Quito, Finalmente!

I am finally here in Quito!  My journey so far has been exhausting, but I absolutely love being in South America, and hearing Spanish all the time!  Everything here is just SO different than in the States...I guess I can start from the beginning.  I had such good luck with my plane rides, and on the one to Quito, I sat by a girl who is here studying from Oregon.  There were a ton of students on the plane here.  Also, the altitude here is no joke.  The minute I got off the plane, I could feel that I was 10,000 feet above sea level.  My head hurt, and I had trouble breathing when I went to sleep, but other than that, I am adjusting well!  Customs went perfectamente, and my luggage was right where it was supposed to be!  Two other students and I were picked up from the airport, and taken to our host homes.  I am staying with Rosita, the director of the language school where I am studying, her daughter Pricila, five girls in my program, and two guys in my program.  Oh, and a super cute dog, Winni :) Needless to say, mealtimes are always exciting!

Yesterday, my first day here, we had orientation and a placement test in the morning.  For lunch, we went to a local market and had fish, rice, tomato and onion salsa, fried yuca, and grapefruit juice...it was one of the best meals I had ever had...for $2!  Que rico!  Then, we went on a walking tour of the city and learned the bus systems (el Trole) on the way.  On one bus, there was a mariachi band playing in the middle of everyone!  Our profesores, Luis y Jorge, told us that it's very normal, like the subway performers in NYC.  We also learned that the weather here changes almost hourly.  It could be nice and sunny in the morning, but by noon, it could be raining and cloudy.  Lesson learned:  always carry a rainjacket.  We were all exhausted by the end of the day.

Today, we had Spanish classes from 8-4:30, and we will have the same tomorrow to ready ourselves for the clinics on Wednesday.  Since there are only two students in the dental program (including myself), we were told that the dentist would pick us up from our homestay, and bring us back home in the afternoon...tenemos buena suerte!  The locals (los quiteños) have a very nice temperament, and that has made things so nice, being a gringo and all.

Just a couple of pictures to share!  I'll put more on my Facebook...

This is right outside my door...the morning views are just gorgeous!  The volcano is Pichincha.

Intersection of Villalengua and Ave. Americas...the bottom of the main street that I live on, and a major street in the city of Quito.

Pichincha, an active volcano from Ave. Agosto...about 2 blocks from my school.  The field that you see is a fútbol field for a high school for gringos only...weird.

Mi cuarto!

La mesa en la casa de Rosita

The living room, and some of my compañeros de casa

Un abrazo fuerte,
Courtney