Dear Emily

I know it has been some time since I have written you. An unexcusable and rude period has passed. You´re probably wondering if we´re even still friends. If i remember your brother´s name. If I appreciate the amount of donuts that were consumed one late summer night.

Well, the sun beats down on my typing shoulder and I wonder some of the same types of things. I really do amiga. i wonder if copa air will ever fly to cuenca. I wonder if Ecuadorians are burning George Bush masks tonight because they think he is a great hero. And I wonder why so many midwesterners spend their winter vacations in Mexico.

It is natural to have questions. We all do. And some of us even have answers. But as we creep into the 7th year of the century I think it is important that we keep one thing in mind. We must be concious of the idea that the future is only undeveloped history.

So I write this letter from Quito, Ecuador not knowing much about the world other than that it is small and it is vast. And I know there are a lot of good people who fill it and I am fortunate to know many of these good people. So to you friend and to you friend and to you friend, Happy New Year.

See you in 2006!