So I think I can salsa :)

First things first, I received 2 packages!! So it turns out the address works but unless the package is the size of my hand it will end up in a larger city 2 hours away. But don´t worry the trip was worth it :) My lovely sister in law, Lori, sent me 5 LARGE bags of my favorite sweets - so much that even with my sweet tooth it may last the rest of my stay here. Unless the three year old, Noami, steals it of course. I also felt my first real pangs of nostalgia for home when I opened the package from my lovely college ladies - complete with US Weekly and a calendar of pics of lots of friends. If you are reading this you may be in the calendar - watch out! Nice job Karen. I got the packages on Thursday - a good start to another weekend hanging out with my new Ecuadorian friends.

Friday night 5 of us hung out at Julio´s apartment where he made dinner and some space cake (hope that doesn´t get me fired). He has a studio apt pretty just like one in New York is - and so far he´s the only person I know who lives alone so it seems to be the hangout spot.

Saturday Anna-Lee and I ventured to the nearby ´stadium´ where pueblos play soccer against eachother in organized leagues. One of the guys I work with had a game so we went to watch and cheer him on. Of course the game started about an hour and a half later than he told us to be there and he got pulled from the game in the middle of the first half. But at least we got to see some competitive soccer.

Saturday night was the anniversary of a small pueblo near where we live. A big tent was setup and there was a stage with a dj and a guy kind of running the show - encouraging people to dance or to rest etc. It was a blast - we literally danced for 4 or 5 hours. People don´t dance solo here - so you dance salsa or whatever the music calls for with the guys that are there..luckily for us we have become friends with a group of guys so we just stuck with them and their friends. They are good dancers and we just follow their lead and spin around, turn etc..I think we are getting better :) There is a downside that everyone hits the dancefloor and they play about 3 or 4 songs straight and noone sits down. So you are basically stuck out there with your partner for about 20 minutes. If the guy is pretty boring (meaning you just bob from one foot to the other for the most part) it can feel like a really long time. But for the most part it´s just a lot of fun - I love dancing here.

Anna-Lee and I are heading out of town again this weekend to meet up with the guides from Banos and next Monday we are going to Cuyabeno, a town in Western Ecuador in the jungle. I think we´ll be in the jungle for about 4 days. Should be a fun trip. Then sadly Anna-lee heads to Quito for the end of her stay in Ecuador, then Peru and Argentina and then she heads home to Australia. So I will be the lone gringa in the house as far as I know.

I should be able to post some more photos in Banos before I head to the jungle on Monday. Stay tuned.