!!!!

We were pirates on a party boat. I sported the blue-footed booby on my shoulder in lieu of a parrot.

Ladies!

I just had a pretty intense two weeks. I too experienced the familiar face experience as my whole family came to visit me. Their trip here was a little tumultuous (missed a connection,) but it was great to see them for the first time in a while. We did an island tour, so I got to see some flamingos, penguins, white-tipped reef sharks, various fish (trumpet fish were my fave,) manta rays, sting rays, blue-footed boobies, and a ridiculous number of marine iguanas. We experienced quite the array of guides, one of which may be the sleeziest Ecuadorian I've met yet. ("Latinos are hot in the bed"? Uhh, thanks for the info.) There was horseback riding, which was fun. We saw an enourmous crater on Isabela- totally amazing. I got lots of Spanish practice because I was the only one in the group who could speak any.

When we returned to my home island (San Cristobal) my families met each other, which was fun and semi-hilarious. My one-year old host brother was really excited to see my mom/receive his Philly's hat. They left last Saturday (sad.) Thats it for visitors for the semester :).

Anyways, I miss you all tons. Best of luck in outdoor or your international adventures.

Studtz

NAKED LOBSTER

We had our first real trip to the beach (swimming, laying out--the whole nine yards), but now I am as red as a lobster! I am so sun burnt! Ugh! This morning, I am just sitting with a sheet tied around me and I am covered in Aloe Vera and, weirdly enough, olive oil! That is what the lady told me to do at the store, so here I am!
Heney--I am glad to hear you and Emma had fun! I certainly know what you mean when you say that it was nice to have a friendly and familiar face around! Emily and Dana came out for a quick weekend a couple of weeks ago, and it was some of the most fun I have had!

Hammer- I liked your story! I hate spiders, but I feel guilty if I kill them too! How are the calves? I wish I could see you kick ass in Steeple this year! Good luck!

Aaron just left, and I was pretty depressed about it, crying and moping around, so my friend, Erica, and I just went to Alicante. It is a little warmer there than in Valencia, and the beaches are, unfortunately, way nicer!

Aaron and I DROVE (which was a crazy idea..and his ) along the French Coast (which was maybe some of the most beautiful landscape I have ever seen) to Tuscany. We did Florence for day, visited my relatives, and headed for Switzerland, where we got snowed-in in the center of the Alps!! It was kind of scary, but kind of nice, too! Then we just made a couple of quick stops in France, and headed back to Valencia after getting lost numerous times! BUT, now he is gone, and I am all alone! Boo being lonely! I am homesick all over again! I am pretty excited to come home, and a little nervous about Ecuador!

Good luck with everything, ladies! I miss you all, and I hope everything is going well! Happy Spring time! The first run with shorts is always memorable!

It's Natch

Yes, Running Can Make You High

(This is what happens when I have Internet access two days in a row: NY Times online.)

Romantic Weekend in Paris

Met up with Emma two weekends ago at the end of her Spring Break. She attacked me as I was walking down the street to meet her at the hostel. We made quite a scene in a pleasant, touristy way.

For the Italian, we did the free Friday night trip to the Louvre to say 'hey' to Mona Lisa and the other Da Vinci's. We saw Monet's waterlilies at the Orangerie and ran by the Seine. It was a lovely weekend of schlepping our stuff between auberges in search of a room. And as is la mode in the world of Kaage, we did a lot of walking and talking. There was a rather epic incident with a consignment shop and a sex hat, but that story will have to wait for the fall.

The best part of seeing Emma was having a familiar friend to run with after three months of going it alone-- it was agreed we're both lacking you ladies in our lives. I think she managed to catch up with Foubert and a couple other Beloitiers on her big trek, but you'll have to get her on this thing to verify.

Glad to hear you're finally getting some sunlight. Chin up, Wisconsin.

Its Steeple Season Ladies!

