we got high (on a mountain, that is)

So let's think. I made it through Christmas, and honestly it was so hard. It was a lot different than what I was used to, my family wasn't with me, and I felt like, I don't know, just it was really hard. Everyone says how difficult the holiday season is, but you never really understand until you experience it. On Christmas Eve, we went to a mass at 10pm, then went back and ALL the family was eating pizza and salad. After that I was so tired and we weren't really doing much, but what is there really to do at 1am? Christmas Day I woke up at 12:30pm, not my usual 6:00am, opened the few presents in my room with my friend from Germany, and then we talked and went to eat. After, this felt so weird honestly, I went with my friend and her cousins and brother or something like that to play soccer. We ended up going for a jog and taking pictures while listening to music. After, the whole family prayed and was crying and that was hard because of how this season is and the fact that there's someone sick in the famly.
We had a sleepover and then on Sunday we went to the snow. That was cool, we climbed Chimborazo (like 1km, I have no idea in miles) and that was so difficult with the freezing wind and steep incline. We finally got back down, ate, and then left for one of the three Salinas towns in Ecuador. I LOVED it, the atmosphere, the people everything. They had "factories" of cheese, soccer balls, chocolate, and clothing. The factories were not from the typical picture of factory with the smoke billowing out, just little buildings. The soccer ball one was a room in a house about the size of a master bedroom, a little bigger. The chocolate one had the best smell in the room and a view that would work in the Harry Potter movies. The cheese one was awesome, and the clothing one we didn't get to. Everywhere there was recycling stuff and in the centro the boys were just hanging out without a worry, playing Ecuavolley (like volleyball kind of).
I bought a bunny, and it's the coolest thing in the world I completely love it. The family thinks it's completely hilarious that I wanted one and actually bought it, but I adore it and want to keep it forever. We left for a day and I already missed it, so that shows how attached I am to my baby. Today, Wednesday, I went to the Amazon; it was so cool. We went to this really cool lookout that was a tree house gone insane, a bird zoo, saw more animals, and then I went up in an airplane. That was amazing, it was 15min flying over the Amazonia, and it was crazy pretty. On the way back we went to Banos again, and seriously I adore that city. I honestly think I will retire there or something, I love it. The atmosphere, the fact that we're not looked at like we're from a different planet, how much stuff there is to do, seriously. VISIT BANOS.
As for everything else, my family is doing really good right now, my brother and I are at a comfortable state of never going to be friends, and my sister and I are actually friends it's awesome. I'm going to miss them when I have to change families, which is either the 8th of January or the last week of that month, we're not really sure. There's a really huge party coming up on I think the 6th of January, and groups leave to dance dressed up all cool. I want to do that so bad with the other exchange students, but nobody else really has ganas to do that (having ganas: like having a drive, having a reason to want to do something). Unfortunate, I know.
I feel like I owe everyone more information, but I've gotten so busy. I feel like I'm neglecting blogging, writing in my journal, and reading the Bible, which are all things I should not be forgetting to do. Well, time to go cuddle my conejito (bunny) and watch How I Met Your Mother. Damn, I love life here.
Oh, and about university....
I'm thinking I have to skip a year to work or do something because I have no idea where I want to go, or if I'm ready to do university in Spanish. Taking off a year for that wouldn't help, but I would apply in August and start in March of the next, next year so that would help. If anything, I think I'll take a semester off and hopefully go live on the East Coast. If anyone has any help, any ideas for me, please let me know because I feel like I am SO LOST! And, of course as always, ASK QUESTIONS!
Photos:
We went to Chimborazo and the car ride was pretty long.
My BFF Franzi is awesome and made this.
I was with my classmates for our Christmas dinner.
We went to do Rotary volunteer work and there were really cooly decorated horses.
We did a free hugs thing.

