Judy Balser

Jump off the Face of the Earth: Adventures of an American Nurse in Amazonas Judy Balser

A gringa takes the leap into unknown currents of the Amazon River surrounded by the largest rainforest in the world, Amazonas. It is the drama, some comedy and some tragedy, of her immigration and acculturation as she sinks deeper into the culture. What she discovers in this world of spirits and myths from the people of the jungle, both native and mestizo. Finally, the biggest tragedy of all, history, greed, corruption, and poverty transform an enchanting paradise into one of the worst misuses of natural resources in history. Along with it, people undergo drastic changes that affect the culture, economy, politics, and social structure. Includes an international artist, medicinal plants, and native history.