Spanish class and runs in the park.

Happy Wednesday everyone! Life in Quito is still great. Yesterday we had our first official day of Spanish class, plus chapel at another missionary's house (he's also a professor for some of the study abroad classes). Spanish class is three hours long, plus it takes about 45 minutes to get there, so it takes up a lot of our day. I'm actually really enjoying the class; the professors are Christian and they're very good at what they do. There are only three of us in the advanced class, so it's pretty chill (but also not, because it's three hours long!). It's really interesting to learn the nuances of the language here; a lot of the words I learned in the U.S. either don't exist here or mean something else. Pronunciation is also different; I'm learning the various accents of Ecuador and what types of people they're associated with. It's a lot of fun. It'll be interesting to come back to El Paso and start speaking Ecuadorian Spanish with the Mexicans! Just to clarify, I'm not taking Spanish for credit here--I'm just going while I'm waiting to start my internship.

This morning I also felt pretty accomplished after going for a run in Parque La Carolina, a large park down the hill from us. I have to cross some pretty intimidating streets to get there, but I'm getting the hang of it. Jay walking is a way of life here. We were told to never assume anyone will stop at a stop sign, and even though pedestrians technically have the right of way, that's not really practiced here. When in doubt, I just follow the natives.

My Spanish professor was a bit worried when I told her I went running in Parque La Carolina early this morning, but in my experience it's not too dangerous. Of course, we're not allowed to go anywhere at night, unless it's in a taxi, but I run during the morning commute when the sun's out. Living as a foreigner in Ecuador means that you have to be extra aware of your surroundings and that you shouldn't carry anything that you don't absolutely need. Yes, I run with my iPod, but I'm always watching the people around me so I'm not caught off guard. Don't worry, Mom, I follow all the suggestions from our safety briefing (I'm using Army lingo because it's really convenient here ;).

Anyway, working out this far above sea level is actually kind of fun. I'm one of the lucky ones, so I don't get headaches or light headed or anything like that. My muscles just tire more easily, so I feel like I accomplished more. Between that, all the walking we do, and having to hold on to the trolley for dear life, I'm hoping to return to the states in pretty good shape!


I've included some pictures of the sunset from our roof. :)

Getting into the routine.

As of yesterday, orientation is officially over and we are getting into our routine for the rest of the semester. Sunday was the relaxing day we needed, filled with not much besides church, a trip to Supermaxi (the grocery store), and a house meeting. I chose to attend church in Spanish, along with two other students. It was great! I understood all the songs, the prayers, and the sermon, which was really good. The pastor preached from the life of Solomon, focusing on the contradictions in his life. For instance, Solomon was considered a very wise man, yet he made foolish decisions, such as one to take 1,000 wives. The entire theme of the sermon was godly wisdom. After two hours, my brain was definitely tired but I felt great about being immersed in another language.

After church we just got some groceries and iced coffees for a treat. An iced latte is $2.45 here, which is expensive by Ecuadorian standards but cheaper than Starbucks! We all needed to take taxis back up the hill we live on with our arms full of so many groceries. I'm definitely getting comfortable using the taxi now. My friends like to get in my cab because I speak Spanish. :)

Today I decided to be brave and start my morning with a run at 6:30am with my RA. Whew! We ran down the hill to Parque Carolina, which is a huge park not too far from our apartment. Once there, we ran the entire loop around the park and then part of the way back up the hill. All told, that's about five miles, not to mention the altitude! Kim said I did great, especially because she runs fast and is accustomed to the altitude here. By the end I wasn't that out of breath, really; my muscles just couldn't take another step. It felt great, but I'm super tired now. Still, it was worth a great workout and seeing a posse of Ecuadorian speed walkers going around the park. ;) I'm told altitude is the great equalizer--some of us aren't too affected by it, while others have a tougher time, no matter what shape they're in. 

Later this morning we took a field trip to the local papeleria to buy notebooks for class. The notebooks here all have funky pictures and designs on them--at least the ones that are reasonably priced. After that we explored the fruteria, where we can buy produce for less than Supermaxi. This is one thing I love about Ecuador--there are tiny specialty shops scattered around the neighborhoods. I'm super excited to visit the panaderia down the street--the fresh bread there smells amazing, especially after a run!

This afternoon we had our first day of Spanish school, which will be pretty intense. I'm not taking Spanish for credit here, but I'm just going to attend until my internship takes up my time. I placed into the advanced class, along with two other guys. Class is three hours a day, so it'll be a challenge for all of us. Nevertheless, I'm really looking forward to learning more. That's why I'm here!

