second monthly report for rotary :)

So, my life has definitely changed here. I'm starting to learn how to adapt to my new life and family here, and I'm actually really dreading when I will have to change families in February. I absolutely cannot believe how fast time has flown since I've been here, meaning I only have right around seven months here. Why does the best year of my life have to pass by so fast?
There are a few things that I feel are note-worthy for my blog. I went to a party, and we got gassed by the police because we didn't leave fast enough. That was something that would never happen in the U.S., and it really startled me. I absolutely could not believe that the police, the people that were supposed to be helping us, gassed us while we were trying to have fun. Another is that I went to Mama Negra, this huge festival where everyone gets drunk. There was a parade through Latacunga, a city close to mine, and the people were all trying to pour drinks into your mouths; it was crazy. There were so many people, almost all of them completely drunk, and me not having drank found it so funny. There I met somebody who went with Rotary twenty-two years ago to Latacunga, and she just now married her love from there a week ago. I'm a sucker for those kinds of stories, so I about died when she told me. I also met a guy from Latvia through YFU, and I have always thought Latvia was a cool country so it was nice to talk to him. He understood me perfectly, which I cannot say is the same for all Europeans, so it was like talking to an attractive American. I left that party and went with my classmates to celebrate it somewhere else and I met a guy who went on exchange to Germany with a small program two years ago, so that was cool too. I love exchange students.
Let's see.. what has happened? I went on my second, if you could the Spanish Camp as one, trip with Rotary. We went to the beach, and it was amazing. All these trips have been the best weeks of my life. The first night everyone, including me, was thrown into the pool with clothes on, and considering I had jeans on, those took the whole trip to dry. The next day has to have been my favorite day because we had a full day on the beach to ourselves. When we were leaving though, the boat hit straight onto a wave, and everyone was completely soaked. It didn't bother me that much because I had been in the water up until the moment we left, but there were some people that had dried for over an hour and who were mad, in a funny kind-of-almost joking way. The next day we participated in a parade, which was pretty fun but I was so burnt. During the parade, I ended up changing my clothes into a dress because it was so hot, and that was funny. We then went to a place to buy stuff, and then had this amazing bonfire on the beach. The beach was amazingly warm and beautiful, and there was a dance on the beach with a huge screen of the music videos and blaring music. A lot of people, including me, were dancing in the water, and that was amazing. Next day we had more beach time, aka I came back completely red, and we went to a "Chiva" which is a bus with a band. That was cool, and after there was this fancy dinner and dance. So much fun, and we didn't go to sleep until like 3:00am. We had to leave after that, which, well, was awful. I love my city, but honestly I missed everyone so much.
I went to a huge concert of Colombian music, and everyone was dancing and having fun. I swear, all of the city must have came out because it was the biggest concert I've ever seen. I got home at 2:45am and then had to go to school the next day (Saturday?!) because we had a program for Dia de los Disfuntos/Halloween.
I went to Ibarra, Otavalo, Quito, and a few other cities. Some of my best friends live in Ibarra, so that was amazing because I hadn't gotten to see them for a long time. In Otavalo, there was a huge market and I spent so much money there and bought so much. Now that I look on it, it's not that much for what I received, but still. Quito, the capital, is so beautiful. We saw the Historical District, which just practically made me faint. It was so gorgeous, and there was one monument, Virgen de El Panecillo, and we went there at night. There was a wrap-around balcony that showed all of Quito at night. Breathtaking, and so romantic.. From there, went to this street, La Ronda. If it is possible to fall in love with a street, I did. It was so clean, everyone was holding hands, it was actually an alley because there were no cars, and it was all made of brick with flags and cute lights. I loved it so much, it has to be my favorite place in the world. We left, had pizza, and the next day we had to leave. Got back, went with Xavier, Chacha, and Billy (girl from YFU-other program, from Switzerland) to a barbecue. More bonding, more love.
It was weird, I had this awful nightmare where it was June 6, and I would have to leave in a week. I wish I didn't have to leave that early, but we're going on a cruise the first week of July so I'm not complaining. Anyways, I know I always say this, but every moment also makes me realize I'll have to leave that much sooner. I thought, WOW! That was horrible, but then I realized that day is going to come. Ahh!
My family is getting so much better, it's awesome. For my mom's fiftieth birthday, there was a huge party in the discoteca of my aunt's house; yes, my aunt has a discoteca in her house. I think it's so funny how hard all the people, including the adult's, can party. I'm now friends with Emi, and things are much better with my brother. I love all my classmates, and I can't imagine this life here without one of them.
So to sum this up, like always: I love my life. I cannot believe how lame life would be without Rotary and all the people that make this experience possible. I love it here, this culture is for me, and, well, I'm not going to return. Just kidding... probably.

time for an update,..

