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We had our first full day in Otavalo today. We started the morning off with fresh pinapple juice which was amazing. The fruit here is much smaller than in the States, but it is much better. They still don´t use any insectisides for the most part. Spanish class started at ¨830, and we have four people per class. I remember a lot of Spanish, and can understand almost all of it when other people are speaking. However, I have trouble remembering vocabulary when it is my turn to speak. Class went until 1230, when we returned to our host families, where we had lunch. Lunch is the biggest meal in all Latin American countries. We had a spinach soup, chicken, yams, rice, and a desert that tasted like berry flavored cool whip. We got together with the group again in the afternoon and visited a local weaver, who is known as the best weaver in town. He focuses mostly on al paca and other thick wools. We then went to Peguche, which is a small indigenous community just outside of the city. We visited a family of musicians who did a special performance for us. It was amazing. The family was a chechwa family.

Otavalo is a beautiful community that reminds me a little of Boulder Colorado because of the mountains in all directions. The family Evan and I are staying with is very nice. Antonio is a mechanic, Patricia is a work at home mom, Marcos is 22 and is also a mechanic, and Richie is a 13 year old. They also have a four year old girl with them, that is somehow related but not their child. The house is pretty nice, and Evan and I even got our own rooms. Unfortunately, the pet monkey died a couple of months ago! They do have two cats, which makes me feel a little more at home. Otavalo has a huge market in the middle of town where the indigenous sell art work, clothes, and many other crafts. The city also has many crops and meat available, including live animals that you can buy and have slaughtered for you. No wonder why the chicken was so good for lunch! We do have about a 20 or 25 minute walk to our house, which we do three different times a day (in the morning, for lunch, and in the evening). I feel great, and am surprised that the weather is very up and down. The highs have maybe been in the mid sixties, but the majority of the time it is in the 50´s or lower. I wear my fleece almost all of the time! That´s about it from here, hope everyone is well.

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