Well, last time I said I wouldn't go so long without updating...oops. It's been five weeks! I really can't understand how fast the last two months have gone by. By now it will be kind of difficult to recount the last five weeks so I will sum it up.
In October I traveled a lot, nearly every weekend I believe. I finally went to the coast with my friends Kristin, Katherine, and Chantal and we stayed in Tonsupa for a few days. I usually don't like the beach but there's just something very enticing about the Pacific Ocean in South America. Afterwards, Katherine's friend Anna came to visit from the states so we all went to Baños where I kind of felt like a dad taking my family on vacation since I had been there previously. We stayed there for two days and had a great time. The day after we got back I left for the Amazon and the Tiputini Biodiversity Station owned by USFQ. There were about twenty international students in total and we all got along so well and had an awesome weekend experiencing all the crazy stuff the rainforest has to offer.
In other news, the weather in Quito has become a major downer the last couple of weeks because of the combination of the La Niña current of the coast and the fact that it's typically "winter" during November and December. We're talking torrential downpours and frigid cold every day...weak. Luckily, the last few days it's been improving with less lluvia and more sol. Since this is not much of an update per se, I thought in the spirit of Thanksgiving I would make a list of things that I am both thankful for and love about living in Ecuador. Let's see:
-speaking spanish every day and actually seeing improvements in my capabilities
-chifles (plantain chips) & creamsicle ice cream bars
-going out to random places with friends and ending the night dancing til we're exhausted
-bus rides to and from school
-learning new dances like merengue and salsa
-running in La Carolina with my iPod on a sunny morning
-Liga soccer games
-my classes, professors, and people in them
-my favorite $1.50 pirated DVD store
-shooting the breeeze with taxi drivers
-my "family" who makes each day interesting
-my host family's antics that never cease to make me laugh
That's all I can come up with right now, I'm sure there's tons of little things I forgot. Right now I'm just preparing for the final stretch of the semester filled with tests, presentations, papers, etc. I'm looking forward to December 9th when I will be done with school and free to do whatever with friends until most of them fly out on the 19th. After that I will only have another semester of school until I'm officially a graduate (hopefully) of Virginia Tech...it's about time. Until then, I better get to work! Hope this finds everyone doing well and enjoying Thanksgiving with friends and family...I'm thankful for each of you! Hasta luego!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Has it really been three weeks since my last post?! Sorry! I guess I have a lot to talk about...where to start? I think I'll start with Jesus. I have been learning the hard way here that my life really is not about me...not my desires, not my problems, not my worries...none of it. My life is about living for the one who died for me so that I could live this life to the fullest, free of the burdens and condemnation of this world. Learning to love an entirely new group of people here over the past two months has been challenging because I continually find myself making comparisons to the unbelievable community I was blessed with at VT. On the other hand, I am so grateful for the people God has placed around me here and the opportunities I have to live out His love in those relationships. I was having trouble paying attention in church yesterday and as I was flipping through my bible I came across Colossians 1:3-14, and was really just blown away by what God has given us through his Son. I'm challenged by this verse to truly live, speak, think, and love like a man called by God to be a light and give glory to the kingdom of Heaven. Please read it if you can, it is an incredible message and I'm even considering memorizing the book of Colossians in Spanish!
As far as school goes, last week was loco. I had three midterm exams, two papers, a report, and a presentation within two days of class. Needless to say I was a little overwhelmed because I didn't come to Ecuador to do stinkin' homework! I'm eager to see some of the results from last week this coming week, it could be pretty funny. Luckily, as long as I just pass the classes I need for Spanish I will get the credit and graduate as planned in May. In my international relations class, we received our country assignments for the Model UN in November and I dare you to guess who I got...whatever you're thinking is wrong. My country is Burkina Faso. Burkina Faso. Really? I can't tell you the first thing about this place so it should be an interesting project.
Last weekend I was supposed to go on another Volcanology field trip which didn't really go as planned. I hadn't paid for the trip beforehand so technically I shouldn't have gone to the bus on Satuday morning but I thought I'd try my luck and turned out I had none and got kicked off the bus along with my friend Cody from App St. We decided since we were up and about already to just go to Baños for the day and meet up with the group there that night. We got a bus at 9:30 from the farthest terminal in the south of Quito and took us about three and a half hours to get there. I used good ol' LP (Lonely Planet) to find us a sweet hostel followed by hawaiian pizza for lunch. We decided to rent bikes for five bucks and ride down to a waterfall about twelve miles away called Pailon del Diablo. The ride was incredible, filled with amazing views. The waterfall was also breathtaking, and freezing cold. We got a ride back in the back of a camioneta (pick-up) and went directly to the hot springs just a quarter-mile from our hostel. This was one of the best experiences I've had in Ecuador. There are three pools, a super-heated 118-degree hot tub, a warm pool, and a cold bath as well. We were freezing from the rain so the hot pool was actually too hot, but we eventually figured out if you alternate between the really hot pool and the freezing cold one your body gets this incredible sensation that is actually kind of addicting and made it hard to leave.
We met up with Dan (VT guy) and his roommate for the night Diana and headed out to get some food around town. After eating we went to check out this bar with a pool table. We rented the table for a two dollar per hour rate and played a combination of Ecuador and England rules because Diana had lived in England for most of her life. We ended up hanging out with two other English guys and a German guy who were traveling and went with them to a club called Leprechaun which was really a cool place. This place had two dance floors, one downstairs and one upstairs and then an open-air section with a fire pit...and all three of these locations had their own bar. I started dancing with this Ecuadorian girl and we ended up dancing for like three hours, with some salsa and merengue thrown in there which was good practice for me. The next morning Cody and I were able to get on the bus with our class somehow and finish the trip with Theo talking about the volcano Tungurahua which is just outside Baños and is still very active.
The soccer season has officially started for my team and we are 1-1 on the season. Our first game was bogus because for most of the second half the other team was playing with an extra man but we didn't notice until they scored the winning goal and saw seven of their players on the field. What is the referee being paid for anyways? We won our next game easily and play again this Wednesday. I've also been playing once a week with my pastor Aldo and some of his friends at a huge complex called Fútbol City with four or five turf fields which is so much fun. I've yet to attend a soccer game here in Quito but I hope to soon. I think I've decided to pledge my allegiance to Liga, one of the popular teams down here, simply because I really like their jersey.
This weekend's volcanology trip is to Crucita, which is on the coast! Honestly, the beach doesn't do it for me but I have never seen the Pacific and I'm sure beaches here a step above what I've experienced before. I'm going to stay at a friend's house instead of paying for whatever hotel Theo has lined up, so that should be fun. It's hard to believe there's only two months left in this semester...time is going by quickly. Thankfully, I have another seven wonderful months in this country! I'll try not to let three weeks pass before the next update, hope you all are enjoying them!
