It has been a while since I have updated. Truthfully, nothing out of the norm has come up recently, besides my trip home which I will write about.

I had my one year anniversary in Ecuador on June 16th. It was very exciting. A year has passed by so quickly. I have made so many good friends and have done lots of new and exciting things. I am pumped for my second year. It will definately bring new experiences and I think it will just be easier due to the fact that I am already well adjusted and speak spanish decently now.

Before leaving for Belguim 7 years ago, I remember reading a book that was supposed to prepare you for the stages of culture shock. Although, I am past the shock part, I still learn new things every day about the culture in Ecuador. It's really interesting and sometimes confusing because I get mixed up in cultures. I guess that is a good sign, but sometimes it can play with your head. Trying to remember what is "normal"....I have to remind myself not to get too caught up in it...I would drive myself insane if I did.

So, I got to go home almost 2 weeks ago for a short visit. Overall, the trip was amazing. Although I was only home for 5 full days, I got to see the family and do some things that I have missed, like going to the beach, eating Funchos, and sleeping with Prince. It was a nice way to celebrate my one year in Ecuador. Truthfully, I thought it would be really hard going home. That is why I waited so long. I just assumed that it would be mentally hard switching back and forth from 2 lives. But....Im happy to say when I got home, it felt like home. It is a relief to know that it will always be that way. And, I am excited to spend Christmas in Eastport this year.

Although I was supposed to have a visitor this week,:( I am still planning on visiting one of my good volunteer friends on the coast this weekend for some sun, dancing, and whale watching. I have the time because right now it is summer vacation minus the summer. School starts back up in September, so I am trying to get some travelling in before classes start. I cannot believe that it is almost August. I send my love to my friends and family at home. Hope you enjoyed the update.

So sean's visit came and went. Boo! I was super excited to see him (and maybe .08% more excited for grandmas cookies). Overall, it was a really nice trip. We didn't get to travel much because he was only here a week. I think a 10 day trip would have been perfect. But, he got to see my town, my everyday life, and also the cities and towns around the area. My family welcomed him with open arms and fed him guinea pig. My friends did the same, but with alcohol. The toughest part was the language, but next time he is going to bring along his cutie latina bff to keep him in the loop. :)....Yes, he wants to come back! Sucess is mineee! I'm thankful that one of my brothers is semi adventurous....kind of ironic because the other goes around killing animals and doing weird hick stuff (love you kyle).

Anyways, I highly recommend a visit to anyone who is semi interested and who loves me! I now am getting to know the ropes and can be a good tour guide. Plus I have the summer off from school, so I will be travelling alot and need some company. Yes, please feel guilty that I am alone here and need some american love.

Haaaa, I'm just kidding. Although I would love any visitors (especially Prince!)

**Pictures from the trip to come (they are also on seans fb) once I get to the free internet in the mall like a block from my house. I LOVE YOU SEANNNY BOIII, woops, I mean boy.

So it has been almost 2 months in my new apartment. Things are going great and I do not regret my decision at all to become an independent ecuadorian girl! My friends also are enjoying it too because now we always have some place to hang out. But, it's also nice because I still come up to see my family all the time. Usually every other day I am at the house just hanging out. The only complaint I have about my apartment are the damn pidgeons. They live in my roof and I am thinking of investing in a bb gun.

So, mid april we had easter vacation. I was off for the week from school. For the first 4 days, my sister and I took a mini vacation to the coast. We went to the beach, ate lots of seafood, watched good cable, and one of my good volunteer friends who lives close by came and hung out with us. It was very relaxing and a needed trip to get out of our town for a few days. Even though I am very happy here, small towns tend to suck you in and it is necessary to escape for a few days to remember that the world still goes round outside of the bubble that is called Azogues.

The next weekend was easter and they don't specifically celebrate easter sunday here. It is more of the whole week called Semana Santa (Holy Week). So there was not anything special to do. My host brother and his family visited and it was nice to see them.

I am super super excited for this friday because sean is coming for his visit! I can't wait, I have been trying to plan what we are going to do, but not over plan....I have numerous itineraries we can choose from. It will be so nice to see him, hug him, and laugh with him and stupid things in english. Also, I am looking forward to him meeting my family and friends here.

A few months ago, I felt like I had half my life here and half my life in the u.s. Well, I am happy to say that that is now changing again. I do not feel as tied to the u.s. as I had in the past. Dont worry that does not mean I will stay here forever, but it is a positive change because it is important to be fully concentrated on my life here, while I live here. I know it's a hard thing to understand, because it is hard for me to explain. But, what is important is that I am still happy, healthy, and enjoying my experience here in this amazing country.

Here are some basic pictures of the new place.....bedroom, kitchen, bathroom...simple, old house (of which i am used to), lots of pidgeons on the roof, and no rats as of this moment!

