Labor Day weekend fun.

Labor Day weekend was our last official hurrah before we become buried in school and work this fall. We decided to try something different and go camping in the mountains about two hours away from home. Due to AJ's work obligations, we had to adjust our plans a bit but everything still worked out perfectly.

On Saturday afternoon we drove straight up to a campsite in the mountains of New Mexico. Although we were initially disappointed at how many people were already there, we managed to find our own private spot on the top of a hill nearby. Once we were up there, it really felt like we were all on our own. We set up the tent, and then AJ went back down the mountain to grab us McDonald's salads for dinner. I read a textbook in the tent while he was gone. We shared dinner at a picnic table at the campsite before gathering tinder and wood for a fire near our tent (there was already a fire pit made of rocks, so it was totally safe). AJ got a great fire going, and we spent the rest of the evening listening to piano music on his phone and talking. It was so relaxing.

Although we didn't get a ton of sleep because of the hard ground, the weather was great and there were no scary forest critters to speak of besides the herd of wild horses at our campsite. In the morning we packed up the tent before heading to Denny's for breakfast, just to have a nicer meal. I took advantage of being in the Southwest by adding some "world famous" (as they say here) green chiles to my breakfast burrito while AJ got his usual. It was fun seeing the local crowd with all the men dressed in cowboy hats, button-down shirts, jeans, and cowboy boots. Definitely something we would not have experienced back home!

We grabbed some Subway sandwiches for lunch and then drove back up the mountain for some hiking. We were really the only people on the trails, and went pretty far. Even though most of the trees had been burned in a wildfire a few years ago, it was still stunningly beautiful. I definitely enjoy hiking in the national forest much more than the rocky desert here. After eating our sandwiches we headed back to town, grabbed some tea from Starbucks for the road, and went back home. We loved the chance to get out of the city and enjoy nature, but we sure were glad to come home to the modern conveniences we enjoy every day :)

Hello, fall.

Okay, so it doesn't feel at all like fall here in the Southwest. The temperatures are still in the 90s (although low 90s!) and most days are pretty sunny, with the exception of the last two. Since moving here I have definitely learned that there is such a thing as too much sun. 

Last week I started my second (and Lord willing second to last!) semester of grad school. On Monday I just had one class about advanced practice with individuals. We'll be doing a lot with the DSM-5 (diagnosing related to mental health) and using clinical theories to do therapy with clients. 

Wednesdays are by far the worst day of the week. I have to leave at 7:20am to get to my first class at 8:30. That class is about family therapy, and I can tell I'm going to enjoy it. This professor is teaching for the first time and is pretty realistic about what our lives are like as grad students. She's also an Army wife--who knew?

I have a break for about two hours, during which I grab lunch (and coffee), do homework, and hang out with the other advanced standing students. In the afternoon I have an advanced policy class, which is all about politics and policy as they relate to the interests of social work. I'm going to have to write a letter to the editor of a New Mexico newspaper, research policy, and participate in a mock debate with my classmates. Again, good professor, although not my favorite subject.

I get another two hours of down time before I go to my last class, which is mental health treatment of adolescents. I'm really interested in the topic, but not so much in the style of the course. Due to the fabulous technological innovations of my generation, we can be in a class taught by a professor in Albuquerque. It's basically like a Skype session, with us main campus people together on one end and the professor with the Albuquerque students on the other end. The only trouble is we can't see the professor's powerpoints and class participation is tough for us since the professor is on the other end with another class. It got so tough, and we were so exhausted that sometimes we just muted our end of the session and talked amongst ourselves. Oops. Anyway, I'm finally free at 8:30pm and am almost too tired to drive back to the other side of the mountains. But I do.

This week the real fun begins, since tomorrow is my first day of field! I have my hospital badge and parking permit and am all ready to go. The days are sure to be long and busy, but I'm excited to jump in and start doing social work again. And Lord willing, I will survive grad school to tell you all about it. :)

Wild horses and internships.

It seems like quite a bit has happened since you last heard from me. For starters, I discovered a gorgeous little town in the mountains about two hours from the city last weekend. AJ has been part of two small groups since he first started attending church here, and he's been itching for me to get involved ever since I arrived. Finally, I agreed that we should go to one of the group's retreats just for the day. Others were staying Friday through Wednesday--something I would have loved to do, but I have no idea how they make that work with career obligations. 

It was really fun watching the landscape change from dry, rugged mountains, sand dunes, and open deserts (which are a little greener with the rain we've gotten) to even bigger mountains covered in pine trees. This all happens extremely quickly--if you look at where we live, you'd never know there was a landscape so lush and beautiful just two hours away! On the way we passed tiny desert towns, the kind where you wonder who in the world chooses to live there. We also drove through a reservation, which was also interesting to me.

Once we arrived at our destination, I felt right at home. It was beautiful. It was so much cooler, wetter, and quieter than our big, dusty, noisy city. We spent the morning in a condo doing devotions with the group before splitting into men's and women's lunch groups. After that we discovered a small herd of wild horses, something I didn't even know existed these days! It was incredible how friendly and beautiful they were. Finally, we got around to what I was looking forward to--a hike in the mountains. Unfortunately, it rained on our hike, but we still got some amazing views. That night we had dinner, made a fire, and studied more of 1 Kings. Although AJ and I were out pretty late, it was well worth it. I'm dying to go back--somehow the city just doesn't feel quite right after being in a place so quiet and beautiful. 