As far as school goes, last week was loco. I had three midterm exams, two papers, a report, and a presentation within two days of class. Needless to say I was a little overwhelmed because I didn't come to Ecuador to do stinkin' homework! I'm eager to see some of the results from last week this coming week, it could be pretty funny. Luckily, as long as I just pass the classes I need for Spanish I will get the credit and graduate as planned in May. In my international relations class, we received our country assignments for the Model UN in November and I dare you to guess who I got...whatever you're thinking is wrong. My country is Burkina Faso. Burkina Faso. Really? I can't tell you the first thing about this place so it should be an interesting project.
Last weekend I was supposed to go on another Volcanology field trip which didn't really go as planned. I hadn't paid for the trip beforehand so technically I shouldn't have gone to the bus on Satuday morning but I thought I'd try my luck and turned out I had none and got kicked off the bus along with my friend Cody from App St. We decided since we were up and about already to just go to Baños for the day and meet up with the group there that night. We got a bus at 9:30 from the farthest terminal in the south of Quito and took us about three and a half hours to get there. I used good ol' LP (Lonely Planet) to find us a sweet hostel followed by hawaiian pizza for lunch. We decided to rent bikes for five bucks and ride down to a waterfall about twelve miles away called Pailon del Diablo. The ride was incredible, filled with amazing views. The waterfall was also breathtaking, and freezing cold. We got a ride back in the back of a camioneta (pick-up) and went directly to the hot springs just a quarter-mile from our hostel. This was one of the best experiences I've had in Ecuador. There are three pools, a super-heated 118-degree hot tub, a warm pool, and a cold bath as well. We were freezing from the rain so the hot pool was actually too hot, but we eventually figured out if you alternate between the really hot pool and the freezing cold one your body gets this incredible sensation that is actually kind of addicting and made it hard to leave.
We met up with Dan (VT guy) and his roommate for the night Diana and headed out to get some food around town. After eating we went to check out this bar with a pool table. We rented the table for a two dollar per hour rate and played a combination of Ecuador and England rules because Diana had lived in England for most of her life. We ended up hanging out with two other English guys and a German guy who were traveling and went with them to a club called Leprechaun which was really a cool place. This place had two dance floors, one downstairs and one upstairs and then an open-air section with a fire pit...and all three of these locations had their own bar. I started dancing with this Ecuadorian girl and we ended up dancing for like three hours, with some salsa and merengue thrown in there which was good practice for me. The next morning Cody and I were able to get on the bus with our class somehow and finish the trip with Theo talking about the volcano Tungurahua which is just outside Baños and is still very active.
The soccer season has officially started for my team and we are 1-1 on the season. Our first game was bogus because for most of the second half the other team was playing with an extra man but we didn't notice until they scored the winning goal and saw seven of their players on the field. What is the referee being paid for anyways? We won our next game easily and play again this Wednesday. I've also been playing once a week with my pastor Aldo and some of his friends at a huge complex called Fútbol City with four or five turf fields which is so much fun. I've yet to attend a soccer game here in Quito but I hope to soon. I think I've decided to pledge my allegiance to Liga, one of the popular teams down here, simply because I really like their jersey.
This weekend's volcanology trip is to Crucita, which is on the coast! Honestly, the beach doesn't do it for me but I have never seen the Pacific and I'm sure beaches here a step above what I've experienced before. I'm going to stay at a friend's house instead of paying for whatever hotel Theo has lined up, so that should be fun. It's hard to believe there's only two months left in this semester...time is going by quickly. Thankfully, I have another seven wonderful months in this country! I'll try not to let three weeks pass before the next update, hope you all are enjoying them!
Monday, September 27, 2010
isaiah 26:8
"Yes, Lord, walking in the ways of Your truth, we wait for you; Your name and renown are the desires of our hearts."
So, I just finished watching the Passion 2011 Live Link from my computer. They were broadcasting from Georgia Tech's campus in Atlanta. Louie Giglio, Chris Tomlin, and the whole gang were there to worship and share a bit about what's going on in the Passion movement. I was reminded over and over again of the incredible experience I had at Passion 2010 in Atlanta this past January...hard to believe it was only ten months ago! The message was a reminder to be "awake, confident, and available". Awake (1 Corinthians 2:6-9): to the truth that outside of our very small lives and what we see every day on the news or Facebook or whatever...there is a story going on that tells of God's faithfulness and His amazing purpose for our lives. Confident (Isaiah 46:3-5): that those who have believed in Christ are now called sons and daughters, heirs of an eternal kingdom and that the Lord is continually working for our good. Available (Isaiah 64:1-4): to be ready in each moment to follow God's leading to a place, person, or people.
Even though at this moment I'm pretty positive that I'll be here in Quito until next May, right now I feel like I'm facing a lot of questions. I think a lot about questions concerning what I might do next when I get back. I think a lot about questions in my relationships with people from home and new people here. I have so many passions that I want to see fulfilled in my life and I have no idea how to go about doing so. The greatest comfort is to know that in whatever circumstance I'm in or question I struggle with, my God is going before me to prepare a way. I'm realizing that I'm so blessed to be a part of God's story and that nothing I do can change how much He loves me.
My 22nd birthday has now come and gone and I am relishing the wonderful number that is now my age. I feel slightly strange telling most people here how old I am because to them I actually am old whereas back at home nearly all my friends are older than me. Regardless, my birthday was a combination of some of my favorite things: pizza for lunch, playing tennis, watching the Braves play (and lose unfortunately), and dancing. My Ecuadorian friend Carlos took myself and the girls to lunch in Tumbaco, a small town just outside of campus in Cumbayá, at a place called Pizza SA that the girls had been raving about. Then we went back to campus because the girls had class and Carlos and I were going to play tennis. I realized that tennis is probably the best sport to play at high altitude because it doesn't require an excessive amount of running. Later that evening my friend Nelson and I headed to Mulligan's Pub in Mariscal to watch the Braves-Phillies game, a frustrating 1-0 loss. Then we met the girls at our favorite bar before going to the salsa club at ten.