I have been living there for a week now. It is nice to have some of my own space. I am right down the road from my work, and right smack in the center of town. I have been coming up to the house about every other day to chill with the fam. And I now have my tank of propane so I can cook eggs and heat up water. The only main things I am missing and will have to live without for the rest of my time here are a microwave and tv. But luckily I have internet and lots of movie store around, and my kindle!

I went to the laundromat yesterday and my clothes were washed and dried in 2 hours, I swear I almost fainted. My clothes had not been dried in a dryer for 9 months. And they smelled amazing. Best 4 dollars I had spent in a LONG time.

Also, I wanted to thank everyone for the birthday cards wishes. I am officially 24 years old and happy with where I am in my life and what I have done up to this point, and am proud to say it.

Everyone loves a good bathroom picture!!!!!!

The bedroom, with enough room to spare to dance around.

The kitchen....no need for explanation.

My darling little friend washing my dishes for me and telling me that my sink is a mess and I need to scrub it better!

Easter is coming up soon, and the 3 days before Lent starts the country celebrates Carnaval, you might know it better as Mardi Gras. We do not celebrate it, but here it was quite the experience. Weeks leading up the the holiday I kept asking what they do and people would tell me, "we eat alot, and play with water." Play with water??!! What the heck does that mean? I did not understand until I as well "played with water". So, basically what goes on is that you take buckets of water and throw it on each other, get soaked and then dry in the sun (while freezing your butt off) - and of course without a towel.

Also, you can play "dirty"...this means cracking eggs on peoples head, shooting foam from a can in peoples eyes, or even rubbing mud or cooking oil all over people. It's quite the event, and you can even do it to strangers and they can not say anything....simply because it's carnaval. I got targeted alot for the obvious reason, they would say - Look, a white girl, and shoot me with water. It was funnnn. Also, at the family party, I watched a pig be cut open and prepared to eat. There was lots of blood and the family thought I was weird because I did not want to eat the crunchy pig skin and blood sausage that they prepared. Overall, it was fun, but after 5 days of getting soaked and eating pig, I was done with that. I should've gave up pork for lent....I need the break.

Other news from Azogues: Amanda is moving out and will be living on her own.

So, I have loveedddd living with my family. It has been the best part of my experience here in my site. But, I have lived here 7 months now and am just ready for my own space. I made this decision a couple weeks ago. It will be hard to leave, because my family has treated me like one of their own since day one, but I am only a 5 minute walk from the house.

It is hard to explain to my family and friends here that I want to live on my own...they think I am crazy and will be lonely because----they don't move out here. They can be married and living with their parents. It is not a bad thing, just a cultural thing. When americans say to their parents, "I am moving out", the parents are so proud that their son or daughter is responsible enough (and thanking god they do not have to pay for them or do their laundry anymore). Here, if a son or daughter moves out, the parents try to talk them out of it or cry. Yes, cry tears of sadness. So- it was a delicate subject and took me about a month to tell my family. But I will be visiting them very very often.

*More to come about the apartment as I move in!

So I have not posted in awhile because life has been pretty normal. This month will be eight months in the country and I feel like I have a life here. I have gotten used to the food, the language, even how they dance here! haha. Sometimes I do things that make me feel like I am more used to the Ecuadorian culture than American culture now.

Over the past month a few exciting things have happened. I went to Nicaragua in the beginning of January. It was the first time out of Ecuador since I got here. I got to see the kids from Nica that I fell in love with my first trip, ate a ton of platanos, went to the beach, and danced alot of salsa and bachata. It was a really nice trip and I felt more useful because I could use my spanish and some peace corps tools. But, it was also very different than my first 3 trips. This time, it was much less exciting to speak spanish and eat rice everyday because that is now an everyday occurance here in Ecuador. But, it was also great to see some friends from home and get to gossip with the girls in English.

Since then I have just been working. I started giving english classes to my friends here in my house three times a week. It's fun because I feel in my element as a teacher and speaking a language where I don't have to get caught up in not knowing what to say.

Otherwise, life is good here. I am getting excited for my trip this month with the Granings. I can't wait to see the three kids and give them hugs.

I have also been reading alot on my kindle which is an amazing tool to have here where books in english are scarce, expensive, and take up alot of space. Although I miss holding a book, it is just so darn convienent.

I will be trying to update more often, it is just less exciting now. But some fun things are coming up; like carnaval (a holiday that lasts 3 days) and me and my sisters birthdays. Exciting....

New Years is celebrated a bit differently here. At home we have parties thrown in houses to welcome the new year. We eat, drink, and talk. Here.....it is a little more intense. I concluded that it is a mixture of 4th of July and Halloween with some twists. Firstly, many of the guys dress up as women. Everyone is in the streets from the afternoon on. There is music, alcohol, and lots of costumes. The "women" dance in the streets in front of cars, make them stop, and ask for money. If you are not participating in that enthralling activity you are in the street drinking and hanging out with friends. In the evening everyone burns these dolls that they make that resemble a scarecrow, they dedicate it to someone (a friend or family member) and the burning is a way to represent good luck for the next year. Just before it turns 12, everyone runs home (or stumbles) to be with their families and eat. It was a really fun holiday.

