Monday, March 22, 2010

It's always hard to say good-bye...

After 3 great months, I just dropped my sister off at the airport to head back to Colorado. I found myself getting teary-eyed as I pulled away in the taxi. Now back to traveling and working solo. I was lucky to have Courtney out here for the time that she was...she knows how to keep things interesting in a good and fun way! <3
My sister's despedida also made me realize how little time I have left here. 4 months and I will be back in Colorado too! It is going to be INCREDIBLY hard to leave. I am thankful for the time I have left here, and am excited for the transition back home. I miss all you people!! Las nanas....TQM
Cecilia brought out some wine for us all to drink together to cheers to Courtney's memorable time in Ecuador.My host mom really grew fond of Courtney and is looking forward to her coming back and visiting in 5-years, as she says, with her husband and 2 kids! haha. veras
The kids adored Courtney, so much that sometimes I felt like my house turned into a daycare at points. ha. They are truly going to miss her.
Courtney's Going Away/PJ party My girls :) We danced until 3am.....I could hardly last.
Court's cat Casanova didn't want to say good-bye.
Don't worry Court, I will take good care of him.
WE ALREADY MISS YOU COURTNEY!
Thanks for coming out and being such great company. I love you dearly and hope Ecuador will be something you can look back upon as an incrediblly beautiful place where you learned to grow into your own.
TQM. Enjoy the snow.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Quito Madness

Court and I headed to Quito to celebrate birthdays...welcome new Peace Corps volunteers and to enjoy the Andes mtns one last time before Courtney has to head back to the States. Our chiva...aka dance party on wheels...that took us on a night tour of Quito. I think chivas would be an excellent addtion to Denver night life. :)
Party group. 50 of us crammed onto the chiva.
Me, Laura and Sam
Historical part of Quito where the chiva made a stop for us to dance in the plaza
While in Quito, we also took a gandala up to the top lookout point in the city

We had an incredible view
I love Quito.
Laura and the Richmond sisters
and the greatness continued with some bowling

We snuck pizza into the bowling alley
Courtney rocking out at guitar hero

Rubia to Rockstar

Courtney is NO longer a blonde! She decided she needed a new look. So, after a day at the spa, Courtney came out looking like a rockstar. Before as a rubia
Drum roll please.................................



TA DA!
The new transformed Courtney

Whadaya think?!?!

Am I becoming the cat lady?

Valentines Day gift from my host brohter. Sweet, I guess but wasn't prepared for a new animal in the house but Courtney immediately got attached. So, after lots of convincing, the little gato became Courtney's new baby.
Say hello to Casanova
So, it didn't take me that long to warm up to the little guy either
He loves cuddling up to Courtney Meow









Monday, March 8, 2010

500,000 earthquakes a year around the world

The massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Chile more than a week ago rumbled all the way to Ecuador. Courtney and I were abrubtly woken-up by a violent shaking of our beds at 5:30a.m. First thought....why does my host brother need to run up and down the stairs like there is a fire in the house...and then I opened my eyes to see that the entire place was shaking. We jumped up and ran to the door way. Slowly the rumbling came to a stop and fortunately no damage was done. First earthquake for my sister and I. 5.5 magnitude. Ecuador is very lucky to not have had any negative repercussions. My heart goes out to those in Chile.

Friday, March 5, 2010

Celebrating Carnival on the Coast

After a looooonnnng night bus from the sierra, we arrived in Portoviejo to begin the Carnival celebrations.
The one and only pretty part of Portoviejo. I am thankful to live in the campos where I'm surrounded by green, green and more green Carnival crew. Casey who lives in Puyo, Mans, Me and Court

First night of Carnival, we went to a reggeaton Makano concert.
"Te amo, Te amo, Te aaammmoo" We danced like
We started in the very back farthest seats from the stage and somehow worked our way to the front row.At our $10 seats, we were walking targets for the masses of people who were drenching each other in water, beer, foam, lo que sea. We quickly ran out of amo and thats when we had to figure out how we could get closer and change sections.

Our escorts who helped us get to the front row
And our personal choffers back to our hotelThe next day we went on a bus tour to the beach where there was no escaping the Carnival madness
Covered in paint, water, coffee?! pop, colored foam....and who knows what else

there was no mercy. no one was off limits. Amanda got the full South American Carnival experience! Whether she is gonna kill me or thank me for it later, I'm still undecided. hehe
My dear friends Jen and Ali who metamorphed into Avitar characters
After the beach tour, we traveled back to my site where I had to make sure my host brother was not left out of all the foam fights
Now the real question...how does this oil based paint/flour come off???
After a lot of scrubbing, we made it to the Finca in my site to top off the celebrations. Good times but extreme. We all needed time to recover.