-04-10T18:53:57.729-05:00

We disembarked from the ferry and were ushered ashore by Nestor. Following the accents of my British compatriots, I wandered up a stone pathway, wide eyed at yet another beautiful island. More mud brick houses lined the hillside, flanked by terraced gardens, it's visitors being hummingbirds. I found this strange for the climate. The walkway led to the main square of Taquile island. It was really

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-46990488458252038492008-04-09T17:50:00.005-05:002008-04-09T18:11:55.210-05:00

At 8 Am on Sunday morning we shoved off from Amantani Island. Our new friends waved us goodbye as the ferry lumbered out into the morning calm of Lake Titicaca. Lenay and I sat on the top deck, the morning wind at our backs, inspiring us for the new day. I listened to the sound of Andean waves smashing against the hull while reflecting on the past day's events. Amantani has little as far as

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-24786239935195230712008-04-09T17:05:00.010-05:002008-04-20T11:36:18.738-05:00

I wake up as the ferry I'm aboard plys it's way through Lake Titicaca to Amantani island. Home to over two thousand people, Amantani is where I would be spending the majority of the tour. Upon disembarking and filing uphill to a clearing among the rock fenced gardens covering the island, the group was introduced to the twelve families that would be hosting us this night. Ester, a sixteen year old

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-18876362642564067502008-04-09T15:15:00.006-05:002008-04-20T11:35:10.058-05:00

At six Am saturday morning I open my eyes to a half frozen, fog covered window, and behind it, Puno. The capital of it's department and main commercial area for the people of the lake, it sports a population of over one hundred thousand people. I woke up shivering, noting a considerable drop in temperature between Puno and even Cusco, where I wear at least two to three layers, daily. Only

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-62475060161974879102008-04-08T18:19:00.002-05:002008-04-08T18:52:25.841-05:00

Lake itty bitty Titicaca. Our final excursion in Peru. Sitting at over 4000 meters, it is the highest navigable lake in the world. On the ballot for the new seven natural wonders of the world, this destination was not something I was about to pass up. but then, that was never the question. What Lenay and I had been debating over the last week was how to get there. Between taking a travel agency

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-34831619514569744162008-03-31T17:25:00.002-05:002008-03-31T17:29:11.935-05:00

Liz came to Peru during her Spring break. She made a video about it. Note: no ruins were harmed in the making of this video.

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-13800403150538222712008-03-31T15:58:00.003-05:002008-03-31T17:25:12.740-05:00

One thing that my friends know is that I have been complaining about not being able to go snowboarding this winter. I know, shut up Erik, you're having the opportunity of a lifetime right now and all you can do is bitch about the things you don't have. Don't worry about hearing me anymore, I've taken my passion to a medium. To ninety degree burning three hundred foot sand dunes in Peru.I first

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-76530100560560515792008-03-24T10:17:00.006-05:002008-03-24T11:54:15.407-05:00

Back in Pisac, on our way to Machu Picchu, We all bought tourist tickets, which allowed entrance to a variety of archeological sites and museums in and around Cusco. 10 days later, Lenay and I did some last minute sight seeing to get our money's worth. On Esater sunday we visited Saqsayhuaman, the ruins of an Incan fortress overlooking the city of Cusco. Unique from Machu Piccu, the masonry there

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-90602678861773896852008-03-21T16:21:00.004-05:002008-03-21T17:47:59.500-05:00

Before I begin, do I know somebody starring in Public enemies? Wear a sweet zoot suit for me buddy! Lenay and I took Liz to the airport at 1:30 this afternoon. I understand it will take until 2:30 TOMORROW afternoon to reach Minneapolis. I wouldn't feel bad except she and Lenay spent the last two days traveling two and from Arequipa, a department to the west of Cusco. Sixteen hours riding a bus

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-6746704561269217392008-03-20T10:07:00.007-05:002008-04-20T11:37:10.642-05:00

I was woken up to the sound of rain pattering on the corrugated roof tops of Aguas Calientes. I looked at my watch, 5 AM is too early a morning with the price of Cristal in Peru. Oh well. We all scrambled to pack our bags, and hurry out the door of Hostal Tumi by 5:30. Ok, if I had an alarm clock, the snooze button would have been broken by this point. But I did wake up eventually. Dashing down

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-65376984392740627352008-03-18T13:39:00.007-05:002008-03-19T13:46:52.660-05:00

