Makin' Progress

I would without a doubt say I have really enjoyed my first two months here in Ecuador, and in El Triunfo (wow, I can’t believe it has been two months), but I would also say that in the last few days something has really clicked and I am really feeling like part of the community and forging new relationships.

From high school girls asking me to help them with homework or paint their nails, playing volleyball with a group of girls my age, going horseback riding, or learning to make a mean mora (blackberry) shake, I feel as though I am just getting to a level in the community that I can really help students and make long lasting friendships and connections.

This past Saturday for example I headed down to Baños (the tourist town down the mountain) on the morning bus from El Triunfo and sat with a 16 year old high school student, Morelia. Morelia is a sweetheart. She often stops by my house to ask me to help her with homework (often when she is on her way to feed her families pig down the road). Morelia has 7 siblings, of which the two eldest boys are a little delayed because the Mom used to give them pure cane liquor when they were babies to calm them down and stop them from crying and the eldest sister who got pregnant with one of her teachers when she was 15. Bueno, regardless of the family history, Morelia is a doll. Thus, I invited her to come to breakfast with me at a local hostel that has a nice rooftop terrace breakfast area. I figured she didn’t have any money so I offered to pay for her and convinced her to come along. When I opened the door to the hostel (which is a pretty nice, clean, hostel, but is by no means what I would call luxurious) Morelia told me she was ashamed to enter because she had never been in a hotel before and on the way up the stairs she literally asked me if it was O.K if she talked. Not kidding. I told her that of course she could talk, she had just as much the right to talk as anyone in the building!

On another note, after another trip to Quito today (leaving form El Triunfo at 3:00 am (gag me) to make it to Quito the exact hour the Consulate opened) I officially am done with all the visa hassle as my visa application was approved and everything will be ready to pick up by the end of the week! Yipee! Double yippee because on the taxi drive back to the bus terminal I bought 50 roses for one dollar at a road-side stand!

I am looking forward to a weekend trip to the historical city of Cuenca with Isabel who I live with and her three-year old daughter and looking even more forward to John coming in a little less than 2 weeks (especially because he is bringing starburst jelly beans). Hehe.

LLL! Longer letter later…

Love,
Megita