Arrival

Well, we made it! We´re in Ecuador!
Tuesday was a LONG day of traveling, but it went fairly smoothly. Fyi, stay out of Miami airport if possible: it´s freaking huge!

Coming into Quito was a bit overwhelming. The city just sprawls forever. It was pretty neat how the city just appeared. We kept checking out the window and it was just a black abyss of nothingness. Then, all of a sudden, we could see lights. Next thing we know, there are just lights forever. But I´m not a fan of the airport, either. It´s small and confusing. It was a mess! But we made it...

We took a taxi to our hotel: this cute little place with what I´d describe as Mexican decor. Lots of bright colors. We could tell it was older, but well taken care of and clean (the most important to me). Then, we walked around the city a bit. It was so busy and crowded. We chose to describe it as ¨happening,¨ but it was a bit scary to be honest. Guess I´m too much of a country gal...

The next morning was much better. There weren´t so many people, and we were able to do some more exploring. After lunch, we took a taxi to Otavalo (it´s more expensive, but faster and ?safer?). Let me tell you, the Pan American highway is nothing to mess with. Bradforians wouldn´t last a week driving down here. ¡O dios mio! But we made it safe and sound.

I´m writing from an internet cafe in Otavalo. It´s much different than I pictured. I had this idea of a quaint, rural village; but in reality, it´s a small city. Much cleaner than Quito; the poverty shows less, too. Most buildings are what we would call unfinished: left with the things sticking out, with the possibility of expanding should the need (and funding) arise. Everything is about appearances: fronts of buildings are plastered and painted, while the sides are left brick. There are stray dogs everywhere! So dirty, skinny, and sad. They make me miss my puppy (say hi to Stryder if you see him!). There are beautiful parks around town. We´ve been taking lots of pics; Stuckart keeps reminding us that we have plenty of time for that... The roads are all paving stones: they last longer, and it´s cheaper because they can pay people minimal amounts of $ for manual labor. Everything is so cheap! 2 minute phonecall: 87 cents. Busride to San Rafael (it´s very near) for 3: 60 cents. Last night, I had soup, 1/8 a chicken, white rice, and french fries: $1.50!

We met some people that Dr. Stuckart knows (Doña Rosa, Marta). We even helped set up for market a bit. Mostly, we just walked around, trying to take it all in. Everything is so beautiful. Shopping could definitely be a problem for me. Jason is about ready to buy a whole new wardrobe of knockoffs.
We try to remember which places are good, cheap, how to get back to the hotel...We have our own little codes for everything: walk to the fancy street (the street lights are decorated), turn right at the technicolor church (it´s lit up at night with crazy colors of blue and purple). We are meeting people and trying to get accustomed. It´ll be a long process... Jason and I have even started to try to speak Spanish to each other so we can practice and so it isn´t as diffucult to switch back and forth, trying to understand everyone. We are lucky that people are patient with us and willing to repeat and speak slowly. They even understand our broken responses. Jason and Stuckart are doing most of the talking...I need to work on that! I´m still trying to take it all in. But talking with Jason is definitely helping bring the Spanish to the front of my brain. I´ll keep trying; you keep praying for me!