Sunday, March 17, 2008Aguas Calientes, Sacred Valley of the IncasLenay woke us up at 7.45 this morning at the Hostal Las Portadas. We had a train to catch at 9, but I'm usually following Lenay off of the beaten track. Wandering down the narrow cobblestone side streets of Ollantaytambo, nothing but further appreciation for the city grew as I was greeted by the village locals. After 45 minutes of

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-16551052913711805502008-03-18T11:40:00.007-05:002008-03-19T12:44:18.256-05:00

Saturady, March 15, 2008Pisac, Cusco, PeruToday marked the end of my two week respite since arriving in Cusco. Or rather, I will no longer be spending my afternoons watching pirated movies and drinking Inca cola. It's got to go. It was a great change from the chaotic schedule Lenay and I had in Ecuador, but I've got to see all that is Peru. Why not start with the big one?Lenay's good friend Liz

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-22192940147530094032008-03-10T16:33:00.005-05:002008-03-10T17:35:10.799-05:00

I love soccer. I love the sport. I love the passion for the game that we lack in the States. Honestly, it's like our passion for every professional sport focused into one dynamic slugfest for global supremacy. It's like a life long love affair this far south. Armando and Renato (My host brothers) invited me to play with their club team Sunday. The game started at 4 PM, and although we were all a

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-2136450744429875872008-03-08T17:24:00.004-05:002008-03-08T18:22:53.378-05:00

I've been in SA for a good two months now. I've been to my share of discotecas. And you know I've done more salsa dancing now than in my whole life. With every new town, Lenay spends the first week asking new acquaintances about the best salsa joints around. After hanging out at Amauta for a few hours, getting out of my chair to occasionally spin and twist with Maggie, our resident instructor, a

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-53012088309305716482008-03-07T15:54:00.006-05:002008-03-10T17:20:00.377-05:00

I have to say now, I'm really starting to like Cusco. Well, apart form all of the tour operators, preying on me during my walk to school. It's cool, everybody SHOULD bungie jump from a random cliff in Peru! That would be awesome. What it's come down to is me rejecting my anglophonic roots on the streets, fully embracing this education. No hablo ingles amigo. Sorry.The transportation system in

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-89786934789878134972008-03-05T18:27:00.005-05:002008-03-06T10:31:01.885-05:00

Well, another town, another twam to support. This team got beer banned from the stadium. nice work guys. Cienciano de Cusco played one hell of a game today. 4-1, against Universitaria of Lima. I'm convinced and more than a little irked by the players taking dives, swaying the joke of a referee that was out there. By the end Universitaria left the game two players down, though. Goes to show,

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-63903361821756013722008-03-04T17:08:00.003-05:002008-03-04T17:18:44.788-05:00

For those of you who missed my earlier albums on FLICKR, here are my twin albums via facebook. Hope you enjoy (again).-Erik1. Cuenca2. Baños3. Carnaval in Salinas4. Ingapirca5. Anaconda Program6. Liga Game 7. Otavalo8. Mindo9. Quito10. More Quito

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-67672744226035253032008-03-04T16:15:00.009-05:002008-03-04T18:41:36.123-05:00

For the last 3 days I've been getting acquainted with Cusco, Peru. The culture is fairly different from that in Ecuador. I love Ecuador, and I plan on returning there someday in the near future. But the new culture is refreshing. What's even more refreshing is that I'm living in the cradle of Incan civilization. there are still walls in the city center that were built before the arrival of

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-42244359930391201362008-02-28T16:10:00.004-05:002008-03-02T20:36:00.973-05:00

I've got two days left in Ecuador. It's a little sad, but I have a feeling I'll be coming back some day (hopefully soon). We've visited most of the big museums by now. Honestly though after the run-ins we've had with would-be thieves, I don't feel too bad about leaving Quito. I love the family I'm staying with, but the fact is, as my Peace Corps friend Zac told us, Quito is the most dangerous

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-32096096902378035182008-02-27T18:40:00.004-05:002008-03-05T10:36:44.378-05:00

It rains every day in Quito. It's sunny in the morning, until about noon. Clouds start rolling in over the mountains, and by 2:30 p.m., you're looking at a downpour. Carrying an umbrella is already a regularity for me -- $2.25 from a corner tienda. If you get caught in the rain, don't expect your clothes to dry out quickly. It took nearly a week for my pair of tennis shoes to go from soaked to

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-23001384044167807222008-02-26T12:06:00.005-05:002008-03-02T20:57:10.780-05:00

For the last week or so, L and I have been arguing over whether or not to go to Baños. It's an interesting city and popular visit for tourists, but the three and a half hour bus ride has been turning me off to the idea. So for the time being, we decided to go to Mindo. It's a city about two hours to the west of Quito. Located between two different ecological zones (mountains and coast), it's

