Finally starting this, it has been on my list of things to do for quite a while. Now I finally have, seems like I have a LOT I could talk about. This is my first time writing any blog, so if I ramble and make no sense (which can be pretty typical of me, yes it can :P) just bear with me?

WOW! ECUADOR! When I first got here I was so tired after flying all night and all day. I was also very worried about finding my bag, which some airport attendant had kindly   -yet strangely to me- taken off the carousel for me. So I did find it eventually, no worries there. My next problem was finding my family, which was quite a bit easier as they had a sign with my name on it.

I live with one lady in the north (and better meaning safer) part of Quito. Her name is Maria Soledad Robles. She prefers to be called Sole. Her English is pretty good, but not great. Just like my Spanish. I need practice, so we mainly communicate in Spanish, unless it is late when my Spanish runs out. It happens. 

Sole though has a HUGE family here. Her parents live quite close by, no more than a mile. My friend Maria, also a HSU-UTE (Humboldt State-Universidad Tecnologica Equinoccial) student lives with them, and we do a lot together. Sole's (and Maria's) mom Etna has many siblings. I think she is one of eight. Sole herself has one sister and four brothers. I have met her sister and her sister's husband and their children. Also one of her cousins and his son. And her brother and his two sons, and another brother and his three kids, and  another brother and his three kids. I probably met all their wives, but I can't remember just now. All those names are another story. If I mention someone's name in the future I will explain who it is. Everyone is EXTREMELY nice!

As for daily life, I am very settled. I sleep well at night, and have not had any serious issues with the altitude. I know my routine. Usually I wake up an hour before school starts, maybe more. Sole and I eat breakfast, she makes juice and batidos (imagine a fruity comination milkshake-smoothie that is delicious) and there is always fresh bread from the nearby Panaderia and YUMMY out-of-this-world fresh fruit. Do I have a favorite? Nope, they all so good. I think my favorite juices that are ALL good though are Guayabana (sp) or mora...which is like a raspberry and a blackberry. If you make it to Ecuador you have to like fruit. Hey, if you don't, you sure will.

My three official classes at UTE are grammar, reading and writing, and history and culture. All my teachers are very nice, and super funny. The relationship here, between students and professors, seems slightly different. Though it seems like everyone could be friends everywhere, not just here. Maybe it is because the classes I have are a bit smaller than my HSU ones. But the teachers here joke with us and go on trips with us, they want to be our friends. I like it, personally.

I know my small sect of Quito well. I can navigate from my house to Maria's, to school, to the supermarkets, to the closest parks. UTE is separated into two different campuses, UTE San Matriz and UTE Occidental. I attend classes at the later, in Bloque I (for Idiomas, or languages). There is a bus (25 cents a seat, and USA money is widely accepted here) that goes from one campus to the other. My mom usually drives me to San Matriz as it is on her way to work, and I ride the bus up the hill to my classes. 

As for my internship, I am working in old Quito, or Centro Historico. The place is the Municipal Museum, or Museo Municipal. Maria and I, and possibly another of our group named Travis (who, incindentally, lives with another of Sole's cousins) work there. Mondays through Tuesdays, we work with the children in la Sala Infantil, or childrens' room. There shelved is a collection of works in English, everything from Miley Cyrus paperbacks to Jack Kerouac to do it yourshelf instructionals. I imagine this must be the place were all the English books can be found. The museum has a library section, not just galleries. Anyway the children in the room seem to be in summer camp, or after school care. Their ages range from six to twelve. Maria and I work with them on their English skills. So far we have done this  once, and they were well informed. But no one can ever stop learning, and Maria and Travis and I are ready to help.The other days of the week we will either go to the library section to tutor older kids with their English classes, or help the guides in the museum who present to English speaking tourists with their pronunciation, should they need it.

As for culture shock, sure I have it. The biggest thing to get used to so far has been anything and everything to do with the automobiles here. People drive crazy like. Seriously. It is VERY disorganized. I really did see someone drive over the median (grass and all) and this was not during the daytime either. I can walk, well, run across the intersections fairly safely. I prefer to walk when others do, however. Today, though, at a small intersection, somebody waited and waved for me to cross. I was pleased, that was the first time that has happened. And everyone honks. For no logical reason.

The buses. Those are another story. PACKED is what they are. And stuffy. But, me being me, I find it very amusing. The first bus I went on with Maria and some other girls, we were going to the BOSQUE, a nearby shopping mall after school the first week. I had my quarter for the fair in my left hand as I got on the bus, with my two backpacks, one I brought from AK to use and the other one a gift from the UTE faculty. Both contained school supplies, but nothing extremely valuable. I climbed on right behind Maria, but before we were situated, the but started moving with a lurch. Usually they don't stop unless a woman and or kids are waiting, the men have to leap. Anyway the bus started moving, and I had no handhold. Somehow some lady came between Maria and I, and because with my right hand I was grasping my backpacks, with my left hand I reached past both of thetm to grab the hand rail. I was terrified of losing my quarter, but managed not to. A nice man in a seat to my right offered me his seat. 'Twas indeed nice, but he got up and walked betweenv me, the lady who came out of nowhere, and both my backpacks in the TINY bus isle. A remarkable feat. I was squashed. But all of us girls got off the bus with no casualties.

I have some homework, the ever famous tarea, calling my name. Hope y'all enjoyed? True and I love to share my news, I will with regularity from now on. Best!

Gracias y ciao,

Juls