Bueno.

Ahh, the simple way of living.  Oh, how I love how people are so relaxed and truly want to get to know you.  This is what I am finding in Ecuador.  My host family has been amazing…staying up to talk to my host siblings, talking with my host mom while cooking dinner (and making chocolate cake), and learning more Spanish (and Quechua, a dialect of Spanish, for that matter).  Yesterday was spent by visiting my host siblings’ school in Cumbayá (like the song) because it was a day for the families of the children who attend the school.  It was basically a carnival/music/comedy program that the students put on for their families.  My host brother played a song on the guitar while two other students read poetry, and we ended up missing my host sister’s song on the guitar. :-(  Afterward, we were all pretty tired from staying up so late the night before, so we took naps when we got home.  I went to the FEVI store for a while afterwards and while I was there, a huge storm came through.  Lightening, thunder, wind and a down pour of rain. I had to shut the overhead door that secures the store a little because the wind was blowing rain into the store. I ended up staying in the store until it was done raining (lasted about ½ hour).  I guess this kind of weather is what is expected in Ecuador:  cold in the morning and evenings (about 50 F), hot and intense sun in the afternoon (about 80 F), and rain from about 4-5PM. The rest of the day consisted of my family and I just relaxing/reading.  It’s not unusual to see family members sitting and talking with my host mom in the kitchen while she’s preparing dinner.  So, I joined them in the kitchen…good times that we have!

My host mom and I at my host siblings music program.