Long Overdue Post

Dear Friends and Family,

I apologize for the anomaly in my somewhat regular blogpostings. I have been abstaining from posting because the internet at my house hasbeen down, and we here in the Galapagos don'tfindthe internet being down as an exigent problem; we have other things to worry about! From here on out, I am going to try to make my posts less erratic. I apologize if I am somewhat verbose (wordy) throughout this post, but I am studying for the GRE and using the words throughout my blogposts!

The month of November, was to say the lesat, was the best yet. After the first week of school, we had a break for almost two weeks. My friends and roommates had friends visit during this time. We decided with certitude that this was the best time for us all to explore Isabela.

The first place we went was to a place called Tunneles (look above), which is a place off the coast of Isabela where the lava has made tunnels in the sea. You can see the blue-footed boobies to the left of the screen. It is difficult to illustrate the beauty and awe of this location. We circumambulated, or walked, around the area. I can see how this are could be extremely volatile if correct precautions were not taken! Thank goodness I brought the correct shoes!

After leaving Los Tunneles, we went snorkeling! The water, unfortunately, was not pristine or warm, but my cold feet were placated by the octopus and shark, both harmless, I saw swimming in the water.

Our next, and last stop for that day, was a place called "Tintoreres". Below, you can see the video which gives a panoramic view of the surrounding landscape at Tintoreres. There were penguins (yes I said penguins), sea lions, sea turtles, sharks, marine iguanas, and many other types of birds. Surprisingly, this location is only a two minute boat ride from my house! We did not get to go snorkeling here, but it was definitely the highlight of my day. The sun finally came out at this time, too, so it was truly an incredible view.

The other video above is of me and a BABY sea lion. The young, more naive sea lions are practically harmless, but the male "machos" or "bulls" are much more inimical or hostile, especially, when they think you are trying to "take over" their territory. The male iguanas can be quite pugnacious as well, but only towards other male iguanas. They could be called "pugilist" or a boxer. When challenged, the male iguanas head butt each other.

Tomorrow, I hope to have another blog post about trips I took to the volcano and another island called Floreana. Right now, I am "falta" dos meses mas in Isabela! This is Spanish for - I have two months left! There will be many more verbose, erudite posts in the future - don't worry!

Namaste,

Anna

Dancing with Turtles

Well, I've been dancing and exploring the island a lot! I was sick for about a week and a half, but I am back on track now. I had a wonderful birthday. We made a vegan meal and ate at our house. The local dance spot, the Iguana Point, is becoming more of a hang out for me. I have been there twice, and I think I am beginning to learn to dance better. The picture on the left is on my birthday of all of my friends here on the island. It was taken in the house next to mine, "The Mission". It is called this because a Catholic church is right next to our house. We hear church bells every day.. Sometimes a 5 am.

My friend Vera and I rode bikes to a wall that was built by prisoners. The island where I am living, Isabela, was once a penal colony. Along the way, we saw many beautiful places. First, we st

opped to look at the water and some iguanas. We visited a popular hang out for the iguanas. The picture to the right is Vera walking around on the volcanic rock. There are a lot of iguanas here, but you can't see them. The picture on the right is me, and behind me is a large iguana. They are such cool animals! Occasionally the iguanas spit salt out of their noses. They do not have access to fresh water, so it is a mechanism for them to stay hydrated with salt water. One iguana spit his salt

on Vera this day. Some people think it's a defense mechanism, as well. These animals are harmless.

After checking out the iguanas, we continued on our way to the wall "El Muro" in Spanish. On the way we passed about three turtles. These were just babies, but it was wonderful to see them in

the wild. We also saw a lot of birds and stopped at a lookout.

From the lookout (picture on the left), you can see the whole island. It is very beautiful and uninhabited. It makes me realize how far away I am from the rest of the world. It is easy to forget that when you get caught up in the trials of daily life. The town where I live is those small white spots in the photo behind me. The picture on the right

is on the other side of the lookout. There are five volcanoes on this island, and you can see one behind me here.

The next photo on the left is a picture of the wall. I wish I knew more history about the wall, but all I know is that it was built while Isabela was a penal colony in the fifties. It is a little eerie, but

interesting all the same.

I have also been working a lot. Everyday the job is more exciting and challenging. The kids are getting better, and I am becoming re-accustomed to teaching young students again. Although sometimes, my classroom reminds me of a scene from Kindergarten Cop, I do feel like I am making progress with my students.

Today, we had a "company party" with all the teachers in the school. We went to the Highlands, and they cooked a whole pig. Of course, us three vegetarian teachers did not eat any pig, but we did eat four varieties of corn. I must give us credit and say that we all tried the broth of a soup made with pig hearts and intestines! But, none of us made is much farther than eating a piece of yucca. After everyone ate, we all danced for about four hours. It was the longest company party I've ever been too! It lasted eight hours. They boiled orange leaves and added sugar and made a tasty drink with canya, sugar cane liquor.