In other news, I have a new field placement just in time for the fall! To make a long story short, my original placement fell through at the last minute. Although I did nothing wrong and the staff were excited to have me, certain people neglected to take care of some important details and I lost the placement. Now I can say I have an even better one though! I'll be at one of the major hospitals in the city, working in the Crime Victims Unit. This means I'll see everyone who comes through the ER as a victim of crime, including survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, gunshots, drunk driving accidents, and more. I will also be seeing children who are victims of chronic sexual abuse in the unit's clinic. In addition, I get to sit on the hospital's ethics committee, which is super cool. I'm so excited. The placement is very prestigious, and I was told that my experience in sex trafficking is what got me the internship. I'll also be getting paid! Not as an employee, but it's something! I'm so happy with the way things turned out. Now I'm busy getting CPR certified, making sure my vaccines are current, getting drug tested, etc. so I'm allowed to start working in the hospital. I can't wait!

Meet our pets!

For those who don't know yet, AJ and I have acquired two pets this summer! We love animals and would love to have a dog, but our lifestyle doesn't allow for a dog yet. Between the expenses and living in an apartment with no private outdoor space, it's not ideal right now. So, we settled for two very cute, smaller mammals :)

Meet Otis and Ron the guinea pigs! The name "Ron" is short for "Old Ironsides", the name of the 1st Armored Division. So we're poking a little fun at the Army with our guinea pig ;) We first got them in June, but ended up having to take them back to the vet for about a month when they got colds. Now they are back to their old selves! They love to run around the cage and "popcorn", which is when guinea pigs twitch and jump seemingly uncontrollably. Ron really gets some air! They love to squeak too. The only bummer is that they're still rather shy--Otis in particular is afraid of just about everything. Once you get them in your lap they're pretty cuddly though!

This past weekend we also had some visitors. AJ's grandparents came from Arizona to spend some time with us. This was only the third time I had seen them in the six years AJ and I have been together, so I'm still getting to know them. Even so, we appreciate their willingness to drive out to see us and their interest in our lives over here. We spend a relaxing Saturday with them, hosting them for a last minute lunch to begin with. They have the honor of being the first people we've hosted for a meal here! They were very sweet to bring some vegetables, fruit, and chips to help. After that we went on another tour of post. I learn something new every time! We even looked inside the museum on post, which is pretty big. Next we enjoyed the scenic drive and snapped a couple pictures, chatting the entire way. We treated them to a belated birthday dinner at one of our favorite Mexican fast food restaurants and then brought them back to our apartment to play with our pets. Before long we were all tired, so we said goodbye. All in all, it was a good day. Maybe we'll see them again someday while we're down here.


I'm finished with the summer semester of school, and did really well. So now we're just regrouping before the fall starts--which is way too soon! AJ's busy with deployment-related things, and he is officially going to some training for about three weeks coming up in a couple months. So, we're busy enough these days, but just trying to focus on enjoying our time together as husband and wife. I am one lucky girl!

A visit from my family.

As I hinted in my last blog, my whole family came down for a visit last week. None of them had ever seen the Southwest before, or had even seen a desert until now (just like me before I moved here). They drove the whole way down, stopping at a couple of places along the way including Albuquerque, New Mexico, where they went whitewater kayaking. 

Ghost town!

Finally, on the afternoon of July 2, they arrived in our city. I met them for a visit to the Border Patrol Museum first. The museum was pretty interesting. I'll admit that I hardly knew anything about the Border Patrol, and what I did know I wasn't too thrilled about because of the way immigrants have been treated in our country. However, I discovered that the Border Patrol does more than apprehend immigrants--it often comes to the rescue of people facing death in the harsh desert. I also had no idea what a dangerous job working in the Border Patrol actually was. As I leafed through hundreds of names and photographs of Border Patrol people who had died in the line of duty, I came to appreciate the fact that you never hear about these men and women who are killed trying to rescue others in the desert. Although I may not agree with some of the INS's policies, I can appreciate the sacrifices these men and women make to keep people safe.

Parents at Old Mesilla :)

After the museum I took my family to our apartment to show them around. Of course there wasn't much to see, but they were still impressed. It made me happy to know that my parents were very pleased with where their married daughter is living now. After listening to them relive their kayaking experience (which sounds hilarious), I went to class and they met AJ for a tour of the scenic drive and dinner.

On Wednesday we got up bright and early for a drive to Hueco Tanks State Park. Hueco Tanks is kind of like an oasis in the desert, where you can actually find standing water and lots of plants. As a result, the site has become a refuge and sacred site for local Native American tribes. We went on a guided tour that included climbing over rocks, learning about local plants, and seeing lots of rock art left by different tribes over the past few hundred years. Our tour guide was great, and we learned so much about the local culture. My family agreed that they would have spent the entire day there if they could!

After that my parents dropped me off so that I could prepare a presentation and get to class. AJ took them out for a relaxing dinner, showed them the border, and that was the end of the evening. Finally, AJ and I both had the Fourth of July off to spend with my family. We drove out to the middle of nowhere New Mexico to see a real ghost town. And when I say middle of nowhere, I'm so not kidding. If you think Illinois is rural, you haven't seen the Southwest!

The ghost town was actually very interesting and worth the long drive. We got to learn all about the town and see the place exactly as it was left. Once we finished we drove to Old Mesilla, New Mexico to browse the historic buildings and shops. My dad bought me a Navajo sand painting, which has yet to find a special place in our home. That night AJ and I treated everyone to a steak dinner and we went to check out the laser light show on post, which was actually pretty lame :( Still a great day though.

