A Week Come and Gone

I'm sorry I haven´t been able to write sooner! I have been so busy since I've been here, but I am certainly thinking about you all a lot! Oh gosh, so where to begin?

I met the other volunteers in the Miami airport on Sunday, and I could already tell that they were going to be a great group to get to know over the course of the year. Once we arrived in Quito, we pretty much went straight to our hotel and went to bed on Sunday night! We were in training pretty much from 7am-7pm Monday through Wednesday, with all sorts of classes about health, safety, Ecuadorian culture, the Education systems here, and much more! We took a bus tour of the old part of the city one day and really had only about 3 other free hours over the course of the 3 days to walk around and use the internet! So it has been quite a whirlwind so far, but it´s been great. The directors are really young, fun, and so on top of things, and orientation, though long, has been very enjoyable. I am living with another volunteer, Shelby, about 45 minutes away from class by bus in a really nice house. We share a big room and we have an awesome rooftop view of the entire city. Juana, my Quito host mom, has been great so far as well!

Right now I am actually sitting in an internet cafe (attached to my house!!) in Ambato, my new home for the year. Thursday morning the other 2 Ambato volunteers, Eden and Aubrey, and I boarded a bus to Ambato (everyone is visiting their sites this weekend). On the way we found out we had gotten on the wrong bus, but as we have learned already, being flexible is the best trait someone can have in Ecuador. So we got in touch with my host brother, Marcelo, and my Ambato family were waiting to meet us all on the outskirts of town! My Ambato family is great- they are so excited about having me and they have already done so much out of their way. They are already calling me "mija," or, my daughter. My house is really great and my bedroom window has an incredible view of the mountains! I also had my meeting with my new school director Thursday and that went really well. It's a really laid back school and I think I am really going to enjoy it. I'll be teaching basic English though, so it will be quite a challenge!

Thursday night Eden and I took part in one of the most common Ecuadorian past times- dar vueltas. It literally means to go around in circles- young people here walk around and drive around in circles for fun. So Eden's host brother and my host brother took us driving, which was great because we got to see so much of Ambato! Friday morning we three gals met up for breakfast with a current WT volunteer here in Ambato, Dan, who is actually teaching at my same school. Dan and I just walked around a bit more and I got to see some of the more scenic parts of modern Ambato, which was great. I think I am really going to like getting to know Ambato as the year progresses!

Yesterday I hung out a lot with my family- we went to Supermaxi, the Ecuadorian version of Walmart, for groceries. Then I drove around with mi padres as they ran errands. We went to get a birthday cake for their oldest son, Daniel, and they got me my own little piece of cake as a surprise. I am already fearing gaining the Ecua-15...eek! Then Eden and Aubrey came over and we hung out until we had a little fiesta for Daniel's birthday. He lives in Quito so he just came in for the weekend. We all sat around the table and had cake and sparkling wine. Then we all sat around in the living room and chatted it up a bit before we went to meet up with WorldTeach Dan (as he recently been dubbed) to partake in some hot wine downtown. So after wine, the whole group went dancing...it was so great! I definitely need to hit up some salsa lessons, though.

Today I am heading back to Quito with Daniel my host brother and Eden's host brother who is also named Daniel. (I didn´t even mention the two Daniellas hanging out with us last night too.) Until then I am just going to hang out at the house. I am excited about getting back to Quito tomorrow and hearing about everyone else's site visits! I also start Spanish class at 7am tomorrow morning before our normal orientation classes, so that should be fun.

So just to let you all know, I am indeed alive and well in Ecuador! Please let me know what you have been up to!! Miss you all so much.