Life Is Grand Indeed....

Every week I have so many new adventures and stories....This week started off with a nice culinary surprise--really, I wish I could have seen my face when I found this surprise because it was totally unexpected. I went down the street to try a new lunch place on Sunday, and I could not wait to try the chicken and rice...it looked so good. It came with a side of soup (They LOVE their soups here in Ecuador) so I thought I would start with that, it looked good too! Well, as I was scooping up another spoonfull I realized that there was a funny shaped something in there.....I scooped it up and nearly fainted- there was a chicken foot in my soup!!! ahhhh I really did not like this surprise....apparently they are used to flavor soups, but I mean.... I did not eat at all on Monday. I do appreciate the food here....it is all so fresh and simple. It is amazing to me how America can put a man on the moon and not figure out how to make fruit juice. I have a few favorite things.....fried Bananas--they are so good. Cheese Empenadas--yum.....So most things here are very acceptable to eat.

This week was a long one at the school.....but good. I am getting comfortable in the class with my kids...some days I feel as though nothing gets done because they really are not the best at doing what they are told. They are still so cute though.

This weekend was great! Yesterday I met a lady who lives here and she took me to Mitad Del Mundo....the middle of the world!!!!! It is only about 20 minutes outside the city, so it is a perfect day trip. There is the coolest cultural museum there that has all the different regions in Ecuador and all the different customs of each....I loved it, and now I want to visit EVERY CORNER of this tiny country. Aftter the museum I did a little dancing in the middle of the world to a little bit of ecuadorian music. There is a big Crater near the Mitad Del Mundo and so we went to go take a peek....but the clouds were to heavy at this point, and so we could not see that:( However, we ate lunch at El Crater restaurant which was FABULOUS, so our trip had a very happy ending.

Today, I went to Pichincha! I woke up and it was sunny, so i hopped in a taxi and went! The weather here is very tricky....it will be cold, hot, sunny, and rainy all in one day--and foggy too. When I got my ticket I got in line and stood behind 4 people who seemed to be my age....one of whom was very good looking so I kind of researched them. Turns out they were staying at a local hostel and asked me to join them....friends for a day!!! All in all the week was good! I could have done without the chicken foot though....

BUSY!!!!

I love my students--they are insane, but great. Some of them are not the best at sitting still and not talking, but they are young and many have a difficult home life. The directors of the school are very strict about all the kids not talking, I understand you need order, but only being able to play and chat for 30 minutes out of a 7 hour day is hard, I know i would not be able to do that! Despite that, these kids are so loving, and they crave that. I get atleast 50 hugs a day, and they are so interested in America! It is amazing to hear their questions, and I love talking about it with them....Since I am here for a limited amount of time I want to make them so interested that they want to continue to learn on their own. I have come to the conclusion that my ultimate goal is not to teach them perfect grammer, but help them want more out of life and love them....and that is what they need.

This week I started to tutor after school....Well, I do help them with their homework but I talk a whole lot with my kids--which, we are not supposed to do, but I make them talk in English so I am helping them! haha. Anyways, I do not get back to my apartment until 5 now, which is great actually....as tired as I am I love it. This week we had Open House, and I had to get up and talk about me to all the parents who came...I made sense!!! My spanish is getting better and I am so excited!

I did learn that one of the boys in pre-k is autistic. This made me sad, because all the teachers know is to look him in the eye when talking....I do not know much about Autism, but I do know there is much more out there that can help him.....another project I am going to undertake!

This weekend my adventure was postponed, it was really chilly and cloudy early this morning, so I decided to just chill out today. I went to the mall to get some tennis shoes ( I was needing some) and for a few hours forgot I was down here working with poor children....this mall was similar to Lenox....many beautiful stores with many beautiful people walking around...just because i am volunteering in a 3rd world country doesn't mean my weakness for beautiful things has gone away! that will always be with me I am afraid, which is ok if I can put what is important first! I did try on a few things, and I am happy to report I think I have lost almost a dress size!!! Easy to do when you don't have all the processed food around! That is not even an option here.