Brother and sister.

On Friday morning we took everyone on a tour of post and stopped by the museum to do...what else? Take pictures with tanks. ;) We finished our time together by eating at Taco Tote, a fast food restaurant that has migrated over from Juarez, Mexico. It was really sad to say goodbye after lunch. I keep holding on to hope that maybe, just maybe, we'll be able to come home for Christmas. But of course when you're in the Army you just never know!

The men in front of a tank of course.

Army folks.

Life as a graduate student.

Let me tell you, this past week has been a crazy whirlwind. I started school on July 1, and my family arrived for a visit the very next day. I'm really looking forward to telling you all about my family's vacation to the Southwest, but first I'm going to start off with my impressions of graduate school. 

For starters, I'm currently taking two classes that meet at night from 5:30-9:15pm. Thank goodness the latest I've been kept is 8:50, because none of us could make it until nine! One class meets on Mondays and Wednesdays, and the other meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This means that AJ and I have breakfast together in the morning, and then we don't see each other until sometime around nine at night. So far, after I've gotten home each night I've simply pulled out my books and continued to do homework, so I don't get to enjoy AJ's company even at night. It means I miss him a lot during the week.

The first class I'm taking is largely a review course focusing on the key things we should have learned in college. The first two weeks are focused on direct practice (mostly with individuals and families), and after that we get a new professor who spends three weeks on research (my least favorite for sure). This class is for those of us in the accelerated program, so that we can review and catch up to the other students who go for two years. This class has been absolutely insane regarding the work load--even my professor said so! We have to cover so much material in just four classes (of the first segment), which means I have a crazy amount of work to do.  

The second class keeps the same topic and professor for all five weeks, resulting in it being very fast-paced but not quite as much as the other. This class focuses on sociocultural concepts of working in the U.S. Southwest. We talk about theories of oppression and diversity as well as the nuances of working with minority groups. I love diversity stuff, so this class is really interesting to me. 

Thus far grad school has consumed all of my free time. I always have my nose in a book or my eyes glued to the computer. I definitely enjoy what I'm learning, but the sheer volume of reading and work is tough to keep up with. Hopefully the fall will be a little more reasonable, but I'm not holding out hope. As long as I survive with a B average for the next three semesters, it'll go by quick at least! Yes, you need a B average to graduate. Well, time to go...I'm off to prepare a biopsychosocial assessment with a group and then to class I go!

A peek into our kitchen.

Since AJ and I have been living together again I've really enjoyed having more time to think about what we're eating. I'm trying to keep us eating healthy for the most part, but I can always use more ideas so I don't get stuck in the same recipes. One meal I've discovered has become one of our favorites, and it's a new entree for me: salmon. Prior to moving here I had never really eaten salmon, much less cooked it, but after all the crazy things I ate in Ecuador I thought I'd give it a shot. I did, and now it's one of our favorite meals! And it's easy, which is the most important thing for me. :)

Baked Salmon

2 cloves minced garlic
6 T olive oil
1 t. dried basil
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1 T lemon juice
2 salmon fillets

Marinade for one hour. Place on cookie sheet and wrap in foil, back at 350 for 35 minutes or until flaky.

Asparagus

2 T olive oil
1/2 lb. asparagus
3 T lemon juice
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook and stir asparagus in oil until tender, about 5 minutes. Pour in lemon juice and cook just a little longer. Serve and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

I serve these two things with some rice and a squeeze of lime juice on top. AJ also likes to pour the extra marinade over his rice. So that's it! We love this and hope you do too. :)

Whirlwind wedding weekend.

This past weekend I actually made in appearance in Illinois for the wedding of a good friend from college. Although it was a splurge to fly in for literally just the wedding (to understate it a bit!) it was totally worth it for me. AJ left work early to drop me off at the airport and even stayed so that we could have coffee together before I went through security. My flight was delayed, so we even had a little bit of extra time. Of course, AJ didn't come because of the expense of flying and because it would be too hard for him to get a pass to leave post.

My beautiful friend and her hubby!

And then...things got a little rough. Long story short, my plane was over two hours late taking off because it was overweight. They took seven passengers off, and I suspect all of our luggage because they were carrying something else. After I got into Chicago things got even crazier, when no one's luggage showed up from our city and no one could tell us why. We waited for over two hours because we were told our bags would show up in 20-45 minutes. Finally, someone tells us that our luggage "is not at this location", meaning it was all taken off the plane in our departure location and was never sent. I didn't get to my parents' house until 1:00am. Needless to say, rough day.

Saturday made up for it, though. I got to watch my beautiful friend get married after a two year engagement and enjoyed some coffee with two friends I haven't seen in a very long time (one is from Kansas and transferred after the first semester, so we only see each other once a year). At the reception I got to see even more friends. The whole wedding itself was absolutely perfect, as I knew it would be--that's exactly how my friend is, and she had two years to plan after all! I couldn't believe how nice it was and it was a blast for us guests. Most importantly, though, my friend has begun her marriage solidly rooted in Christ, and their faith was so evident in the whole day. I, meanwhile, am so excited to gain a married friend, even if she does live 2,000 miles away!

