Hola!

So, it's Tuesday. I have just finished having dinner with my host family. We had sopa con queso, tomates, y papas con carne. Olgita, our host mami, always makes the best meals! Marcelo, our host papi, eats dinner with us (it was me and the other two Americans tonight as the Belgians have left, and Hy Jeong was out and about). We each talk about our days, and so we have all gotten a lot better at using el preterito (past tense). It has been such a great experience already, and my spanish has gotten so much better (although, still lacking, nonetheless).

Okay, so I have to cover both yesterday and today! Here goes nothing!

Monday, I woke up muy temprano in order to prepare for my first day at the orphanage. I was to meet at the Cristobal Colon (Christopher Colombus) Escuela de Espanol in order to get the instructions for the day. I got there around 8am, but the director wasn't there yet. So, I sat down and talked with an instructor and one of the students of the escuela. About fifteen minutes later, I hear someone come in, all out of breath, saying, "So sorry for being late! Traffic was awful!" And this is how I met my friend from England!

Sian (the English girl) and I are the same age, and we're both working at the same orphanage. After our meeting at the school, one of the instructors walked us up to the bus stop, and helped us find our way to there. She explained to us which bus we needed to take, where our stop was, and how to get home...en espanol. Sian has only taken a total of two weeks of spanish, so it was up to me to understand everything. Also, let me just tell you about the bus system in Quito: There are constant buses...and SO many people that ride the buses...and the buses drive VERY close to other cars/buildings/people. It's really an adrenaline-pumping experience...and all for only twenty-five cents! If it wasn't for the help of the two German boys that also work at the orphanage, we may not have gotten home quite as smoothly.

Okay, so the orphanage. Sian and I met with the directora at around 9am. She asked us if we would like to work from 8:30-12:30, or 9-1. After that, she brought us into the kitchen to meet the two German boys. They're only 19 years old, and have amazing Spanish! Anyhow, she asked them if they would show us around, and she was off to do directora-y things.

The boys gave us a tour of the boys' dormitory, the kitchen, the playground, and the school. Our last stop was the girls' dormitory. One of the workers, Mariana, brought us up and shoo-shoo-ed the boys. Oh! Their names are Max and Roberto; the Germans.

Mariana put us straight to work! We began sweeping, helping pick up toys, and moving beds around. Of course, we had to meet the girls before doing any heaving lifting. There's Vanessa, who just turned 16, and who got a scholarship to go to the University in about a month. She's wonderful. She kind of keeps all the girls in line, and is very smart. Vanessa has a younger sister, Sophia, who is one year old. She is SUPER cute! Everybody loves Sophia! Jessica is really good friends with Vanessa, but I didn't get to talk to her as much. Then there's Nelly and Kelly, who are besties; they're probably about ten years old. Oh! Maria-Francisca la bailarina. She's probably ten-ish, and is always dancing. Those are the girls I know best for now.

So, after talking with these girls, we had to help move four beds down a flight of stairs. Max and Roberto came to our rescue, and helped us once we were safely out of the girls' dormitory. After that, we mopped, moved some beds around, and then left the girls to organize their things. That was our day!

Sian and I went back to the school, talked with our coordinator, then went and had lunch. After lunch, we decided to walk around for a bit. We found a park, and she talked, adorably, in her English accent, about her travels and studies. Talking with her the past couple of days, I find myself thinking in an English accent. I find myself wanting to say things like "trolly" for shopping cart, and "flat" for apartment. I have really enjoyed my time with Sian, and we're planning on going to the equator line this Thursday! Yay! (I told Mike, my wonderful boyfriend, this, and he told me I should draw a belt buckle in the dirt along the equator so it's like the earth is wearing a belt. ay!)

Last night, all of us students went out to commemorate the last night the Belgian couple would be with us. We went to Gringolandia (the touristy part of town) for daiquiries and mojitos. We're all quite cute together. Spanish is our common language, and it's shaky for all of us. We usually end up acting out what we wish to convey. :-)

Okay, so now we're at Tuesday. I'm going to make it short...because I'm quite sleepy! Sian and I played with the kids all morning, came back for lunch, then went on a trip to the papeleria to buy paper for flash cards for spanish. We're geeky that way. Oh! I skipped the whole afternoon! We went to the Old Town of Quito with my American roommate Dijonay (spelling?). Dijonay showed Sian and I around, and it was so beautiful! I didn't have my camera with me today, so I'll have to take pictures the next time I go.

Oh, and for the title of today's blog! I saw some kids eating the fruit pictured above today. I was very curious about the gelatinous-looking fruit. So, when Sian and I were walking around today, I decided to buy one. O. M. G. I iwsh I could put into words how amazing this fruit is! It's super sweet, seedy like a pomegranite, but gelatinous like...well...jello. It's actually NOT maracuya (passion fruit), but very similar. I'm looking forward to having one tomorrow! :-)

It is now time for me to say goodnight!

Buenas noches, mis amigos!

Laurena