They're in Tena, Ecuador!

HI everyone,

Sarah just phoned us! Bill and I both happened to be
home and got to talk with her for maybe 10 minutes or MORE!
She sounded WONDERFUL!! Is really enjoying herself and
is liking all the girls. Right now they just arrived in Tena which
is on the outskirts of the rain forest after a 7 hour bus trip.
It is hot and humid. (She's glad this isn't where they spent
their 2 weeks in Ecuador!)

She said the hacienda was cool that they'd been staying at
in Cayembe. They mostly stayed at the hacienda for the past
10 days with a couple of trips into the town. One night they
got to talk with the mayor who lives at the hacienda. His daughter
has been teaching them some yoga and her husband is the scientist
who spoke to them about astronomy and the ruins/and their connections
with the stars, etc......They actually went to where the equator is and
they call it the middle of the world.......(one hour walk from the hacienda)
She got to stand on both sides of the equator!

Her Spanish is going very well, she said. She said that the altitude
in Cayambe was really hard at first but they all are adjusting.

They just took an overnite hike that was "miserable, but fun at the
same time! Cold mostly-had to cross a river, then climb up a steep hill,
then when they got to the forest it was all mud. Feet got stuck. Many
were soaking wet, though my rainpants and coat kept me drier."

Sarah said a couple of girls have been homesick but she hasn't at all!
(That doesn't surprise Bill or I).

So that's the latest. Sarah sounded wonderful, confident, and happy.
What more could we ask for?

Patrice(Sarah's mom)