Andrea in Ecuador

Eve and I managed to float 5 samples before lunchtime today. The machine was working great and I finally had a good set up and enough water to get things moving. What a relief to have a productive day! Only a few giant wasps floating around and they are not agressive so Eve acted as a spotter to make sure I was aware of any that were near me during the process. Also, Tarzan prefers to stand guard outside for me when I´m doing flotation and chases the wasps away... Bueno perro (good dog).

Yesterday Eve and I were both sick with colds but we are doing better today. Another good night's sleep should do allot for us and Eve will make comfort food tonight (chicken stew) so we're looking forward to that. The rest of the crew is at the Old Sicalpa church today Yesterday they found part of the old church floor so this might be a day for goodies. Our artifact washers, Javier and Monika managed to go through all the available samples before noon today so hopefully they will bring more in from the field for them to work with tomorrow, or maybe I can borrow one of them to help me with flotation. It goes very smoothly with two people.

The top 5 reasons I stand out in Ecuador:

1. I'm taller than most Ecuadorian men
2. White as a sheet
3. Blond hair
4. When a dirty child says to me, buy my chicklets for 50 cents so I can buy shoes, I answer, no thank you.
5. I can be seen at the local Panaderia (bakery) about twice a day.

-- Annie

Here's a blog from Eve.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Eve
Date: 22-Jun-2005 14:20
Subject: blog stuff
To: Andrea

ok here goes...

hi this is Eve...
so I have been digging up what should be the remains of a colonial convent, but it seems that all I find is garbage from the crazy man who owns the garden and a hell of alot of bricks and tiles. I am hoping to find some really cool pottery and ceramics that will help me to say something interesting about nuns and ethnicity and identity in the colonial period... perhaps this is wishful thinking? The garden that I am digging in is really pretty though. Tall Eucalyptus trees overhead and funny chickens and roosters running around with little baby chicks. The only thing we dont have is a bathroom... but I guess I cant ask for too much. I dont know what else to add... I am having a good time this time around (it is my third time here). It is funny being a "tourist" here but not really feeling like one because it is somewhat comfortable. Although the bizarreness of the country never ceases to amaze me... For example we were in a restaurant in Baņos with pics of famous movie people all over the place and a kind of rustic decor with dark wood, etc. And the lamp shades were fabric with the cartoon Taz and Marvin the Martian on them. Very strange. But alas, I will never understand this country, I can only enjoy the uniqueness of it!

Hope this is sufficient