April 12, 2011 2:45pm Polaris Parkway

I got my Applebee's (:
The boys made me laugh so hard I cried in the car.

April 12, 2011 12:55pm Terminal

Okay, we just saw John Deebler.

SWEET.

April 12, 2011 12:35pm Columbus Intl. Airport

"Welcome to Ohio, everyone! Where it's cold and rains all day. If this turbulence are bothering you, just close your eyes and remember the tropical climate you just left."

That was our stewardess. No joke.

April 12, 2011 11:38am Somewhere Between Mimai & Columbus - Again!

Last night we went to the hotel and slept. It was wonderful to sleep in a bed - nothing against hedgies(: Went to Au Bon Pain again - déliceux! Mmm, I love that place(: We'll be in Columbus in an hour or so, probably. I can't tell you how awesome it is to see an OSU hat!

April 11, 2011 12:56pm Bakery

For once, it is comforting to see Justin Beiber on TV. 2 hours...

April 11, 2011 10:45am Bench at Manaus Intl. Airport

Bought another pair of flip flops for me, and bracelets for my friends (:

April 11, 2011 10:29am The Next Seat in the Same Place

We're almost to Manaus - then we have until 3ish to board for Miami. Plenty of time... hmph. I love guarana.
I'm very glad Ben put more Enya on my iPod - it's a great album. Wild Child & Flora's Secret are definitely my favorites.

April 11, 2011 8:17am The Plane to Manaus

Well... we left.

April 10, 2011 10:04pm The Cais (?)

I don't know how to spell it.
Went to Steve & Elba's church in Altamira. Saw Logan Justin again. Met Cleide (Clay-jee) and sat with her during the service. Initially she was supposed to be interpreting for me, but really we just talked. She's 18 and she's such a gem. Mostly we just talked about music & school or laughed about how it looked like the preacher was wearing different colored shoes or about how to pronounce 'Newark'. She was really nice, and her English is brilliant (: Afterward, Dad, Tim & I went and got dinner by the river, which is where we are now. AMAZING fries (:

April 10, 2011 2:45pm Waterfall

The insanely bumpy drive was absolutely worth it(: This waterfall is beauteeefull.

April 10, 2011 11:55pm Kubacki's BUMPY Truck

We're going to a waterfall about 2 hourse out. I wish somebody could've come to Altimira with us but they're all busy.

April 10, 2011 7:50am Taxi to Altimira

My only reason for not sleeping is being cold. In the amazons. ???

April 9, 2011 7:45pm Line Boat )':

We're leaving. Had a really down day - as in didn't do much. Ellie and I walked to the beach and swam a litle bit. Said bye to Ben at the house- everybody else came to the port. We're leaving any minute. It's a really nice line boat though, so maybe I'll sleep this time...

April 8, 2011 9:05pm Can You Believe - It's The Same Couch!

This morning we had hash browns, omelets, and biscuits. Yummy!

April 8, 2011 5:11pm " "

Mer & Amanda are throwing cups of sink water at each other - Ben and I sit and smile. We'd rather not (;
Oh - now Mer is just sitting in the tub- ahaa!

April 8, 2011 5:05pm Hedgie

Well, here we are on the Aamzong(: and man, it's dirty!

April 8, 2011 2:45pm Back on The Boat

Wondering why I'm on the boat again? Dad thought is was stupid (and I agree) to no actually ssee the Amazon - so Tim made a few calls this morning and here we are! It's just an afternoon excursion - we'll be back by 7 this evening. We went to the Bouthilliers for lunch - we watched Tangled (: LOVE that movie!!!

April 7, 2011 11:45pm Again, The Same Couch

Went to the Quadra with Ellie, Maria, & Lilica and drove around a bit. Then I went to the church and we (Ben, Ellie, Lilica, Danilo, Ramone, & Me) played with instruments. Played Colbie Caillat. When we got home they were watching a family video from 2005, Ben's birthday. I was in it! Then we listened to music for a while, and researched the Hunger Games movie. They have decided on Gale, Peeta, and Katniss. Non of them look perfect, but apparently the director and author are both ecstatic about them all. Let's hope! Now it's almost Friday, and I'm going to bed.

April 7, 2011 5:45pm Same Couch

Went with Ellie to class again. I really, truly enjoy sitting on the couch eating goiabada - yummy!

April 7, 2011 1:34pm Living Room Couch

I finally got a nap in - then we had lunch. I'm helping Ben figure out Begin Again by Colbie Caillat on the piano. I'm gonna see if I can reach mom (:

April 7, 2011 7:53am Front Porch Swing

Last night Ben, Ellie & I went & biked around with Ramone. We saw Jadeh, Tulio, & Bomba! Then we went home and drank/ate acai. And listened to Colbie Caillat. It was so much fun(:

April 6, 2011 9:23am Kubacki's Kitchen Table

Well we got home at about 3am yesterday. Or this morning. They hadn't made dinner so when we got home Mer & I ate burritos & cookies(: Just gonna chill today - dad's watching Rocky. Because, apparently, that's the most American you can get!

April 5, 2011 4:27pm Some Place, Nowhere

You know, I'm surprised I haven't gotten sick yet - not much water intake - just coffee. Exept for a little water. It'll probably kick me in the butt later.

April 5, 2011 4:23pm The Boat

You know, the day gets really boring with no filters. I played dominoes for 1 1/2 hourse straight. Apparently my dominoe nickname is Primavera (spring), Anaef is now Autumn, Ben is Tornado (they don't have a word for hurricane), and Luis is Katrina. I am thriving on coffee right now.
Note to self: when giving Notestine his coffee, tell him how to make it "Brasilian".