This weekend we had our first two field trips with volcanology class to Lake Cuicocha, which is just outside of Otavalo, and to Papallacta (or somewhere around there). On Saturday we took a bus right up to the volcanic lake and went on a little boat ride while Theo explained how it was made in Spanish which meant I didn't understand/pay much attention. The rest of the day we stopped at random spots on the highway to draw different kinds of faults in the rock formations...I'm sure we all looked ridiculous standing there looking at a rock wall and doodling away. Overall, it wasn't a very exciting trip and the highlight was probably eating oreos for lunch. Sunday was a much different story as we spent the day in search of eight different rocks to collect, label, and bag for our reports. This meant climbing up and down hills where you could literally lose a shoe or break an ankle if you made a misstep. Theo highly enjoys watching his students follow him around like pets and making us do things that we don't necessarily need to do, but enhances his experience that much more. Needless to say, I was very dirty and very tired when I got home yesterday evening.
This week could be the busiest yet. I've started playing ultimate frisbee in Parque Carolina on Tuesdays after class. I believe the soccer team I joined at USFQ starts practicing this week. I also have bible study on Tuesday evenings at seven and I've been told we may be able to start working with the kids at the orphanage this week as well! Hannah, Ashley, and I also have a potential meeting with a man from an organization called Youth World that does sports ministry with kids in Quito. I guess I might have some homework to do too, but let's be honest that's probably the least of my concerns. This weekend I think I am going to stick around to watch the Hokies put a beatdown on undefeated NC State...hopefully I will not regret that decision. Please be praying for divine guidance as I make choices each day here, that I will be intent on serving Christ with my heart, mind, and actions at all times. Much love, nos vemos pronto!
So, I just finished watching the Passion 2011 Live Link from my computer. They were broadcasting from Georgia Tech's campus in Atlanta. Louie Giglio, Chris Tomlin, and the whole gang were there to worship and share a bit about what's going on in the Passion movement. I was reminded over and over again of the incredible experience I had at Passion 2010 in Atlanta this past January...hard to believe it was only ten months ago! The message was a reminder to be "awake, confident, and available". Awake (1 Corinthians 2:6-9): to the truth that outside of our very small lives and what we see every day on the news or Facebook or whatever...there is a story going on that tells of God's faithfulness and His amazing purpose for our lives. Confident (Isaiah 46:3-5): that those who have believed in Christ are now called sons and daughters, heirs of an eternal kingdom and that the Lord is continually working for our good. Available (Isaiah 64:1-4): to be ready in each moment to follow God's leading to a place, person, or people.
Even though at this moment I'm pretty positive that I'll be here in Quito until next May, right now I feel like I'm facing a lot of questions. I think a lot about questions concerning what I might do next when I get back. I think a lot about questions in my relationships with people from home and new people here. I have so many passions that I want to see fulfilled in my life and I have no idea how to go about doing so. The greatest comfort is to know that in whatever circumstance I'm in or question I struggle with, my God is going before me to prepare a way. I'm realizing that I'm so blessed to be a part of God's story and that nothing I do can change how much He loves me.
My 22nd birthday has now come and gone and I am relishing the wonderful number that is now my age. I feel slightly strange telling most people here how old I am because to them I actually am old whereas back at home nearly all my friends are older than me. Regardless, my birthday was a combination of some of my favorite things: pizza for lunch, playing tennis, watching the Braves play (and lose unfortunately), and dancing. My Ecuadorian friend Carlos took myself and the girls to lunch in Tumbaco, a small town just outside of campus in Cumbayá, at a place called Pizza SA that the girls had been raving about. Then we went back to campus because the girls had class and Carlos and I were going to play tennis. I realized that tennis is probably the best sport to play at high altitude because it doesn't require an excessive amount of running. Later that evening my friend Nelson and I headed to Mulligan's Pub in Mariscal to watch the Braves-Phillies game, a frustrating 1-0 loss. Then we met the girls at our favorite bar before going to the salsa club at ten.
This weekend we had our first two field trips with volcanology class to Lake Cuicocha, which is just outside of Otavalo, and to Papallacta (or somewhere around there). On Saturday we took a bus right up to the volcanic lake and went on a little boat ride while Theo explained how it was made in Spanish which meant I didn't understand/pay much attention. The rest of the day we stopped at random spots on the highway to draw different kinds of faults in the rock formations...I'm sure we all looked ridiculous standing there looking at a rock wall and doodling away. Overall, it wasn't a very exciting trip and the highlight was probably eating oreos for lunch. Sunday was a much different story as we spent the day in search of eight different rocks to collect, label, and bag for our reports. This meant climbing up and down hills where you could literally lose a shoe or break an ankle if you made a misstep. Theo highly enjoys watching his students follow him around like pets and making us do things that we don't necessarily need to do, but enhances his experience that much more. Needless to say, I was very dirty and very tired when I got home yesterday evening.
This week could be the busiest yet. I've started playing ultimate frisbee in Parque Carolina on Tuesdays after class. I believe the soccer team I joined at USFQ starts practicing this week. I also have bible study on Tuesday evenings at seven and I've been told we may be able to start working with the kids at the orphanage this week as well! Hannah, Ashley, and I also have a potential meeting with a man from an organization called Youth World that does sports ministry with kids in Quito. I guess I might have some homework to do too, but let's be honest that's probably the least of my concerns. This weekend I think I am going to stick around to watch the Hokies put a beatdown on undefeated NC State...hopefully I will not regret that decision. Please be praying for divine guidance as I make choices each day here, that I will be intent on serving Christ with my heart, mind, and actions at all times. Much love, nos vemos pronto!
Sunday, September 19, 2010
así no más
¡Buenas noches!
It's time for an update! Things here in Quito are going well. Classes are in full swing and homework is becoming more frequent, but not more difficult fortunately. The first trip with my volcanology class is coming up this weekend and it should be fun because there aren't many people signed up for this one! We're going to Cuicocha and Papallacta to check out two volcanoes and some hot springs! Along with my friends Dan and Cody, I joined a fútbol team on campus in a league that includes the professors. Apparently we'll get a jersey with our name and number on it for like five or six bucks each, qué chévere!
Last time I updated I was about to go on a trip to a small pueblo called Otavalo with my friends Hannah, Ashley, and Colleen (from this point on they will be referred to as "the girls" for simplicity's sake). After a frustrating morning waiting at the censo office only to find out that they ran out of cards to print off and would have to come back, we took off on the bus from terminal norte in Quito. It only cost two bucks for the bus ride and on the way we were lucky enough to catch a Jean Claude Van Damme flick called "Sudden Death" (terrible movie, but it seems they love him in South America). We got to Otavalo around four that afternoon and made our way to a hostel we had discovered in our trusty LP's (Lonely Planet guidebooks) call Rincon del Viajero. They had plenty of rooms so we rented two for the night, one for me and one for the girls, and then went out in search of a good dinner. A good dinner is exactly what we found, of course with the help of LP, at a little local restaurant called Mi Otavalito. I had grilled chicked with french fries and salad...delicioso.
