Cumbaya My Lord

Hi!!!!
Sorry, it's been a while. I have had so many thoughts and not enough consecutive time on a computer to give them all to you. So much has happened this week! First of all, The University is AMAZING! We have a sushi bar outside, Made to order Crepes, A coffee shop for 1.00- yup a latte for a 1.00! And there are awesome homemade, authentic restaurants right around here where you get a huge plate of food, sides, a big bowl of soup- the whole shabang for only 2.00! the prices are cheap for some foods and the transportation and stuff, but as far as the mall and regular American items it's all the same and in some places more expensive because they assume us gringos are rico! I mean... we do go to the rich schooL! I haven't really made any ecuadorian friends at the school or anything. It's kinda like a movie actually:
DAY 1- American girl gets asked by two little kids at a picnic to tell a joke. American girl feels confident in her favorite childhood joke : "What is black and white and red all over?" and she confidently shares it in spanish. Silence. Un Periodico! ( a newspaper!) American Girl realizes the same pun doesn't exist in another language. silence.

DAY 2- A. American girl comes in 30 minutes late to her "new" class and the teacher and every student stop what they are doing and stare. There are no more seats so she has to sit awkwardly in front in the teacher's chair. She is the ONLY foreigner in the class.
B. American girl hops on the bus with her large backpack on the front ( to guard from thieves of course!) The bus is partly full so she has to stand in the isle. the road is down a large mountain and as it turns American girls but keeps hitting the Ecuadorian man next to her. American girl gets to bus station and has no idea what to do so she follows her other American friend. American girl takes the wrong bus and finds herself far away from home, with no cell phone,in the pouring rain, upon nightfall. American girl goes with American friend and has friend's mother call American girl's host Mom to come pick her up. American girl cries. American girl goes to bible study with her host mom, understands very little and tries to laugh at times when she feels it's appropriate, even when she is not sure if it is about her or not.
DAY 3 (today)- GRAND FINALE- American girl gets new class and upon leaving falls down a flight of stairs while all the Ecuadorian students stand on the stairs talking and stare. American girl says two quick spanish words " esta bien" and runs away in pain.

So, yeah. That's the gist of it. :) I definitely experienced some culture shock this week even though I was in denial of it. This not having a cell phone thing is probably the hardest part! no joke! I still walk into class or church and have some anxiety that my phone isnt on silent and i'm going to be "that girl". I'm always "that girl". I guess I still found a way to fill that role without the phone! lol. But I never know what time it is and can't even find anyone. They drive CRRAZYY! Like, you don't even know. Red lights- you don't really have to stop if you don't want to. You don't have to stay all the way in either lane if you don't want to. Stop signs rarely exist- you just have to know. I don't think there's a law about peeing in public, the men do that a lot on the side of the road! ugh! And..poverty. There is so much. The jobless find any way they can to make money. There are usually kids in the streets doing tricks like handstands of juggling to get random change from drivers. They sell fruit, baseball cards, popcorn all in the street. Literally, IN the street. You will often see little children working right alongside their parents. 5 year old kids will be in the back of the local store putting the bread pans in the oven or riding the bus with their dad trying to attract riders. They have to reach a certain # of riders per day so they are always yelling trying to get you on the bus. There are a number of indigenous people walking around in long skirts and different bright colored shawls and such. They sometimes make and sell food out of like a single pot on the street. All the stores are lined up next to each other, and are just like small garages really, they all have garage doors that cover them and lock at night. It's dirty. City life.
BUT! Cumbaya ( isn't it cool that's the name! I just want to sing! lol), that's where the school is. It's by Mount Pinchichi ( I don't if that's spelled right.) But it's beautiful. Usually more sunny and warm than the city, but it actually has been pretty cold and rainy since tuesday. Monday was super hot and we all got burned. Cumbaya is more of an American town, with different shops. Yesterday I had ice cream made with real fruit! Manzana
(apples). they love fruit here. Every morning I have homemade juice from a different fruit. Fresh mozzarella and bread. Lunch is usally a big meal, and then dinner is like at 8 or 9 and can some days be just bread and other days rice and something. But always rice.
You can get 25 roses for $1. Just throwing that out there!

The president of Ecuador, Rafael Carrera, used to be a professor at USFQ. But apparently he is is left and the university isnt or something like that so there is all kinds of opinions. Since they became a democracy in the 90's they just overthrow their president whenever they want to. This has happened about 8 times in the last 10 years I think! They just all go out in the street and make him leave!! You should look up pictures and stuff if you get a chance- it's really quite funny. They kinda elect very random, awkward people and then kick them out. At least this is what the prof said.

