Know Better, Learn Faster (dedicated to J. Draper)

I’m sorry it’s been so long. Too long, really, to do a detailed update about the past week and a half, SO:

The Good:

• My literature class. We are reading short stories by some of Latin America’s most famous authors AND I spoke three times in class this past week (Jackie knows how monumental this is).
• Volunteering. After a huge lunch (salmon, I almost cried I was so happy) at the BC director’s house, I started my mandatory volunteer hours last week at an orphanage run by nuns here in Quito. The kids are the absolute sweetest and I just helped them with their homework and played soccer with them forever and loved it.
• Exercise, or attempts at it. This morning I went for my second walk/jog around the Parque Carolina with Ryann and Leila. It’s more than difficult running here because the altitude makes for less oxygen, but it’s really nice to be up and active early. Or that’s what I tell myself when my alarm goes off at 6:30.
• Movie night this weekend. A bunch of us headed to Brianna’s casa this past weekend to make brownies (we were craving chocolate big time) and popcorn and watch a movie. It was so nice to relax and feel like we were in real college for a second.
• Futbol. I love it. Actually, one of the Ecuadorian girls asked me to be on her actual team at the university. I was shocked and appalled and am sure she’s going to regret it.
• Family gatherings. My dad’s side of the family came here for a 5-hour lunch on Sunday which I was more than nervous for, but I held my own even in the company of two other ‘Laurita’s’ which isn’t the easiest.
• Jackie might be visiting next month. This would be better than good, it would be amazing and I’m mainly putting it here so that it comes true.

The Bad:

• I left the cell phone I have here in a cab last Thursday and, despite the cab driver calling and saying he would return it for $15, never got it back.
• Traffic. It’s horrible here and crossing the street is always a struggle (sidenote for my just my father: remember that wintry level in Mario where you have to get past something that wants to blow your hat off and in order to do it you have to walk next to a huge waddling penguin and mimic its steps? I find a different “penguin” every time I attempt to cross.)
• Lack of pictures once again. So sorry, it’s just not the safest to bring my brand new, super cute and teal camera around with me always. Next time, though, you have my word.

The hysterical:

• Brianna and I decided to walk from the Parque Carolina to the Mariscal this weekend here in Quito. We aren’t sure how far this is but let me tell you it’s a lot of kilometers. We were slightly lost on the way and I stopped to ask two 5-year-olds selling ice cream. They told us to stay straight and walk forever. Turns out they were right.
• Surveys. Mateo and I got to school yesterday to find tables set up and people basically accosting us so that we would try all different types of drinks and answer questions about them. Chocolate milk, coffee, Gatorade, Red Bull, you name it. At 10am the beer line was rather impressive.
• Amanda, our director here in Ecuador, calls Jungen’s dress “sexi” in class.
• As I sung along to Michael Jackson in one of my cab rides this weekend the driver asked me what ‘Billie’ meant and was quick to jump to the conclusion that ‘Thriller’ is a name as well.