After dinner we made a stop at a little ice cream shop for dessert and then headed back to the hostel to get some layers on before going to explore the nightlife. While walking around we had noticed a concert stage being set up in a plaza nearby, so we headed back there to check out the scene. On our way there we stopped at a pizzeria/bar that was probably one of the strangest restaurants I've ever been in, but they offered Cuba Libres (this is what they call rum and coke) for $1.50 so we couldn't pass it up. We finally made our way back to the plaza to find a ton of people watching as a number of different performers sang and danced to celebrate the culture and town of Otavalo. We hung out in the plaza and had some extra-strong but super-cheap canelazo (a warm fruity beverage made with sugar-cane alcohol) and enjoyed the music. We headed back to the hostel and I actually fell asleep in one of the hammocks on the roof before finally making it to my surprisingly comfortable bed. Breakfast the next morning was gratis (free) and it included coffee, bread, and eggs. We then made our way to the market, which I'm told is the largest indigenous hand-craft market in South America, and I have no problem believing that because it was huge! So much stuff to look at and so many people meandering through the different tables and tents. After we finished up shopping we hopped back on the bus to Quito for another two bucks and were home in two hours.
Yesterday I went to a really cool park in Quito with the girls and all of Ashley's ecuadorian cousins to celebrate her host brother Daniel's birthday. It was a heck of a long walk uphill, but when we arrived the views looking down into the valley and Cumbayá were incredible. We hung out for a while waiting for the food to be served and partook in some grilled steak appetizers with ají (a kind of salsa with garlic). Our plates were stacked with different kinds of grilled pork and sausages along with corn and potatoes...definitely a guy's meal and I loved it. The primos all continued celebrating with endless amounts of Pilsener and by the time we made our way back to the city they were all singing loudly their favorite spanish tunes. Shortly after I got home I met up with my friend Nelson to go check out some college football in the Mariscal. We observed some very interesting people and met some funny older guys at a bar who work for the U.S. embassy. I also noticed that without the girls around, no one was bugging me to come in their obnoxious club so that was kind of nice.
Today was the first service of Libertad, the church being pastored by our new Chilean friends Aldo and his wife Pame. Right now it's being held in a conference type room on the roof of the apartment building that they live in. The service today was mainly about casting the vision of this new church and stressing the importance of the people who need to be reached in Quito and around the world. I've never been a part of a church that is just starting and I'm excited to see how this church will grow and develop over the next eight months that I'm here. Starting next week we'll begin our first ministry project as a church with an organization in the city the works with orphaned children and single-parent families...I can't wait to love on these people and share the hope of Christ with them!
That's about it for this post. I'm about to turn twenty-two this coming Wednesday and I'm not sure anyone quite understands that I've been waiting for this my whole life because twenty-two is in fact my favorite number and will be my age for a whole year! Please pray for my new church and it's ability to effectively minister to the people we are called to. I miss you all and GO HOKIES!
¡Chao!
It's time for an update! Things here in Quito are going well. Classes are in full swing and homework is becoming more frequent, but not more difficult fortunately. The first trip with my volcanology class is coming up this weekend and it should be fun because there aren't many people signed up for this one! We're going to Cuicocha and Papallacta to check out two volcanoes and some hot springs! Along with my friends Dan and Cody, I joined a fútbol team on campus in a league that includes the professors. Apparently we'll get a jersey with our name and number on it for like five or six bucks each, qué chévere!
Last time I updated I was about to go on a trip to a small pueblo called Otavalo with my friends Hannah, Ashley, and Colleen (from this point on they will be referred to as "the girls" for simplicity's sake). After a frustrating morning waiting at the censo office only to find out that they ran out of cards to print off and would have to come back, we took off on the bus from terminal norte in Quito. It only cost two bucks for the bus ride and on the way we were lucky enough to catch a Jean Claude Van Damme flick called "Sudden Death" (terrible movie, but it seems they love him in South America). We got to Otavalo around four that afternoon and made our way to a hostel we had discovered in our trusty LP's (Lonely Planet guidebooks) call Rincon del Viajero. They had plenty of rooms so we rented two for the night, one for me and one for the girls, and then went out in search of a good dinner. A good dinner is exactly what we found, of course with the help of LP, at a little local restaurant called Mi Otavalito. I had grilled chicked with french fries and salad...delicioso.
After dinner we made a stop at a little ice cream shop for dessert and then headed back to the hostel to get some layers on before going to explore the nightlife. While walking around we had noticed a concert stage being set up in a plaza nearby, so we headed back there to check out the scene. On our way there we stopped at a pizzeria/bar that was probably one of the strangest restaurants I've ever been in, but they offered Cuba Libres (this is what they call rum and coke) for $1.50 so we couldn't pass it up. We finally made our way back to the plaza to find a ton of people watching as a number of different performers sang and danced to celebrate the culture and town of Otavalo. We hung out in the plaza and had some extra-strong but super-cheap canelazo (a warm fruity beverage made with sugar-cane alcohol) and enjoyed the music. We headed back to the hostel and I actually fell asleep in one of the hammocks on the roof before finally making it to my surprisingly comfortable bed. Breakfast the next morning was gratis (free) and it included coffee, bread, and eggs. We then made our way to the market, which I'm told is the largest indigenous hand-craft market in South America, and I have no problem believing that because it was huge! So much stuff to look at and so many people meandering through the different tables and tents. After we finished up shopping we hopped back on the bus to Quito for another two bucks and were home in two hours.
Yesterday I went to a really cool park in Quito with the girls and all of Ashley's ecuadorian cousins to celebrate her host brother Daniel's birthday. It was a heck of a long walk uphill, but when we arrived the views looking down into the valley and Cumbayá were incredible. We hung out for a while waiting for the food to be served and partook in some grilled steak appetizers with ají (a kind of salsa with garlic). Our plates were stacked with different kinds of grilled pork and sausages along with corn and potatoes...definitely a guy's meal and I loved it. The primos all continued celebrating with endless amounts of Pilsener and by the time we made our way back to the city they were all singing loudly their favorite spanish tunes. Shortly after I got home I met up with my friend Nelson to go check out some college football in the Mariscal. We observed some very interesting people and met some funny older guys at a bar who work for the U.S. embassy. I also noticed that without the girls around, no one was bugging me to come in their obnoxious club so that was kind of nice.
