Wow! Completing the Trans-Amazon Expedition has always seemed like something that "will" happen. The end has always remained something for the future. However, we've done it! It's bittersweet to have finished. Going back to our regular lives will take some re-adjustment. It will be nice to be back with our friends, families, and loved ones. But leaving the people of the Amazon will be very hard to do.

Over the course of the three legs of the Trans-Amazon Expedition we have met so many people who have touched our lives forever. We will probably never see most of the people we've met ever again, but just thinking about these people always brings a smile to our faces. There are so many people who have been generous, helpful, welcoming, friendly, and just plain nice.

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Kids in the Amazon are always curious about where we are from and what we are doing.

Just imagine six people you've never met, who don't speak your language very well, are dressed in strange clothes coming to your doorstep. Oh, and these people may not have showered in a couple of days. Then these people ask if they can stay at your house for the night. Think about what might be your reaction to these strangers.

In the Amazon, nearly everyone we've talked to have invited us into their homes without hesitation. We ask them to stay in their yard or house, and without even taking a minute to think it over, they usually say, "Sure. Welcome!" The people of Peru, Columbia, and Brazil have been quick to invite us into their homes, share food, teach us about the rainforest, and explain their way of life on the Amazon.

While they have taught me information about rainforest plants and animals, the most important thing I take away from all of these friendships is how to be a true friend.

Lifestyles and cultures along the Amazon are very different than ours in the United States. People here eat completely different foods, dress differently, travel differently, and have different customs. Some things that we find totally normal are shocking to people of the Amazon. Yet, variety is the spice of life. And if everyone were the same all over the world, it would be a pretty boring place.

Trying a new food, asking lots of questions, and never assuming that we can do something better helps people trust us. Friendship always begins with trust. So once people trust us, they are eager to share their lives with us.

Observing how a family makes farina is one of many ways we can learn about life in the Amazon.

The majority of people in the Amazon are not wealthy. Most people live without electricity or plumbing. Many things that we don't even think about at home are luxuries here. Yet whenever we are invited into someone's home, we are treated as guests of honor. Families will offer us the best food they have. Fishermen will offer us fish and want no money for it. And we never leave a community without plenty of fresh fruit. They are proud and happy to share. One of the most important things I've learned during this expedition is how to treat guests and friends. It has also made me braver to try new things, and have an open mind for adventure when put in a new situation. It usually works out for the best!

How do you think the people of the Amazon would feel if we refused their food? How would it make them feel if we held our noses or made a bad face when we saw people doing things that seem totally different to us?

Instead of a school bus, these students ride a "school boat" each morning!

One of the reasons people have been so nice to us is our willingness to try new things. Sometimes we are given a food that looks gross, but we try it anyway. Most people in the United States don't have chickens, pigs, and cows in their yards. Most people in the United States don't use outhouses to go to the bathroom. But again, people do things differently in the Amazon. It is not any better or worse than how we live at home - just different. The world would have a lot fewer problems if everyone were more tolerant of people's differences.

Happy Trails,

Frosty