I´m in Quito!

Hi! I´m back in Quito for the weekend with two of the other volunteers, Seth and Chris. This morning we walked around the old town, looking at old churches and plazas. We went to the Monastery of San Francisco, the oldest church in Ecuador, and the Bascillica del Voto Nacional, which Lonely Planet has named the Deadliest View of Quito because you have to climb up several very steep ladders on the outside of the tower. We survived. Tomorrow we are going to the equator line and taking a sky tram up a volcano. Sunday we are hopefully going to the Capilla de Hombre, which is the museum Guayasamin designed for his own work.

Things are going well at La Hesperia. I`ve planted trees in a reforestation area. I´m taking over a project to collect and press all of the plants being grown in the nursery, the vegetable garden and the medicinal garden. One morning Seth and I woke up early to help milk the cows. Everyday I collect the eggs. Last Sunday went for a hike on my own and saw a lot really interesting plants. I´m definitely enjoying myself. Next week a group of kids are coming and we´re taking them on hikes and planting trees with them and whatnot, so that should be interesting. Also next week I´ll be taking over the vegetable garden, which is kind of funny because I don´t really know anything about gardening, but I guess I´ll learn.

A lot of the other volunteers are leaving this weekend, which is too bad. There will only be five of us, down from 10. Meal times will feel very small. Some people have asked about the food. We have oatmeal and bread and jam every morning. They boil some of that mornings milk for the oatmeal, which is neat. Lunch is always soup, then a main. The soups often have potatoes, and sometimes we have broccoli soup with popcorn. Dinner is a main, then dessert. The mains can be anything, beens or beef or fish, and are often accompanied by rice.

I haven´t yet figured out this whole flickr thing, but you can go here to see my pictures.

Happy birthday Claire!