Today was the first service of Libertad, the church being pastored by our new Chilean friends Aldo and his wife Pame. Right now it's being held in a conference type room on the roof of the apartment building that they live in. The service today was mainly about casting the vision of this new church and stressing the importance of the people who need to be reached in Quito and around the world. I've never been a part of a church that is just starting and I'm excited to see how this church will grow and develop over the next eight months that I'm here. Starting next week we'll begin our first ministry project as a church with an organization in the city the works with orphaned children and single-parent families...I can't wait to love on these people and share the hope of Christ with them!
That's about it for this post. I'm about to turn twenty-two this coming Wednesday and I'm not sure anyone quite understands that I've been waiting for this my whole life because twenty-two is in fact my favorite number and will be my age for a whole year! Please pray for my new church and it's ability to effectively minister to the people we are called to. I miss you all and GO HOKIES!
¡Chao!
Thursday, September 9, 2010
lunch with justin bieber
Hola a todos!
I know what you're thinking...Jacob had lunch with Justin Bieber in Ecuador?! No, but my host family keeps the radio playing nearly all day and yesterday during dinner I watched my host dad, Guillermo, bob his head to none other than Justin and Katy Perry. Classic moment. I can't believe it's been nearly two weeks since I last updated and almost three since I arrived! Things here are picking up quickly and I am becoming an Ecuadorian more and more each day.
As far as school goes, I love my classes and have no complaints! My schedule has changed since the last time I wrote and I'm now enrolled in only four classes: intro to international relations, volcanology, lengua y literatura, and advanced conversation. My international relations class is awesome because the professor is a younger guy who relates everything he teaches to star wars and relationships and he also teaches in english. I usually feel very intelligent when speaking in this class because it's mostly Ecuadorian students who speak good english but stumble through their thoughts occasionally. My volcanology class is an adventure each day because the professor Theo is basically a kid in an older man's body. For example, we were instructed to bring rock samples to class today to identify some different types and he proceeded to lob his own of rocks collection into the crowd of students without hesitation...dangerous, yes, but funny nonetheless. A cuban named Enrique Wong (great name) teaches my lengua y literatura class and he speaks soooo fast but it's a great class because he doesn't get upset if you don't know the answer to a question, he just keeps asking it over and over. Finally, my conversation class is awesome because it's very small and we learn ridiculous new words and phrases each day from our professor Claudia who LOVES to use the words "chevere" which means cool and sexy which of course means...sexy. In two weeks we are having a class dedicated to discovering all the Ecuadorian slang and "palabrotas" (swear words) we can think of...should be interesting.
As I think I've mentioned before, I only have classes on tues/thurs so my week is virtually loaded with free time. I kick myself constantly for ditching my guitar last minute at the airport, I could be learning so much while sitting around the house! Hopefully I can convince the fam to ship it if it isn't too expensive. Within the past two weeks a lot has happened! My friends from North Carolina, Hannah and Ashley, all met up with our new Ecuadorian chaperone/great friend Camilo who I was connected to through Kristy and Caroline (thanks girls!). We went to Quicentro to meet a Chilean couple who recently moved to Quito and are starting a church this month! We are going to get involved when things start rolling with that, and I'm very excited to see what the beginning stages of a church looks like! My first trip to Mariscal (gringolandia) was an interesting one. I met up with Hannah, Ashley, and my other two friends Colleen and Mark at a bar that will remain anonymous for our purposes. We were put in a room in the back of this bar that may or may not have been someone's living quarters. In this room we were asked to remove our shoes and there was a small table, pillows, a tv, and the ceiling must have been no more than three or four feet high. We'll be sure to visit there again before we leave.
This past week Camilo and his friends David and Carlos took Hannah, Ashley, Collen, and I to Centro Historico (old town Quito) to see the nightlife there. It was very beautiful with music playing all around and restaurants lining both sides of the streets filled with people. This past weekend USFQ (my school) hosted a fiesta for all of the international students at a hacienda in a small town called Nono about an hour away from Quito. It was probably one of the most ridiculous days of my life. It turned out to be a day primarily intended to give the gringos as much alcohol as possible in the form of games like sack races, wheelbarrow races, etc. Not to mention when they ran out of game ideas they resorted to a college favorite, flip cup...obviously. I chose to spend most of the day watching all of this absurdity go on rather than participate and get drunk, but it's certainly something I'll never forget. If I could go back, I might rethink my decision to pay $25 for that trip though.
I just took a break from writing to go help my host mama, Germania, with problems on the computer, which I'm frequently asked to do. There's something wrong with their computer and none of the internet browsers will work so I spent half an hour on the phone speaking spanish with some guy from the internet company...never have I ever. After this process, Germania asked me if I knew anything about stem cell transplants and showed me a card she had gotten about an anti-aging procedure. I told her that it is very controversial in the states and that I personally think it is not a great concept because it is a science that removes God from the equation of life. Essentially, I was able to share my beliefs and a little bit of the gospel with both my Ecuadorian parents who are Catholics over a simple conversation and I'm glad I had the opportunity do so.
After finally picking up my "censo" (Ecuadorian I.D.) tomorrow morning, this weekend we are going to Otavalo for two days, a smaller town north of Quito around two hours away. There is a famous artisan's market there with many indigenous vendors selling their hand-crafted products. I think we might also venture to a nearby waterfall called Peguche. This is my first real trip away from the city thus far so I'm excited to see how it goes!
I know what you're thinking...Jacob had lunch with Justin Bieber in Ecuador?! No, but my host family keeps the radio playing nearly all day and yesterday during dinner I watched my host dad, Guillermo, bob his head to none other than Justin and Katy Perry. Classic moment. I can't believe it's been nearly two weeks since I last updated and almost three since I arrived! Things here are picking up quickly and I am becoming an Ecuadorian more and more each day.
As far as school goes, I love my classes and have no complaints! My schedule has changed since the last time I wrote and I'm now enrolled in only four classes: intro to international relations, volcanology, lengua y literatura, and advanced conversation. My international relations class is awesome because the professor is a younger guy who relates everything he teaches to star wars and relationships and he also teaches in english. I usually feel very intelligent when speaking in this class because it's mostly Ecuadorian students who speak good english but stumble through their thoughts occasionally. My volcanology class is an adventure each day because the professor Theo is basically a kid in an older man's body. For example, we were instructed to bring rock samples to class today to identify some different types and he proceeded to lob his own of rocks collection into the crowd of students without hesitation...dangerous, yes, but funny nonetheless. A cuban named Enrique Wong (great name) teaches my lengua y literatura class and he speaks soooo fast but it's a great class because he doesn't get upset if you don't know the answer to a question, he just keeps asking it over and over. Finally, my conversation class is awesome because it's very small and we learn ridiculous new words and phrases each day from our professor Claudia who LOVES to use the words "chevere" which means cool and sexy which of course means...sexy. In two weeks we are having a class dedicated to discovering all the Ecuadorian slang and "palabrotas" (swear words) we can think of...should be interesting.
