Big Bad Blog Update

It has been so long since my last post you all must be dieing for new information. Ok my population ecology class has been intense there is so much new information crammed into such a short period. It was hard to believe that mid-terms had arrived after only a week and a half of classes! The subject itself is dry with lots of statistics and case studies. However, I think the second half of this class will be far more exciting. On Friday, we all ship out to the Tiputini Bio-diversity center in the Amazon to do some exploring there. I will be sure to have my camera and extra batteries with me so I can take many pictures!

The Campus that we take classes at while we are in Quito is really beautiful although smaller then KSC; it has lots of art in each of the buildings and a very large tea garden out side complete with a coy pond and waterfall. It is almost more of a resort then a school. Another amazing thing about this school is that it features a culinary program. This means that our lunches are made by student studying to be gourmet chefs! So needless to say, the food is so good! None of you have to worry about me going hungry while I am here.

My classmates are all nice and came from all different backgrounds. Most of them come from the Midwest especially the University of Illinois. We all get along fairly well and so I hope that we will all be good friends after this program is done.

Days off here are very rare but when we do get them, we know how to enjoy. The first free weekend that I was here, I spent exploring the he park that is a block away from the hotel. It was a Saturday and so the place had a carnival atmosphere. One aspect of the culture here that I really enjoy is that people take the time to celebrate the weekend and enjoy it with friends and family. It is like a holiday at the en of every week. Like in the US Sundays are for ‘futbol’ however its not about sitting around in sweats and watching fat guys pummel each other. The soccer fields are filled with people playing with friends and family all in their favorite team’s jersey. It’s a real spectacle to watch. I have not yet had the courage to join a game ever though I was invited several times. Hopefully I will play before I leave. I want to get some more information about the professional teams…I think its time I leaned about another new sport.

Last weekend we where picked up from the hotel and shipped off to a very large out door market. On the way there, we passed thought the mountains and the view out the bus window was breath taking! The market was exciting, so many colorful things and people. I restrained myself from buying everything in sight because I knew that I would have to lug it aground with me for the next 3 months. I would like to go back there when I come back from Galapagos.

I am getting anxious to get out of this loud dirty city and enjoy the quite of the islands. Quito has a very interesting charm. It seems as though just as I am getting used to life in the city, we ship out to the next stage of our adventure. I am ready for the calm of the islands.

I hear tat NH is having a cold snap, you must know that I am thinking about you guys each time I put on sunscreen before heading off to class. Speaking of class, I have to catch the bus, hope all is well and I will update again when I get back from the Amazon.

~Chrysann

P.S: pictures are hard to load here, but I will update the photo bucket hopefully tonight