April 5, 2011 1:18pm Back In My Hedgie

The guys are playing Taylor Swift... I have a feeling it was Luke's doing (;
We just passed the family who offered to put me up for a month.. btw, we just delivered the last filter 45 minutes ago & now we're headed back!
Anaef is as hilarious as ever(:

April 5, 211 1:00pm Kitchen Table

Yes, everybody, I ate the crocodile.

April 5, 2011 ??:?? Dad's Air Mat

Went on a jungle walk - cool, but nothing special. But I saw a monkey on my filter trip after! So cute(:

April 5, 2011 ??:?? My Hedgie

*when you hear a wierd noise*
"Was that Anaef?"
"It was a chicken."
"Actually, it was Anaef talking to the chickens."

perfectly normal.

April 4, 2011 10:45pm "Kitchen Table"

Drew for a little while with Anderson, then played dominoes till 11:00.

April 4, 2011 7:47pm

You know you are witnessing a true Brasilian argument when the 2 men sound like 5, slam the dominoes on the table, and have grins on their faces (:

April 4, 2011 6:00pm Plastic Chair Next to Ben

Ben is teaching me the guitar chords & a common procession so now I can play Droplets (:

April 4, 2011 1:58pm dad's Hedgie Smells Like OFF

Aha wow, I was just listening to Taylor Swift's Last Kiss... I wrote 1:58 just when she sang it. Anyway...
1 Thing to Consider if You Are Going on A Boat Trip with Brasilian Guys: if it rains, you're going into the water. hard. (especially if you're with Anaef & Jadeh)
Crap, my dad's OFF was open and it sprayed all over my shorts... i'm officially out of clothes.

April 4, 2011 8:39am Dad's Hedgie

It's hilarious how excited these guys get for a game of dominoes... 12 am...

April 3, 2011 6:50pm Plastic Chair

My legs look crazy right now - hurts a little. Just had so much fun. There was this huge storm - it was amazing - we could literally see it's mist coming closer over the trees. We could hear it too - it was AMAZING. Luke, Maria, Anaef, Bomba, Ben Mer & I went out in a boat - it was pouring! All that falling/pushing (: They taught Ben, Mer & I to steer the boat. Then we all cleaned up. It was so. much. fun.

April 3, 2011 3:39pm Figures, I'm in My Hedgie Again!

Quite a filter trip - it took us 3 hours to get back! Drove out far, get pooured on, stayed at someone's house till it stipped, went even farther, then had to get back. Did a "pit stop" as Jadeh would say (which means jump in the water to cool off). "Are we lost?" "No" Do you know where we're going?" "No, but we're having fun!" "Heck yeah!"

April 3, 2011 6:43am Hedgie

No one would want my legs right now. Any number of scratches, bumps, and bites you could imagine! One bruise is as high as half a gold ball... almost. Thankfully, my sunburn's wearing off and I found some aloe lotion from the hotel so maybe it'll get better. I really need to think about what I'm gonna get Micah for his birthday... maybe a pirana! Ai yi yi!

April 2, 2011 7:45pm Home, Sweet Hedgie

Quite a satisfying day (: Although by the time I'm home, I'll be showing up at one of Tim's clinics! Spent 2 hours with him & Mer @ the clinic - if you were paid a $ every time you heard somebody mention diarrhea or headaches, you'd be a millionaire. Rested on the boat till about 4 - read & played cards with Ben & Anderson. He is adorable. Went on a filter trip w/ Luke, Maria, Anaef, Xelome, and Jadeh. Had the most fun yet (: Delivered 3 filters - on the way back, somebody pushed Jadeh in, then somebody else. Eventually we all jumped in or got pushed in. Anaef tickled Maria who was holding onto me and that's when we fell in. It was so much fun! There was this huge storm, really cool. Being in one makes me feel so bad for all the Brasilians with no walls. And small. Now, we're just waiting for dinner.

April 2, 2011 6:55pm Dad's Air Mat

A Boatload of Boisterous Brasilians Bet on Bananas

April 2, 2011 3:15pm My Hedgie

US people would never guess how much Brasilians drink coffee.
4am before breakfast - coffee
After breakfast - coffee
After lunch - coffee
Afternoon snack - coffee
Right after dinner - coffee
Can't sleep? - coffee
On the River? Coffee, anyone?

April 2, 2011 11:15am The Boat's Blue Bottom

(Bottom as in the floor). Bomgia = good day (morning) Oke voce ta faciedo = what are you doing? Not that I'd know what they said when they replied to that. Como vai = what's up. Ta = a general okay. Ta bom = okay as is in good! A ta - and okay like "oh, i get it"
Delivered plenty filters. My sunburn kills. Fell through a dock. I've got a killer bruise. That's all.

April 1, 2011 Morning Dad's Mattress

1) Last night was amazing. No mosquitoes, and the most beautiful stars I've ever seen. Ben, Dad & I went topside to watch them. God certainly knew what he was doing! I was listening to - guess who - Colbie Caillat, and I felt like dancing - so I danced! There were these huge bursts of lightning - it was really cool.
2) Been out all morning delivering filters. Some people caught & killed an anta. We're not sure what the English translation is, but we're thinking it's a Tapir. I took a picture of that. Badder burn, but I'll live. I've started learning names - Anaef, Luis, Bomba. Adriana, Maria, Anderson. My neck burns soooo bad.