Last Week...

Wow, six months has already come and gone. Pretty amazing.

Yesterday I had my last experience with the Ecuadorian Bureaucracy. It amazes me how disorganized every thing seems to be here, I am just so used to cut and dry procedures. Or perhaps they are just as complicated in the US, but I am used to it because it is all I have ever known.

So basically at about 1 I went to the Migration office. Armed with three copies of about a billion things, three pages of my passport, a form from the school, a form from my landlord and copies of her ID, I don't even know what else. Just a huge stack of random stuff. You go to the office with it all in a manila envelope (this step is crucial, you will be sent away without it), and take a number and wait. After ample waiting I went up to the window. The guy told me to write down my name on the envelope. Waits a minute, tells me to write my address, wait, number, wait, name of first pet. Not really, but it felt like he was quizzing me. Then he told me to glue my picture on the envelope. I did not hear him, and asked him again. He got all huffy and was like do you not understand Spanish. Right. When I finally had my Ecuadorian ID, it is called a censo, I went and took another ticket to wait in line to obtain my permission to leave. In all the process took over three hours. But at least now I am allowed to leave the country, so I can't complain too much.

Besides that I have been busy enough. Two of my friends had to go home unexpectedly last week, so that was really sad. I felt like people were going to be saying goodbye to me, not that I would have to say goodbye to people first. On the more positive side I have a pretty packed week ahead of me. I am going to Pub Quiz tonight for the last time. Tomorrow I am going out to eat with a bunch of people. Friday my boss is having a going away BBQ for me, so we only have to work a half day. Then my roommates are having a going away party for me at our house. This weekend I also need to buy last minute souvenirs and pack. Phew. Monday is my last day at work, and then Tuesday and Wednesday I am sure I will be busy trying to get everything in order.

I leave her Wednesday night, a week away. I am really sad to leave, but really excited to see everyone. It has been a long time. Well lunch break is over. I hope that everyone is doing well!

Long time

I just realized that it has been over a month since I have updated this. Apologies, it just has slipped my mind. I think part of it is the fact that I have been here for so long that everything I do seems pretty commonplace. I do actually have a decent story with pictures I will post tomorrow, I loaded the pictures at work.

So last month. One weekend I went to the beach, which was good, but long. We for some reason went to a beach that was 12 hours away...not my idea. Plus it ended up not being very sunny, and we went with 7 girls, which is just way too many people to be traveling with. Ah well, I am glad I was able to get to the south coast before I leave.

The rest of my time has been pretty uneventful. I went out last weekend with Jorge and all of his friends, which was really fun. They looove to dance, and we stayed out until 3am dancing. I was absolutely exhausted. I was speaking with one, and he told me he thought my spanish had really improved since I arrived, so that was nice to hear. Sometimes it feels like it is going no where, but I know I am better than I was. I can even almost roll my r's now. Pretty exciting.

However, after that night I begun to get sick, and have been for about a week. It is cold or 'gripe' season in Ecuador. I have been told it is because of the change in climate, even though one would think less rain would make people less sick, but what do I know. I got some medicine on Monday, and spent most of the week suffering through work then going home and resting and going to bed early. Not a huge deal, but sort of bad timing since I leave so soon. I just want to expereince as much as possible in the next month.

I have two more trips planned before I leave. This weekend either Banos or Monpiche. Depends, since the road to Banos was washed out last week and it might not be possible to get there. Then the following weekend I am going to the Quilatoa loop with a bunch of people. This is a someone remote area of the central andes where there are a couple of nice Eco-Lodges and some very good hikes. I think it will be a very fun last trip here. I was hoping I could go to Colombia before I left, but it just doesn't look like it is going to happen. Some other trip I suppose. Actually I am hoping that someday I can move to South America again for a year or so, and Argentina and Colombia are my top choices.

Then comes my last weekend here. Where did six months go?? The people at my house are already planning a huge going away party, so that will be really fun. It will be hard to say goodbye to everyone though. It was hard enough saying goodbye to my friends in Minnesota, and I knew I would see them again. Many of the people here that I have grown close to and I may never cross paths again. I guess all I can do is enjoy the time I have with them now, and know that I will always have my memories.

Oh a happier note I am super excited to see everyone in Minnesota. I am also looking foward to how clean America is. How everyone understands me there. A few of my favorite American foods. And HOT weather, (even though after about a day I will surely be complaining about this). I know that my life in Minnesota will be different, but it will be good. I am definitely very glad that I have gotten this experience, I think that truly experiencing another country has allowed me to grow and learn how lucky I am to have the life that I have.