I watched the Ecuador v Mexico soccer game the other night with mi mami, Angelica and Josue (the bebe). They were so into it- it was funny. They made a big thing of popcorn and we all sat on the mom's bed and everytime someone came near the goal box they would scream! It was kinda cool.
Tonight we are going out to the discoteco! There's a place where all the Americans go and they call it "gringo-landia!". I've heard good and bad things- so we will see how it goes. Then this weekend a group is going to Los banos- which is a city like 3 hours away with lots of extreme sport kinda things- like rafting, bungi jumping, biking and hot springs! SO, I'm not sure if I can get in with the tour guide group but If I can I'm gonna go! And then next weekend we go to TIPUTINI in the amazon! :)

Everywhere I go I see Mountains. It's so crazy!

I love getting all you e-mails, but I still cry when I read them. Nevertheless, keep them coming!

also, if you have any info on the Recession in the u.s- send it over. I have to write a 20 page paper, single space on it before the end of the semester! Oh joy! :)

estoy el gringita

HEY GUYS!!!
Im here in quito! It has been a long but wonderful trip so far. Us american girls are their gringitas! their gringo daughters.
Everything that I was nervous for ended up to have God´s fingerprints all over it! He provided for me in every moment that I was fearful, scared, unsure and maybe even regretful. From the second I left my loved ones in the airport and wanted to cry a river all over the waiting area- God gave me hispanic friends who eased some of my speaking worries. I laughed with all the way till boarding. Then, on the way to Chicago, someone had drawn a huge penis in one of the fields! like the entire size of the field- so only planes could see! hahah! I laughed. I think I had a sign on my head that said make friends with me because I met an american man working in quito who told me all the little details of the city- all the old ladies next to me loved me. AND I even saw Julia >Stiles in the airport! I attempted to balls up and tell her i loved all her movies. But, as i walked up to her she looked pissed so i sheepishly said hi and pretended to be looking for something i lost! haha.
The best part is I was the most worried about getting to the airport, finding me mama and not being able to understand a word! But again- thanks be to God- the previous exchange student , Paula- leaves today and was there to translate and comfort and ease all my worries and answer a lot of questions. What a blessing! I spoke spanish all day with mi mama and even thought it was hard and a lot was left in those blank expressions of what!! It worked. I realize my spanglish is a lot better than my spanish! haha- so, we laugh about that a lot.

ok, i have to go- paula is waiting on me. but thank you for all of your prayers- God is hearing them! looe you all!

biblia espanol

....Dios considero que esto era bueno.

Hablan espanol en Ecuador. Voy a ir Ecuador en dos semanas y mi padre no piensa que puedo hablar espanol con los Ecuadorians. Pero tengo esperanza que ayudaria.

I'm sure that small paragraph is full of mistakes- but it gets the point across. That's what I'm hoping for in Ecuador. I'm hoping that 8 years of confusing spanish classes will all come together and get the point across. My Dad thinks I should be more fluent but I'm not. And i'm totally ok with that. Learning spanish has been such a humbling experience for me. It seems like I should be better at it than I am, but for me it's a challenge that I enjoy fighting for. I think it's a romantic and inspiring language; someday I'll get it. If I just keep trying, someday it will click.

My parents gave me a spanish bible today as a graduation present. I read Genesis 1 because I knew I could understand it. " Dios considero que esto era bueno". God considered that it was good. I think that's how he looks down on my rediculous journey with foreign language. It doesn't really make much sense, but He sees that there's potential. He sees that it is good.

My prayer is that someday this will no longer be a challenge for me but a gift that God blesses and uses to break cultural barriers, delivering hope.

American Idol

i watched american idol tonight with my family- twice actually. i haven't watched it since high school. my whole family is like obsessed and they discuss every performance in detail.

i have a dream of being able to sing. letting your soul fly free in front of a room of people. it seems like a great way to inspire and challenge people to be more, to want more and to live in the emotion of life. i sometimes get angry when people take the power of music for granted. for example, mariah carey's new song " touch my body". if there was a way that i could talk to her about how horribly atrocious that song and video are i would have just soo many things to say. like so many things.

i hate that our society chooses to focus on things that don't have any merit. there is so much pain, hunger, loneliness and need in this world. why would you choose to worship yourself when you could use all that talent and power to bring forth life in others- to inspire revolution and change? why. it's like chris' quote from james granger: " christ wants to give you life- why would you not take it?"

Why would you not take it?

again, maybe i should just let loose a little and enjoy the fricken show. it's like im cursed to see the deeper longing of the human race.