The video below is us dancing at the party. We danced meringue, salsa, cumbia, bachata, and reggaeton. Moving my hips is still an issue for me, but I am getting better and better. I am taking a belly dancing class with one of my friends, so it is helping me with my hips.

I have discovered that yogurt is great for my stomach, and I have been eating it two times a day everyday for about a week now. Let's hope that this is my stomach's saving grace. I am continuing to enjoy my stay here. I see more dancing in my future. I am going to teach my third yoga class in my series next week. Teaching yoga is going well, but I definitely benefit from having a teacher. My own practice is hurting because I was so sick.. Anyways, Namaste, peace, and love. I hope everyone has a wonderful Halloween.

Anna Erwin

Adventures in Galapagos

So, I'm finally becoming accustomed to the "island life". I have been exploring the island a little more each day. The first couple of weeks were intense, but now I am getting the hang of it!

I really became accustomed last week because I didn't have work for a week! My students had a holiday because it was the birthday of the school, so classes were cancelled (more or less) for about a week. The students celebrated with couple of the events. My first and second graders are actually in the picture on the right. They are sooooo cute!a parade, a lil' mis pageant (nina deportes), a dance party, and a flag ceremony. I went to a I also spent a lot of time on the beach, and spending time with a friend who moved to Germany Sunday. We did a beach cleanup on

Saturday morning with a group of local kids. Except for the part where I fell in the water (not surprising), it was a success! You can see the clean mangroves to the left. These are right next to the beach!

My friend had been here for two years, and she started the English

teaching program. She, the blonde in the white jacket, is returning to Germany to complete a Masters in education.To celebrate, we went to a fantastic restaurant in the "highlands" called the Housers. The food was fantastic. The owners had a granddaughter who was three years old who could already speak English, Spanish, and German! Incredible. The view was also breathtaking. We could see another island from the restaurant. The other island (to the left) is a volcanic crater! The weather is finally warming up a little bit, but the water is still cold. When the water warms up, I will be in it all the time :)

On Sunday I taught a yoga class. I am going to be teaching one at least once a week during my stay here. I have a regular group who like a challenging class, so it's great for me. We have been practicing on a porch that overlooks the main beach here. On Sunday we saw a rainbow during our yoga class. Our "theme" for the class was commitment and remembering why we were here in the first place because it's easy to forget. I am offering my free classes to the overworked volunteers and workers here! I have two teachers, a Peace Corps volunteer, and a

volunteer coordinator. Hopefully more next week. I helped them with alignment because

they're very strong and flexible but need a little adjustment on the "basics", and they held the poses! It was sooo beautiful. I love teaching yoga.

I went to the highland of Isabela again today. It is very lush and green in comparison to the dry area closer to the ocean. We visited two farms. I hope to do an appropriate technology project at a farm in the highlands, but I am still working on the details. The first farm had three hectares of vegetables and a lot of chickens. The chicken on the left is actually protecting about five of her babies under her!

We, the institute and I, also went to a farm of a husband and wife. He is 91 and she is 86. They have been married for 65 years! They were so beautiful and sweet. We ate sugar cane, learned

about coffee and bananas, saw a de

ad pig, and painted our faces with seeds. This is why I have red paint

on my face here! It's actually the same type seed the indigenous people of Ecuador use to paint their hair!

Overall I am really enjoying my time here. The girls in the picture are my roommates, and they're wonderful. I will keep everyone posted with new information. Love and miss home very much.

Namaste,

Anna

Quito... To Galapagos!

I apologize for the blog delay. I have very slow internet, and I have been sick for about two weeks! During this time, I did do some amazing things and met some outstanding people.

I went to a small Ecuadorian

town called Banos. It is very beautiful. We, Diego (see

picture) and I, went on a long bike ride and saw many beautiful waterfalls. It was a truly unforgettable day and amazing place.

My four week wait for visa left me in Quito with not much to do! I

was able to go to the the top of a mountain where I could see three volcanoes. It was the highest I have ever been in my life. I also went to some beautiful parks and walked around the city of Quito. I went to the Middle of the World with two of my new roommates in Galapagos, Ver

a and Lauren (they're sisters). They are from Philadelphia but have lived all over the world. I miss many

things about Quito now.I arrived in the Galapagos two weeks ago. I took a plane to Guayaquil and then another plane to an island called "Baltra", a boat to Santa Cruz Island, and then a final two hour boat ride to Isabela. I saw a giant iguana at the airport! Definitely interesting.

I liked the boat ride to Isabela because I was able to see all the islands! I had to work the very next day after arriving! So, needless to say, I was a little tired. I did manage to see a sea lion as I was approaching the islands. The water is clear and beautiful.

The island seems very dry to me, but I have not been to the "jungle" area of the highlands yet.

The job is definitely a challenge. I have not had to deal with discipline issues in a long time. My day starts a

t 5:30, and I teach unti approximately 1:15. After I finish teaching school I nap and walk along the be

ach here. I have also been to see the turtles here! They are awesome. There are flamingos here, as well, and humongous iguanas. I have to admit, at first I was very scared of the iguanas, but I learned that they are harmless and am no longer scared!