As I think I've mentioned before, I only have classes on tues/thurs so my week is virtually loaded with free time. I kick myself constantly for ditching my guitar last minute at the airport, I could be learning so much while sitting around the house! Hopefully I can convince the fam to ship it if it isn't too expensive. Within the past two weeks a lot has happened! My friends from North Carolina, Hannah and Ashley, all met up with our new Ecuadorian chaperone/great friend Camilo who I was connected to through Kristy and Caroline (thanks girls!). We went to Quicentro to meet a Chilean couple who recently moved to Quito and are starting a church this month! We are going to get involved when things start rolling with that, and I'm very excited to see what the beginning stages of a church looks like! My first trip to Mariscal (gringolandia) was an interesting one. I met up with Hannah, Ashley, and my other two friends Colleen and Mark at a bar that will remain anonymous for our purposes. We were put in a room in the back of this bar that may or may not have been someone's living quarters. In this room we were asked to remove our shoes and there was a small table, pillows, a tv, and the ceiling must have been no more than three or four feet high. We'll be sure to visit there again before we leave.
This past week Camilo and his friends David and Carlos took Hannah, Ashley, Collen, and I to Centro Historico (old town Quito) to see the nightlife there. It was very beautiful with music playing all around and restaurants lining both sides of the streets filled with people. This past weekend USFQ (my school) hosted a fiesta for all of the international students at a hacienda in a small town called Nono about an hour away from Quito. It was probably one of the most ridiculous days of my life. It turned out to be a day primarily intended to give the gringos as much alcohol as possible in the form of games like sack races, wheelbarrow races, etc. Not to mention when they ran out of game ideas they resorted to a college favorite, flip cup...obviously. I chose to spend most of the day watching all of this absurdity go on rather than participate and get drunk, but it's certainly something I'll never forget. If I could go back, I might rethink my decision to pay $25 for that trip though.
I just took a break from writing to go help my host mama, Germania, with problems on the computer, which I'm frequently asked to do. There's something wrong with their computer and none of the internet browsers will work so I spent half an hour on the phone speaking spanish with some guy from the internet company...never have I ever. After this process, Germania asked me if I knew anything about stem cell transplants and showed me a card she had gotten about an anti-aging procedure. I told her that it is very controversial in the states and that I personally think it is not a great concept because it is a science that removes God from the equation of life. Essentially, I was able to share my beliefs and a little bit of the gospel with both my Ecuadorian parents who are Catholics over a simple conversation and I'm glad I had the opportunity do so.
After finally picking up my "censo" (Ecuadorian I.D.) tomorrow morning, this weekend we are going to Otavalo for two days, a smaller town north of Quito around two hours away. There is a famous artisan's market there with many indigenous vendors selling their hand-crafted products. I think we might also venture to a nearby waterfall called Peguche. This is my first real trip away from the city thus far so I'm excited to see how it goes!
now's the time for us to rise, carry hope to hopeless eyes, let love shine, and show this world that mercy is life! - elevation worship
Saturday, August 28, 2010
change is good
Buenos tardes amigos!
The past few days have been an improvement to say the least. I have started class and am currently enrolled in five classes: lengua y literatura, siglo de oro, gramatica avanzada, conversacion avanzada, and vulcanologia. I might end up only taking four but as of now i'm ok with this schedule. My first day of class went very well, no problems getting to school on the buses by myself and found all my classrooms pretty easily. My siglo de oro and lengua y literatura classes are going to be a lot of work and a lot of confusion because the professors speak very quickly and there's definitely no english involved. Fortunately, the textbooks are much cheaper here and I don't need as many either. On the way home I somehow missed my stop at Rio Coca and ended up having a taxi back home because I had no idea where I was.
As far as my hectic living situation: resolved. I say this because I do have a new family and new home in Quito who I like very much so far. Before I got here though, there was one last storm. Thursday afternoon I got home from school around five and no one was home and I wasn't hungry so I passed over the lunch on the table and went to my room to relax. Around seven that same night Rosa the housekeeper came in and asked me how my day was and then preceded to explain that I needed to pack a bag for the weekend because we were leaving in twenty minutes on a bus back to Tandayapa (the rainforest area where I went last weekend with Vicky). She told me that Vicky needed her to come and I had to come too because I couldn't stay at the house alone. My immediate reaction was...que? Are you serious? I had no desire to go back there, especially not for the whole weekend. I semi-panicked and checked my email to see if Maricarmen had sent me the list of new families I could live with and it was there, so I replied to her immediately saying that I would be happy at any of the families on the list. The phone rang and Vicky wanted to talk to me and I realized that I was going to have to avoid being passive in this situation and just tell her that I was not going to go back to the cabin, so I did. It wasn't only that I didn't want to go, I had a meeting the next day at school and I also wanted to do something in Quito with new friends this weekend.
The next morning I got up early to pack up all my stuff so I would be ready to leave when I got back from the meeting later that day. I got to USFQ around 10 and went straight to Maricarmen's office to see what my status was. She said that she couldn't get in contact with my favorite family but she would have something ready for me by the end of the afternoon and that I would in fact be moving that evening. Gracias a Dios! So I went exploring the campus a little bit...there's a husky and a really furry cat that just hang out on campus every day and I love them both because they just sleep in random places and are really friendly. At one I went to meet some new friends Hannah and Colleen from UNC and Ashley from UNC-W at the little cafeteria place on campus. It's so funny to talk with other Americans about family experiences and all the weird little things you see in Ecuador. We had our safety meeting at two and afterwards Maricarmen told me the Diaz family was ready for me to move in so I gave her my phone number (finally figured out how to get minutes on my phone...sorta) and told her I was ready to go when I got home. Then we went across the street from USFQ to a restaurant called Empanada Comany which has really good empandas and combos that are so cheap. I wasn't hungry so I got a beer called Club and we just sat around talking for a little bit.
I got home after nearly getting lost again...don't know how this keeps happening. I received a text of my new family's address so I called a private taxi and the guard helped my bring my bags downstairs.