My host brother and his family came to stay at the house for the week, so it was nice to spend more time with them. We went to the movies and saw Chronicles of Narnia. If you know me well, I usually fall asleep while watching movies, its even harder to stay awake when it is in Spanish. But I hung in there....

But overall, I am excited to start a new year full of fun experiences. I have lots of hopes, ideas, and plans for this coming year and can't wait to work hard to do it alllll!

I am off to Nicaragua next week! Excited to see my kids and some good friends, use my improved but still lacking spanish, be in warm weather, and give some peace corps learned talks to the kids and parents. I will miss my ecuadorian home for the week, but will be back to keep on trucking through my peace corps adventure. Happy New Years to everyone!

This month has been full of festivities. And let's just say I have eaten more turkey (pavo) than I can imagine. Since I didn't eat any on Thanksgiving, I figured I would stock up (it is also the tradition to eat turkey for Christmas here in Ecuador).

So, 9 days ago we started praying the Novena. Christmas is a much more religious holiday here than in the states and each night the family comes over and we read the story of Jesus and do some praying and singing. A not so knowledgable friend told me that it would last four hours each night! (jajaja) Thankfully, it doesn't. But it is nice to be with the family and remember the importance of Christmas. Tonight is the last night.

Also, here friends set up Christmas dinners to spend time and share a meal together. My sister and I organized one, it was 18 or so of closest friends and ended up being a fun night with food, a chocolate fountain, and of course alcohol. I thouroughly enjoyed myself :). Since then we have been to a couple others as well....we are christmas dinnered out to say the least.

In the school we had a couple programs for the kids. The parents set one up and cooked for everyone and did a little show. It was really nice of them and the kids really enjoyed it. Here, instead of cookies or gifts, people make of bags of candy to give to the kids. They get them in school or from different relatives.

Yesterday and today I spend the mornings baking cookies. It was pretty easy finding all the ingredients with some adaptations. They came out pretty well overall. It's a nice tradition from our home that I get to share with my family here. Also Chochi told me that since I can bake cookies, I am allowed to get married. Now, she just needs to teach me how to cook!

So, the house is all decorated (see below for 1/8 of the christmas dolls in the house) and we are getting ready for the family to come over tonight to eat....more turkey, play bingo and do a gift exchange. Tomorrow will be a surprise because I am still not sure what we are doing.

Thank you for the letters/packages/messages. Although I will not be in Eastport this Christmas, I am thinking about you all. To my friends and family from all over the world......Merry Christmas!

So it has been a while since my last post. I have been quite busy with PC stuff, work, and the holidays coming up.

Starting from Thanksgiving: Since we do not celebrate Thanksgiving here (remember, no pilgrims) it was a regular work day. But it turned out being really nice because I got to skype with almost the whole family while they were at Aunt Teri's. They even lined up and danced for me! It was a special and unique Thanksgiving.

The day after, Mom and Dad came for their visit. I couldn't sleep because I was so anxious for them to get here. They finally made it and it ended up being one of the nicest long weekends ever. We got to see some little towns around here, eat pork off the side of the road with our hands, and visit some Incan ruins (to be specific, the 2nd most popular in South America after Machu Pichu : )) It was hard to say goodbye, but I got back into life real quick, because I had to. The funny thing was that Mom was worrying about me crossing the road to get back to the bus terminal....good thing she is not here all the time to worry! (I mean I wish she was but not to worry, you know what I mean.) But, I am so thankful for my parents and of course all the goodies they brought me!

Next, I did my first "talk"/class for my friends on HIV and AIDS for the international awareness day. It turned out fun and got good conversation going and I even learned some new things! I'm excited to do more.

And finally, yesterday was International Persons with Disabilities Day. So my whole school and the parents traveled an hour north to participate in a type of special olympics. It was a really nice day where everyone got together, everyone was included, and the kids got to have fun and get a ribbon at the end!

Coming up: I will have my first ecuadorian christmas this year and winter vacation! Woo, going to visit some volunteer friends while school is out. Should be fun.

Hope all is well at home, miss you all.

Some pictures from out special olympics, the kids are just too cute to handle...

Just a classroom pic with 2 of my students.

Junior loves watching the Dog Whisperer, he will even jump off the bed and start dancing!

Some of the teachers and students at the open house, we were selling some crafts to fundraise for the school. And who would ever believe that I would be the tallest of ANY group??!!

Preparing for christmas already! The tree is almost finish. P.S. It is illegal to cut down real trees here.

Some of the students dancing at the Disabilities open house we had in the plaza.