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-55774957280974557222008-02-26T10:17:00.006-05:002008-03-02T21:48:02.415-05:00

My current host mom Zaida told me last week about the biggest market (fería) in Ecuador. It's located in Otavalo, a two hour bus ride north of Quito. We should have left in the morning. But instead, I slept in until noon for the first time in a month. It was worth it. After lunch, L and I took the Barrio Nuevo bus line down from our house on La Gasca to Flota Imbabura, a bus station in the middle

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-34084418845461410422008-02-21T10:37:00.007-05:002008-03-02T21:53:59.730-05:00

Anticipation was high as L and I took the 30 minute metrobus ride to the stadium last night. I had no idea of what to expect. Sure, I've been to a Minnesota Thunder game once when I was 11 years old, but what kind of comparison is that? Fútbol is in the blood of all Ecuadorians, and for that matter, the rest of the world. The sport encompasses all other aspects of culture, politics, regionalism,

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-87830344030932768662008-02-20T17:31:00.007-05:002008-03-02T22:07:37.180-05:00

We went to La Mitad del Mundo today. THE CENTER OF THE WORLD, PEOPLE!!! It's this really tourist-oriented landmark, with shops, restaurants, tours, and a monolith. Funny thing is, it's not really on the equator. It's really a few kilometers away on top of some hill. Because of gravity's weakened pull at the equator, everybody's weighing a few pounds less here. We took a tour of the volcanic

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-65965239870638583662008-02-19T18:54:00.006-05:002008-03-02T22:12:33.731-05:00

So everyone at the Spanish Academy has been telling me about how dangerous Quito is. Students apparently get mugged weekly. The head instructor flipped when he caught me wearing my camera case outside of my clothes. How stupid of me. Because of all the hype, L and I have been a little on edge since getting here. I don't want my camera stolen! So far so good, though. Last night our new host father

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-82702987266927294692008-02-18T17:21:00.009-05:002008-03-02T22:21:20.960-05:00

Well I've made it back to Quito. It's been raining constantly all day. I'm not in Minnesota, but after leaving the Amazon, well damn, wool socks weren't such a bad idea. I'm living with some interesting Quiteños this week. Sr. Manolo is a master painter. The house is filled with his masterpieces. Sra. Zaida hails from the coast, and as the Ecuadorian stereotype goes, can cook just about anything

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-32225233760325275802008-02-18T16:23:00.013-05:002008-03-02T22:34:00.203-05:00

Dateline: Tibetan Paradise, Napo, Ecuador; February 14, 2008Last night we left Amarongachi. Since it's winter it rains pretty much every day in Ecuador. Especially here in the rainforest. Nothing dries out. The clothing I wore climbing the waterfalls Tuesday is still soaked. Even my notebooks are damp. It's a perpetual sticky climate. I'm getting used to it though, and plus, it beats the Midwest

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-85392015155237603282008-02-18T14:58:00.006-05:002008-03-02T22:38:51.716-05:00

Dateline: Middle of nowhere, Napo Province, Ecuador; Feb 12, 2008I'm hiding under some palm thatched cabins, cowering from a torrent of tropical rain deep in the Amazon rainforest. Well not that deep, only forty-five minutes away from civilization. But it's the Amazon!!! When we run out of potable water I'll just step outside and quench my thirst on the tears of God. It ain't heavy...A 20 year

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-83874885841715873922008-02-10T11:51:00.000-05:002008-02-10T18:50:48.636-05:00

Well that's it. I'm leaving Cuenca in a few hours, at 6 p.m. on a flight bound for Quito. To all my new friends, it has been a pleasure getting to know you these past few weeks. Hopefully we will cross paths in this crazy world. The gig bummer for me today is that the first regular season game for Club Deportivo Cuenca is the day I leave. What a shame.L and I went to Ingapirca yesterday. They are

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-60090479031042135852008-02-08T18:37:00.000-05:002008-02-10T18:39:15.413-05:00

Today was our last day of class at Sampere. Of all the things I've learned in the past four weeks, L and I both agree that we're finally getting a grip on el subjuntivo, or subjunctive verbs. Thank God. It's been tormenting me for years, these "would verbs." I know that my classmates will be in tears when I'm not strolling in to class at 7:49 a.m. on Monday morning. They'll have to carry on with

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-59236909481525553252008-02-07T20:36:00.000-05:002008-02-10T18:22:59.789-05:00