The taxi came and put my stuff in the trunk and after a few seconds of driving I realized he was listening to a sermon on the radio. At this point I couldn't help but praise God for sending me a Christian taxi driver on my way to a new family and I just felt good. We pulled up and my host father Guillermo was waiting outside for me and helped me carry my bags up FIVE STORIES...ouch I could not breathe at the top of the stairs. My mother's name is Germania and they have a son, Juan Carlos, who is 24 but he is in Florida with his girlfriend until December. They gave me a tour of the apartment and while it is not as nice as my first home, the people, the views, and my new bed make up for all it lacks in appearance. My bedroom window overlooks the entire city and faces the volcano Pichinicha in the west and you can also go onto the roof and see nearly everything around Quito...tan linda! I unpacked and went to bed because I was exhausted.
The initial experience i've had here in Quito has been a strange one for sure, but I am grateful to God for providing for me once again. I have had my patience and commitment to being here tested in the first week alone but I know I'm being built up for the things God has planned that are yet to come.
The past few days have been an improvement to say the least. I have started class and am currently enrolled in five classes: lengua y literatura, siglo de oro, gramatica avanzada, conversacion avanzada, and vulcanologia. I might end up only taking four but as of now i'm ok with this schedule. My first day of class went very well, no problems getting to school on the buses by myself and found all my classrooms pretty easily. My siglo de oro and lengua y literatura classes are going to be a lot of work and a lot of confusion because the professors speak very quickly and there's definitely no english involved. Fortunately, the textbooks are much cheaper here and I don't need as many either. On the way home I somehow missed my stop at Rio Coca and ended up having a taxi back home because I had no idea where I was.
As far as my hectic living situation: resolved. I say this because I do have a new family and new home in Quito who I like very much so far. Before I got here though, there was one last storm. Thursday afternoon I got home from school around five and no one was home and I wasn't hungry so I passed over the lunch on the table and went to my room to relax. Around seven that same night Rosa the housekeeper came in and asked me how my day was and then preceded to explain that I needed to pack a bag for the weekend because we were leaving in twenty minutes on a bus back to Tandayapa (the rainforest area where I went last weekend with Vicky). She told me that Vicky needed her to come and I had to come too because I couldn't stay at the house alone. My immediate reaction was...que? Are you serious? I had no desire to go back there, especially not for the whole weekend. I semi-panicked and checked my email to see if Maricarmen had sent me the list of new families I could live with and it was there, so I replied to her immediately saying that I would be happy at any of the families on the list. The phone rang and Vicky wanted to talk to me and I realized that I was going to have to avoid being passive in this situation and just tell her that I was not going to go back to the cabin, so I did. It wasn't only that I didn't want to go, I had a meeting the next day at school and I also wanted to do something in Quito with new friends this weekend.
The next morning I got up early to pack up all my stuff so I would be ready to leave when I got back from the meeting later that day. I got to USFQ around 10 and went straight to Maricarmen's office to see what my status was. She said that she couldn't get in contact with my favorite family but she would have something ready for me by the end of the afternoon and that I would in fact be moving that evening. Gracias a Dios! So I went exploring the campus a little bit...there's a husky and a really furry cat that just hang out on campus every day and I love them both because they just sleep in random places and are really friendly. At one I went to meet some new friends Hannah and Colleen from UNC and Ashley from UNC-W at the little cafeteria place on campus. It's so funny to talk with other Americans about family experiences and all the weird little things you see in Ecuador. We had our safety meeting at two and afterwards Maricarmen told me the Diaz family was ready for me to move in so I gave her my phone number (finally figured out how to get minutes on my phone...sorta) and told her I was ready to go when I got home. Then we went across the street from USFQ to a restaurant called Empanada Comany which has really good empandas and combos that are so cheap. I wasn't hungry so I got a beer called Club and we just sat around talking for a little bit.
I got home after nearly getting lost again...don't know how this keeps happening. I received a text of my new family's address so I called a private taxi and the guard helped my bring my bags downstairs.
The taxi came and put my stuff in the trunk and after a few seconds of driving I realized he was listening to a sermon on the radio. At this point I couldn't help but praise God for sending me a Christian taxi driver on my way to a new family and I just felt good. We pulled up and my host father Guillermo was waiting outside for me and helped me carry my bags up FIVE STORIES...ouch I could not breathe at the top of the stairs. My mother's name is Germania and they have a son, Juan Carlos, who is 24 but he is in Florida with his girlfriend until December. They gave me a tour of the apartment and while it is not as nice as my first home, the people, the views, and my new bed make up for all it lacks in appearance. My bedroom window overlooks the entire city and faces the volcano Pichinicha in the west and you can also go onto the roof and see nearly everything around Quito...tan linda! I unpacked and went to bed because I was exhausted.
The initial experience i've had here in Quito has been a strange one for sure, but I am grateful to God for providing for me once again. I have had my patience and commitment to being here tested in the first week alone but I know I'm being built up for the things God has planned that are yet to come.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
faith is embracing uncertainty
Hola!
Well friends, I've made it to the city of Quito, Ecuador at last. My flight arrived at the airport on Saturday night around 8 p.m. It was a long day of traveling and I really had no idea what to expect from the moment I stepped off the plane. Thanks to the contributions of one Mr. Cody Buchan I started reading "In a Pit With a Lion On a Snowy Day" by Mark Batterson the day before I left the country. As it turns out, I don't think I could've chosen a better read for this stage of my life. It's mostly focused on how to embrace every opportunity and how sometimes God puts things in front of us that are very frightening, and often we don't think we can handle it and shrink before our obstacles, but in doing this He simply wants us to remember the strength He provides us through faith. It uses the metaphor of chasing a lion as conquering the fears of uncertainty and self-doubt. Honestly, I was very nervous about coming here for an entire school year, knowing that I wouldn't be able to afford to go home at any point within the next 9 months and I didn't know if I was quite ready to chase this lion. To think that the vast majority of everyone I love and have spent the last 4 years of my life with is no longer a phone call or bike ride away is so surreal. So, from reading this and having a lot of time to think during my first few days here I believe I'm realizing that growing up and transitions and all the really hard stuff that you try to avoid are just more opportunities to build faith upon the Lord and not myself. Each day I'm reminding myself, "less of me Lord, more of You."
