A month in Ecuador

As of today, I have been in Ecuador for a month. In a way, it feels like a lot longer. When I got here, I was really nervous because I didn't know what to expect. Now, I feel more at home. I remember on the first day of school, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing or even where I was supposed to do. But I found people to help me which was a relief. I am grateful that people were so willing to help me. I have been going to school for 4 weeks and am starting to get used to the routine and schedule of things. A shocker last week was having to do a lab in Biology and having almost no idea what we were supposed to do. I am even starting to understand more of what the teachers are saying. I am working on writing and speaking in Spanish but it's still hard to listen and understand. It's actually really cool to be completely surrounded by Spanish all the time. I am also learning new words everyday and I try to not speak very much English, even though that doesn't always work because it's hard to communicate clearly not knowing all the words I want to say. I can say most of the things that I need but not all the things I want to say. In the last month, I have made quite a few new friends. It's nice to have people to talk to at school or hang out with on weekends. Some popular things that teenagers like to do are of course shopping, going to movies, or just walking around downtown or hanging out. On the weekends, my family and I enjoy watching movies which is fun. Seeing Alice in Wonderland and Narnia in Spanish was interesting. Best way to learn more Spanish: listening to music, watching tv, or watching movies. Lots of fun. Here's to a wonderful rest of the year!

Chao

From August 18th, 2013

Excerpt from Travel Journal:

For Mom,
Today was my first full day here Machala with my host family. I still haven't met my host father because he has been busy working in Quito. I don't know when he will be returning. Soon, hopefully. First thing to know, there are literally thousands of arboles de platanos here in Machala, or on the outskirts of town I think. Look, there's another one. On our lovely 10 hour bus ride from Quito to Machala, most of the towns/cities we past had many shack like houses that people lived in while in Machala it is a little more urban. Not too many big skyscrapers though. I also noticed that there are a lot of stray dogs just roaming freely around town. Also, there were a lot of cows, donkeys, goats, sheep, and oxen along the road between Quito y Machala. Yesterday, my host mother Marjorie and sister Bernarda (Berni) drove through town so I could see the different things. We drove past the school I will be attending as well as Puerto Bolivar on the Gulf of Guayaquil which is part of the Pacific Ocean. Puerto Bolivar is about 15 minutes from Ciudad Verde, a very nice/pretty housing development where I am living. Today, we drove 1 hour to the smaller town of Arenillas. I think it's the last town of any size before you reach the frontier or boarder between Ecuador y Peru.

Here are some pictures from my travels so far:

Myself and my host sister's grandparents adorable puppy in Arenillas, Ecuador.

View from the bus ride of Quito, I think.

View of the mountains near Quito.

The church next to what is called Central Park in Machala.

Myself and my host sister Bernarda next to a sea-like thing. I don't know the name of the town.

The sign that made us really happy after almost 10 hours of driving. Welcome to Machala!

Me by a really old boat near the same sea-like thing.

Signs in the boarder town between Ecuador and Peru. It's called Huayquayas (I doubt I spelled that right).

Happy puppy!!! I took this picture right as the puppy was trying to lick the camera.

I'm on my way, finally, to Ecuador at the airport.

I thought the name of the street was funny. It translates to June 25th Ave. In another part of town, there are streets name after countries like Chile and El Salvador.

On the airplane from Miami to Quito, August 15th, 2013:

I'll never forget the feeling of flying
down from the clouds and seeing
the land spread out before me.
It was the new wonderful feeling
you get when you fly over
somewhere brand new for
the first time. This is the land
of trees, mountains, and bananas.
Lots of bananas. I feel more
relaxed now after seeing
the continent (South America) for the
first time that I will be
living in for the next year. I can't wait!

Here's to many new adventures
to come!