So this week was my first fiestas in Azogues. Throughout the year, every town has their own fiestas. On average, the main events last for about a week and consist of parades, concerts, fairs, and other festive things like that. We had off from work to enjoy this exciting cultural event : )...gotta love that! It was nice and the city was more crowded than usual but the atmosphere was relaxed and enjoyable. Oh and there were some really pretty fireworks. I didn't take any pictures, I just feel lame carrying my camera around. I know I should sacrfice for all of you readers out there (aka Mom, Dad, and maybe Lauren hahah). It's just that I'm trying hard to blend in here and thats hard enough with blonde hair and green eyes...a camera around my neck would just be wayyyy too mich for me to handle.

A note about trying to be accepted into another culture:

I consider myself very well adapted and accepted here thanks to my super supportive and accepting family and friends. They have really allowed me to be myself and feel like a part of the group at all times. They have been amazing and I truly love them all. But, there are times (when it is not their fault at all) that I feel like a total/helpless idiot. Thankfully, this has only happened 1 or 2 times so far. But, both times has been due to the language. I misunderstand and then answer a question that was never asked. It is frustrating because I know that I am an educated woman that has important and valid things to say, but sometimes those things can not come out because I can not express them in Spanish. As my spanish is progressing, it is getting easier, but I still feel like a child sometimes. So please, do me a favor. Remember that if someone does not speak English as their first language, it does not mean they are stupid. They have thoughts, feelings, and ideas just like the rest of us. It is just sometimes harder to express them.

We were prepped for many medical issues that may arise, but mostly stomach issues. Well, my stomach has done me well. No issues so far. But, I can not say the same for my pale, white, weak, skin!!!!

It all started with my eyelids, they were all dry for a couple weeks.....then,

About a month ago, I started getting a rash and very itchy on my lower legs and arms. Well, I still have no idea what I am allergic to and for a person who has never had an allergy in her life, it's very annoying. I have been taking Claritin for the past 2 weeks now and feel better, but still have itching fits. (But at least my eyelids were better!)

And now, on Friday I got sunburned but didn't even know it. The sun was strong that day and we were outside for a parade (yes, I had sunscreen on). I came home with a horrible headache and my sister said that Rosa could take the sun out of me ?! So she slapped my head a few times and pulled my hair and after that ..and 2 Excedrin migraine pills, I was all better : )

Well, my poor face is fried and swollen. It is now getting better and I am basically rubbing Aloe vera leaves on my face every hour. All I have to say is....now I know and respect you Oh Sun.

I have hit the four month mark and everything is going great. I have not been getting homesick too often. If I do, it is when I am bored and have sat around in my bed for way too many hours. But, I figured out that my homesickness comes out in my dreams. I always dream about being at home with everyone, in the boat or at Aunt Teri's or places like that. I usually wake up kind of grumpy (but that could be because I have to get ready for work). It decided it is nice to dream about home because I get to see everyone in my dreams. Also, I get my fixes on Skype, as Grandma Kelley said, "This technology is great!".

This upcoming month is busy. The first week in November my town has fiestas. There are lots of things going on like parades and concerts. The 3rd week I have PC Reconnect. All the volunteers will head to Quito to do presentations on their sites, and the fourth week Mom and Dad are coming. And before I know it, it will be Christmas. Crazy.

Same holiday, same basic principle (discovery of the Americas)….different view point.

Here in Ecuador they do not celebrate Christopher Columbus Day, instead on the 12th of February they celebrate Dia de la Raz. Day of the race.

Yes, we north Americans learned about the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria, but our country celebrates the man himself, Christopher Columbus. Here, it is a celebration from a different perspective.

You see, after Chris Columbus “discovered” the Americas, is when the Spanish conquistadors began to come to Central and South America. Although, they made their country (Spain) more powerful by gaining more land, they also didn’t do too nice of things to the people that were already here.

But, that is part of the past and it has changed the culture and lives and culture of the people of the here.

Dia de la Raza celebrates these changes, because they cannot be undone. Through the mixing of European and Indigenous cultures, the people that came after good ole Columbus have helped create a body of self sustaining people, proud of who they are.

So, this is the same holiday as ours, just with a multicultural perspective that we should embrace (and a different name), because believe it or not people, our country is multicultural too. : )

Dear Readers:

I wanted to send a quick thank you out to all of the people who read about my experiences, ideas, and random thoughts that all revolve around my Peace Corps life here in Ecuador.

The reason I created this blog was to not only keep my family and friends updated about my new life, but also to achieve goal three of the Peace Corps Mission. Goal Three is to help promote a better understanding of peoples on the part of Americans. Basically, to teach you a little about Ecuador and the culture here through my experiences.

I am exciting to fulfill goal three through my blog as well as other ways. For example, skyping and keeping in touch, also I have an 8th grade class I correspond with in North Carolina.

