Ecuador on the Inside

Well, I think I have parasites or amoeba in my intestines. It isn't a pleasant experience. I don't really know what to fault for it as I have had far too many new foods and drinks in the past weeks to really claim that any one thing caused it. The pain started about three days ago and hasn't really let up. It hits me strong when I have any type of sugary delicacy. How unfortunate, as it was the birthday for one of my classmates only yesterday and there has been interesting foods at every destination. Outside of what is festering inside me, life hasn't changed much as expected while in school. I am beginning to enjoy my conservation biology course a lot more now that we are starting into the curriculum. It has pretty much defined what I have studied in the past year or so, from biological environmentalism to even ecological economics. My anthropology class is quite interesting. We are learning about some of the pre-Incan history of our area. The reading is dense but quite rewarding, as is the case with most historically based classes I feel. Tomorrow is a festival of food... hurray... Everyone in the group is making one to two Ecuadorian dishes with their family for a big feast during our morning and lunch tomorrow. I would be more ecstatic if I were feeling better. I only hope that it is a parasite so that I can get some antibiotics that are more readily available to deal with the situation. Dealing with amoeba is a different method all together. It's fortunate that so many people here have traveled and know how to deal with parasites and amoeba, as they have had them before. I hope by next time, I will be up and healthy, readying myself for the unique experiences that await in Esmeraldas.