dispatches from a mosquitero

So what's it been like?

Well today I helped my host mom look for bananas and platanos. (that’s not all I did, but just the first thing that came to mind). My mom is hard core I must say. She by far out carries me in the platano carrying contest. She's more like a mule with 3 racismos de guino slung over her back and shoulders. I was walking behind her today on our way out (by the way, the way out is practically silent compared to the way in) and thought how if she fell she quite possibly would be crushed by the number of guienos she had on her back. I was carrying about 50 pounds myself and she had way more than me. And had a machete.

Oh and also I don't know if there is anything better (well there probably is, but at the moment it was pretty awesome) than hiding under banana leaves, while rain drips down from the canopy above, and enjoying a nice fat naturally ripened banana. I actually probably had over 20 bananas today; between the green ones that make up the substance my 3 daily meals and the 5 ripe ones I ate waiting there for the rain to slow. I mean you have to get them before the monkeys do. And monkeys really do eat bananas; it's not just a Curious George thing.

I also went diving for oysters today. We ended up with an overflowing 5 gallon bucket full of them. And I proudly contributed about 5 of those. The three other guys filled it the rest of the way. I think next time I'll be able to give those oysters a better run for their money. (They actually are not just sitting there with their mouths open, that's taunting their doing.) This is the second time I have been out looking in (and depending on) the lake for my food. I kind of feel almost stone age ish about it, especially now with my Indian arm band tattoo. And the fact that us 4 males brought the bucketful of game/food back for the female to put in the other half of the work also made it that much more cave dweller ish.

Anyway, as such I thought I was getting oysters tonight for dinner. Instead I was handed boiled green bananas and fried mini-hot dogs. I questioned (not exactly objecting, just questioning) and learned that although cooked and prepared the oysters are for tomorrow. That's all fine and dandy, although right now I am 90% certain that I will get them for breakfast; with the always reliable guieno verde. And that's not fine or dandy.