Pictures

Old well on the way to Pappallacta

Wild Horses

The Hot Springs of Pappallacta (heated by the volcanos)

My roommate's dog, Nora, in her raincoat

CMSFQ Middle School English Team

The Men in Suits

Brain on overload. Spanish in my dreams (zombies too??!!). Never enough time. Navigating a labyrinth of a huge new school (1400 students in the pre-k, elementary, middle, and high). Calluses from feet not used to running in heels. Teacher buses to and from school. Understanding the dilemmas of the immigrant. Paperwork and laminations. High profile parents in heels and suits. High security gates with fingerprinting. Endless hours in meetings that never end.

Catching cabs for a dollar or two. Shopping and cooking with the chicas. Plaza Fosh, soccer games, happy hour, swirling smoke. Adjusting to 100% new friends. Missing old friends. Family emergencies thousands of miles beyond control. Thank goodness for Skype.

Coming up for air every once in a while to breathe and look at the mountains.

The Church of Cumbaya (Near our school)

Middle (bottom floor) and High (top floor) school

CMSFQ Gym

Cafeteria (yes you can see the mountains!)

Other Gringa teachers on top of a hill

The (very metal) virgin of Quito (questioned to be the last ;))

Some of the Quito (It's like 7 km wide by 27 km long)

Front of my classroom

Back of my classroom

Dinner at our place: Heather's chicken & salad, my potatoes, and blackberry juice =)

So

So yeah. I came here to work on my Spanish and challenge my pedagogy ... be careful what you wish for! So busy these days I have to make myself stop and stare at the mountains (and roses)... so tired its hard to relax. On my own, though; happily staying with a couple of other teacher's until my roommate buys me a bed. Pictures coming soon... if my classroom ever looks presentable.

"La Gringita"

They call me "la gringita," (the little white girl). Ha. Okay. So it's true!

Saturday I had a "cafecito" with the grandparents... tried an agua that has pineapple and oatmeal in it... a little different, but not bad. I also had my first, homeade Ecuadorian tamale, with more vegetables than the Mexican kind. The grandfather cleaned up the plates and the grandmother and I went upstairs and watched "Take the Lead." She showed me some of her incredible art... she makes icons, picture frames, and boxes.

One of the grandmother's hand-made icons

Sunday another new teacher (staying with family) and I went to the Middle of the World. We then had a crazy latin family dinner and a late cafecito. Who knew that powdered Nescafe could be so good? Today Heather and I went to Cumbaya and explored a little... we had coffee with Juan Valdez, a REALLY good lunch del mar, and tried our first Ecuadorian beers.

Walking down Latitude 0'0

I want to live life fully and not hold back... the thrill of being here and loving every new little moment is not worth sticking to something just 'cause you feel safe and comfortable. Que sera, sera. Whatever will be, will be. I don't know what I will do later... but for now I'm drunk on this beauty, and happy.

Pilsener with a view of the mountains