Well, I love all the exchange students here in my city. So much. We're all just a really good group, and I can't imagine when we have to split up after this. I will definitely miss going over to Xavier's house to watch "How I Met Your Mother", or dancing with Chacha whenever a song comes on. Anyways...
I went to an insanely huge concert with practically all of the city last Friday. It was Colombian music, so I didn't understand anything, but it showed me a lot about the culture about here. I really wish I had known the lyrics because all those that did looked like they were having so much fun. I was too of course, just not the same. The next day we had classes, Saturday?, and I practically died. I got home at 2:45am the night before, well the morning of, and I had to wake up at 6:30am. It was awful. Then we had classes and after a program for Dia de los Disfuntos. It's funny how I got to an all girl's Catholic school, but I have never seen an outfit shorter than that. All the classes had to do something, so they dressed up like pirates or leprechauns and danced; it was funny.
I went to Ibarra, Otavalo, Quito, and a few other lakes. We left "at 6:30 on the dot," literally 9:00am for Otavalo. There is a huge market there, and I bought so much for presents and for me for so cheap now that I look back on it and see what I bought. Oh, before that we went and had lunch at this beautiful lake that I definitely want to have my honeymoon at. From there we went to Ibarra, where I stayed the night with Mexi (U.S.), Charline (France), Ashley (U.S.), and the next day I saw Marie (France). It was so nice of my family to go there and so that I could see my friends that live way too far away. We went to a lake there too, which was so pretty; I love lakes. Then we stayed the next night in Otavalo, where I sang with another cousin to Justin Bieber and tried to learn Spanish lyrics. We watched "The Big Bang Theory" for a while, I talked with my sister (we're now really good friends, it's awesome!) and then the next day was wonderful. We left for Quito and, wow. I love Quito. We saw the Historical District, which just practically made me faint. It was so gorgeous, and there was one monument, Virgen de El Panecillo, and we went there at night. There was a wrap-around balcony that showed all of Quito at night. Breathtaking, and so romantic.. From there, went to this street, La Ronda. If it is possible to fall in love with a street, I did. It was so clean, everyone was holding hands, it was actually an alley because there were no cars, and it was all made of brick with flags and cute lights. I loved it so much. We left, had pizza, and the next day we had to leave. Got back, went with Xavier, Chacha, and Billy (girl from YFU-other program, from Switzerland) to a barbecue. More bonding, more love.
Back started classes, but as of now, every Thursday we only have class until 11:00am. It's awesome. Friday I went to Xavier's and then after we all went to watch COMER. REZAR. AMAR (Eat, Pray, Love). How beautiful, but so different from the book. Of course I loved it, but different.
Today I went to Mama Negra, which is this program where everyone in Latacunga, the city next to us, gets drunk. It was insane, like we were dancing and watching the parade and they would try to feed everybody alcohol or put them in circle, rub them with sticks, and spit on them. Weird, but completely Ecuadorian and awesome. I thought it was so cool and fun, and the people were nice. I met a lady who went with Rotary to Ecuador I believe twenty-two years ago and fell in love, and just now married him about a week ago. How cute is that? Well, we danced, then I left that party to go to another one, and from there back to Ambato.
Today, a miracle happened. I never really got along with my brother, but yesterday he said "Hola Diane" and I was so surprised. Then, today got home and had nothing to do so I just decided to talk with Mateo. We actually talked and decided this fighting is over, thank gosh, and now I really honestly do think this will work. I'm so excited. I now actually have a lot of respect for him, and he smiled and talked with me like I was a person that mattered, which you would think would have happened sooner, but nope. Anyways, we're good. And my sister and I, yes, we are friends now! I really like her now, and I feel like I can talk to her about anything. We are both very different people with completely different personalities, but it works. I love it. I love life.

Pictures:
Classmates and I.
Most of my class.
A long time ago, but I think it's a cute picture of us.
Isn't that girl just too cute?
We were having fun in a dance party.
Mexi and I in Ibarra.
Again.
Us four.
Charline and I.