Since we came back we've all just been hanging around, waiting until dinner. We're doing community dinners twice a week, where two people cook for everyone. Excited to see what the girls are serving tonight! Hasta luego!

Mitad del Mundo and Mindo.

Today's adventure was a visit to the equator and zip lining through the cloud forest. First, we went to Mitad del Mundo, which means "Middle of the World". Pretty self-explanatory--it's a museum about the equator. While we were there, we saw some scary jungle wildlife (all dead, of course), learned how to make shrunken heads (and saw a real one!), learned a little about indigenous tribes here and their beliefs, and did a bunch of cool equator stuff. Things I learned at the equator:

1. You weigh 1kg less here because we are so far from the center of the earth.

2. Water flows straight down, but if you move a few feet into either hemisphere it will start to spin.

3. You can balance an egg on its end, because the yolk will settle at the bottom.

4. Gravity is noticeably stronger at the equator. 

5. You can close your eyes and walk in a straight line on the equator, because gravity will not pull you in either direction. However, if you veer into either hemisphere, you will start to walk in circles.

After Mitad del Mundo we took a long drive into the Andes Mountains, to Mindo. The drive was absolutely gorgeous--the mountains are so incredible here. You can even see waterfalls coming over some cliffs in places. And they are steep! Once we got to Mindo, we had a sack lunch and prepared to zip line through the cloud forest. It was an amazing experience. A little scary, considering you have nothing but a harness between you and the ground a zillion feet below. It's crazy zipping by palm trees and over rivers way up in the air. I loved it, and I actually wasn't nervous for it at all. I can't believe I did that today.

Our bus driver, Edwin, is awesome. When he drops us off at our apartment he likes to say, "Hasta la vista, babies!" He's a host dad too. So funny.

In other news...I'm kind of starting to hate my scar. :( I get asked about it multiple times a day, by both Americans and Ecuadorians. Even our tour guide asked today! I was totally comfortable with it in the states, but now I'm starting to want to wear scarves all the time. :/ It doesn't define me, it's not that interesting, and it's not nice to tease. 

As far as good news goes, today I found out that freezing cold showers shouldn't be the norm here! Turns out we ran out of gas that heats our water, and we forgot to change it so we've been showering in icy water. Whew! So relieved, because last night's shower was brutal. Well, that's all for now folks...going to help out with dinner now.

Discovering Quito.

Well folks, yesterday was another long day. We headed down to the Youth World/Juvenil Mundial office for some map orientation first thing in the morning. To clarify, Youth World is the mission organization that our study abroad program falls under. Study abroad is one of their many ministries, which are mainly focused on training Ecuadorian and American youth for ministry. 

Anyway, we were there for awhile trying to make sense of our maps and marking important places on them. After we were sufficiently nervous about getting around this city on our own, we took off as a group to learn how to get to the language school (everyone but me and one other person is taking Spanish here). The first step to get to the language school? Take the trolebus.

I have a confession to make: I do not like the trole (trolley). These vehicles just defy the laws of physics here, in a not too pleasant way. They only cost 25 cents to ride, which is great, but the city makes up for that by cramming as many bodies as possible into the vehicle. Seriously. An already packed looking trolley will roll into the station (parada) and you just have to think to yourself, "I'm getting on the trolley. I'm getting on the trolley. I WILL get on the trolley." And you force yourself in, praying the doors don't close on you. If you're traveling in a group, you'll definitely get split up. You are packed in so tight that you are being squashed by Ecuadorians on all sides, and you may or may not be able to grab something to hold on to. Meanwhile, you're trying to watch your purse like a hawk because pickpocketing is the worst on the trole. Gringos like us are prime targets, of course. The trole is hot, crowded, and chaotic. If you know me, you're probably not surprised that I'm not a fan of this. I miss our North American understanding of personal bubbles.

Anyway, we walked to the language school, and then the guys' RA sent us off on a scavenger hunt. Just prayed for us and said, "Seeya!" This scavenger hunt took us all over the city, and we had to accomplish various tasks. They split up the people who spoke Spanish, so I was my group's translator. I really enjoyed being forced to speak, and I realized that I know more than I think. Some Ecuadorians love hearing a gringa speak Spanish and try to talk to you for a long time. It was a lot of fun. Glad I got to contribute a skill, because I'm not always trustworthy with a map ;)

One of the biggest stops on our hunt was La Basilica, a giant cathedral in Old Quito. The thing had so many stairs, including sketchy ladders outside to the top. But it was worth it! 



After a long day of riding trolleys and taxis (and walking a ton!), we shopped for a few groceries and then stopped at a chicken place for dinner. I tried jugo de mora, which is blackberry juice. It's delicious! At the end of the night we hopped in taxis (no walking around at night here, no matter what) and collapsed into our beds. I'd say we all felt super accomplished finding our way around a foreign city!

