Oooooo Yeah.

I´ve pretty much been here a month. It shows in my waist line. The llapingachos are just too good and I have to have more than one. And the ice cream....oh the ice cream. There are heladerías on every corner. OH! And panaderías.....all the fresh bread I could ever want along with cake and donuts. I know where Í´m headed after this.



So I started classes and they are pretty simple. I have homework every day, and it´s helping with my Spanish, so I don´t mind.



There are at least 12 malls here. It disgusts me.



The public transportation here is amazing. I can take 5 different buses to school, all for 25 cents. I had to get over the fact that they spew out toxic gases which aren´t regulated by the government before I could appreciate that they take me whereever I want to go. The drivers are loco. And the road laws here aren´t followed by anyone, especially the bus drivers. Last week all the buses went on strike because they want to raise the price to 35 cents, which is quite the increase for the people in this city. Not to mention that 35 cents is a pain in the butt compared to simply paying a quarter. Anyway, you should all know that when I ride the bus I´m more worried about getting in a car crash than I am about anyone robbing me.

What else? The rain storms here are fantastic. It RAINS. And the thunder is much louder and frightening than I´ve heard before in my life. I think it´s because we´re at such a high altitude and the air is thinner, so the sound travels faster. Or some scientific explanation like that. I´m glad that I bought a rain coat before I left.

I didn´t want to write this next part, because I know my dad will be freaked out, but the second week I got here, two guys tried to rob me in broad daylight. My friends and I were sitting in this little heladería across the street from the school, and in walks two well dressed, older men. There were other customers stuffed in this small place, so with their addition, it felt even more crowded. Anyway, one was talking on his phone; the other stood there, jingling coins in his hands, appearing as if he was counting out a certain amount. This whole situation was right out of a handbook I had read before coming to this country, entitled "Safety Precautions". How appropriate. While my friends were chatting away, I sat there being Miss Paranoid, observing every movement of these hooligans. In less than a second, Mr. Coins "accidentally" dropped his change, while ChattyMcChat quickly tried to manuver his fat hand into my purse that was beside me. Don´t worry, they scurried out of there empty handed after I pulled my purse into my lap. My favorite part was that when they had walked a distance away, the fat one turned back and saw me glaring at him. My second favorite part was that not one of my friends had a clue as to what had just happened. So there you have it. Reading those "Safety Precautions" did me good. (I´m fine, Dad :D).

I really have learned a lot of Spanish since I got here, although it doesn´t show in my writing. But this is all for now, I must go to class.

¡Chao!

The First of Many

Hello all!!! So Ive been in Ecuador for two weeks now and it has truly been fantastic.



The second day I was here I went to the wedding of one of my many sobrinas (cousins), and it was quite the party. The actual wedding was just like any other Catholic wedding, what with the priest dude talking, us responding, and a choir singing along. Once the reception was over, me and the other two hundred friends and family members headed to a very fancy restaurant slash perfect place to have a party. The place was located in this small pueblo outside the big city. We got there and had waitors running around outside in this beatiful garden setting, serving chocolate covered strawberries and champange. It was surreal. I was standing there, feeling slightly light-headed due to the high elevation (10,000 feet), listening to these people that would sub as my family for a year, and I could hardly understand a word. I was having a great time being the only extranjera there.



Next, they hurded us up, and we went inside to find a proper table setting. Im talking like eight pieces of silverware. We ate Ecuadorian food like pigs, and were served red and white wine all the while. Hard A was served after, but I passed on that.



Once we were in the mood to just go take a nap, it was time to hit the dance floor. Let me tell you, it felt awesome to be the only one in the room who couldnt do the salsa. I was completely lost, but thankfully my chipper cousins all helped me out. In fact, I was pretty much forced to dance with them for two hours straight. I also got to dance with a really attractive Ecuadorian Ooooo. He happens to be my cousin, but whatever, right? I also got followed all night by a very drunk guy, but I just laughed it off because there really wasnt anything else I could do.

That wedding was a sweet way to start my trip in Ecuador because it showed me what the culture here is like. Lots of family, lots of laughing, and lots of drinking. Just my kind of place.