The past three weeks

Three weeks after arriving in Quito, I finally got the opportunity to set down and establish roots in Ecuador: this past weekend, all 9 of the new PDs moved a minivan's worth of clothes, computers, books, and a cape into the Manna House in Conocoto. While we all appreciated our time in Quito (especially its convinience to many historical and cultural venues), the opportunity to communicate in our native language, choose what we eat, be with our new friends, and put down roots is something all of us appreciates. That certain tasks accompany the move (cooking, cleaning, bussing, taking over for the old PDs) make this time more exciting.

So what have we been doing all this time that it's only now, 3 weeks into our stay, that we're putting on the big kid pants? "Cultural immersion." Every morning we spent 4 hours in language school, working one-on-one with our Ecuadorian profesores on a range of topics, from the basic present tense (Chet y yo) to the development of the Mariscal (Erik), the neighborhood in Quito home to travelers, as well as our language school. [The Mariscal is affectionately known as "Gringolandia" by locals for its abundance of hostels, foreigners, bad Spanish, and overpriced everything.] Our afternoons were filled with almuerzo with our host families, a siesta (after 4 hours of learning a language while adjusting to altitude, it's much needed), and activities around the city or talks from the outgoing PDs about their work with Manna. Since the city is large and Manna has already done a lot, there is a lot to learn. As we begin our work, we've learn we don't know half of what we should. Fortunately, the outgoing PDs and Mark, the outgoing Country Director, are here this week to guide us.

Highlights of the past three weeks include:

• Yaka Water Museum- water & bubbles are great for kids aged 21-24
  
• Salsa lessons- taught by an hombre, with all the girls followed along closely
• Watching the MLB all-star game while helping a group of UK people win at trivia night
  
• Obtaining Ecuadorian IDs or censos
  
• Celebrating Chet's birthday with cake and Harry Potter- The Half-blood Prince
• Cooking lessons- how to make traditional Ecuadorian almuerzo and guacamole
• Networking at an talent show sponsored by an Ecuadorian non-profit, FEVI
  
• TeleferiQo- a gondola up Pinchincha, the volcano that forms the western boarder of Quito
• An afternoon in Parque la Carolina
• Celebrating Sarah's birthday at a Mexican restaurant owned by a former telenovela star
• Getting a classroom management talk from an Ecuadorian now teaching in Denver
• A trip with Luis, the director of the language school, for an almuerzo of cuy, better known in the states as guinea pig
  

Through these experiences and others, we've grown closer as a group as well as grown more confident in our ability to navigate what this city and country will throw at us.

Hasta luego,
Mike