Things I've learned at orientation.

1. There are seven different kinds of bananas in Ecuador. Some you have to cook, some you can eat raw. I have no idea how to tell the difference.

2. If you want to have your personal space completely invaded, take the trolley in Quito. Seriously, you see people smashed against the windows and practically falling out of that thing. I have the joy of commuting on it this semester.

3. A handshake here is more like receiving a dead fish. So much for all that emphasis on strong handshakes in the social work department! But after you've shaken someone's hand once, you're typically on a kissing (besito) basis with that person.

4. Bring your own toilet paper. If you're lucky, there might be an automatic dispenser in the public bathroom...but that's if you're lucky. 

5. Ecuador is so not the place to try illicit drugs. In this country, you can sit in jail for up to 364 days before you see a lawyer or get a court date. If you're caught with drugs, it's four years no matter what, whether you're American or Ecuadorian. And you have to pay for everything in jail, including your own cell! Believe it or not, this kind of thing happens to young Americans who just thought they'd have a good time.

6. How to hail a taxi. You can either call someone to pick you up at your apartment or hail one by waving your hand face down. The face up wave we use in the states is more of a "come hither" type gesture. ;)

7. Pointing with your index finger is considered rude. However, it's totally okay if you make a kissing face and raise your chin in the direction of that person/object.

8. Make sure you know a taxi is registered with the government before getting in. Otherwise...it may or may not be sketchy. (You can tell this by simply looking at a giant orange sticker on the windshield, so it's not a big deal.)

9. Taxi secuestra is known to happen here. Meaning, kidnapping by taxi. Luckily, if you avoid taxis that already have people in them you should be good to go!

10. Aji, choclo, and chimichurri are delicious! Aji is a semi-spicy Ecuadorian sauce, choclo is some kind of corn (not sweet corn though; they eat it off the cob with ranch-like sauce and shredded cheese), and chimichurri is an oregano/garlic sauce for meat. This was our lunch today :)

11. The pickpockets here are very good at what they do! You won't know you've been robbed until you look for something and it's missing. Petty theft is the most common crime here, so as long as you're aware of your surroundings you'll be okay.

12. Ecuadorians have a ton of respect for the elderly, pregnant women, and parents with young children. Always offer your seat to them, and let them cut in line. I think this is a beautiful part of the culture.

13. Share, share, share! This is a developing nation, so everyone here shares what they have, no matter how little. It's all about taking care of each other. Another really cool tradition here.

14. Volcano eruptions are very cool.

Also, a bazillion other things but I honestly don't remember a whole lot. They threw a lot of information at us today, but thankfully this is the last day of intense orientation!

Day one.

It's 5:30pm on my first full day in South America! Today has definitely been a full day. We were up pretty late last night unpacking, meeting each other, and all that fun stuff so I'm definitely a little tired now. 

This morning we went to the dean's house for breakfast, which was really good. Right away I noticed foreign fruits in the fruit salad, reminding me that I am now living at the equator! We enjoyed eating and chatting until it was time for some orientation stuff. We talked about what we're excited and nervous for; having faith like Abraham, who was a stranger in a foreign land; practiced greeting each other Ecuadorian style (by touching someone's upper arm, meeting your cheek with theirs, and making a kissing noise); met the staff; and finally played some games. By the end of all that I was definitely ready to explore; I have a hard time sitting for a long time and wanted to get out and actually do something. Which we did!

The staff took us on a little walking tour of the area, pointing out important streets and other locations. I felt more than a little overwhelmed trying to keep track of the street names and where they were in relation to our apartment--getting around the city is probably one of the things I'm most nervous for here. Thankfully, I remember that Pichincha (the mountain that I think is also a volcano looming over us) is west, and if I get really lost I know how to tell a taxi driver to bring me back to the apartment. Eventually we stopped at a mall, which actually has a lot of American chains--Subway, Cinnabon, Burger King. We stuck with Ecuadorian food, of course, so I was brave and tried ceviche. Ceviche is a cold soup containing fish or shrimp. I'm not a fan of shrimp, so I tried the fish and it was actually pretty good! It's packed with cilantro and lime, so it has a lot of flavor. It was served with popcorn, corn nuts, and plantain chips. Yum.

As we continued our tour we went into a market, full of produce I've never seen before in my life. There are so many exotic fruits here, and they're all cheap! There's one called a "snot fruit", which apparently looks like snot but tastes delicious. Shopping there ought to be an adventure.


