Friends, Robbers & Protein Bars

Well.......... it's been a bit since I've posted anything, BUT it has taken a bit of adjusting getting settled in..... and I'm still working on that.

okay... and it's been a bit LONGER since i started writing THIS entry. it's sort of crazy how fast a completely different life becomes your new reality and (almost, not quite, but almost...) normal. The picture above is me with 2 new friends here.... Shelley (left) and Deidre (right). A friend (thanks Meaghan!) introduced me to Shelley over email - Shelley has been here for almost 4yrs as a teacher in an international school- Deidre is new to Quito as of August and teaches in the same school- and we had a great time! I'm so lucky to have met them and their friends! It makes Quito a lot more fun..!! AND Kevin & Meaghan were able to visit!! We had a TCSC in Quito ;). I really hope they are able to come back...

So... what is life like here in Quito? Well, given the title I assigned this posting over a week ago (oops!) it's not really what I expected..... I'd read a little about the petty theft here before coming, but I thought it would be stats like 1 in 10 people have been robbed.... in reality, it's more like 2 in 1 (because people are getting robbed multiple times!). At first, I was pretty freaked out.... I mean, NYC can be scary at times, but I was never worried that someone was going to use a knife to take the $3 I had on me.... which is sometimes what happens here. I've got my own taxi driver -- he is the absolute best, name is Washington... he speaks English but insists that I speak Spanish so I practice-- and he picks me up every morning and brings me home every afternoon. I adore him- he is one of the best parts of my day without a doubt!! But with regard to the crime stuff, I'm just on the lookout and trying to be safe... we'll see. It could be a good chance for me to put all of the weight-lifting to the test. ;) (just kidding mom!!)

As for school.... it's fantastic!! I can't believe (for the most part!) 4hrs of one-on-one Spanish class per day can go.... It's amazing- a little different from my classes at Carlson! HA! But I am learning a ton and it's possible for me to have complete (albeit broken!) conversations in Spanish. I do notice that the teachers and the people at the school speak pretty slowly compared to the rest of Quito, so when I attempt conversations or questions out in public at stores, restaurants, etc it is often a humbling experience! But I am loving it. In the afternoons, I work at the school.... I'm doing marketing and webpage stuff, which is fun and a little creative..... I just think the whole business aspect of it is pretty cool. There are so many teachers and students here... and you can study just about anywhere in Ecuador.... wish I had more money so I could go to class in the Galapagos!!! Anyway, my boss mentioned something about the possibility of a full-time job running the school while he returns to teaching.... I don't really know what that means exactly in terms of salary, etc, but I can't really picture coming back to the US just now... so it might be a good option! I was also offered the "job" of (personal) training an ex-NYer I met at my gym here...so you never know. Employment opportunities abound!!

As for the rest of life... I'm living in a hostal 2 blocks from my gym... the first hostal I checked into was a nightmare.... I left after 1hr. It was apparently in a super sketch part of town.... it smelled like smoke- the lady was SOOO mean when I told her I wasn't comfortable being there (there was no internet, no phone, shared bathroom, miniscule room.....) and wanted to change. She told me I was absolutely so rude and wanted me to stop talking to her and leave. So that was a great start to the whole trip..!! lol. I thought I was just going to hop on a plane and come back to the US. Luckily, I landed where I am now... the place is great (hello wifi in my room, private bath and hot water!!) and the family that owns it is fantastic. They live here too and there are 2 sons- 1 is 20, 1 is 25- who are sort of like brothers. They tease me and try to help me with my Spanish too. So I'm never really alone....

As for other things...? I went to Papallacta (about an hour from here... thermal springs.... AMAZING!!) last weekend. So beautiful. Though I do recommend that you apply sunscreen to your LEGS even if you think you will be in the water the whole day.... because you won't!! OUCH. burned, still... almost a week later. Such an idiot! Anyway- a completely amazing, relaxing day. I can't wait to return.

As for the protein bar reference.... food here is a bit less than I'd hoped for. Most things I've encountered have been pounded to bits and deep-fried. Not exactly my fare of choice... so I powered through all of the protein bars I brought here with me in about 2 weeks. (this means 2/day in some cases for meals!! GROSS!).... and when I went to the ecua-GNC to buy more, I waas shocked... a thing of protein powder costs $97!!! + tax, which I only discovered AFTER I'd paid for it... I went and immediately returned it!! (all of this made possible by the escort of Washington... who refuses to accept payment for these side trips...! he also takes me to the grocery store - pushes my cart, carries my bags....! he is so great- and married, with kids, and all of that...just in case you were wondering ;)!). So, now protein-barless, my meals consist of eggs and toast in the morning, salad w/beans at lunch... and a gallon of peanut butter, crackers and box of cereal per night- consumed in my room on my bed (see LEFT. ;) Things could be worse, but with an extended stay I need to explore more food options!! A girl can only eat so much All Bran. ;)

Anyway, I'm off to humiliate myself yet again and take a kickboxing class.... EN ESPANOL! It's funny how all classes are basically the same, even if you're on the other side of the Ecuator taking class in a different language...! And maybe someday I'll get used to the altitude. ;) Holy crap, that is NO JOKE. When I return home, I should have no problem running hundreds of marathons. ;)