So.Much.Spanish.

Welp, the second I looked out the window on the plane and saw the breath-taking mountains...it hit me. We did it, we were finally here! (btw Nathan, i found the exclamation point hehe). However it did take me about 15min to figure out how to log into Blogger, since everything is in Spanish lol. But anyways, I already am in love with Ecuador, it is gorgeous...well the mountains are anyway ha. Except everytime I get in the car, I feel I´m going to die (sorry moms, that probably doesn´t help things) because the driving is CRAZY. In order for us to get to the market, we have to make at least 3 U-turns...and there is constant traffic, pedestrian and vehichle traffic. The city and the streets look exactly how I pictured them. Stone streets and walk-ways, muti-colored buildings, fruit stands and small kiosks on every corner...and a really sad thing that I hate is many, many, stray, doggies :( They´re everywhere, searching for food...es muy triste! My house here is bright orange, and very nice! It has a big backyard and they have lots of chickens, 2 ducks, 2 rabbits and 3 dogs. One of the dogs just had 5 puppies ten days ago! It is very exciting lol. I have my own room with and adorable pink bed spread that they bought just for me (because I told Daysi my favorite color was pink)! The family is more than I could ask for, they are SO loving and gift giving! They just keep giving me gifts and it makes me feel bad! lol. Jorge, the father, is the best! He always smiles and makes sure I´m okay. The mother (whom I forget the name of at the moment :/) is also amazing! She makes delicious food and always trys to give me more more more lol I love her. Then there is Carla and Andres, Carla is 20 and Andres is 10. Carla is awesome, she is gorgeous and super welcoming, she always makes sure I´m in the loop (she and Daysi are the only ones who speak any english) she is hilarious and super small, shes not even 5 feet tall haha. She actually just came up to me and was like "Uhh, i dont want this shirt...you have it." and layed it on my lap, hahaa like I said she´s awesome. Andre, I think is really confused by me lol he speaks NO english and just stares at me like I´m crazy lol...but he constantly gives me things and smiles at me, he trys to talk to me but it only last like 2 min haha. And then there is Daysi, who most of you know or know of, I don´t know what I would do if she wasn´t here. She lets me know whats going on and translates, plus she keeps me company and doesn´t make it awkward lol This family is incradible, they are all really close to eachother and very loving...I´ve been here less than 48hrs and I already feel like part of the family. I´m so excited for the rest of this experience, I´m a truly blessed 16 year old :) Well, I´ll be sure to continue updating but now I´m gonna go watch some spanish tv :)
Hasta luego.

WE ARE HERE

Well, we are here, as you can tell by the title of this post, which would have an exclamation point, but i cant seem to find it on a spanish keyboard, how sad. Also every word i am typing has a red squiggle underneath of it because it thinks i am spelling everything wrong. but that doesnt matter because like i said, we have arrived in quito ecuador. the mountains here as so beautiful and idk how anybody navigates the streets here because they all look the same. today is tuesday and apparently that means the open street market which is so different from anything i have seem in ohio or anywhere else for that matter. basically this place can be summed up into one word, different. but different is amazing and if you want an example of that, feel free to come join us. i went to the school i will be attending for the first time today, its blue and yellow walls make me feel like a traitor to my native land, but i will adjust, because when school starts the last thing i will be thinking about is the color of the walls. the medina family is amazing too and i have eaten many interesting things so far. this morning i drank half a glass of juice before i realized it was tomatoe juice, i dont like tomatoes period unless they are in ketchup so lets just say i was pretty amazed. oh, and the tomatoes grow on tress here. a little different, but i guess that makes them taste better. lol. last night when we arrived i gave so many hugs and to people i had absolutely no idea who they were, and still some of them i dont. we then ate pizze, which was unique but i think it may have caught on in my system, well see i guess. also if you have noticed all the typos then please forgive me because i am trying my best to even space the words let alone give them capital letters or punctuation. I am about to head out to somewhere, i dont really know where but im sure it will be exciting, ah, i guess it is the beach, and who knows were else. so please if you havent started to follow us yet, go ahead and do so now, and feel free to pass the blog along. until next time... farewell and goodbye.... oh, and if you are ever in ecuador, feel free to put the brown sugar in your glass of warm milk, it is quite delicious, and no one will think a thing about it

The Time Is Upon Us...

Well, the day has finally arrived. In a few hours the four of us accompanied by Señor Wentz and Mrs. Debbi Peterson will be awaking as we begin our long journey to the Equator. It seems like just yesterday I began the 200 and some odd day countdown to our adventure, and yet here we are, the night before departure. We will miss all of you... family, friends, and even all the rest of you, lol :) Our last few weeks of goodbyes here have been nice and I'm sure we will all be eagerly awaiting our return to see you gain. So, after saying my last few farewells, and enjoying a last American meal of homemade noodles and mashed potatoes (compliments to my Nana) I believe I am ready to set out and accept the challenge, I just have to convince my uneasy stomach to feel the same way... 

The Day Is Closing In...

Hello to those of you who shall check in often, and to those of you who won't but really will because you are pretending remember... Well, we leave this Monday for Quito, Ecuador by way of Miami Florida. I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say that we are very nervous, but at the same time very excited. Please keep in touch and hopefully we will be able to check in and post here often. Hasta Luego :)