another camping trip

just got back from camping again. lots of new volunteers showed up. Rachel, Christian, Griffen, James returned, and Jessmine. I think we´re at 13 people. Austin and Taylor leave tonight for California. Those are the guys that I rode in the back of the truck with. I´m sad to see them go, they are the first people to leave since I´ve been here. They are pumped to go though.

Took a ´shower´ in a stream today. That was sweet.

We´ve been drinking a lot too. Definately had a major bash at the campsite, getting drunk and listening to country music on Tuesday night. It was a ton of fun.

We spent our time on this trip removing the sheep fences. We did such a long distance it was incredible. And the scenery was so great. We were crossing mountain streams, falling down steep slopes, climbing huge rocks, and pulling fences out of bushes. We got really high up and we could see all across the landscape, the Valle Chacabuco, lakes, snowcapped mountains, rivers, all the good stuff.

I wish I could get pictures up here but it just takes so much time, and so many people want to use the computer. So, I´ll try but no promises. I did get some pictures of some animals put up on faceobok.

Everything is great. Tons of nature out here, animals everywhere, but still trying to see a puma. Not much exciting news to really share. We just sit around talking all night, and work during the day to let the guanacos roam free.

I´m going to make Griffen, another volunteer, teach me how to fly fish sometime, that will be cool.

I´m also drinking a ton of yerba mate (pronounced ma-tay) tea. We pass it around at breakfast, lunch, and dinner everyday. Carlos, I love it. I drink like at least 10 cups a day and I hate it with sugar. I´ll bring the kind we drink back so I can see if it tastes like yours, which I never liked. I was scared to drink it the first time, because I knew I didn´t like it. But I have been loving it here. It is made with love from Louigi.

There is also a lot of rituals that go along with drinking this tea. It is served in a hollowed out gourd with a special metal straw. One guy heats the water and fills the gourd with tea, fills the gourd with water and gives it to you. You always take it with your right hand, you don´t touch the straw, and never comment on it. If it is good, bad, too hot, too cold, nothing. You drink all the tea and you hand it back to the guy pouring, he refills and gives it to the next person. Also, you never say gracias when it is handed to you, or when you are finished and you hand it back. Once you say gracias, that means you are finished and you will be skipped the next time the mate is passed around the circle.

Good times. We´re leaving again, maybe today, maybe tomorrow. We don´t know yet. See ya later!!