After our walk we climbed back up to our neighborhood, where we had a bit more orientation stuff before finally getting some down time. The weather is gorgeous and so far it's been a good day. The altitude and pollution are definitely there, but so far neither has been too bad for me. The next few days bring more orientation, which I honestly can't wait to get through. I just want to be in my internship, living life in Quito. However, I know I have to be able to function here first, so it's all worth it. That's all for now! I've included pictures of the view from the roof of our apartment.

Greetings from...Miami?

So, today I am supposed to be in Ecuador. However, I have yet to leave the good old US of A...needless to say, we have been having adventures already and we haven't even left the states.

Our itinerary for today was supposed to take us from Chicago to Miami, then Miami to Quito. We had a 1.5 hour layover, which is of course just long enough to find our gate at a leisurely pace and perhaps grab some lunch before getting on the plane. Right? Wrong.

We boarded our plane in Chicago on time, and for some reason it was taking longer than usual to leave the gate. The pilot came on the intercom and said something about needing to move a whole bunch of fuel from one side of the plane to the other for some reason. Okay. I didn't really pay attention, because I assumed they'd take care of this and we'd be on our way. I only had about three hours of sleep the previous night, if that, so I really did not care.

Finally the pilot said we were good to go and we began taxiing to the runway. Before we get there, though, the pilot comes back on the intercom to say a warning light was on and needed to be checked out. Which meant we had to return to the gate so that the mechanics could look at it. Minutes go by, and we don't hear a word. The seat belt sign is turned off, people are getting restless, and some are even starting to leave the plane for fear of missing connecting flights. An hour and a half after we were supposed to take off, we see that they're unloading our baggage and we're told that the plane is now out of service. 

Thus began our day of waiting in lines. We had to wait to talk to an agent about how to still get to Quito that day, as we had missed our connecting flight by then. She got us seats on the last flight to Ecuador for the day, but warned us that it wasn't looking good. 

Much later, we finally boarded a plane to Miami, where indeed we did miss the last flight to Quito--bringing our tally of missed flights today to two. Which meant waiting in another line for over an hour to get a hotel voucher to stay the night in this lovely city. So, long story short, we are in a hotel in Miami, minus all of our luggage, waiting for the next flight to Quito (which is at 4:00pm Miami time). It's so funny how we keep seeing other people from our doomed Miami flight--in lines, in the hotel, on the shuttle. I love how strangers bond so fast over being stranded in an airport together. So much for wanting to get there early! It has been one crazy day, but I'm so glad that us four trolls are together for all of the craziness. It's also kind of nice being able to text AJ for another day. I guess I have my own personal airplane horror story to tell now! So, hopefully next time you hear from me I'll be in South America for real!

Adios, Estados Unidos.

Well, tomorrow is the day! I'll be leaving bright and early to board a plane to Ecuador, which will be my home for the next four months. After years of anticipating this day, it has finally come! I have always dreamed of studying abroad, and against the odds God has still allowed it to happen. Honestly, I sometimes feel like I'd rather not go...just because I'll be without family and friends in a new country, trying to function in a new language and in a formal social work setting for the first time. All the same, I know I don't feel this way because God doesn't want me there--in fact, I think it's pretty clear that he does, so I'm just going to have to trust him with the nerves. Everyone I know who has done what I'm about to do has loved it, and I know Ecuador will benefit me so much as a Christian and a social worker. 

I'm sorry if I sound sentimental, but this spring is going to be yet another new challenge for AJ and me. Sure, we've been living apart for months now, but we've been able to see each other at least one weekend a month. We've been able to talk on the phone every night and text throughout the day. None of this will be happening while I'm abroad! Whenever I'm tempted to feel really sad about it, though (which happens frequently), I tell myself it's not even a deployment. He's safe, we'll only be apart for four and a half months (exactly half a deployment these days), and we'll probably communicate at least as much as if he was at war, if not more. And best of all, this is the home stretch! We'll be reunited for a good while once I come back, as long as the Army doesn't pull any shenanigans. ;) All of this is so much better than what we were told a few months ago. So with that, I say this Army couple better get it together, because we're supposed to be tough! Hooah.

Anyway, my suitcases and backpack are all packed and ready to follow me to South America...Resisting the temptation to fiddle with them when they're already weighed and zipped shut! Soon I'll be off to see one last friend, chat with my husband on the phone one last time, and then...it's time for South America to meet Mrs. U!

The Sun Bowl and New Mexico.

