Saludos de Ecuador!

Yes, I'm alive. My host family does not have internet in the house, so I am actually sitting in my University's computer lab. This post will be rather long, so get ready.

I'll start off by saying this: all at once, I feel like I've been in this country for both months and just a few days. Actually, no, I feel like I've been here for months even though it's only been four days. My University is a little paradise. Check out their website: usfq.edu.ec, and follow the virtual tour to see what I mean. Beautiful buildings, palms trees, a lake--and everything surrounded by mountains. Everyone here is really posh, and even though I brought my favorite clothes, I still feel like a peasant. I take the bus, well, two buses actually, to school everyday. The weather is gorgeous. I just had my first class today, and it was terrifying (in the best way).

Everyone on the program is really nice. We went out Monday and last night for some bonding. I had a blast; the only problem I had was getting home because, I'll be real, it's a little sketch. Taking a (real) taxi is very safe, especially at night, but getting into my house is the hard part. My host family lives right in the center of the New Town. So, when I get home, first I have to kneel and pick at a lock that opens up a latch that in turn opens the gate. So, here I am standing in the middle of a street at one in the morning all alone, struggling with this lock. Then, there's the key to the front door, then the gate on my floor to the apartment, and then the actual apartment lock.

My family is gorgeous. I've already started to become close to them, and speaking Spanish helps because only my oldest brother speaks English. I really hope that I haven't offended them too much in the past couple of days by not eating everything they give me. Altitude sickness took away my appetite, my energy and my breath.

Oh right, I forgot. LAN, the airline that I flew to Ecuador, was one of the best plane experiences I've had in a while. The only pitfall was that the pilot decided to not take my second piece of luggage on my plane because the plane was getting too heavy. You can imagine, if you know me well enough, the stress I felt when one of my bags didn't arrive. But, I went on Sunday and the bag had arrived on the flight from Miami to Ecuador that night. Speaking of planes, I live right near the airport, which is part of the city. So the planes fly about as close to the houses as they can without hitting them. The first night I woke up at five in the AM thinking the end of the world was coming. No, it was an airplane landing. When I look out my window, I can see the plane pulling out the wheels for the landing.

That's actually all for now, as I have to head back home in a bit. I'll be back soon with more updates. Chao!

Promises to Self

I can't believe it's down to two days. My bags are packed (almost), I've said most of my good-byes, and my sanity is back with the arrival of my new debit card today.

Scariest, yet most exciting of all is the fact that I don't know what's to come. I keep on forcing expectations onto myself while simultaneously rejecting them. One thing I do know, is that while this trip will profoundly change me, there are some promises to myself that I must keep (in no particular order):

1)Be open. To people, to experiences, to food, to beliefs, to sharing about myself.
2)Cherish every single day of this adventure.
3)Be safe. Take the necessary precautions, carry a First Aid kit, don't draw too much attention that could turn negative.
4)Get to know the host family.
5)Be a support system for my BU buddies and hope they will do the same.
6)Update the blog regularly.
7)Go out salsa dancing regularly.
8)Know limits; living to the fullest can get exhausting.
9)Travel in spare time; I want to feel like I know the country (at least geographically) when I leave.
10)Be myself. Now, I know some of you might shrug off this last promise as cliche, or a given, but it's important to remind myself to hold onto what I love most about myself when I'm feeling lost in a new setting. I hope that with time this country and its culture become a part of me. I love layers.

Thank you dear friends for following my thoughts, it means more than you know. This is my last post in the States for a while. Hasta pronto, nos vemos en ECUADOR!

Ten days before I'm off!

I've only lost two objects in my life that I can remember actually mattering--as I very rarely lose things at all. One was my dorm key which cost me $100 to replace for all five of us roommates in Shelton Hall, and the other is my Bank of America card. Yes, I lost my debit card ten days before the big move. I realized only two days after the fact, and I have at most seven business days (which is what the BofA customer service rep told me it will take) to get my new card by mail. If I don't get it by then, then...well let's just hope that I get it by then. For those of you that know me well, you would be surprised how calmly I'm taking all of this in.

On a lighter note, tonight I realized what I want to do with my life. I found out about an environmental, public policy, economic development, education-friendly non-profit organization focused in great part on Ecuador. Granted, I might not be good enough to get involved (although I pray there is something I can do there), I felt something click as I read and re-read the organization's website in its entirety. I'll keep you posted, of course.

Update on the host family situation: I work at the abroad office, and last week a girl came in to talk to the Ecuador program manager about her experience in Quito this past spring. She and I talked only to find out that I have her host family from the spring semester! I didn't want to hear too much about them so I could find out myself, but I saw a photograph of them--they're so beautiful! Anyhow, I'll check in once more before I'm off and then I'll be writing from Ecuador and posting pictures, etc.

I don't even believe that I'm going. The more people mention it to me, the more distant the idea of going becomes. I've never been away from home for this long. It's like going to college for the first time...except in a different country, a different language, and a housing arrangement a little different from the Warren Towers sardine box.