What a day!!

So I haven't blogged in a while. Mainly because it's been sort of a crazy week. The volunteers got here safely (even though some flights were super delayed last weekend) and we have been in training all week. This week was the celebration of the summer solstice--Inti Raymi--which has meant parties on the streets every night including one at the Cascada de Peguche where people go into a really slippery waterfall at midnight. Don't exactly know how tons of really drunk people didn't fall into the water fall and die.

Today was pretty cool because we went on an awesome hike around the Laguna de Cuicocha, pictured below.

The hike is basically around the lake for four hours and the view is absolutely gorgeous. Only problem was the rain without anywhere to hide, especially since I've had a cold all week. But it was still awesome because the staff at the hostal brought us delicious sandwiches and we had a wonderful time.

The afternoon was a little tougher as one of the volunteers got a stomach bug and we ended up at the Otavalo hospital where they don't have toilet paper (you have to bring it yourself), and the triage doctor tells you that the patient "is sick" when you ask what is wrong. Also, because of the parties, there were a few hurt people, including someone who might have a craneal fracture and had to wait quite a while to share an ambulance with a sick older man. In any case, not the best hospital experience ever, but we did end up having a good doctor and the volunteer is doing better now. Tomorrow I go to Quito to pick up the last one and then this week we finally meet the kids we will be teaching. So excited!!!