Monthly Report 3

Honestly, my life has changed so much and so little since I’ve been here. I’ve become more and more busy, so when I finally make it to bed after talking to my host family, I now rarely blog or write in my dictionary. I’ve also learned through this experience that I really value my family from back home a lot more, and this is making me realize what is really important.
Of course I have had problems, I honestly don’t think that one person can go through a whole exchange year without problems. They’re not important enough to write about actually, but they have made me really value the people from here too. For example, there was one day where in school we talked about family a lot and that was really hard. I was talk to Xavier, probably my best friend here (from Belgium) and I told him I was feeling a little bit down, so he SCOOTERED twenty minutes from his house to mine to talk. Those kind of friends are really difficult to find, and I’m so glad that I have him. There was another time when I talked with an aunt that I had rarely ever talked to for over an hour, and that was amazing. My cousin told me he’s willing to talk salsa dance classes with me (and all the other exchange students) and my parents from here are paying for at least the first month.
Christmas is coming up soon, which I’m so excited for but this is definitely the hardest time of year to go through as an exchange student. All of us here in Ambato picked names for “Amigo Secreto” (Secret Santa) and a few of us made calendars for each other with little gifts for each day. My classmates are doing “Amiga Secreta” (that ends in “a” since I go to an all girls school) and we’re having dinners and days of, well, happiness. New Years is coming, and I’m SO excited for that because they burn straw replicas of people or something and there’s a bunch of fireworks and parties and time with family. It seems like how New Years here is done better, than in the USA where we watch the ball drop on TV.
How is Rotary? Rotary is awesome, and I’m so thankful to everyone. My counselor I completely adore, and she helps me out in everything possible. Honestly, she’s a lot like my mom here and I have so much respect for her. She has helped me meet people, told me that maybe she can take me to Peru, and whenever she wants to leave the city she checks if I want to go. I honestly believe that I have the best possible counselor in the world, and for that I am so grateful. Also, I love the bond that happens when you meet another exchange student. I’ve met people that went on exchange ten, twenty, thirty years ago and it’s just amazing.
My Spanish, not to toot my own horn or anything, but it is almost literally perfect. There are a few things that are still difficult to conjugate, for example the words like “would” and “will”, but other than that it’s awesome. I literally understand everything, and everyone tells me my Spanish is amazing, especially for it not being my first language.
What else? Someone stole my cell phone after I walked in this parade for the Independence Day of Ambato, and then my classmates helped me get it back. Then, a week later, someone from my OWN CLASS stole it, but oh well because I’ve learned that for every one person that wants to steal from you there are a hundred people that want to help you.
I’m pretty nervous about universities because I still have yet to figure out exactly what I want to do, or if I want to go to Europe or the U.S. or maybe a Spanish university in Argentina. I’m thinking about taking a year off to think about it, to earn money, maybe to travel, maybe to live with my aunt on the East Coast. This year has really made me realize what I like, what my passion is, and what I want to do. The only problem is that sometimes that’s pretty hard to figure out where it’s possible. Honestly, I’m just waiting for the Travel Channel to discover me and give me my own show in touring around the world.
So let me think if there is anything else going on… I really love my cousins, and I love almost all of us live on the same street. We went to the city Banos again, and wow, I had forgotten how much I loved it. It’s so pretty, everyone is happy to live there, there are a lot of tourists so not everyone is looking at you when you walk down the street, and there is so much to do. There is every kind of food, every kind of person, and every activity possible. I’m honestly considering living there maybe for retirement, because it is such a relaxed and carefree city.
Well, to sum this up, this exchange year is forever opening my eyes to the world of possibilities, however cheesy that sounds. If you want any more specific information or any questions, just let me know!

SO LONG AGO, around nov 19

There was a parade, and I have quite a bit to say about that. Later I might end up putting more about it, but the short version is: we walked down the streets for about two hours, someone tried to rob my cell phone, I stepped in gum, and water splashed on my face. That night, I went with all the Rotary exchange students (except Franzi, she was in Quito) around Ambato and we had a sleepover. We stepped in to one party for about five minutes, I saw my cousin Pato (16 years old) and now we’re like half friends, we walked around a street while it was raining (now I’m sick) and then we went back to watch Harry Pottter (guess who fell asleep early?)

Next day: went to a baptism, well we actually arrived just in time to take the pictures and leave for the party. All of the family there was family that I don’t know, but I made friends really quickly. We did a few different dances, we talked, and went home at midnight. The next day we went to have lunch at this really pretty restaurant and then went to a fair of artesanias in Pinllo (handmade stuff in a neighborhood). I bought a jacket, Liga (soccer team) scarf, and we walked around in the cold (sick again!) The next day I had a horrible headache, a cold, and school, so I missed school on Tuesday. This past week I’ve hung out with my friends and actually been leaving the house, which is a lot better.

