La Última Semana

The countdown is on:  I officially have four full days left in Quito before I embark on my 12-hour adventure back to sweet home Alabama.  It's kinda surreal to think about going back home;  no dinners with Rosita and my 6-9 roommates (depending on the day), no taking the claustrophobic Metrobús to clinic, no more suctioning large amounts of spit and/or blood out of curious Ecuadorian mouths, no more crazy karaoke sessions riding with Dr. Ortiz, no more panaderías / fruterías (what am I gonna do?!), and no more Spanish immersion.  Life as I have known it this past month will cease to exist.  Even though certain times in my life have ended before (Pine Cove and undergrad at UA immediately come to mind), it's still hard to find a balance between the excitement of being comfortable back home and leaving something so beautiful behind forever.

Last week, we visited El Mitad del Mundo (for my non-Spanish speaking readers, the Equator!) after clinic one afternoon.  Yes, it is a huge tourist trap, but it's pretty much a necessity to take a picture straddling the northern and southern hemisphere.  So, we did just that :)  The actual Mitad del Mundo monument was found to be incorrect after GPS technology came around, but it was still fun visiting.

Right as we got to the monument, it started pouring down rain!  But, as I have learned, the weather here changes by the minute, and 10 minutes later, it was beautiful. 

Amigas!

After getting the touristy part out of the way, we set off to find the REAL equator, which is about 240 meters to the north, but not before getting literally attacked by llamas in la plaza del toros (bull ring).

Scary.  For real.

Anyway, we found el Museo de Inty-Nan and finally were able to straddle the REAL equator, proved by GPS technology and various water-draining and egg-balancing demonstrations.

Straddling the real equator!

It really is so beautiful here.

The rest of the week was spent bargaining at the Mariscal market here in Quito, trying cuy (it's so good!), browsing around various museums, and just taking in the city.  For clinic, I'm back at Seguridad Social;  even though the 5:30 AM mornings come early here, I am so glad to be back...it's my favorite clinic.  I have three days left in the clinic, so I'm trying to take in as much as possible, which is incredibly easy with the doctors and assistants I observe.  They make me feel like a part of them...I have even been talked to by the patients as if I were from Quito!  I feel like I really know this city, inside and out.  In the mornings, I am a part of the personal lives of Ecuadorians;  in the afternoons, I'm another gringo tourist.  I have seen both sides of life here.  What an incredible experience, and I still have four more days :)

Un abrazo muy fuerte,

Courtney