So, when you travel or have a new experience, I urge you to share it with people, that is how we learn!

"Bailas muy bien...para ser gringa." ......Thanks, I think. : /

Translation: "You dance well...for a white chick."

I think it is a compliment, or at least I am choosing to take it that way. I can't even count how many times I have heard it. So for all you "white chicks" out there who have no rhythm....you are giving us a bad repuation down here! : )

Things have been going great. I have been working at the school in the mornings and doing random things in the afternoon. Also, I started working with one of my sister's cousins who has autism. So I do that in the afternoons 2 days a week.

How it works at my school is that I am in a classroom for 3 months, then I rotate. These are 3 of the 5 kids in my classroom. They are the sweetest boys ever! and I am becoming attached. I already planned on extending a month with them. They also have amazing supportive parents so it has been great getting to know them. Sometimes I stress about what to focus on with my work in the school but in my head it always comes down to "do what you can and just give love to the kids."

Also, new news...

-My mom and dad are coming to visit in November.

-Ecuador's police force is on strike and the country is a little intense, but PC is keeping us safe.

So last Sunday I was at my grandmas house looking through the newspapers, trying to behave myself and all of a sudden I saw a picture with me in it! I made it into the newspaper, well my school did....but there was a paragraph about how there is a going to be a Peace Corps volunteer (me!) in the school for 2 years helping....I was even refered to as a professional in special education. Now I really gotta do a good job.

So my lasagna came out aweseome and I think everyone liked it. Here is my dad, friend, sister, friend, and mom enjoying their meal : )

My host mom was just humming Jingle bells.....

So tomorrow will be three exciting weeks at my site. Everything is going great here and it seems that my friends from training are doing good as well. I am looking foward to the end of October because they are all coming to Cuenca for Natasha's birthday/halloween!

So I started work this week. I am in a Special Education school with about 25 kids and 11 staff members. Four teachers, 2 speech therapists, and 2 early intervention therapists. I will be with each teacher for 2 months mas o menos, supporting them, the kids, and the parents in that room. Also, in October I am going to give 2 to "talks" a month to the parents on different topics that they are interested in (ex. discipline, communication, certain disabilities etc.). So the kids in my class all have severe disabilities and are around 9 years old. They are very cute and salivay : ) I will take pictures soon! School starts at 8 and ends at 12. Most of the parents stay, because they live farther away. One of my parents even carries her 9 yr old son on her back everyday to get him to school. These parents love their kiddies.

In other news, we had a birthday party for one of mine and my sister's friends last night and I introduced jello shots to Ecuador. They were a hit! and will be made again!

Otherwise, tomorrow is Friday! Have lots going on this weekend, dancing tomorrow night, barbeque Saturday, and possibly meeting the volunteers from around the area on Sunday. Hope all is well at home, miss and love everyone.

My new group of friends, I love them already!

My sister and Junior (after he got his tail sat on).

This is the church, I live in the neighborhood behind it. At night, it's all lit up and really pretty.

My city is like a big hill. This is a picture from the church. So I live on the of the hill and have to walk down into the center. About 35,000 people live in my city.

This is my cute room, I love it. It is nice having my own space...and bathroom!

Me, my cousins, and my sister when we went to the fiestas of a little town...we watched townspeople bullfight, we drank, and of course danced.

My cousins and I playing Ecua volley...same basic concept, but the ball feels like concrete on your arms meaning you can really only set the ball unless you want a bruise the next day...oh, and carrying is allowed.

So I made it through my first week. I learned alot about my town and the people in it already. For example:

1. Here, everyone is cousins....its could be 2nd cousin once removed then divorced...still cousins.

2. For fun we drive around in cars in circles around the city.

3. On Valentines Day the guys go around and sing outside girls houses to show their love (new goal!)

4. Bullfighting is a public sport, anyone can try it, but not without drinking a few beers before it.

5. It is kind of like a bigger version of Eastport, everyone knows your business and if they don't, they will make something up (good thing I am accustomed to this!)

But overall, I am doing well and found out that my mailbox works....got my first letter today, so if you feel the urge, send me some Crunchy Peanut butter. They do not have ANY here and I finished my only jar today! It is a great way to share the american culture no??

Scool starts monday!

NEW ADDRESS:

AMANDA KELLEY

CORREO CENTRAL AZOGUES

03-01-787

ECUADOR

GET TO SENDING, I LOVE TO HEAR EVERYTHING!

So I am having a great time at my site. My family is amazing. As I have said, I have really cool parents, a sister whos 25, a brother who is married with a little girl and living in the jungle side of ecuador, a housekeeper who is another member of the family (she has worked for the family since my host mom was 6 months old!!), and two pekinese dogs.

