I just checked my e-mail and found another from Melissa:

hey dad,
yah i spoke too soon…i now have bedbugs and am covered in them. at training camp dave the leader gave us a list of things we are going to give up and we had to circle three that would be hard. i circled a comfortable bed and i got bedbugs, i also circled normal food and i havent been feeling the best and i circled appearance and at training camp i showered twice and today is the first time i have got to drop of laundry so i smell horrible. but i guess i need to get over what i said i would.

today we went to a school and performed for a bunch of kids and afterwards they swarmed around us and talked to us. i had never felt so overwhelmed in a crowd of people..but at least they spoke english so it wasnt as hard as other villages we have gone to. then we went to a hindu temple and walked around and we saw four cremation ceremonies. the first three were already started so it wasnt gross but the fourth body i saw them light and the smell was horrible. its much worse then getting your blood drawn, i felt so sick. just so you know i do not want to be cremated it is a horrible thing to watch. and the gross part was after the body was ashes they poured water over them and dumped them in the river and then little kids were swimming around and throwing the ashes like it was normal thing to see and do, which i guess it is for them.

something cool is that there are wild monkeys. im not sure if i told you that but i really like them. also did i tell you i cant call? well if i didnt i just wanted to let you know that. but i love you and ill write again when i have time.

Sounds like Melissa’s having fun and learning lots. I hope she’s taking lots of pictures and writing in her journal so she can tell me all about it when she gets home.