So, it’s expected that this one will be a little bit shorter of a blog, but then again I always think that so we’ll just see. Anyway, an update on my life so far…
I started classes at USFQ today. Wow. I’m not really sure what to think, so I’ll just tell you and you can decide. 
First of all, the day didn’t start off great because as of last night I have finally gotten sick in Ecuador. I don’t know what it was exactly what I ate, but I was pretty much completely miserable last night (up and down a number of times) and this morning felt just about equally awful and very tired, even though I didn’t have to wake up till 8:00. But our maid gave me some hot water and oregano which amazingly does help calm your stomach. My friend Hilary and I were going to meet and take the bus together at 9 to make it to our 10 o’clock class on time, but apparently the bus works decided to go on a strike this morning (sort of). I guess they negotiated something for the moment because I think the buses were supposed to be up and running again right around 9. In any case, they were this afternoon. So, my family took me to school, but like lots of families, especially Ecuadorian ones, we were a little late…and traffic wasn’t the best. So, I got to USFQ right about 10 and then had to walk across campus and without too much trouble find my building and classroom, only to walk into the class room full of legitimately Ecuadorian students (my first class is supposed to be Intermediate Spanish Conversation… not too many Ecuadorians I wouldn’t think). Upon getting the syllabus I discovered no, I was sitting in a 200 level seminar course. Nice.
So I went to the Information desk to have them tell me that I needed to go to the Registrar if my class location had been changed. Then, conveniently, the person in the Registrar’s office told me I needed to go to room G302 to talk to them there. So I go up 2 stories (luckily in the same building) and discover that wow, there is no rm G302!!! Nope, there is 301 and 303 with a blank, locked door between them… but no 302. So I say basically “Fuck it. I’ll send the teacher an email later.” I went and found some friends from WU and used one of their phones to call Pete because he has that class with me. He said that the class was moved to the International Office temporarily because they don’t have a room for it yet and to go there on Tuesday. I met up with him and he showed me where it was and there was a sign on the doors saying class was canceled although really it wasn’t because the teacher just explained the basic goals of the course today. Pete kind of filled me in, although I had also read the syllabus online. In any case, I still sent the teacher an email this afternoon… It would be great, but I also feel like novel, if she got back to me.
Next, I had volleyball, which I also walked around a little bit trying to find the right place only to have (I think a basketball coach) tell me and a few other students that our professor wasn’t here and would be back Monday. Also lovely to know. So, I had nothing to do for about 3 hours so a few of us again just chilled together on the lawn… I think I took a short nap, I read a little, chatted a little. Didn’t eat anything because I still wasn’t feeling up to it.
Finally, at 2:30 I had my art class, which was also a little difficult to find, but I managed to with not too much problem. There were only 7 of us in the class today, 3 international students from the US- one girl from UO who spoke very good Spanish… and also a blonde-haired, blue eyed guy named Jose Esperanza who spoke beautiful (probably native) Spanish too. I was a little bitter We waited about ten minutes for other students to show up, then we went over the basic fact that we are going to be learning basic drawing, and the materials we need. There were a couple missing from the list that I had to actually pay attention to make sure I wrote down the right word. Our teacher told us that he had studied/worked in the US, including in the Albuquerque and Santa Fe areas. I also learned today that we need to attend an hour a week of the open workshops on Fridays from 10:00am-4:00pm. So much for no class on Friday. Also, some of my other friends who are taking an art class said their teachers either said it wasn’t that important that they go every week or it wasn’t necessary to go the first few weeks because they’d have nothing to do… Also sweet. So after waiting 3 hours for my 20 min class I finally took the bus back to Quito. Exhausted, dehydrated, and basically just annoyed at this point I made a quick trip to ACLAS to use the computer & internet there where I did successfully download Skype onto one of their computers, although I’m not sure exactly how the call quality is because I didn’t have my headset to test it out. Hopefully tomorrow, sometime in the afternoon after our initial visit to the place we’re going to be volunteering.
There are about 5 of us doing our social work at an old-folk’s home not too far from ACLAS, and therefore my house. It’s called Therapy of Companionship, and we’ll be just talking, playing cards with, and occasionally helping with feeding of the people there. I am hoping to work on Wednesdays. So we’ll see how that initial visit goes.
Ummm, que más? Marco left back to the US finally today. We went out to dinner, and then drinks and dancing with him on Tuesday night. We had to dress up, although no one was quite as dressed up as he was in his pin-striped suit. But we did learn that it is very likely he will be coming back in about three weeks… He said his parents could use a bit of help right now so his plan is to take a leave of absence from WU, enroll at Chemeketa College (a community college also in Salem) and take online courses through there while he is here in Ecuador. Then, he would return to WU next semester with all of us. We all know it’s cuz he doesn’t want to leave us. 
But admittedly it would be really cool if he could pull that off. I guess we’ll wait and see. There are pictures from this night as well- I sent out the facebook address to a few people again, and if you did look at these pictures you will also have noticed that I pierced my eyebrow. It was a legit little place, very clean, and in total only cost $10 and about 5 min of my time. Didn’t hurt too bad at all. They do put this numbing stuff on the skin here where you are getting the piercing but for me all it really did was make my eye twitch. And then a little pinch on the way out with the needle and I was good to go. I had some sea salt left over from another piercing so I was ready with my salt-water cleanser right away. So far no problems and I love it and many have told me that it looks like I’ve had it my whole life. Except for my host mom who doesn’t like lip or mouth or tongue or eyebrow piercings, but loves belly-button piercings. Intersting.
No real plans for this weekend- at all. But we’ll first have to see how I feel and see if I’m even up to doing anything. I better find something productive to do or it will be a long four days till I have class again Maybe I’ll visit Marco’s parents (the best part is, I’m not joking.) :p
Oh, Lacy, Hilary, and Lacy’s 10 year old Ecuadorian niece who speaks both English and Spanish, and I went to see Batman on I think Sunday or Monday night. It was pretty good. Now I just have to see the one that came before this movie, Batman Begins We had to wait in line for a while and we were at the front so a couple of the boys who work at the theater were talking to us. Lacy thought that if we went and paid for a movie one more time then the next time we should be able to score some free tickets Yeah well, we’ll see. I’d probably be more excited if I could actually remember the last time before now I only paid $4.25 for a movie. :p I still feel like I’m getting a pretty good deal. 
So, like I said, this one turned out to not be any shorter than the rest so I hope that you enjoyed spending just as much time reading it. I am just pleased that for all intents and purposes this day is basically over. And it’s days like this, sick, tired, irritated with the school system, and feeling stupid yet again because I wasn’t born fluent in Spanish, that I start to miss people… (Well actually I already missed them, but I guess now I can think about it a little more.) Probably because this is the first time since I’ve been in Ecuador I haven’t been busy. So I guess that’s a good enough excuse… In any case, I think I am going to take a nap/sleep till morning now. And I know tomorrow got to be at least a tad better.
