bugbites and fireflies.

ahhhh. after a scorching hot shower, im pretty sure all remnants from the buddhist eco-village have been washed away. we spent three glorious nights sleeping in clay huts with tin roofs, or some of us, straw roofs. we were under mosquito netting, but with all the holes, we still got eaten alive. literally. i stopped counting bug bits after forty. and the gnats? who even swats them away anymore? the first night, tiesha and i got all snuggled on our mats (it might have well been just cement...they were pretty threadbare) and were chatting when all of the sudden, the rain hit! it was SO loud on that tin roof, and the huts are anything but sealed, and on her side of the wall there are wooden slats at the top, and the roof is above the line, there are holes everywhere....we had a fine mist to cool us down as we tried to fall asleep! for the first time in several years, i didnt wear earplugs, because the sound of the frogs and the crickets was too beautiful. if not thunderously loud. weve learned a lot about eco-living. they showed us how to cut some sort of water plant, that we chopped into bits, that they ferment and use as something for something...yeah. we picked mangosteens from the orchards (yumm!!! my official new favorite fruit), and had a wallpoing good time with the children, when they would come at night. we didn't shower. at all. for four days. well, most of us. pretty sick. the boys smelled disgusting! haha. it was a very relaxed atmosphere, everyone was more interested in living life than anything else, and we just went with the flow. speaking of flow! night before last, after it got darak they took us in boats down the mangrove swamp to watch the fireflys!!! we dont have those in california, and i could have cried at the beauty. it was the most incredible experience! it was dark out, the swamp resembled something similar to the swamps in lousianna, it was so quiet and peaceful, and the trees were full of glowing buggies! we were out there for a good hour or so, and i could have stayed all night. have you been on the pirates of the caribbean ride at disneyland? it sort of resembled that, minus the cannons and yo-ho'ing. we are back at the guest house, and tomorrow we are going to the pattya gardens, where from the sound of it, we will experience something simliar to what a luau is to hawaii. im so excited! on monday we are heading to the wonderful hotel-o-debrief, where we will meet up with the rest of the school, and enjoy a solid ten days of pool, beach, good food, maybe a massage or two, more pool, and lots and lots of stories! i must go now...mcdonalds at the mall is calling us!