Anyways, I wanted to let those of you reading know that my first few days here have been very trying and stressful for me. I don't think I've quite gotten the normal "welcome to Ecuador" story as everyone else, and that's okay but still a little overwhelming. The first day I was here my host mother Vicky drove her, myself, our housekeeper Rosa, Ryan (Rosa's son), and another international student named Mark who lives in the same building out into a place in the rainforest about an hour and a half away called Tandayapa. We stayed the night in a beautiful cabin owned by one of Vicky's friends and Mark and I went down to the river the next morning to explore the property. Later we went into a small town a few minutes away that I can't remember the name of and I bought my first bottle of water (the previous day at a restaurant called Crepes & Waffles I accidentally ordered a mineral water "con gas" or carbonation) and an orange Fanta in a bottle for like twenty-five cents...so good. We picked up some stuff at a small store for lunch and went back to the cabin to have locro (basically potato soup), chicharrones (fried pork), ensalada de fruta (fruit salad), and choclo (corn on the cob). Vicky's brother came to eat with us and he was drinking scotch heavily from a Pepsi bottle because his daughter had just left home to go study in Michigan. Mark and I talked with him for about an hour about women, alcohol, soccer, and politics. He has a very "unique" theory that involves a host of Swiss government officials coming to Ecuador to centralize the government and improve the technology for resource distribution...wasn't totally following his inebriated train of thought.
Basically, my host mother Vicky is having some relational issues with her son Camilo and she feels that even though he has just moved out of the house their conflict would be distracting for her and she wouldn't be able to provide me with the best family experience possible. She said I had the option of staying with her or choosing another family of my liking. I told her I understood she was in a difficult situation and that it would be better for the both of us if I were to find another family. So when we left the cabin last night Vicky stayed behind and sent Mark and I home with Rosa and Ryan which I was uneasy about because I know things to get sketchier as it gets darker in Quito. Unfortunately, I was not thinking very clearly on the bus ride back and that misstep cost me the ownership of my iPod which I believe I'm going to miss dearly. On top of this I had yet to figure out any kind of cell phone situation and hadn't made contact with my parents. Overall yesterday was a fairly rough day, but as I'm learning if every day was a good day there wouldn't actually be such a thing as a good day to compare with the bad ones. Today I had orientation at USFQ so I traveled to the campus in Cumbaya by bus with Rosa, Mark, and his host mother Allison. We learned a lot about health, safety (the manual specifically says do not put your bags on the floor by your feet because people will crawl underneath to snatch your valuables...would've been a lovely tip about 15 hours prior), campus, etc. from 8-2.
I think that's about all I've got for now. I'm awaiting to hear from Maricarmen at USFQ about a list of families I can choose to live with. I start classes on Thursday and actually only have class on Tuesday/Thursday each week (for traveling purposes, of course). Other than that i'm just being stuffed full of starches and trying to drink a lot of water. I hope you all enjoy this blog and I'll try to keep up with it in the months to follow!
Well friends, I've made it to the city of Quito, Ecuador at last. My flight arrived at the airport on Saturday night around 8 p.m. It was a long day of traveling and I really had no idea what to expect from the moment I stepped off the plane. Thanks to the contributions of one Mr. Cody Buchan I started reading "In a Pit With a Lion On a Snowy Day" by Mark Batterson the day before I left the country. As it turns out, I don't think I could've chosen a better read for this stage of my life. It's mostly focused on how to embrace every opportunity and how sometimes God puts things in front of us that are very frightening, and often we don't think we can handle it and shrink before our obstacles, but in doing this He simply wants us to remember the strength He provides us through faith. It uses the metaphor of chasing a lion as conquering the fears of uncertainty and self-doubt. Honestly, I was very nervous about coming here for an entire school year, knowing that I wouldn't be able to afford to go home at any point within the next 9 months and I didn't know if I was quite ready to chase this lion. To think that the vast majority of everyone I love and have spent the last 4 years of my life with is no longer a phone call or bike ride away is so surreal. So, from reading this and having a lot of time to think during my first few days here I believe I'm realizing that growing up and transitions and all the really hard stuff that you try to avoid are just more opportunities to build faith upon the Lord and not myself. Each day I'm reminding myself, "less of me Lord, more of You."
Anyways, I wanted to let those of you reading know that my first few days here have been very trying and stressful for me. I don't think I've quite gotten the normal "welcome to Ecuador" story as everyone else, and that's okay but still a little overwhelming. The first day I was here my host mother Vicky drove her, myself, our housekeeper Rosa, Ryan (Rosa's son), and another international student named Mark who lives in the same building out into a place in the rainforest about an hour and a half away called Tandayapa. We stayed the night in a beautiful cabin owned by one of Vicky's friends and Mark and I went down to the river the next morning to explore the property. Later we went into a small town a few minutes away that I can't remember the name of and I bought my first bottle of water (the previous day at a restaurant called Crepes & Waffles I accidentally ordered a mineral water "con gas" or carbonation) and an orange Fanta in a bottle for like twenty-five cents...so good. We picked up some stuff at a small store for lunch and went back to the cabin to have locro (basically potato soup), chicharrones (fried pork), ensalada de fruta (fruit salad), and choclo (corn on the cob). Vicky's brother came to eat with us and he was drinking scotch heavily from a Pepsi bottle because his daughter had just left home to go study in Michigan. Mark and I talked with him for about an hour about women, alcohol, soccer, and politics. He has a very "unique" theory that involves a host of Swiss government officials coming to Ecuador to centralize the government and improve the technology for resource distribution...wasn't totally following his inebriated train of thought.
Basically, my host mother Vicky is having some relational issues with her son Camilo and she feels that even though he has just moved out of the house their conflict would be distracting for her and she wouldn't be able to provide me with the best family experience possible. She said I had the option of staying with her or choosing another family of my liking. I told her I understood she was in a difficult situation and that it would be better for the both of us if I were to find another family. So when we left the cabin last night Vicky stayed behind and sent Mark and I home with Rosa and Ryan which I was uneasy about because I know things to get sketchier as it gets darker in Quito. Unfortunately, I was not thinking very clearly on the bus ride back and that misstep cost me the ownership of my iPod which I believe I'm going to miss dearly. On top of this I had yet to figure out any kind of cell phone situation and hadn't made contact with my parents. Overall yesterday was a fairly rough day, but as I'm learning if every day was a good day there wouldn't actually be such a thing as a good day to compare with the bad ones. Today I had orientation at USFQ so I traveled to the campus in Cumbaya by bus with Rosa, Mark, and his host mother Allison. We learned a lot about health, safety (the manual specifically says do not put your bags on the floor by your feet because people will crawl underneath to snatch your valuables...would've been a lovely tip about 15 hours prior), campus, etc. from 8-2.
I think that's about all I've got for now. I'm awaiting to hear from Maricarmen at USFQ about a list of families I can choose to live with. I start classes on Thursday and actually only have class on Tuesday/Thursday each week (for traveling purposes, of course). Other than that i'm just being stuffed full of starches and trying to drink a lot of water. I hope you all enjoy this blog and I'll try to keep up with it in the months to follow!
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