pictures of the horseback trip

On top of the Andea Mountains











Massage and bathing in waterfalls














Dance lessons in camp at night














climbing the steep mountains

Vienna and Chris left for Washington Dc today for Vienna to recieve her community Service award. I am so proud of her. Hope she has a great trip.
We are in Vilcabamba, Ecuador. This place just draws you back and many people get lost in time here. We just spent 3 days in the mountains on horseback. Some of the steepest trails I´ve ever been on let alone on a horse. Scary on the top of the cliffs, but then we had to come down and thank god there is a god as all I could do was pray. After the second day I felt much more confident and comfortable till I realized the trails were wet and slick. Nothing like horseback in the Andea mountains to test ones faith. After about 15 minutes I began to trust my horse and god again. Only 4 hours and 45 minutes more to go today. Treava who is only 8 was so amazing as she shouted buenismo tequilla to her horse.

3 weeks left!

Hey everyone! Update on the Galapagos: We went to this other Island last weekend and it was absolutely gorgeous. I was seriously almost tempted to stay there forever. The beach rapped around the whole town and the streets were just pure sand. The water was crystal clear and it was just so laid back! I loved it!!!! LOVE, LOVE, LOVED it! Eventually I was dragged back to Santa Cruz because my parents unfortunately refused to leave me there. While we were there we got to go horseback riding up to this super cool crater thing. That was fun. The other guy who went on the tour with us was soooooo funny and nice! We only have 3 weeks to go here! After the Galapagos we are headed to Chile! My grandma is going to come visit us there which will be super fun! The Galapagos, overall have been really, really great. It has been a incredible experience...and so much fun. We go to the beaches most days, and that is amazing. I am enjoying it much more then I thought I would. Next week and the week after are going to be spent only touring. We still have to volunteer, but only for 3 days each week. Since we do not have much time left, and many places to see we will be busy trying to fit everthing in!!! Happy valentines day!
-Vienna

The Galapagos by Noelle

The beaches here are ABSOLUTELY gorgeous!!! We try to go on the weekends when were not volunteering because on the days we volunteer, it takes up most of our day along with the school work we try to accomplish. I have found the heat to be excruciating but on the beach, its fantastic and keeps Treava, Vienna and I in the water playing for hours. When suntanning, you share the beach with hundreds of little finches and birds and lots of marine iguanas. The marine iguanas are quite freaky and definitely don't have much fear of humans. We tried chasing one once, and it just mozzied its way down to the water where it swam a little ways out, and returned to shore. At the boat harbor, many seals bathe on top of the boats or on the piers. Some even come up out of the water to the fish market and try to steal the fisher men's fish.

Most locals seem very accustomed to tourist which can be frustrating because they normally don't interact with you. The experience here has been so different from our experience in El Salvador in that respect. Our English students up at Bellavista have been a blast to teach, and are quick learners.

Miss you all!!!
Noelle

Galapagos

The town is really kinda small. Its kinda like the image of a tiny beach town, plus tons of animals! I like it alright but it is kinda frustrating becuase there are no big supermarkets so food is limited, except in resturants which are delicious! Overall, I am happy with our house and the town. We have been teaching english three days a week for 3 hours in a smaller town 7 miles away, Bellavista. It is really fun. The kids are misbehaved at times, but overall they are all very fasinated in learning English. Teaching them is fun, and I think I might be interested in helping special needs children. I enjoy working with the children who casue issues, more then the perfect student. I think it is more challenging and rewarding. I dont think I would be a special ed teacher, but possibly a mental health sychiatrist. The beaches here are stunning. White sand, streched out for miles being plummled by waves is the typical beach. Lots of wildlife including, Iquanas, Sea Lions, Birds, Turtles, Dolphins and seals surround the islands. We are taking a trip to another island this weekend and I am definitly looking forward to that. We get to go horseback riding! I am thrilled! Only one month left here, and then on to Chile. Definitly excited to get away from the heat, though I will miss the beaches and animals. Hope all is well.

Don't forget to look at Treava's blog from view my complete profile!

Learning to dive in a pool

We spent multiple hours in a pool, with full dive equitment, learning some basic dive skills. Very cool, but also scary!

Beautiful Beach!

SUNBURNT!!!!