I have a nice room that is so nice to come home to each night. I am finally unpacked and settled. These past few days I have been hanging out with my sister because school does not start until Sept. 6th. She is wonderful. She talks to me like the adult I am (sometimes its hard to have real full conversations bcause of my language skills- but with her its different).

We started walking in the mornings, its really safe here and I feel comfortable.

Also, I have an electric shower and I am scared I am going to get electrocuted.

For fun, one of my sisters friends come over to pick us up in their car and we drive around and around the city until we find some other friends to drive around with. Its quite interesting, but thank god for my sister, it has been easy finding friends and being accepted. Super thankful for that!

Th super official oath that was given by the Ambassador of the US to Ecuador.

Her house, where we got to have the ceremony and celebrate with bagels.

My two amazing friends from training. I will miss them everyday!

My Spanish training class, MVP's of the Youth and Families Program.

I have made it to my site...it is my official first day of PC service. I took my oath and promised to myself that I would give all I could to my new community.

Last night I travelled 9 hours on an overnight coach bus with my 150 pounds of stuff. I made it safely, only forgetting my med kit in the bus. Replaceable. What's important is that I am here, in my awesome room, safe and sound. Unpacking has begun. You can not even imagine how excited I am to get into a schedule and unpack everything I own!

So I am currently in Quito. I will be here for three to four more days. On Wednesday I get sworn in as a volunteer. Right now I am only a trainee, so Wednesday is a big day. The past week I have been hanging out alot with my volunteer friends, doing things that we may not do for a while. On saturday I went to Otavalo. It is the 2nd biggest tourist site in Ecuador, behind the Galapagos. It is a GIANT market. People come from all over the country to sell their stuff. It was huge and there were more tourists than Ecuadorians. It was nice to see. I bought a couple things and practiced my haggling in Spanish. I also ate the best pie in my life (see below). It was huge and delicious. All you pie people out there should be jealous.

Today we said goodbye to our host families and moved on to Quito. Mixed feelings...heres some pics:

First time to the beach in Ecuador.....amazinggggg!

Last week of training...some things I will miss:

My friends!

Eating Papipollo (french fries and fried chicken on the street)

Having my own bedroom on my own floor.

Playing UNO with my neices and nephews.

Chocolate milk made with warm milk.

Waking up 5 minutes before having to go to class.

Laughing with my spanish group who I can always understand (bc they speak english)

Princessa my puppy

The safeness of Ayora

Things that can handle not being around:

Culture class!

My host moms accent

walking to the internet (i will have wireless soon!)

Fried pork fat......fried everything!

The really cold morning showers (hoping it will be a litte warmer at site)

So we are travelling this week through some central cities of Ecuador for special education technical training. It's exciting because I get to learn more about what a disability means to ecuadorians. So far, it has been interesting. On a positive note they are trying to incorporate inclusion because right now there are only general education schools and special education schools. They have a lot of laws but it is the putting into practice that is a little more difficult here. Also, I feel horrible because nothing is handicapped accessible here. Most buildings, buses, and houses can not be entered by certain people with disabilities. Hopefully, I will be able to help my community in what is best for them. There is tons to do, so I have options : )

Since we have been back from our site visits, training has been dragging along. We are ready to get started with our work in our sites, but also very sad to leave the amazing friends we have made here. But the good thing is that we are all spead out, so we will get to see all different parts of the country when we visit each other.

This past week has just been classes, last night my language class went out for dinner together, we are planning Thanksgiving together to be our next meal as a group. And today was family day. My dance class did a dance in traditional clothes (see below) and ate and hung out. It was also my twin neice and nephews birthday party afterwords. Fun times.

Also, we learned this week that we as American women fit the cultural norms of a Latino man. So, that was interesting to learn. We do not cook, clean, we play sports, we are independent and here alone. So basically that is how people see us. Culture is crazy....and I love it!

My nephew patito.

My host sister Alexandra.

My host Mom.

Our dance class all ready for our performance.

My group making fruit salad.

So yesterday evening I got home from my site visit. My site visit is when you go to your site, meet your family and the organization you will be working with. It was about a 12 hour journey on bus. But they are pretty comfy so it is not too bad, just long and kinda dirty, bus germs.

Anyways, I loved my site. The city is awesome, the family is ever more awesome and I am excited to meet all the kids (its summer vacation). My host sister is 25, really cool and works at the school too.

Basically I feel like I am in the Posh Corps. I have wireless and get cooked for, really nice house. I am just very happy and excited that I will be spending my 2 years there. Here are some pictures:

My new puppy Junior...he even sleeps in the house! That is unheard of here!

My new sister Maria Caridad, shes awesome and I am so happy I have her in my new city!

My province is Canar and my city is Azogues...these are my 2 friends who are in my province. One is 45 min away and another is 2 hours.

Me washing my laundry on a rock.

