Getting Started

Well hello all! I hope everyone is well! We are well, still relaxing in Quito (well, not really relaxing). Resolving the million things that we need to do to finally get outta here! :) We had our 3rd going away party, hahaha.


Luckily, staying a few more days (or weeks... or... I mean, what was the original plan exactly?) has let us enjoy the famous guaguas de pan (pronounced wa-wa de pan) and colada morada. These things are (respectively) bread in the shape of dolls filled with jelly and a thick, hot, raspberry/strawberry drink. Together, to make my mom proud, I´d say it is "Soooo delicious." But no really, the combo is so delicious! (see foto of me with Guagua) We eat these to celebrate The Day of the Dead. Does it seem ironic to you too?


What more... Today Jose and I went to a soccer game, which if you all remember a few years ago, "Soccer Games" was the first thing I emailed home about. I hadn´t been since (can´t seem to remember why... haha). But reliving it was good :) It was the same as I remember (but less life threatening this time around). I think I had the smallest Liga fan at my side, with all of her two months. Maybe her first game (maybe not... haha). There were a few fights and everyone yelling cheers at the top of their lungs. It´s interesting, there have been very few times in my life that i´ve seen young, old, fat, thin... yelling "We´re the champions M*!¿ F;=!" I mean, yelling. Everyone. It was exciting, as always. (I mean, you have to imagine, like, Memere yelling that at the top of her lungs.) Anyways, no tear gas or running from the police this time. I´d call it a success :)

As one (of my many) finale to my Ecuador fun, Jose and I went to eat Chugchucaras last night. What exactly is this strange sounding thing? It is a plate of every delicious food in Ecuador. All in one convenient spot! I wish I had discovered this before, I wouldn´t have had to go from one restaurant to another in one night trying to eat all the delicious things! With Fritada (fried pork), empanadas (like a calzone... kinda), popcorn (it wouldn´t be complete without), potatoes and mote (like exploded corn) with chicharron (little pieces of fried pork), it was a great discovery. My students used to make fun of me, saying that when I said the word "Chugchucara" I sounded funny. I always wanted to tell them, "Well, when you speak english, you sound funny!" Another "Must-Eat" checked off the list :)

Over the next few days, we´re really trying to wrap things up. We plan to be out of here by Wednesday. We´re off to Tena, which is the white water rafting capital of Ecuador. We´ll see what happens!