Iquitos, Peru Wednesday February 20th, 11pm

Well today came and went pretty fast. Part of that was due to the great teaching session I had this afternoon and another part was due to Tom Sawyer. The teaching session was about three hours today with a student Marianella. it´s obvious that she really wants to learn English, so I am glad to teach her. It´s funny because she works in a lab so she knows words like incubator and centrifuge, but I had to teach her words like ¨also¨. Couldn´t you just imagine a child learning the word centrifuge before the word also? I don´t know, but I would think the word ¨also¨ should come around age 4. If I had a 4 year old throwing around words like ¨malaria strains¨ I would be a bit nervous!

Well Tom Sawyer passed the day with me today as well. I´m sad he´s gone because that marks the last of the books in English! But boy what a good taste he has left. I simply love Mark Twain and rereading The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is kin to watching Forrest Gump. It´s just goodness and more endearing everytime. I say it is my last book in English, but I still have The People´s History of the United States on Sundays, and I can always buy others, but having already read 5 books in English this trip, it is time to start the Spanish! Lord knows my Spanish needs to improve, and books are good for that. I´m half way done with a translated Twain´s Prince and Pauper, then I´m going to read Robin Hood in Spanish. Then on to Cien Años en Soledad by Gabriel García Marquez! I´ve always wished to read that book in English, so the Spanish should only make it better!

Well, I didn´t see the eclipse tonite. It was too cloudy here. I hear the next one will come in 2010. I´ll have to see that one! I´ve seen shooting stars, comet showers, and nearly been struck by lightning (it knocked me down), but I´ve NEVER seen an eclipse! I guess it will just be all the sweeter when I see one someday.