So I got my site today. I am headed 10 hours south of quito to Azoguyes. It is in the mountains, about 8500feet above sea level. This means it will be chilly for the next 2 years, but I am excited. When will I live in the mountains again, might as well soak it up. It is a city of 40,000 people, with all the resources I need. I am going to be working at a Special Education school! Also I live 25-30 minutes from Cuenca which is the 3rd biggest city in Ecuador. AND...I can take a bus for 4 hours to get to the coast, 4 hours to the jungle, so I can see alot! There are also a few other volunteers within a half hour. So although my heart was pulling toward the coast, I am super excited to live in Azoguyes and spend my time with the kids and people there. This is what I signed up for right?!!!!! Yayyyy, soon I will be an official volunteer, not just a trainee. In monday night I am headed to Azoguyes for 5 days. Just to meet my family and the people I will be working with. School is out, so there are no kids in school but I will get a glimpse of what my life will be like for the next 2 years.

Perritos Bonitos love.

The Pretty Puppies at their best....ready to mess some people up!

4th of July festivities. Me and my friend Natasha in the rain waiting for our burgers.

Me and my "neice" at the last big parade of the fiestas.

Still shot from our video project that we presented....We were showing what happens to us Gringos (non spanish speaking people) when we are only eating pasta and rice. It was in a commercial for yogurt.

So I have been having some crazy dreams lately, but the other night I woke up to the sound of little footsteps in my room. I swear I was awake and they had to have been mice...I politely asked my mom if it could be that and she said def not, it was prob the cats on the roof...I dunno...hoping not to wake up to it again.

So last saturday I washed my clothes by hand on this rock washboard...it was def tough and I dont plan on doing it too many more time...(unless I need to wash clothes in a river at my site) ((which i find out friday!!)) So we pay a lady to come and do laundry at the house on thursday,but she did not show up this week because she must have had a rough night on wed.So i am hoping for some clean clothes soon.

Yesterday we had a soccer tournament, each language class was a team. So I played my first soccer games and we won the tournament...trophy and all.I will post pics soon. The name of our team was the Pretty Puppies...it rhymes in spanish! It was a fun day and I am hoping I become a better soccer player over these nxt 2 years!

mice

drunk lady

tournament

Waterfall that we visited on Friday.

Being blessed with roses by an indigenous women. Goodbye bad spirits!

My puppies!! They are the cutest things every and are getting bigger every day!

Yummy, yummy, fried guinea pig anyone???

So it has almost been three weeks and feels like a year. But in a good way...havent been homesick since the first weekend with my host family. Making really nice friends. Learning spanish. So all is good. Yesterday we took a cultural trip to this town that had a cool waterfall. I will put up some pictures. Coming up....Soccer Olympics with all the volunteers...our group is planning on winning, of course. On the 16th of this month I find out where my site will be!!! It will be an exciting day. Also, started dance lessons today because we are going to perform a dance from this culture on family day.

Happy Fourth of July everyone! We (the volunteers) are planning on a barbeque, beer drinking, kickball playing, fun-filled day! Enjoy the fireworks! Miss you all, love you!

So, all has been going great this week. We made a sick video for our presentation in class and presented today and won a prize. I also got chosen (by chance) to have lunch with the ambassador of the US for Ecuador. Woohoo! My spanish is getting better...maybe. Otherwise, everything is the same. Our schedule is totally made up for us, so we just follow. In less than three weeks,I will find out where I will be for 2 years!!! Miss and love everyone!

So we went to ask questions about renting traditional clothes in Cayambe, and they dressed me and 2 of the boys up. As you can see,I found this very amusing. This is what the people dance around in on the streets during parades and fiestas!

This is my wonderful language group.We meet 5 days a week for 9 hours a day....I guess they are growing on me...just kidding,I love them!

So today we had a 3 hour long discussion on health issues such as diarrhea, malaria and dengue fever....but my favorite by far was the topic of worms. It is possible that I will have at some point inside me a 9 foot tapeworm.....or I may poop out a foot long round worm that looks like an earth worm....Thought you all would enjoy that. PROMISE, will put up pictures this weekend!

So on Monday I had my first day of language classes. I am starting at an intermediate high level, which I was happy with. Our classes are Monday through Friday 8 to 5...with an hour lunch break. Its pretty intense. In the morning we are in a classroom literally right outside my house and for the afternoons we are outside in our town or the city nearby. This morning the Spec. Ed group visited a Special Education School. Ohh the kids were so sweet! There was about 6 classrooms with about 10 kids in each room. And only one teacher per class!!! At home, sometimes there are more teachers than students! They are doing their best and with the resources that they had, I was pretty impressed. I will be going to a spec ed school like that somewhere in ecuador to help and support the teachers. It is very exciting. Not much else is new...things are going good. Im happy. I will post pictures maybe tomorrow!

Happy Fathers Day Dad, I miss you and love you!