On Monday AJ and I went to the Sun Bowl, as he'd been given two free tickets from the Army. He wasn't sure if I'd want to go because I'm not into football, but I had been wishing we'd attended more Illinois games so I was pretty excited about going. We got to the game a little late because parking is just plain crazy there--there are no signs for where to go and you need a UTEP permit to get even remotely close to the stadium. We made it, though. While at the game we enjoyed some nachos and funnel cake, along with a halftime show where both USC and Georgia Tech performed. We left not too long after halftime because it was not a sunny Sun Bowl! It was an unusually chilly day for El Paso.

We had a tough time finding something to do on Tuesday, as it was a federal holiday and all the museums are closed. I suggested we check out Las Cruces, a decently large city in New Mexico mentioned by the Army couple we had lunch with. Eventually we ended up deciding to visit Historic Old Mesilla, a quaint historic town with some fun shops and restaurants to visit. We enjoyed a peaceful walk around the area, where the buildings are all original. We found an old, authentic New Mexican restaurant for lunch, which was really fun. I definitely felt like we got to sample the local culture there.

Once we finished at Mesilla it was a lengthy drive to our next stop, White Sands National Monument. White Sands is located near the White Sands Missile Range, so on the drive out there you see nothing but mountains and desert foliage. We had to go through a border control checkpoint, which was a first for me! We didn't know exactly what to do, but thankfully the officer didn't think we looked suspicious.

White Sands National Monument is a vast area of gypsum sand dunes in the middle of the desert. Basically, it has formed from gypsum that erodes off the surrounding mountains and washes into the basin when it rains. It's definitely a place unlike anything else you've ever seen--in fact, it's by far the largest gypsum desert in the world. After driving in the middle of nowhere for what seemed like too long, we arrived. Luckily for us, the whole excursion was free because we're active duty military. You drive through the path made in the desert, and there are plenty of places to stop and explore along the way. It's incredible to be in such a quiet, peaceful place surrounded by mountains and endless white sand dunes. Although we didn't have time to do a ton of exploring, we loved visiting such a unique, breathtaking place together.

Our evening was pretty uneventful, as it was our last night together until mid-May. I don't think it's registered in my mind that I won't see AJ for nearly five months, but maybe that's a good thing. I'll miss him terribly, but we're so thankful that this is the last leg of our journey apart at this point. As long as I know where he is and that he is safe, I'll be fine.

Weekend at Fort Bliss.

Last Friday I flew to El Paso for the holiday weekend because AJ couldn't take leave to come to Illinois. It was my first time flying alone, and my first time in Texas. After a delayed takeoff due to the snowy Chicago weather, I finally landed in El Paso around 3:45pm. AJ was waiting there at baggage claim, holding a sign with our last name and a little bouquet of roses. He had come straight from work and changed out of his uniform in order to not attract attention. I told him he was silly because everyone would think it was cute. So cute that he was afraid someone would take a picture and post it online somewhere.

AJ still had work left to do for the day, so we headed back to post. I loved sitting in his office and meeting the people he works with, including the battalion commander for the rear detachment and the other sergeants. However, it turned out to be a very long work day, finally ending at 10:30pm. Not exactly the best introduction to our new home after traveling all day. 

On Saturday we definitely took our time in the morning. After an early lunch at Arby's AJ showed me around post, where we stopped at the PX to find a hat for my dad as a late Christmas present. Fort Bliss is a lot more industrial looking than Fort Lee--I'm not sure if it's the geography or the way they are built or both. The PX is great, however. Everything is very new and there are a lot more restaurants and stores to choose from. 

Next we headed to the other side of the mountains, stopping at a state park to hike around a little bit. AJ showed me around a little bit more before we stopped by the apartment where he stays right now. We had dinner at a local sushi restaurant before driving back across the mountains, gazing out the car window at the U.S.-Mexico border along the way. It was pretty cool driving past the ramp that takes you into Juarez, although AJ's not allowed to go there.

We ended our night by watching Les Miserables in the theater on post, where apparently you have to stand for the national anthem before the previews start. We loved the movie. 

On Sunday we went to the church AJ attends. The more traditional service definitely took some getting used to--I didn't know what was going on for a lot of it, but overall I enjoyed the liturgy. We met another Army couple there, and they invited us out to a local fast food taco restaurant. The chain actually started in Juarez and migrated over to the U.S. The salsa bar was definitely the highlight for me. :)




After lunch we took the scenic route over the mountains, although we didn't linger at the overlooks along the way because it was a bit cooler today. We stopped to switch phone plans and buy AJ a new pair of shoes, taking our time so that we would drive over the mountains after dark to see the cities at night. After a rough start, I would say El Paso is redeeming itself. It's definitely nothing like home, but we agree that if we're forced to move we might as well be somewhere different. Either way, the Army won't keep us here long!