Me, Kaitlyn, Megan, and Meg. Freshman roomies. <3

On Sunday I woke up and drove back to the airport with my mom. Although I didn't get to see anyone besides my immediate family (because I slept in their house!), it was nice to see them in person if only for a brief moment. And lucky for us, next week they're coming down for a family vacation!

So here I sit, back in the desert and missing my family and friends again. My visit was way too short. Being an Army wife is still a lonely gig, and I would still rather have had a choice about living near everyone I love--or at least somewhere that is appealing to me. If nothing else, though, I will be busy with school next week, so I won't have time to be lonely (fingers crossed).

A visit to the zoo.

This past weekend we finally got out and did something interesting. We found out that the zoo has a great military discount, and the elephant festival was going on. So, to the zoo we went. We had a great day, as long as a great view of Mexico from the Africa exhibit ;) Seriously though, when we drive along the highway in that part of the city we actually see much more of Mexico than we do of the U.S. 

In other news, AJ just told me that he's about to get a new job. A captain just recently PCS-ed (moved, basically) to AJ's unit, so it makes more sense for this captain to work AJ's XO job (executive officer, which means AJ's been the second-in-command). AJ's pretty excited about it, as he's ready to get some different experience and be relieved of some of the pressure that comes with being the XO on the rear detachment while the unit is in Afghanistan. He's gotten a lot of great feedback since October, so he's leaving the unit better than he found it. Proud of my man, as always. I'll keep you updated as to exactly what position he'll fill next.

My first FRG (family readiness group) meeting is tonight, so we'll see how that goes. I've been doing some things with PWOC (Protestant Women of the Chapel), a group of Christian Army wives stationed here. The great thing about the Army (and also the sad thing) is that someone's always new and someone's always leaving, so it's easier to get plugged in on post than in the civilian world. Although AJ and I make a point of spending time with the local civilians, having Army wives to relate to is also very important. I love being able to tell our story and having women just nod and not look at me funny, as if being away from my husband for nine months is nothing special. Because in the Army, it's not! I love how we automatically understand each other's lives and even speak the same language (seriously, take a look at my husband's work email and you will see more acronyms than actual words). Still working on meeting other younger, childless wives though--so far all of my Army acquaintances are older women with children who aren't career-driven like me. I told AJ to keep networking with other married 2nd lieutenants. :)

And now for our zoo pictures:

Settling in--in the Southwest.

Us with our anniversary cake in IL.

Today officially marks three weeks since I've been in our new home. Hard to believe! Since AJ's week of leave life has continued as usual, without anything terribly new or exciting to report. I've been doing the stay-at-home-wife thing, since I'm waiting for graduate school to start on June 28th. I'm slowly getting to know the area, although once in awhile I still panic and think I'm going to accidentally leave the country. I'm also getting acquainted with some of the people AJ knows, both Army and civilian. So far we've been invited to dinner with two different families, which was nice. One of the families is an Army family, so I now have at least a couple Army acquaintances. I've been invited to the main park on post with them and their kids, which means we get to hang out, play with kids, and get a tan all at once ;)

Chester the Friendly Cactus, a gift from my mom.

I've finally registered for graduate school classes and have finalized my field placement for this fall and spring. Yay! After two interviews, both of which accepted me, I've chosen to work with an agency that provides services to children. I'll be working within the foster care program, which means my clients will be children with complex trauma. I'll provide counseling services, manage a caseload of children, train foster parents, and work with a team of professionals including a psychiatrist, psychologists, social workers, teachers, the court system, and foster families. I'm going to learn a ton, and I've been told that they already have a project for me to work on! I'm really excited to take the next step in my career.

Last week was our anniversary, which we spent quietly by going out for sushi, one of our favorite treats. We dressed up in the same clothes we wore to leave our wedding, had dinner, and then celebrated with some cake purchased by my mother-in-law :) Not super eventful, but nice enough for us.

View from our apartment complex.

So that covers the basics of life down here. AJ and I are still getting reacquainted as husband and wife after nine months of being apart. To clear up what seems to be a common misconception, we never felt like we got a "second honeymoon" after being together again or during AJ's week of leave. For many military families, living together again is often just as hard as being separated. Things change when you're apart from your spouse for almost a year, especially if you've only been married a year and lived together for just two months of that year. Many Army couples find themselves working to rebuild the intimacy necessary for marriage after being apart. So, although we agree that being together is wonderful because that's how it should be, it's not quite as romantic as many people seem to expect. ;)

Greetings from the Desert.

Well, after coming back to North America, saying hello and goodbye to everyone I'm close to, and graduating from college, I've finally landed in my new home. And this time, we don't know when or where we will be moving next--so although this isn't our last stop, it's at least the last one on the calendar.

I'll admit, moving out of Illinois was not easy. I had just one week to see everyone I love and graduate (not to mention pack) before I was on the move again. This time, I'm not even sure when we'll have a decent amount of time in Illinois again. I'll be coming to a couple weddings and of course we want to visit for Christmas, but you just never know if that'll happen in the Army. In short, it's very strange to know that I'm in a place semi-permanently, and that this place is about 22 hours from the people I've known for my entire life.

I also definitely feel like "the new kid" these days. Growing up I was fortunate to live in the same place, keeping the same friend group from my elementary years through high school. And of course, everyone's new in college. While we lived at Fort Lee, we were part of a group of 2LTs and their wives who were all young, new to Fort Lee, and often new to active duty. All we wives had was each other, and we became really close. My best friend from Virginia saw me through some really tough times. Since getting here, though, I definitely feel like the new girl in town, and even my own husband already knows everyone and has his own group of friends. We went to a church barbecue for Memorial Day, which was great but overwhelming--I can't tell you how many people I met, most of whom said, "Oh, I've heard so much about you!" Meanwhile, I can't even remember their names! So, still working on the whole making-friends thing. 