Today marked the first day back at Sampere in nearly a week. We missed the first two days back since Carnaval, but there lies the trade-off. Needless to say our instructors were glad to see us back. I feel much better after leaving Salinas and La Costa in general. Between drinking sea water, and the warm temperatures, my body could take it very well. I suppose I am not that accustomed to

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-38345927009310643482008-02-05T14:12:00.000-05:002008-02-10T18:05:36.761-05:00

Carnaval. Whoo! So I've been writing about the big festival these past few weeks. I thought it was bad in Cuenca. Well in Salinas, it's ground zero. I'm talking roads, shoulder to shoulder filled with filthy, stinking youths, showering each other with eggs, water balloons, water buckets, and this foamy aerosol called karaoka. I was bathing in this stuff within minutes of arriving in Malecón (

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-14231941022656464282008-02-05T13:56:00.001-05:002008-02-10T17:55:53.145-05:00

We puled into Salinas on Friday night, where it was noticeably hotter and muggier. Paul's brother owns a vacation house within a gated community in town. Imagine a Desperate Housewives telenovela (or for my Spanish classmates, Viudas de los Jueves).The whole extended family went to the beach on Saturday morning. On the way there we loaded the car with water balloons and pelted many grateful

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-18874336958447129762008-02-05T13:03:00.000-05:002008-02-10T17:49:52.508-05:00

We left for Salinas on Friday afternoon. Paul, Nelly, L, Caro and her friend Estephanie piled into the family's Toyota Camry, and and began our trip to the coast. The countryside outside of Cuenca is absolutely beautiful! Everything is green, the road is nestled in between the sharp rising hills. They are dotted by cows, other farm animals, the occasional village, and luscious foliage. Very, very

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-25658123080576922602008-01-31T18:17:00.000-05:002008-02-10T17:44:25.806-05:00

This afternoon Nelly told me that the family is going to Salinas this weekend. Salinas is eight hour drive away from Cuenca. Located on the coast, I'm told that it's of the same breed as Cancun, Mazatlan, and other tourist stops in Mexico. Normally I wouldn't find that attractive, but it gives me the opportunity to see the Pacific Ocean for the first time in my life. Additionally I'll get some

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-83600222959328419422008-01-30T18:46:00.000-05:002008-01-30T23:31:09.011-05:00

Our class visited the Cathedral del Sagrario today in old Cuenca. Now the Museum of Religious Art, the artifacts there are either art solely created by the nuns (remember, the ones that never leave?), daily tools or general artifacts of that nature.The museum itself was built in the Nineteenth Century, but parts of the cloister date back to the Sixteenth, far older than most buildings in North

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-77495428150905971762008-01-29T15:27:00.000-05:002008-01-29T18:41:09.365-05:00

Since my arrival in Ecuador, I've been getting fatigued more quickly, taking longer siestas, and generally feeling groggy. All of that changed yesterday. After 14 solid days of living at 2500+ meters above sea level, I finally feel like I'm bouncing back. Yesterday was the first time I kept pace with L during our daily jogs exploring Cuenca. It felt incredible. Usually I would be short of breath

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-31583682521907003792008-01-28T12:25:00.000-05:002008-01-28T22:54:39.457-05:00

I finally made it to Baños this weekend. Imagine a colonial villa, white plaster walls, terra cotta roof, saunas, pools, etc. I'm sure you get the idea. L and I met up with Flor, a severely hungover British Jack, and Priscilla (L's new Cuencana friend). We took the Number 11 bus to the hills on the outskirts of Cuenca. I had gotten a serious case of food poisoning early that week, so it was a

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-69259051608823412542008-01-27T18:13:00.000-05:002008-01-28T22:52:57.260-05:00

At 9 a.m. this morning, 19 students piled into a bus. Destination... the Ecuadorian countryside. L and I have been stoked about this all week, because it was our first trip outside of Cuenca since our arrival. As the old tourer lumbered out of Cuenca into the Andes, I couldn't help but recall the first time seeing mountains bigger than the glacier-carved hills bordering Lake Superior. To be able

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-18786245259837807802008-01-25T12:36:00.000-05:002008-01-26T23:12:25.601-05:00

So I didn't make it to Baños yesterday. L and I have tried making plans with a bunch of people, and needless to say... they didn't work out. Maybe today will be different. L made friends with a Cuencana the other night, but I have yet to met her. We have to go to Baños today!!! Hopefully third times the charm.Instead we explored some more of downtown Cuenca. Every block I pass it seems I smell