The alarm goes off at 7:45 am. There's really no reason I should have set it that early. Protein Crystallography doesn't start until 10. Why the hell is my alarm going off? I reach over to my cellphone and grumpily turn it off. "ugh, its so loud, what the hell?!" I think. I yawn and stretch, my arms against the wall, toes pointed. Suddenly there's pain. Stupid dehydrated calves. I can tell my legs are mad at me for not stretching after our 1K steeple workout yesterday on our hilariously shitty track. To punish me, they both decide to Charlie horse (if that can be a verb). Fuck, I guess I have to get out of bed now and walk this off. Damn calves.

So I get out of bed and begin the daily morning rituals: wash face, brush teeth, you know, the usual. I go my fantastic walk-in closet with the goal of getting dressed only to walk straight into a spider hanging on it's thread right in the middle of the door frame. Out of fright, I quickly inhale and the spider comes within 1 mm of going inside of my mouth. Oh God. The first spider of the year. I grab a shoe and smack the shit out of it only to instantly feel guilty. Poor spider, it didn't mean to scare the shit out of me or almost go in my mouth. It probably wouldn't have liked being in my mouth anyway, it just wanted to build a web in the corner of our closet. I guiltily walk over and open the blinds and instantly the guilt is gone to a beautiful sunny day.

That was my sad attempt to tell a story. You can tell why I am not a writer. The jist of the story is that I'm wearing the first skirt of 2008 today and the whole campus is excited for the first 50 degree day. There are lunchers on the quad, frisbee golf and coat-less students. Despite the Charlie horses and the curious spider, today turned out to be a good day... and it will be better because I get to run in shorts. This may not be a big deal to those of you in warm places, but to us here in Wisconsin, that's quite amazing.

Take care everyone. The track misses you all (and so does Scupper).
Hammer

Tree House, Apparently

In the grand tradition of being, well, me, I'm tabling Senegal with the intention of reapplying for Fall 09. And that's final.

I regret to say I don't have enough Internet access to regard all the debauchery on Facebook, but I would love an update on Florida and Indoor from the Dairyland if there's someone with an extra minute in the library.

Sassafrass.

Love, French Julie

Hola Chicas

Hey girls-

For all of you Conference girls- excellent work. Granted, the Galapagos are great, but I still wish I could have been there. You really rocked that track.

Friday (the day anyway) was spectacular. I saw a hammerhead, sea turtles, played with sea lions, blue-footed boobies, and finally got to see a frigatebird puff out its red neck to impress a female. I had been waiting for that for a while. I was running in La Loberia, and I saw a red thing in the distance. I sprinted towards it and then found out it was some kid's backpack :(. The day was followed by a rejection to a job I thought I got (grr application lady,) but then a sort of crazy night at the bar.

Saturday I am SUPER PUMPED because my family is coming for a week!! I can't wait to see them.

The summer looks like Albany more and more. Who wants to visit me? Please? Anyone?

Mucho amor,
Julie

PS I am going to be in Beloit for the Fall, for clarification. So excited about Genetics, minus being so excited and plus dreading it. Just as exciting as Africa or more Quito, I'm sure.

Africa, Apparently

It looks like someone else gets to win Big Container next year-- I found out this morning I'm going to be in Dakar, Senegal for the fall!

 

Looks like I will be in Beloit, WI or North Hero, VT for the summer.

Hope everyone recovers quickly from Florida.

Love,

Jules

Hey lovely ladies!

Hey Everyone!
I just wanted to say hello to everyone and wish you all good luck at conference. I hope Florida is a blast as well! I just wanted to let you all know that in two days I start my internship phase of my program and I am so excited!!! I am working at a local NGO with street children. It should be full really great to help with their therapy and education programs. I am not sure what all to expect but I know that I will be living with the children at the residential facility for the next 6 weeks! I have been busy this past week studying for exams and presentations to wrap up the classroom phase of my program. I will have limited internet access the next 6 weeks so I will write again when I can.

Much love,
Alicia