I am learning so much that I do not even know how to explain it through my blog....It is all a little overwhelming to think about actually...But it is all positive. I am beginning to wonder if six months will be enough time!! I guess this is a good issue to encounter :)

First Week of School!!

this week was the first week of school, and all of a sudden I am an English teacher...kind of strange. It went very well considering I was more nervous than all of the students combined. The first day I had them go around the room and say their name and what they did on their summer vacation, which proved to be a bigger task than I thought. Most students did not know how to answer, and some knew how to answer but did not open their mouths--they just stared. So, I am thinking we will need to do a whole lot of review! Which, I remember coming back from summer and not remembering a whole lot. I decided we would do things as a group....something fun that would ease their nerves. Something simple. So, we sang the ABC's, sang head, shoulders, knees, and toes, and played other vocabulary games....success!!! Each grade took to this great, even if it was easy for them (which, I am not sure it was) it was fun and helped get them talking (a little). Tomorrow I will give them a review test from last year, so I hope to get a better idea this week of what they know....Maybe I can teach!

After I finished my week I decided to go on another adventure this weekend...It is my goal to do something new every weekend. This week I chose to go to the historic district....think Paris+3rd world country+ hills of San Fran and you've got the historic District! I loved it....there are zillions of churches and museums to explore. My favorite churches were the plain, old, dark ones....wow, that sounds pretty bad! Having been to Europe last year, these "plain" ones were so different but had so much character at the same time....simple beauty. I went into the San Fransisco monestary and Museum which, if you ever go to Quito it is such a cool little place....I am sure that will not be my last visit there. My adventure would not be complete without great food! I ate at the restaurant below the museum, which was so good and had a perfect view of the plaza. Another weekend escapade ends in success!!!!

This week I am starting to tutor English after school and I am meeting with the director to get this child/student sponsorship rolling. Weekend plans? Taking the cable car to the top of pinchincha volcano!! Stay tuned folks....

An adventure already!

I have not even been here a full month and already there are so many new experiences. When I first got to my apartment, I was terrified to take a taxi anywhere...they are the easiest way to get around the city, and they are everywhere. There is a bus system but that is totally out of the question....too many people and the bus drivers drive worse than the taxi drivers....which is really bad! After two days of going through all the bad things that could happen to me I hopped in one and went! Easy as that...Well, kind of. The first time I was so nervous i forgot to ask him to turn on the meter=overcharged. On my way home (second time) the driver went a different, longer way=overcharged again. Thank goodness I have a friend who is willing to explain the entire process to me....'Blair, you cannot forget to say Taximetro before you even get in, if they say no, do not get in and you have to watch the way they go, so they don't rip you off" he goes on... " Do not take them by yourself after 5, most of them are pretty nice but you have to be careful because many of them are not legal." Lesson #1- There is a science to taking a taxi (well, it is more like using good common sense i guess...). I am happy to report I now have this taxi thing under control.

Lesson #2- No matter how many years you study a language, you never really learn until you enter that culture....This one I always knew, but has been reinforced yet again.....Sorry Alabama, you know I love you, but your spanish department is not your greatest strength. The cool thing here is that my spanish is just coming back....Yes, i have looked over my books, but I will find myself saying things that i didn't think I knew....so cool! I hope to come back fluent in the language....Quito is said to have some of the best Spanish in the world, there is a huge expat culture here and a ton of Spanish schools.

Lesson #3-Exploring by yourself can be very rewarding! Fairly comfortable with my taxi-taking skills, and my guidebook in hand, I decided to take a little trip to the Mariscal district yesterday morning. The Mariscal district is also known as "Gringoland"....it is the most touristy part of Quito where many backpackers stay. There are tons of hostels, good restaurants, and stores, and markets. I started off at the artist market...where the first person I noticed was a man in a safari hat, jimmy buffet shirt, and his camera hanging around his neck....yes, I was in the right place! (I hope i never scream tourist like that, I kind of felt bad for him actually.) Anyways, after the market I wandered the streets going in stores and trying different foods along the way...chocolate covered mango anyone? how about fresh squeezed fruit juice from some fruit I can't even pronounce?.....Don't mind if i do... Yesterday was so fun! I ended my adventure with a big bowl of ceviche and cheese empenadas:)

Lesson #4- I can teach!!! Well, I think......I have decided I want to be a very hands on teacher. Think back to your favorite teachers....they were not the ones that gave you ten thousand worksheets. I have found lots of resources online for ESL and I plan on incorporating games as much as possible and just loving these kids...I am teaching 8th grade and so this is the last year these kids will be at the foundation, who knows were they will go next year but I need to be there for them this year! They come tomorrow!!! I am probably more nervous than they are so we will see how everything goes!