"It's always worse in your head than in real life."I arrived last night to a clean, organized airport where I zoomed through customs, found my bags immediately, tipped the man the correct amount and found my host family with ease.
Nerves were certainly abound because I had had no experience traveling in Latin America, and I was surprising assured to find an "American"-looking man holding a placard with my name at the airport. Long story short, a scary experience was made pleasant by familiar things. Quito is Ecuadorians walking around in a developed-ish environment.
Kenny and Ami's flight had delays, so they arrived one day later and I met my host family alone in the morning. Rosita, my house mother and the coordinator of the Spanish school, is sooo nice and welcoming and so are her guests. Of course, the conversation this morning centered on Islam...Why don't you eat meat here? The Muslim women in this country feel free; they don't wear the scarf...Do you have to walk three step behind the men? Do you have to submit to men? Oh, so the president of the country your parents are from was Saddam Hossein...
With a smile,"I am free and I wear the scarf in the US too, it's a free country and it's my own choice." Disgusted, but trying to answer in a happy tone, "No, the men have to submit to me!!!" And the president, "No, Iran is different from Iraq, but the president there now is not a far throw from that other dictator." I had a wonderful breakfast and enjoyed the heated conversation. Ecuadorians are warm, welcoming, and open-minded.
Got to see the school, went to Mariscal for lunch (touristy area of Quito), took a nap in the afternoon (amaaaazing!), went to La Rhonda (sp?) with a couple of the girls living in the same house and a girl from down the street (Very nice - renovated old part of Quito. I had some tea and the girls had warm wine at a really cute shop here, and a man walked in from the street and started playing music.), began breathing hard walking up a slight incline and getting into bed (don't get excited, it's the altitude ;-)), and then came back to Rosita's to find Kenny & Ami! I'm so glad that they are here, experiences are more fun when shared!
Tomorrow starts our two days of all-day Spanish, and then clinic/Spanish mixed days for the rest of this week and next. We stick out like soar thumbs here - I don't think there's any way to avoid it - but I'm looking forward to the cultural exchange and the amazing experiences to come!