Wednesday…

One boy thinks he loves me, but I’d never met him before Wednesday. He’s really persistent, so I decided I would give him a chance and meet him in the center. We went to eat, but I wasn’t hungry so only water. I called my friends from AFS (other youth exchange program) to come and meet us because I figured it would be awkward only with him, but it kind of turned out weirder at first because he doesn’t speak any English and one of my friends doesn’t really speak Spanish. Then I talked with his “girlfriend” on the phone, not really sure why I was supposed to, and we kind of left him. I wasn’t ever planning on being his girlfriend at all, but he kept asking me to be his girlfriend. Anyways, I felt kind of bad that we left him, but he still thinks he loves me so I don’t feel that bad anymore.

Two other Rotary exchange students, the two AFS students, and I went to a salsa dance class on Wednesday to learn how to dance South American-style, and it was hard. We were all laughing because it’s pretty difficult to dance and I definitely had no idea what I was doing. I received a package from the U.S. on Thursday; piece of advice: never have a package be more than 4kilos because you WILL have to pay. Still though, I was so happy to receive that package but it kind of made me miss my family more. Family, I know you’re reading this, so just so you know I love you guys. <3>

TOMORROW (SATURDAY): We’re going to see Harry Potter! Yes, I’m a little upset I didn’t go to see the midnight premiere, but I’m so excited. SO EXCITED. At least two people from Latacunga are coming to see it as well, which means this is going to be awesome. This Sunday we have the census, so apparently everyone has to stay in their house all Sunday, or at least until they get… censused?, but since almost nobody is going to be working it won’t be that fun.

What happened after that…

Friday I wrote this during class, and apparently I was so enraptured in writing that someone decided to STEAL MY CELL PHONE. FROM MY CLASS. This made me so mad, that someone from the class would do this! I can’t do anything about it other than have faith in God that He is going to help me and provide for all, but also that karma does exist.

Saturday was amazing, I missed Caitlin and Lea a lot and Caitlin came to my house. Harry Potter was in Spanish but I understood almost ALL of it! That could be because I’ve read the book like four times so I could more or less guess what was going on, but I feel like I have improved so much in the language, and I love it. While we were waiting though, there was a bomb threat, so we left the mall and I was super nervous. Then we found out it was just a simulation, but it was weird because some people stayed in the mall and some left scared. Later, we went to a party at a club and almost no one was dancing, but “Here in Your Arms” by Hellogoodbye, my happiness song, came on and I danced crazy. We had permission until one, but when we got home the third door was locked, so Mateo came to open it. Well then I couldn’t shut the second door so I tried to get his help but his door is confusing with the lock on the outside, so I couldn’t get open his door. Caitlin figured out how to close the door, but when we were upstairs we heard this insane banging. First came the freaking out, then the possible realization I had locked Mateo in his room, and then the apology.

On Sunday when we woke up, thanks to Caitlin that was around 8:00am, we talked and then got on the subject of American food and that lasted a while; I forgot how much I miss all the choices. Later, we went to watch Mateo to do downhill, then to have ice cream with the exchange students, then out to eat, and then to the mall for shopping. I think I forgot how fun shopping is, because I had SO much fun just walking around shopping and smelling perfume; I love perfume and exchange students. Got home, stayed in the house, and talked to my family for a long time after Chichi’s birthday cake.

Monday, school. After, I went to Xavier’s house and then later the dance class. We left that, all us exchange students talked about Christmas and decided on what we’re going to do. Katie came to my house for a little while longer, then she left. Tuesday (today) school and “practicing” for the parade that we have tomorrow; again I get to march. After, Xavier came to my house and then we went to the center, back to his house and then me back to my house. I’m really content with my life, which is weird because someone just robbed my cell phone. I guess when that happens it makes you realize who your friends that you can trust are, and now I really like my family. My dad sent a message to my cell phone, and apparently the person who has my phone called tonight (but my dad didn’t have his phone on him then)! WHAT IS GOING ON?! This is driving me crazy. But everyone who is reading this, know that Ecuador is a beautiful country and that for every person that robs you, there are a hundred people that want to help you. J