Although the first week or so was pretty tough, there are good things happening too. I finally organized our apartment, so it feels more like our space now. I've used the commissary and PX (which are way bigger and better here, and as a result they're stricter about doing 100% ID checks), had lunch with AJ while he was at work, and applied for a public library card. I've now been on my graduate school campus once, and I've already had one great interview for a possible field placement. Two couples from church have invited us over for dinner, although I have yet to meet any Army wives more my age. AJ says I'm expected at the FRG meetings (Family Readiness Group; it's run by the Army to keep families informed and prepared) anyway, so maybe I'll meet someone there...maybe.

The last few weeks have definitely been a bit of a shock. This city does not look like anything that I'm used to, and I feel like I'm starting over completely here. To add more complexity, AJ has already established a life here that I've felt pressured to fit into. Still, I'm starting to feel like God has a purpose for my life here, not just for my husband's, and I know that things will get better and better. I miss family and friends a lot these days, but ultimately we're called to be here right now, and so we might as well embrace it. I keep telling ourselves that we're going to have lots of adventurous stories later on.

In other news...our couch comes tomorrow! Looking forward to actually having some furniture in our living area. :)

Beach debrief.

On Sunday morning we left for the Ecuadorian coast, specifically a town called Canoa. Canoa is a tiny, remote town much like any other on the Pacific coast of Ecuador. For once, we didn't have a ton of activities planned--just sun, surf, and good food! In the mornings we had some devotional time together before hitting the beach. Canoa is known for surfing, so several students tried their hand on the waves. I got plenty of sun and went in the water quite a bit, because it was so, so warm!

For lunches we went to a little place right on the beach, where the seafood is great. I had fish, rice, and fried plantains on the first day, and chicken on the second because I don't like shrimp. I spent the afternoons in a hammock on the roof of our hostal because I didn't want to chance getting burned on the beach (the sun is so, so strong on the equator. I wore waterproof 50 SPF and reapplied several times--still got a little burnt). The hammock was perfect for some great conversations, naps, devotional time, and more. 

After dinner we spent some time debriefing as a group. On our first night we recalled some of our highlights from the semester, as well as the challenges and what we thought God was teaching us. The second night was a little heavier on some reverse-culture culture shock and re-entry material. We learned about the 5 F's, which depict the stages of reverse culture shock. They are Fun, Flee, Fight, Fit-in, and Fruit--pretty self-explanatory. We also talked about some symptoms of reverse culture shock, just like when we talked about culture shock at orientation. It'll be interesting to see how I react to coming back to the U.S. Honestly, I've become so accustomed to Ecuador that I can't even fully remember what's different about the States. That's really weird!

Some other great memories of the beach were participating in dance therapy (bailoterapia) with the entire town on night outside our hostal. Once they played an American song we all just did our own thing and stopped paying attention to the man leading. It was so fun. That same night we went out for batidos (fruit juice blended with ice and mixed with condensed milk). I got coconut, just to be exotic. After we finished them the owners of the restaurant put on some music for us, which meant an impromptu salsa dancing party started. I'm still working on my salsa dancing, but I have the steps down so it's getting more natural. 


Well, that's about it for the beach! We got back to Quito around 5pm on Wednesday, and Thursday is a packing and cleaning day for most of us before we fly back to the States. We're having lunch at an amazing Italian restaurant as one last thing to do together before we go our separate ways. I definitely can't believe I'll be in the U.S. tomorrow.

I miss you, America.

This post is going to be about some of the things I've learned to appreciate about the States since I've been living in South America. And here they are:

1. So, let's talk about toilet paper. Although I got used to throwing it in the trash can pretty fast, I will admit that it might be kind of cool to flush it again. Also on that note, it'll be pretty cool to be able to assume that a public bathroom even has toilet paper. And that it won't cost you anything. In this country you often have to bring your own TP or pay for it. And if you forgot...you better hope a friend is in the next stall with some extra!

2. I'm looking forward to a safer environment in general. Here we can never walk around or take public transportation after dark, except for taxis (and I've even been warned against some taxis). This means that all my business pretty much has to be done by sunset each day, and if I didn't leave field exactly on time I'd get into trouble. There are also streets in our neighborhood (which is really nice) that I should never, ever take because they're known for muggings (except I do that anyway because otherwise the walk is too long). Basically, you always have to be watching your things in Ecuador, and even then you can get robbed. Being a foreigner makes you an extra large target. So, I'm excited for safety.

3. Food. I'm definitely looking forward to some American restaurants and dishes that I couldn't make here. But more than that, I'm excited to not have to worry about how everything is cooked here. I've been in several situations where I had to eat with Ecuadorians and I wasn't sure if what they gave me was safe (but I was always fine in the end). Here you have to be careful with things like ice, produce, and even meat because it may not be handled properly. If you're not careful you could end up with diarrhea or a parasite, and those are not fun. So, although I've avoided all the bad stuff, it'll be nice not to worry.

4. English. Okay, I know I said I'd really miss speaking Spanish, and I will. Still, it'll be nice to communicate fluently wherever I go and actually feel like I know things. Sometimes living in a second language can be super embarrassing and frustrating, so I'm kind of looking to being an expert in my own language and culture again.

