Life. Is. Grand.

Pic 1: At a bar called, The Boot- was pretty stoked to see a Mississippi tag
Pic 2: Me and Carley
Pic 3: With some of my host family in Centro Histórico
Pic 4: Plaza Grande
Pic 5: Me with Pam and Carley

I have been sitting at Coffee Toffee all day (pushing 11 hours now) “studying” with 4 other friends. No, I actually have gotten a good bit done, but ready to take a break and write about the daily happenings in Quito. I stayed in town this weekend, after realizing just how much work I had to do. It’s been a great weekend: productive, but still fun.

Yesterday I went to get my haircut and colored, which it is was in dire need of (guys, you can fall asleep right now). This was quite the event. I was kind of nervous because it is difficult explaining what you want done in Spanish. I kid you not, I had 5 different people throughout the entire process. I didn’t even know that there were 5 stages to getting your hair cut, that’s right… there’s not. I had two people highlighting my hair. At one point it felt like they were back there (behind my head) trying to solve some complicated math problem, counting stuff, I don’t even know. This did not ease my nerves, but what’s the worst that could happen? I didn’t even try to explain wanting layers, because they tend to have crazy layers here that look like a mullet. I talked to Molly just before I left to get my hair cut, and she advised me not to return to the US with a mullet. Always good advice. All in all, everything turned out fine. (Okay, guys I’m done with the hair talk, you can wake up now.)

The piropos are out of control. I think I mentioned piropos in an earlier blog, but they are basically catcalls from guys. It is so incredibly annoying. Guys call out, just about anything, as you walk by. Today, as my friend and I walked by, this guy dramatically acted like he got hit by cupid’s arrow. No, seriously. Ugh. Sooo tired of it. We all are.

The cab drivers always provide entertaining conversations. Whenever I take a cab by myself I strike up a conversation. It helps my Spanish, plus I have learned a lot about Ecuador by talking with them. I like to ask them about politics, how much they like or dislike Rafael Correa (the president of Ecuador), their favorite city, etc. They like to talk about things like if I am married or not, almost every cab driver asks. I’ve become a very good liar. It’s so much easier to say that I’m married, than to deal with the questions that follow if I say I’m not... blah blah BLAH.

Well, classes are rollin’ right along. It’s been a very laid back semester until now. Apparently the teachers like to wait until the end to lay it all on us. Although that might be a good thing, because I don’t think I could have cranked out some of these papers at the beginning of the semester. Maybe my Spanish is improving after all!

I went bowling last night. It was my friend, Paul, who made it his mission to beat me since he knew I was in a bowling league back at home. Little did he know that in my bowling league it is more about hanging out than the bowling. I got a 94. Needless to say, he accomplished his mission.

Today I was listening to the radio on the internet and ‘Bring it on Home’ came on by Little Big Town. Let’s just say it got me excited to come home.

I wrote in my journal for quite a while today. It’s pretty neat to reflect back on the semester. Here’s a little snippet of what I wrote (it was an 11 page entry!):

-I have learned to be more than just content with my life, but to be truly happy.
-I have learned that you just have to open your eyes to see how beautiful the world is; it’s in the little things.
-I have learned that I can be tough as nails when I need to be; while at the same time my heart is more tender than I thought.
-I have learned that sometimes you just have to jump. (Deciding to go back to school, choosing Ecuador, etc.)
-I have learned to lean on God in all situations.

Factoids:
1. The highest point in Ecuador is Chimborazo. The CIA World Factbook says: due to the fact that the earth is not a perfect sphere and has an equatorial bulge, the highest point on the planet furthest from its center is Mount Chimborazo not Mount Everest, which is merely the highest peak above sea-level. (I love that it talks about Mt. Everest and says ‘merely’, haha!)
2. Ecuador has only won one gold medal (1996) and one silver medal (2008) in the Olympics, both in speed walking- this is from Wikipedia: Ecuador has competed in 11 Summer Games. They have never competed in the Winter Games. The nation from South America won its first Olympic medal when Jefferson Pérez won the gold medal in the men's 20 km walk.

Things I am excited about for when I get back State-side:
1. Seeing everyone! Ahh, I can’t wait!
2. Family dinners and Mama’s cookin’- specifically Fried Chicken and Chess Pie
3. Driving my car (which of course includes jammin’ out with the windows down)
4. The Barn
5. Waterskiing
6. Bud Light
7. Grandview Café
8. My Bed
9. Not having piropos as you walk down a street
10. Hot showers
11. Being a normal 26 year old, and not having to check in with my host mom
and last, but most definitely not least
12. Not having to eat soup before every meal!

I hope everyone had a nice weekend! See y'all in 3 weeks and 6 days :)