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-92182683196970182842008-01-24T11:37:00.000-05:002008-01-24T21:11:22.202-05:00

This morning I woke up the same way I do every morning. L walks up to my room and rips of my blanket: "YOU'VE GOT TO GET UP NOW!!!" What can I saw I like my sleep!Our host mom usually has breakfast ready for us at 7; usually a roll, jam, yogurt (really thick juice) and coffee. We've got to be out the door by 7:30 because there is a 10 minute walk between us and Sampere. Dodging morning traffic is

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-28866244983306071962008-01-23T13:15:00.000-05:002008-01-23T18:49:09.751-05:00

I just got done with a tour of El Museo Etnográfico del Banco Central. They are featuring an exhibit on the native cultures of the Ecuadorian Amazon. Quite simply, it was amazing! From ceremonial masks to scale models of homes to conventional tools that were used by the many nations, we were given a definitive look at the lifestyle of these peoples.To culminate the exhibit, the museum displays

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-14016368195331734212008-01-22T18:10:00.000-05:002008-01-22T22:16:48.936-05:00

Cuenca is becoming a real experience for me. Communicating with locals becomes easier day by day. Cuencanos have stopped trying to speak to me in English. I even find myself talking politics with my host father nightly. It provides the kind of feeling when you know you're going to make it. This is why I came to Cuenca.Estudio Sampere has greatly helped me with my grammar in the last week. They're

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-37711749275852897932008-01-21T12:19:00.000-05:002008-01-29T18:44:50.379-05:00

Our host family took us to their quinta yesterday afternoon. A quinta is basically a villa, a parcel of land that was originally part of the family hacienda. Walking back from the Rio Cuenca (union of the four rivers of Cuenca), I was showered with water from five kids, and L literally soaked people. February 3,4 and 5 are the culmination of the water soaking season. I'm terrified!!!This weekend

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-18793441073171797762008-01-19T11:15:00.000-05:002008-01-19T12:07:47.744-05:00

There's a parade marching the streets of old Cuenca. Costumes, trumpets, fireworks, the whole shebang. Very cool. There are children riding burros, and a band following them in reverie. I've been told that these 'pasadas' are a fairly common ocurrence in Cuenca. Equal to it's nightlife, Cuenca is alive even on the weekends...This week L and I were initiated into Carnavale. It seems not a day can

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-63983681186355804052008-01-18T19:24:00.001-05:002008-01-18T19:58:12.410-05:00

As a matter of course, one eventually learns that the Inca was not the first culture to develop in the Andes. Fascinating people flourished in the nation that is now called Ecuador. The Tolita, Guangala, Bahia, and Jama Coaque are just a few of the societies that lived there long ago. Cities have been built upon the ruins of these ancient civilizations. Their memory, however, has been retained by

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-24364050989486866222008-01-18T09:42:00.000-05:002008-01-18T12:09:24.289-05:00

I was in a cafe across the street from my school when I wrote this Thursday afternoon. I battled fatigue this morning to make it to school. It was a serious trial... but that's what happens when you are at the discotheque too late.Drinks in Ecuador are dirt cheap:Rum and Coke, 1.50Pint of beer, 1.00Mojito, 2.50Peace of mind... pricelessThe food here is what all ethnic restaurants in

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-2543305189206202972008-01-14T19:34:00.000-05:002008-01-19T11:58:23.128-05:00

Today was my first day of school. The temperature is hovering around seventy degrees and partly cloudy. My host father, Paúl drove us to school this morning, though we will usually walk there, being only ten minutes away from my house. Our host family is awesome. My host mother, Nelly, is a doctor and professor of medicine. Her esposo, Paúl is a businessman who sell furniture out of his store.

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-69584239783729181632008-01-13T10:03:00.000-05:002008-01-19T11:59:35.141-05:00

I'm sitting in the internet center of the Hotel Akros right now. In the middle of downtown Quito. The flights were a success. Due to the fact that I haven't been on a plane since 1992, needless to say the experience was an awesome one at that. As we took off I saw the landscape of Minnesota fade into the obscurity of a Google Earth vista. Ear popping and turbulence were no exception to the

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840085041779474861.post-633123822690943632008-01-04T11:40:00.000-05:002008-01-04T11:43:26.377-05:00

Hey everyone. As you all know my time in Duluth is growing short. I've created this blog to keep you all posted on my progress in South America. I look forward to hearing from all of you; feel free to email me about any questions, comments, etc., or just to ask hows it going. I look forward to seeing you all in 5 months!

Sacharunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15879598081007641580noreply@blogger.com1