5. Warm showers, the ability to control the temperature in my apartment, baking at normal altitude, driving a car, and all those other super awesome little things that I've been doing without here. No, they're not essential or important (well, heat and a vehicle actually are in the States). But they are nice.

6. Not sticking out like a sore thumb because I have white skin and light brown hair. Although there are some foreigners living in Ecuador, it doesn't seem like there are many. Normally, wherever I go, I'm surrounded by people with black hair and dark skin. This means that it's obvious that I don't belong, and that attracts unwanted attention. This could mean being stared at or gaining the affections of men, or being a target for a robbery. I get whistled at a lot, and not long ago one young man kissed his hand and then quickly grabbed my arm. And then stared at me as he walked away. Most Ecuadorian men are super polite, but being a foreign woman just means I'm exotic to them. Some people also assume I can't speak Spanish and speak to me in English, which is frustrating. However, this doesn't happen a ton because the people who know English are definitely a small minority.

These are just some things Ecuador has taught me to appreciate about my home country. Don't get me wrong, though--I love this country and I could definitely live here long term. There are things I like about Ecuador more than I do the States, and vice versa. I just wanted to be honest with all of you about what it's really like to live here, because it's not all fun all the time. It's not realistic or honest to say you love absolutely everything about the culture in which you live, whether it's you native culture or a foreign one. Overall, though, I'd say that I've been super blessed to live in Ecuador this semester and would highly recommend it to anyone! It's a tiny country that not many Americans have heard of, but it is 100% worth a visit. I wouldn't have chosen any other place to study abroad! This amazing country has so much to offer, and I only hope more people can experience it while keeping Ecuador as unique as it is.

I'll miss you, Ecuador.

As my time in Ecuador is coming to a close, I've been thinking about all the things I'll miss about this amazing country. Here's my list of things I'm reluctant to leave behind in South America:

1. Speaking Spanish all the time. I know, I haven't always been so thrilled about having to speak Spanish, especially in homestays when I never spoke English. However, my Spanish has grown by leaps and bounds in just three months, and I know I won't see that kind of dramatic change once I'm back in the U.S. 

2. The natural beauty of this country, no matter where you go. Ecuador is a breathtakingly beautiful place everywhere you look. I've been living in the Andes mountains, which are guaranteed to provide stunning views of green peaks and snow-capped volcanoes. The Oriente (or the Amazon) possesses its own kind of beauty, with exotic plants and animals and untouched landscapes. The Galapagos is a paradise all its own, with pristine light blue waters, white sand, black volcanic rocks, and bright green plants. The Coast, of course, offers plenty of stunning Pacific beaches and even lush, green hills. I have honestly not been to a place in Ecuador that did not have some remarkable natural beauty, and I have not just been spending time in all the pretty tourist spots. It's just that great of a country.

3. The culture. Ecuadorians are so, so warm and friendly. I have always felt so welcome with my host family, the staff at my field placement, and other places where I spent a lot of time. Even strangers will go out of their way to help you and say hello to you. Priority is always given to older adults and people with children, everywhere you go. Ecuadorians have also preserved their culture so well, even with outside influences. It's very common to see indigenous men and women dressed up in their traditional clothing, just because that's what they wear every day. I've heard Quichua spoken on the bus and the food has remained much the same over thousands of years. I hope that never changes. 

4. The weather. Although I've heard Ecuadorians complain about how unpredictable it is, it's almost always great! Sure, you have to be prepared for rain at all times, but even then the temperature is usually fine. And although it can be rainy here, it never gets humid in the Sierra region (where Quito is), which means my joints are very happy.

5. Shopping at little tiendas. I love walking down the street for some fresh-baked bread, walking over to the fruit and vegetable tienda, and then stopping by the one with all kinds of things on our corner. Sure, it's more stops, but it's easier in a way because you can pick up only what you need on your walk home from work.

6. The slower pace of life. Although it can sometimes be mind-boggling for us North Americans used to things happening on time, Ecuadorians definitely have their priorities straight. They always take time for family and friends, no matter what else is going on. Ecuador is "The Land of Mañana" so things don't often happen on time, but after a few months in "Flex-ador" it's really not a big deal.

7. Not being so distracted by materialism. Ecuador is a developing country, so life is much simpler than it is in the States. I walk or use public transportation everywhere I go. I don't get caught up in wishing I had nicer, more fashionable clothes. I don't freak out about cool showers (although the icy cold ones are awful). I don't think about television anymore, because I haven't seen it since I left the U.S. I'm used to having less choices at restaurants and in grocery stores. Heat and air conditioning are non-existent, but that's okay. And safety standards...who needs them? ;) Seriously, though, the consumer culture of the U.S. is going to be one of the hardest parts about going back. I'm scared I'm going to lose the attitude I had in Ecuador and will get caught up in materialism again.

These are just a few things I'm going to miss. These days when I walk around Quito I come up with more, but there are too many to list here. I got you the biggest ones though. :)

La comida.

Today I'm going to talk a little bit more about the food here, just to give you a better idea of what it's like to live in Ecuador. There's actually a lot I could say about the food, but I'll sum it up as best I can. 

First, I'll start with the fruit. There are a ton of unique fruits in Ecuador--so many, in fact, that I'm still discovering more after living here for over three months! Here are some pictures of fruits I've had here that are uniquely Ecuadorian.

