the last month..

So I went to Montañita for Carnival which was a good time. I was sick and I slept in a tent but looking back I enjoyed it more that I would have if I traveled more. I won't lie, Carnival was probably the worst weekend i've had here so far, but that's okay cause the few following made up for it.
I went to Quito a week ago and it was great. The weekend was packed with museums, parks, and eating. It was only a half hour plane ride and we went around the whole city the first day. We saw the glass palace which overlooks the whole city, the virgin mary statue which is a HUGE angel, and some BEAUTIFUL churches. After lunch we saw the National Geographic photography exhibit which was amazing to say the least. Saturday we took a 2 hour bus ride to Otibalo which is a huge market with lots of crafts and such. I got to practice my bartering skills so much, fun fun. After the market we saw a bunch of indiginous areas and visited some families which was soo nice. They showed us how to do the crafts and spin yarn. From one of the houses we saw the most amazing rainbow, it was so clear and bright and big. I LOVED it. We then came back to quito and had dinner. The bus ride was soo nice because I talked to Alex, the girl I live and work with, the whole time and I learned soo much about her and her life in Ecuador. Of course some of us went to a discoteca Saturday night and danced our little hearts out.

Sunday we had to ourselves, so we went to the market in Quito for a couple hours. We then went to an art museum which had some of the most beautiful and emotional art I´ve ever seen. It was in the house of the creator that died just a few years ago, and he was a strong political character. He was especially loved by Fidel Castro. After we went for pizza that was sooo good.
This past weekend I spent at home just relaxing. I have a final today, tomorrow, and one on friday. But after that I have two weeks off!! I want to go to Manta and Manchupichu in Peru. Last Thursday we had a half birthday for me which was AMAZING. Sooo many people came and I even got a gift!!!
I've been trying to load pictures on facebook, but the internet has been awful at school. I don't know...
I hope all is well with you. CHAO!

sunburn, robbers, and camarones... then there was dancing.

So I've had some of the most packed few weeks of my life. Carnival was probably the "worst" weekend I've had here. Thursday night (long story short) I had a little run in with a robber, but everything turned out fine and he only took my phone from me. Friday night I went to a bar but I turned out having a fever so I got soooo exhausted. which caused me to sleep through my bus to Ambato. So I waited on line for 3 1/2 hours for a bus to Mountañita then my friend called and said he was just going to hire a car to bring us. It was a fun time. So we get in this car and have an awesome time talking on the ride and when we arrive at like 2:30 in the morning and I ask if we're getting a room they say there are none. So we slept in a tent on the beach, which could've been worse. I was nice we saw the sun come up as we were falling asleep.
So we lounged on the beach the next day and went to a discoteca at night and the next day we left. I was sooo tired I slept the whole bus ride home.
I slept all day Tuesday and had off work all week. THAT was my carnival.
The next week I finally got to go dancing on Friday night... And saturday night. Sunday I went to Las Playas with Melissa, Anne, Miguel, Gernaro, and Chino. It was soo much fun. It rained and was cold, but a good time.
This weekend we're all going to

A little about where I work...

For the past 3-4 weeks I've been working in Fundacíon Sor Dominga Bocca. It's basically a home for girls that have been abused physically and sexually from ages 3 to 17. It has been my assignment (along with Alex my classmate) to work with these girls and show them whatever we can from culture, to schooling, to their own city. Unfortunately, these girl are often unable to leave their home except for Sundays when they go to church and the park. Besides this, for the summer they are in the 3 story house that they sleep and eat in.

Cuenca!!

So this past weekend I went to Cuenca, about four hours away from Guayaquil. There were 18 of us girls a bus driver, tony, and Alvero (our tour guides). Everything was beautiful - the city, the landscapes, and the people. It was an ideal vacation spot. I'm not sure if I'd want to spend a long time there. There were a lot of natives and old school style things. It had the perfect mix of the old and the new it felt like. We visited markets, craft places, animal markets, and went on hikes!
There was a lot of driving and bumpy roads and walking, but in the end it was all worth it. My favorite part was on saturday morning when we climbed a mountain, I rock climbed to the top and saw alll of EVERYTHING. I was pretty much on top of the world. Sunday we did another hike for three hours and it was pretty awesome just to finish it. We ate lunch in a fairy tale forest that was awesome! Soo much happened. it was great!

When it rains, it pours...

So I´ve been here for about a week and a half and it´s amazing. The people here are so kind and friendly, and the city is perfect. The classes here are only in the morning and evening, so I started class Wednesday night. I only have one monday through thursday and then a four hour class on fridays. My internship starts monday from 8-12.
Alex moved in Monday night, she live upstairs from me and actually she´s good friends with Kellie Duggan!! It´s a small world isn´t it? My first Spanish class was awesome, my teacher´s funny and really good. When it was time to go home I got on the wrong bus home, and a girl that I didn´t know from my school said she´d just have her boyfriend drive me home from the opposite side of the city. I told her no, but she called him and he was at work. So I took the bus back to school and me and alex got on another wrong bus, but one of the girls on that one call her boyfriend and he drove us in the POURING rain... It was raining so much my street was flooded at the bottom of the hill probably up to my waist. They were sooo nice. They invited us to his beach house in Playas for some weekend. The people here are just so genuine, it´s great. I mean don´t get me wrong, there are some crazy´s and not good people. But for the most part everyone rocks.
The past few nights the International club has brought us out to go dancing, or just to a bar. They´re a really good group of people and they know how to have fun. I don´t have picture on this computer but check out my facebook album for some pictures of my friends and I.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2029719&l=6e482&id=35204266#!/album.php?aid=2029876&id=35204266

Last night was Sebastian´s birthday so we had a party at his house. It´s cool how house parties here are more for everyone. You invite the oldest and the youngest. Usually only the college kids last all night, but it´s cool how everyone´s just comfortable with family.
Also ´when i talk to different students here they all say they love Guayaquil. It´s so surprising to me that everyone loves the place they grew up here, when in the states everyone wants out of their home, or town.
Just a couple of things... I hope everyone is well!!

Tres dias

So here I am al policentro just chillin. I've had a really relaxing few days. I've read and shopped and just hung out alot. Carmen and her daughters are really great. Gina speaks english really well, so it's kinda nice that she's there sometimes. Everything's great and I'm just waiting for orientation and classes to start monday. Another girl from siena is actually in the same organization with me and will be living in the home upstairs from me. I was really surprised, I guess she applied on her own. or maybe the school here has a typo about her school. I don't know, but my host said i'll be going to class with her. She won't be here till Monday though.
I better get going, tonight carmen is making chicken and pasta for dinner, and tomorrow i'm going to a movie with Gina and church at night I think.
Buenas Dias!!

My first 12 hours...

So I got to Ecuador early today. Estoy muy cansada y estresada. But I´m good. My second flight from Houston got delayed because of luggage, so I arrived late to Guayaquil. I met some very nice people on the plane though!! When I arrived I was picked up by my host and her grandaughter, who´s about 21. They brought me home in a cab. The city is sooo beautiful. colorful, nice buildings and houses. Old school nothing crazy. But everything has a fence. The drivers are crazy, they don´t use the lanes and just go... Like in NJ. I have my own room and it´s huge with my own bathroom. It´s kinda nicer than padua.
Carolyn, my host, made me breakfast that I´ve never had anything of but the fruit and it was great. My host´s daughter took me out into the city to run some errands with her, everyone´s very nice. I haven´t met anyone in the city that speaks any english though, so I´m kinda having a hard time. She took me to an internet cafe. and that´s my last 12 hours in Ecuador.
I hope everyone´s good!!!
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