Christmas Adventure Teaser...Alternately Titled: Come On People, What Are You Waiting For?!

This is craziness. Dave and I have been living and traveling around South America for a year and a half. We come across many fellow travelers and adventurers. How many of the people we have met do you think have been from the United States?

Do you have your guess?

Counting the people I work with, the number is in the low double digits. I'm thinking maybe 10 to 15%. And that, again, is including the people I work with. The majority of travelers we come across actually have been from Europe. See, they know something you North Americans haven't seemed to grasp yet...

South America is the place to be! It's beautiful, unique, has beaches, mountains, jungles, and the best part, is incredibly affordable. I ask you again, what exactly are you waiting for?

Exhibit A: Colombia. I know, I know, the first things you think of when you hear Colombia are drug cartels and guerrilla warfare. But seriously, that is so 1995. Visit Colombia today and you will be amazed at how clean, safe, and beautiful the cities and countryside are. Trust me, I would not lead you astray. I even have done my own research. Dave and I, along with my Aunt Sherry, spent Christmas in Colombia and you will never believe the adventures we had. Prepare yourself for some attacks of envy...pictures and adventures coming soon.

Años Viejos, Pyromaniacs, and Fireworks...Oh My

I have to admit, it has been quite awhile since I have actually been awake to ring in the new year and say goodbye to the old. Dave and I have always been a bit more concerned about the eight hours of sleep necessary to enjoy life rather than seeing the ball drop. But this year...is different. It is 12:58 and the neighbor's hired band just started, there are rapid fire explosives (aka fireworks) going off in three minute intervals, and the car alarms throughout our block seem to be answering the loving call of said fireworks. There will be no eight hours to start off the year for the Richert's this time. Nothing about our experiences in Ecuador could be classified as typical, and New Year's Eve is proving to be no exception. The evening started out quite and low key, dinner at home with a movie. There were the occasional firework, but that isn't anything atypical. I was even contemplating continuing the tradition of snuggling into bed by 10:30. Before I called...

Christmas in Colombia (The post is better late than never...)

As promised, here is the Amazing Richert Christmas Adventure 2008, with special guest star, Sherry Silvers. Bogota, Columbia. As you can see...this city and I were obviously made for each other. Bookstores, libraries, and coffee shops were on every block. Yes, the majority of the books were in Spanish which causes some slight difficulties, but I don't like to focus on those kind of details. I'm more of a cup half full kind of gal. Also, the city is bike crazy. There are hundreds of miles of bike lanes; we saw bike lanes throughout the city and even along the highway. They just created a bike/walking lane in the middle of the highway, incredible! They even close off some of the major streets every Sunday and holiday so people can ride their bikes through the main arteries of town without dealing with the potentially dangerous obstacle of cars. The city had me at hello. Dave found a wonderful place for us to stay that was right in the heart of the historic district of ...

Ecuadorian Fun Facts

D and I have been reading up like crazy, trying to prepare for our huge move to Ecuador. I have started to share little fun facts with my students each day about the customs and the food. I have found that the more disgusting the fact, the more the kids love it. Some of their favorite facts: * Guinea pig is considered a delicacy in Ecuador. It dates back to the time of the Inca's and is referred to as cuy. The Ecuadorians call it cuy because of the sound the guinea pig makes when it is roasted. * You never flush your toilet paper down the toilet in Ecuador, you place it in the trash cans next to the toilet. * Hot showers are a rarity, with many showers requiring you to connect the electrical heat wires inside of the shower stall yourself. This gives you about three minutes of hot water along with an electrical shock. * Animals that might be living with you include iguanas, bats, snakes, rats, various bizarre insects, and of course, guinea pigs. * The celebration beverage...

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