Tuesday, April 29, 2008

A little over a month to go

It’s been a long time to get to this point, but as of June 16th, it will be USA to Ecuador.

I will be leaving to serve in the Peace Corps in a little over a month, and I couldn’t be more excited. I have been reading everything I can get my hands on about Ecuador. Been trying to get myself motivated to review Spanish grammar and vocabulary…I’m sure, however, I will wish I had spent more time on this when I get to Ecuador.

My biggest concern right now is figuring out how to pack for two years in two suitcases. I have been able to get some nice discounts at certain stores as a future Peace Corps volunteer. Chacos for half price, I can’t complain. Definitely worth checking out!

I am also looking to sell my car. Anyone who knows someone who is looking to buy a good little reliable Toyota Corolla let me know! It has served me well, and I am sad to see it go.

May is looking to be a busy month. May 9th-11th, I’ll be taking a trip to Texas to visit dear friends, Ariana and Matt. I’ve never been to the legendary Lone Star state, but I can’t wait! My little sister goes to prom May 17th and then graduates from high school May 27th…..where did the time go? She is all grown up, and I am so proud of her! Last week in May, family trip to Florida…Disney World and relaxing at the beach. I’ve got a lot of things to look forward to. My goal is to spend as much time as I can with friends and family before I leave!

So, this blog will be an online chronicle of my 27 month experience in the Peace Corps. It will be nice to keep my friends and family updated on my life, and I hope they will repay the favor and let me know how life is going in the States. I will do my best to update as often as I can. Looking forward to reading your comments!

Sunday, April 27, 2008

My soon to be new home...

OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Ecuador
CAPITAL: Quito
ESTIMATED POPULATION 12,679,700


LOCATION & GEOGRAPHY: Ecuador is located on the northwest of South America. The Equator line in Northern & Southern Hemisphere divides it. There are four major regions in Ecuador.
(1.) The coastal plain or Costa
(2.) The Sierra or Andean Highlands
(3.) The Oriente
(4.) The Galapagos Islands


MAJOR CITIES: Guayaguil, Quito, Cuenca, Machala, Portoviejo


CLIMATE: Ecuador has a tropical climate which is hot and humid.


SPECIES: 9.2 of species per km2 (most in the world) Over 1,800 bird species, Over 1,000 sea species, over 230 mammal species, over 680 reptile species, and over 20,000 plant species.


LANGUAGES: The official language is Spanish. 6% of the population speaks Quechua, mainly the AmerIndians.


CURRENCY: The official currency is the United States Dollar (USD) divided into 100 Cents.


GOVERNMENT: Democratic


RELIGIONS: Roman Catholic