Hey Everyone!
With two weeks down in the Galapagos and we are to get used to the overwhelming heat. But, that does not mean were immune to sunburns. Treava, Noelle and I are all very sunburnt. However, my face is like a huge blow up balloon. My lips are puffy and my eyes are halfway sealed shut. Mom has been having fun "experimenting' on my face with mustard and vinegar. Apparently, its supposed to help sunburns. I really hope it works!! We are back to volunteering tommarow for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On Friday we hope to go to another Island here, Isla Isabella. Isabella is known for its Flamingos and other wildlife. The wildlife here so far has mainly consisted of Turtles, Birds and Iguanas. I have never been a big bird fan, and Iguanas have got to be the ugliest creatures in the world.) Therefor, animals have not been to exciting for me yet. The beaches are gorgeous, though now that school is out very crowded. I am looking forward to private pools and lake in Chile. They are very big soccer players here, which would be very fun for Noelle and I but since its so hot, excersize is no fun. Volunteering has been a semi different experience from El Salvador. Kids misbehaved here, which is sad. We are not sure if the students are just taking advantage of us, or if they behave badly in school as well. Overall though, we have a decent class and they are enthusiastic about learning English. We have been incorperating alot of fun and games into English class becuase we have found that is what focuses them most. I do enjoy teaching most of the time, and am thinking about a career in special education or mental health counseling. But I'm only 13, so I have a while to decide! Well the computer is about to die! Got to go! Hope everything is good!

Vienna

Galapagos Islands!!!!!

Oh my gosh we just went scuba diving today!!! It was the scariest thing I have ever ever ever done. It freaks me out. Like your underwater 50 feet and ahhhh what if the resporater stopped working!!!! UGH! But it was a blast. I got to play with the seals and there were like a millon fish!!! It was a huge tunnel tube of tons of fish, and when you went through it the fish made circles around you which was beautiful!!!!!! The seals are very playful. They nudged us and kept diving around us. It was awesome. I think were hitting the beach again tommorow. I hope your all wonderful and enjoying January!!!!

Vienna

To see our current trip and pictures click on view my profile and go to treava in south america.

Ohio

Hey Everybody. At the moment im bloging form my cousins house in Columbus, Ohio. Its really warm here(in the 80s) and yesterday we went to my uncles lake. Okay well I need to go eat dinner.
Miss you all!
Vienna

El Salvador

Hi! I realize that I havent updated for a LONG time! We made it safely to El Salvaodor and have been VERY busy since! My Grandma was here for one week and we rented a car and saw lots of El Salvaodor. Now it is just our familly back here in San Pedro Nonualco. I am VERY excited to hit the beach some more! We went last week but only for one day. The people here are keeping us very ocupied with farm tours, baptisims and lots of visiting! We will start to teach more english this afternoon down at the newistipeci(im not sure ow to spell it) school. Noelle and I are also trying to start a inport-export of coffee to raise money for the school and village. Our dog here had 5 cute puppies! Muneca( our dog) is coming home with us on the 6th! It was a long process to find out HOW to get her home! She is 2 inches to big to go on the plane and she cant fly as our luggage so we are paying a big fee for her to go as cargo! But I am SO happy she is coming home! I am getting very excited about returning to Alaska....13 days left! Miss you all!
Vienna

can you guess what these are ??

These are call marions, in Us we eat the green seed at the bottom, the cashew. Here they eat everything. the red is the fruit and you can eat it or make delicios juice from it. I love it the kids hate it.

La Palma El Salvador

The builings here are all painted with the La Palma trade mark. La Palma is a beautiful city high in the mountains with incrediable gardens. Also great Artesian shopping.

Shaved ice anyone ????

We often see people vende, selling their goods while bicycling in home made contraptions like these.

Sugar cane Molina

After cutting the sugar cane , extracting the juice and boiling and stirrring for 6 hours they pour the panella into molds and then the work begins. She is trying to teach me how to wrap the product in corn husk and tie with banana leaf. Sound easy, Ha I gave them much to laugh at before I gave up. She wraps 500 in a day.

Home again In El Salvador

To our surprise Muneca had 5 babies two weeks ago. The girls are loving playing with thm and we have found homes for 4 of them.

grandma dips her toes in the Carribean Sea

Notice the lovely poised pointed toe. Noelle and Vienna and Treava are trying to help her with her modeling skills but we think maybe AARP might buy the photo.

Embra Lady making the beautifull beadings

All the Embra Ladies wear these beautiful beadings on their legs. First they make a long string which we still don't understand how they get the patterning exact to make these designs as the leg width changes. Then they wrap it around their legs and stitch it together. Once on it is there till you cut it off. To make for one leg can take 2 days.