Granadilla, otherwise known as snot fruit. I had AJ try this when he came.

Guanabana. It's sweet and the juice is delicious.

Mora, which is kind of like a tart blackberry.

Taxo, which tastes a little bit like papaya to me. Not my favorite.

Tomate de arbol, or tree tomato. Used to make aji (hot sauce) and in juice.

One of the great parts about living in Ecuador is the juice. Ecuadorians make juice out of everything and drink it all the time. My favorite happens to be good old ordinary peach, and I drink it every morning. Mora is a close second.

Empanadas.

In general, Ecuadorians seem to eat pretty simply. Lunch is the biggest meal of the day, which typically includes juice, soup, rice, a small piece of meat or fish, salad, and maybe beans. Some other popular side dishes are choclo (corn with cheese on top), llapingachos (potato cakes), mote (a big grain that really has no flavor), menestras (like baked beans), fried or grilled plantain, and lima beans. Ecuadorians also love ceviche (cold seafood soup with tons of cilantro, lime, and onion), humitas (smashed up corn and cheese cooked and wrapped in a leaf), and empanadas (my personal favorite!). Stews made of chicken, beef, goat, or pork are also pretty common. Guatita (cow tripe stew) is a big favorite here, although I really, really don't like it. For the most part, we eat the whole animal here, which is not surprising as this is a developing country. You already know that I'm not such a fan of animal feet or some of the cuts of meat we'd normally throw away in the U.S. Food is not heavily seasoned here, and it's rarely spicy--even aji, or hot sauce, is usually not spicy to me.

Hornado--roast pork with mote, avocado, and rice.

Although I really like most food here, there are some things I'm really missing or am not a big fan of. Cheese here is really not so good--it's rubbery, tastes sour, and there's only one kind unless you're eating somewhere fancy. I also miss American ketchup--I don't know if the salsa de tomate here is missing sugar or what, but I don't eat it. Sometimes I miss brewed coffee, because instant coffee is the norm here. Pop is served without ice, which is good and bad at the same time because ice is often made with tap water and will make you sick. Another part of the food here is that you have to be careful with vegetables, fruit, and water, depending on where you go. If something isn't washed properly, or is washed in tap water, Americans will get sick from that too. As a result, we wash our produce with grapefruit extract in the apartment and boil water before drinking it. Still, despite all the precautions you take, you will get sick from something. Fortunately, it looks like I'm going to leave this country without the bad bacterias and parasites some of the other students have gotten. I've been really healthy this whole time as far as that stuff goes. 

Humitas.

So, I'd say there are pros and cons to Ecuadorian food, just like anywhere you go. But for the most part, I've really enjoyed it and will miss a lot of my favorite dishes. Especially the empanadas!

School update!

Last week I had written to you that I would be starting graduate school in the fall with a graduation date of May 2015. Well...that changed! While I was in Misahualli I received an email saying that a slot had opened up in the Advanced Standing program and that I was first in line for it. I couldn't believe that something else had changed as soon as I thought things were settled! I emailed AJ about it and we agreed that I should go for it. This means that I'll be starting school on June 29th of this year, and I will have my MSW by May 2014! I'm so thrilled with this news. I'll be super busy, but AJ and I will save a lot of money and I will be done with school forever in just one year. Taking care of all this resulting paperwork in Ecuador is not exactly a blast, but I'm just happy to be so close to the end, finally!

Giant trees, Shell, Banos, and Volcan Tungurahua.

Me and the big tree.

 On Thursday morning we left Misahualli, but not before we went to see "The Big Tree". Not too far down the road from our hostal is a giant rain forest tree--so giant, in fact, that you could easily drive a car through it. Once we heard about this tree, we knew we had to go. So, we got a jungle taxi (meaning a pick-up truck, and everybody rides on the edge of the bed) and made the short hike to see this tree. While it didn't change my world, it was definitely worth the trip. :)

Missionary plane taking off from the airstrip.

After that we were on the road again, this time to make a stop at a little jungle town called Shell about two and a half hours from Misahualli. This town wouldn't be significant except for the fact that it played a huge role in the story of five missionaries who were killed trying to bring the Gospel to the Huaorani tribe in Ecuador. Long story short, five men (all married, some with children) felt that God was leading them to contact an extremely violent tribe called the Huaorani living not too far from Shell. The Huaorani were famous for spearing themselves into extinction and for still living as though it were the Stone Age. At first the jungle pilot, Nate Saint, found a way to lower baskets full of gifts to the Huaorani from his plane. This continued for awhile until the men finally went to meet the people of this tribe in person. When they did, however, they were all speared to death. Later on their wives and children returned to this very tribe, showed them forgiveness, and shared the Gospel with them. It's an amazing story. 

The Saint house.

Nate, the pilot, lived in Shell with his wife and children as a missionary pilot bringing supplies to missionaries deeper in the jungle and transporting indigenous people who needed medical attention. We visited his house, the hangar for the plane, and the very same airstrip he used. The woman who showed us around works with the Huaorani and lives among them for most of the year, although she and her family are based out of Shell. In fact, her husband is currently at a conference in the States with Mincaye, the tribal leader (this will mean a lot to you, Mom!). It was incredible to be standing in the very same place where so much of this story took place. It's an experience I will never forget. 

One of the baskets used to give gifts from the plane.