"Any man can be a Father but it takes someone special to be a dad." -- Anne Geddes

Hello everyone,

It has been a long few days and I am settled in my first host family and just found an internet cafe...I dont think I have ever been so relieved, happy, etc. So I got into Quito on Wednesday night...from then until Saturday morning we had lots of meetings. About safety, culture, language, paperwork, all that good stuff. By the way, there are 68 of us. The biggest group by far that the PC has ever recieved in Ecuador. About half are doing health and the other half (my half) is doing youth and families. Since Quito we have been broken down into smaller groups. In my little town I have 6 other volunteers that I will be with everyday for language training, then 2 times a week we will all meet for technical training. All is well, as assumed it is quite an adjustment. My host family consists of an older woman who is really sweet but super hard to understand. But it will get easier (im trying desperately to keep a positive attitude). Tomorrow we start language training. Yesterday I went to my first ecuadorian party...it was quite interesting. I will put of pictures of my house soon. It is very cute and we have puppies, hens, guinea pigs, and cats. Well, I miss you all...especially my kids who I must shoutout, (miss u tons morg, paige, and hudson!!!) And of course I miss my fam...love you all and talk to you soon. Once I am emotionally stable enough to not cry like a baby in the internet/phone store!! hahaha...really!Oh and I have my cell phone now so if you want to call me, just email me and I will give it to you, or ask my mom. It is free for me to get calls/texts but I dont know the rates for you all!

"Life in the Peace Corps will not be easy. There will be no salary and allowances will be at a level sufficient only to maintain health and meet basic needs. Men and women will be expected to work and live alongside the nationals of the country in which they are stationed—doing the same work, eating the same food, talking the same language.

But if the life will not be easy, it will be rich and satisfying. For every young American who participates in the Peace Corps—who works in a foreign land—will know that he or she is sharing in the great common task of bringing to man that decent way of life which is the foundation of freedom and a condition of peace."

John F. Kennedy

1961 - 1963

I am safe and sound in Ecuador...things are going good. Tons of meetings and procedures. No wireless at the hostel so I am just doing a quick update to say hi to everyone. Saturday we head to the town we will be in for 3 months...There i will be able to skype and keep in better contact. Love and miss you all!

Princey and I were walking down the road when one of my wise neighbors said this simple phrase to me. It made me think...I do not want that to happen. I want to enjoy everyday. Life goes scarily fast sometimes and if I rush through this experience, I know I will kick myself. So although it takes some major internal struggle, I will be training myself (this training will hopefully not last the rest of my life) to not be a controlling, stressed out American. Go with the flow, be happy, and realize that stressing out is a choice. Try it out one day....you may just like it.

So here has what I have come up with...things that I would like to accomplish within my PC service:

1. Become untouchable in my Spanish skills

2. Feel as much like a local as possible

3. Hitup the Galapagos for a 2nd time and maybe find some old friends...

4. Read some good books, in Spanish and English

5. Learn to play guitar...think kid songs, don't worry I'm realistic here

6. Journal my little heart out, pen and paper style

7. Create SUSTAINABLE projects

8. Hack something with a machete

9. Dance, dance, dance

10. Start a zumba class

11. Not get wrinkles (Be a sunscreenaholic)

12. Relax at a waterfall in the rainforest

13. Not stress about my future including grad school

14. Make lifelong friends

15. Feel at home

16. Travel around S. and C. America a bit

17. Only allow myself to pout for 10 minutes at a time and then move on

18. Meet John Legend--Hey, you never know!

So, this is my first blog, therefore this is the first blog entry of my life. I feel a little exposed and nervous that I am going to be a sucky writer. Well, I will just have to get over that. In the next 2 years, I will try to keep my posts to the point and not mumble about things that even my parents wouldn't even care about.

Brief Peace Corps explanation: 2 year commitment, through the government, volunteering with kids (people do all different things though), I will be able to save up time to come home and travel, people go all over the world (I will be in Ecuador)....the website is peacecorps.gov if you wanna learn more.

Why would you ever do this? This question has been asked over and over.....the main answer is that if you know me as a person, you wouldn't have to ask that. But for those who don't...I have become a little attached to travelling after studying abroad in Belgium, I now wish I was a native Spanish speaker, I love kids (well most : )), and helping people makes me happy. When I am doing these things, I feel the most me: like it is what I am supposed to be doing.

June 15th: Off to D.C. to do paperwork and get vaccinations, then I am headed to my new country and life. Although, I will not fit in looks wise, I hope that after training I will be able to communicate effectively enough to converse and make friends. I will be in training outside the capital of Quito for 2 months. There is when I will learn where I will be spending my next 24 months, practicing my Spanish, and learning about the culture and my job.

I am currently creating a list of goals for my 2 years in Ecuador, some are fun, some are scary...it should be a typical Amanda list.

Thanks for reading! : ) Lemme know if I can answer any questions.