First Full Day

Today was a long and interesting day. I set my alarm and was ready to get up and meet everyone on my trip. Unfortunately, my alarm clock was a half hour behind.- no idea how that happened- but I was done getting ready at 8:55 when I thought it was 8:25. I walked out and Nancy was saying ayyy, Dena, RAPIDO RAPIDO. I looked and the breakfast table was set with juices and such. I felt really bad, but we had to leave right away to make it to the bank. At the bank, we all deposited 10$ and then got a deposit slip to take to the immigracion center to get a censo. We all sat and chatted for an hour or so, and then we all went out separate ways. My host mother found her cousin there, who is hosting another student on the program. So my host mom, her secretary Lorena, her cousin, her cousin’s student all packed into a car. We headed to the “centro commercial” mas grande in Ecuador. The biggest mall in Ecuador was very similar to the malls at home, only in Spanish. We went to a cell phone store for the Movister phone. The prices are written with a comma instead of a decimal, so I was so confused. Phones here are very confusing. There are two companies in Ecuador for phones, Movistar or Porta. 

Most people here have a phone from each company. I ended up using one of my host mom’s old phones with a new number.

After that, we went to a food place that had fruit in everything on the menu. We ate “bolon de platano relleno verde con queso” and black coffee. It was really delicious and tasted like nothing I’ve had before.

I had a big backpack with me and my host mom told me NOOO, that is too big. So we went to some store that looked like Macy’s and bought a new purse that is smaller and looks more like the ones people here wear.

After purses, Nancy, Lorena, and I went to yet another place. We pulled up and I wasn’t sure what it was. Apparently, it is a restaurant run by Nancy’s good friend. One of the waiters spoke a bit of English, and talked to me for a bit because he was my age and very nice. We had plantanes, rice, meat, vegatables, lemonade, and bananas for dessert. I didn’t understand Nancy, but I think she was telling me that I needed to finish so I did.

We then went back to another mall to get a map of Quito for my travels tomorrow, and a much needed Spanish-English dictionary. I have no internet in my house, and the phones are strange so it is very hard to communicate with other students or even anyone outside this house. Having no phone or internet is a bit annoying, but I think it will be good for me. 

I am now sitting in the centro de commercial where I can get internet! Yay! 

I have many photos and stories to come!