To bring you up to date about the Huaorani, many have received the Gospel and are empowering themselves to take charge of their own affairs, including medical care, education, government, and spiritual matters. However, there is a tribe called the Taenomenane (or something like that) that broke off from the Huaorani people and is still living in darkness. They remain uncontacted and are still spearing--in fact, they killed at least 18 people (not counting children) about a month or so ago. I read it in the Ecuadorian news. The Huaorani are trying very hard to reach their people, but it's a challenging and dangerous process.

After Shell we stopped at "Bridal Veil Falls" to ride a gondola across the ravine and get a close look at a pretty big waterfall. This gave us an even more gorgeous view of the Andes mountains, as if that were possible.

This is what it looks like around that waterfall. Incredible.

After the waterfall we ate lunch in a resort town called Baños in the mountains. Lunch was a typical Ecuadorian almuerzo of cow foot soup, rice, chicken, salad, and beans (although it wasn't safe to eat that salad). After that we had some dessert empanadas, which were amazing! I had banana, and it was so, so good.

Finally, we were back on the bus with Quito as our next stop. On the way we saw Volcan Tungurahua, another active volcano not far from Cotopaxi. It was actually sort of erupting! It was spewing lots of smoke and ash and we could see it very clearly. Apparently it's been doing that off and on for a few years now, which means it may erupt sooner rather than later. That's something I never dreamed I'd see! It was a great way to wind down the trip.

Tungurahua!

Overall, I liked this second jungle trip even more than the first one. Sure, I got eaten alive by those nasty jungle gnats (they're way worse than mosquitoes) and it was hot and humid as always. But this time I knew even more about the ministry and the people, and that made me enjoy it so much more. The jungle really does feel like a totally new country apart from Ecuador--the landscape, food, clothing, and housing are markedly different. Poverty is much more obvious there, and there is a lot of it. Living in such an isolated, challenging area would be pretty tough, but it would also be incredibly worth it. I'm so happy we went back :)

Second trip to the Amazon, part two.

The parade.

Although most of our time was spent working and running the sports camp, I have plenty of other memories from the jungle. First of all, I was able to ask one of the missionaries about what it's like to reach this culture with the Gospel. Apparently, this can be very difficult because of the witch doctors still present in many jungle towns. Many locals prefer to keep their witch doctor because it brings in tourism. This means that the witch doctor is in control, and no churches will be allowed into the town. This witch doctor aspect is pretty serious; one of Roberto and Charmai's adopted sons was the son of a witch doctor and had a really, really hard time emotionally and spiritually because of it. Some of these people are also afraid of losing their indigenous culture, as in the past Western missionaries have forced them to give up their culture to receive the Gospel. Because of this, they close their towns to Christians and North Americans. So, although Ecuador is supposed to be a Catholic country, there are a lot of dark spiritual powers still at play that come from the ancient indigenous religions. Besides that, many Ecuadorians are Christian or Catholic in name only and do not know what it means to truly follow Christ. Much like the States, in fact.

Antioquia kiddos.

As I said in my last post, there was a lot of celebrating going on throughout our time in Misahualli. Part of the program included a dance contest for local high school students. Before the high school boys and girls performed, however, we had to watch the Baile de la Vaca Loca (literally translated, the Crazy Cow Dance). At first four preteen boys came out and pranced around in a circle with some paper mache animals, including the crazy cow of course. The fourth boy was dressed as an Ecuadorian rancher and he was in charge of chasing the cow. After awhile I was getting a little bored of this, but little did I know, it was about to get really exciting! A man lit fireworks on each paper mache animal, one at a time. Initially these fireworks looked like innocent sparklers, but before long they started to explode and shoot uncontrollably in all directions, including directly into the crowd. People were screaming and laughing, and I thought for sure someone was going to get burned or something would start on fire. Of course, there is no fire department in Misahualli. It was hysterical! Only in Ecuador, where safety standards are way less important, would you get to experience this Crazy Cow Dance. 

Ladies and gentlemen...the Amazon jungle. Much prettier in person.

After that we got to watch the students perform traditional dances in traditional clothing. The clothing for the girls consists of a bra and mini skirt covered in shells and beads, along with a headband and bands around their knees, which really does resemble traditional indigenous clothing. Although I'd heard from the missionaries that the young men end up a little too captivated by the clothing aspect (or perhaps lack of clothing), it was a great cultural experience for me.

The next morning we came out for the parade of schools to support Antioquia. Like many events in this part of the world, the parade didn't start nearly on schedule and no one seemed to be able to say when it would start, other than "soon" (which can mean two hours from now in Ecuador). 

On Wednesday morning we got a reprieve from moving rocks and hiked through the jungle to a waterfall. I got to experience being bitten by a giant red ant on the way, which is really painful. It stings like a bee sting, and the dumb ant attaches itself to your skin so it's hard to get off. But pretty soon I was fine. The waterfall was well worth it, and some of us swam in the pool at the bottom.

Finally, we spent our last night making chocolate as a treat. Cacao fruits grow everywhere here, and on a sunny day you can see people laying out the seeds to dry on the roads. To make chocolate, you dry the seeds in the sun, roast them, grind them, and then mix them with hot water (or milk) and lots of sugar. I tried the dark chocolate, and it was very dark so I actually liked it. It really doesn't taste like what you buy from the store, but that's because it's real! You can also eat the cacao fruit--you just pop a seed covered in fruit into your mouth and suck on it like candy. It's kind of sour, but really good.