I'm writing this to keep everyone updated of our activities, and so I can remember what we've done while in Quito, Ecuador. I've never read or wrote a blog before, but from what I understand, journal-type blogs are terribly boring. So in addition to an account of our lives, I'll add something new I've learned about Ecuador/Quito/South America, or just a fun fact about them so this blog is a bit more interesting. Since being here we've found a nice appartment in a area of Quito called Gaupulo. It overlooks a valley and Gaupuo church. Every evening the valley fills in with clouds. We're supposed to be able to see Cayambe volcano from the apartment, but it's been too cloudy. We started Spanish lessons this week and they are going well but slow. It's still hard for us to comunicate with someone who doesn't speak english, which is most people.
We started work the first full day we were here. Everyone at the school has been very welcoming and helpful. I've been working on making a map of where the project will got this summer for more research, and Amber's been helping in the lab finding the T. Cruzi parasite. I haven't gotten sick yet, but Amber came here with a cold that she just finally got over. I think she gave the cold to the secretary here. I told her she was like the Spanish conquistidors by bringing disease overseas to South America, but she didn't find it as funny as I did. Interesting fact about Ecuador and probably Latin America in general: you are not supposed to flush toilet paper down the toilet. It will clog the pipes and the septic systems can't handle it. Every toilet here has a little trash can next to it where you put used paper. Flushing toilet paper is not an easy habit to break.
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