The town where I live is very small. My students are everywhere! I love seeing them around, and I love teaching younger children again. It can be so rewarding and so challenging. Each day is so different.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to practice much yoga these past couple of weeks because I have been a little under the weather. But, I hope after this weekend of rest that I will be able to get back in the swing of things. Veganism is definitely not an option here, so I have been eating eggs and a little bit of dairy. I might eat fish here as well because ceviche is the specialty.

People tell me that my Spanish is getting better, but I am still struggling. My students and the local teachers all speak Spanish (no English), so I have a hard time communicating. Patience is definitely a virtue when learning another language.

I have more photos and some videos, but they are very difficult to upload here ;(. Hopefully, I will have more soon. I miss everyone very much. I also miss North Carolina very much, but I am very glad that I am here.

Namaste,

Anna

P.S. There are many more pictures on Facebook - it's easier to upload!

Tallest Church in South America!

Well, my trip to the Galapagos was postponed for another week! So, I decided to explore Quito, the capital, with some other folks that are staying at my homestay. On Thursday, we went to Old Town, which is a beautiful part of Quito. There was a tremor on Thursday night, but I didn't feel it! We listened to music, walked around the streets, and ate some delicious food! The buildings are bright colors, just like I imagined South America to be. There were people everywhere enjoying themselves, including us! On Friday, I went to my Spanish class and discussed feminism and politics in Ecuador with my teacher. We had a very interesting conversation. My Spanish is coming along, slowly but

surely. After my classes, I went with some folks to the Basilica, which is the tallest church in South America. I climbed to the top! The view, as you can see in the picture on your left, was fantastic. The stairs up to the top were, to say the least, sketchy, but we made it! And, it was soooworth it, both physically and emotionally. On a good day, you can see Cotopaxi, one of Ecuador's

most famous volcanoes, from the top of the Basilica, but this was not one of the days.

On Friday night, we danced Cumbia, a Latin dance that originated in Columbia with the family. We tried our best :) It was a lot of fun, though. We went to a local karaoke bar, and had a good time.

On Saturday, I went to the botanical garden in Quito. It is connected to a large park, Parque Carolina :). It was not a good as being in the rainforest, but it was still amazing! There is also a children's garden close, which was great. I really liked the carnivorous plants section.

Saturday night was the best, though!

We went to Old Town, again, and listened to a local band. The music was outstanding, and we danced a lot! It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. We danced and listened to music for about three hours. There were about six men with different instruments crammed into a small eight table restaurant.

There was even a young boy singing with the band. Everyone in the restaurant knew the songs, and we acted like we did. I have a video below!

Overall, I am having a great time! I also feel that there are many good times to come. I hope to explore the jungles of Ecuador in the next week and continue to enjoy Quito.

Until next time.

Namaste

High Above the World

Well, I'm in Quito, Ecuador (Equator in Spanish)! Quito is a big city, with an estimated 1.5 million people! We´re at about 9,300 feet above sea level. It´s the second highest administrative city in the world, next to La Paz, Bolivia. We´re about 15 miles from the equator.

It's so beautiful. As you can tell from the photos, we are in the mountains. The first couple of days, I had a headache because of the change in altitude. It was like I had a hangover! I am doing well now!

I am learning Spanish at a school called Yanapuma. I took salsa lessons last night, which was very fun. My Spanish is improving by the day. I can read well but speaking is still difficult.

I hope to go to "Old Town" this evening with my host family and some other folks that are staying at the house with me. The family is so great! It is not that different from being in the US. She makes me great vegan meals, as well. There is hot water, cable, a labrador, and wifi (that´s almost better than Topsail haha). She is a doctor with a son who is an artist, so their walls as are full of abstract art.

Quito seems quite cosmopolitan to me. It is a little bit cold, but not unbearable. It's about 55-60 during the evenings and in the 70s during the daytime.I am going to go to the Galapagos one day. I am waiting for my visa to clear right now, which has proved to be a little difficult. I have to wait for the whole visa thang to clear. I am okay with it though because I like Quito, and the Spanish tune-up is much needed!

The Ecuadorian independence day was yesterday, and the

country is celebrating Friday. I hope to celebrate with the locals!

Veganism has been quite a challenge here, but I have managed. My house mom is very understanding and has made me me wonderful meals! Soya is very popular here, which is very good. I also found a great vegetarian restaurant here call El Maple. I will be frequenting this restaurant a lot!

I have been practicing yoga almost everyday. I am afraid that I'm coming down with a small stomach bug, so the physical practice may subside for a couple days. My meditation will keep up though!

This weekend I hope to go to either a cloud forest or a volcano. I am keeping my options open. I have an ecuadorian cell phone - something I never thought I would have! I hope to have more organized blogs as I become more ¨settled¨ in the Galapagos!
Namaste