Feliz Navida, y un Feliz ano nuevo! Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

Hola mis lectores,
 So here is how i spent my Christmas and new year in Ecuador.
First since i ended up changing families ahead of time, my new family was really busy for christmas. They own a clothing store kind of like Ross Dress for Less, but its called Vatex. There are store here in Cuenca, Ambato, Quito, Loja, and in some malls. Since i didn't have to take part ( thank God) in examens i worked with my parents in their office sorting, pricing, security guarding, and packing clothes and shoes for the holiday rush the proximate week. And as my sister got done with her finals, my mom, brother, sister, maid, and i all went to work in the Loja store up until the 24th of december. We returned, to cuenca, had a night to sleep,a nd the next day it was spent with a brunch with more family i have never met, then on to my Grandma's house later that night, and then wrapping presents, or if you have a maid like me, she just wrapped them ( i know, i could have done it myself, but you only get one year of this kind of treatment, and might as well enjoy Latin life, plus my maid and i are like best friends. So really its a friend helping out another friend that can't wrap for her life) and placed them under the tree with all the presents. I got to enjoy all my family from my host dad's side of the family, and see papa noel ( santa ) passing out all the presents to everyone! I got a nice pare of boots from my sister ( funny thing, they were from the family store) a heart necklace from my cousin, and earings from my whole family. The best thing was the next day, my sister and i were sleeping and my mom came into the room, and said get up we are going to Salinas ( my favorite beach) for spending the new year with your counsins from New Jersey, and the whole thing was a surprise. I got to meet them, and now call them my family. I got to try jet-skiing, experiencing burning an ano viejo ( a doll that you burn of the past year, to give you luck in the new year) and go to mantanita, another really cool surfing beach. Out of it all, i think i will remember new years the most, because the amount of fuegos artificales ( fireworks) was insane, definitly not like back in the states, and fires from the ano's viejos ( which were filled with fireworks as well) lite the whole beach on fire, then dancing until three in the morning, thats what i call bringing in the New Year, Ecuadorian style! Check out some of the pic's!
Until next big experience, Hint the Amazone trip!

Thanksgiving Cuenca style!

Hey, sorry i haven't updated this since the last big thing in my life here in Cuenca. So when i went to go to Thanksgiving dinner with two other exchange students, Savannah- California, and Matt-Colorado, we went to San Carlos a restaurante for Gringos ( white expatriots from America). Going wasn't the only highlight for me, don't get me wrong just eating something to celebrate Thanksgiving was really nice, but just to show you how small this world is, before i left my mom told me about one of her friends (Roxanna) and she has a friend that was living in Cuenca and that i should try to find her, but the funny thing is met a lady that night that was from California, and i didn't really register that, that lady was the friend of my moms friend. I had no clue i was talking to her until my mom sent me an email saying i had met her, and her family that night. Other then that the food was as close as you could get to having the real dinner back home! Turkey, ham, stuffing, ect, but no pumpkin pie. Thats ok it was just nice having a Thanksgiving dinner with good friends! Here are some pic's of my version of thanksgiving!

Madrina Madness!!! & Halloween Hallows

Hola mis lectores ( my readers) this is what happened on halloween weekend here in Ecuador! First with the big special day for me and my family, the day i represented my Quimico clase ( chemistry class) as their Madrina. I had to get up early around 6 to get my hair done, ok that may sound like sleeping in to some but the fact that i went out with my sisters the previous night, and got home around 3:30 am, getting back up at six was kind of a pain to do. But it was no problem when i got to the beauty saloon to fall asleep in the  chair while i had my head poodle-a-fied! Once that was over, my mom rushed me back to my house to finish up getting ready, and then we rushed out the door to Catalinas for the show. The funny thing was i was worried that we weren't going to make it there in time, i was told to be there by 8, but i got there around 8:30-40, but the fact of the matter was that the show didn't start for another 2-3 hours later, thats Latin time for you. When finally the show started i walked out with my date ( an exchange student from France, he ended up being a French loser, but oh well) then walked up to our stage, with my whole school, their friends/family, and all of Cuenca, because the whole thing was filmed! No pressure! So once that was over there were lots of venders selling food outside, and trying to move in one general direction was quite a workout in six inch heals. But ala in all the day was one to remember, and will be part of many exchange memories!

As for Halloween this is all i have to say, i had my friend Savannah ( an exchange student from Cali) make my costume ( a hippy), but ended up sleeping at the Halloween party. Here Halloween is really an excuse to have a party, but at least i got an Ecuadorian hot dog out of it. No candy, no trick-or-treat, no Booooo's, just one cold, boring night! Oh well beggars can't be choosers ( thanks mom, now i understand the meaning of the saying)!

Manabi is the boom-a-bi

Hola readers, here is what happened last friday leaving for Manabi, the all exchange student trip. The kids in Cuenca traveled 8 hours to a small but beautiful beach called Manabi, we got to meet up with all the kids from our spanish camps, and meet all the rest of the exchange students that weren't there. 135 in total, the sun was out, the water was up, and the excitement was the only energy we ran on, since we had very little. Once we got all settled in our rooms we headed towards the dance floor ( its latin america, we dance as much as we eat and sleep) and hit some tunes, and some games. The game i was in was guy musical bodies, us girls had to dance around these guys and when the music stopped we had to cling onto them, only us because they had their hands behind their backs. I ended up losing but its was really fun playing! The week proceeded with going to a beach resort and swimming in the ocean, and taking a boat ride through this little bay to see all these birds sitting in the white dusted trees ( the trees were really green to start out with.) The only bad part about that day, besides getting ice cold water dumped on mi by a Brazilian, was that the el mar come mi zapatos ( the ocean ate my shoes!) Then there was beach volleyball the next day, along with riding this giant hotdog in the ocean, which all 8 kids riding it fell off. But i think the best part of the trip was taking this big hike up this road behind all the houses, and when you got to the top, well just look at the pictures, it will explain a thousand different words describing how beautiful the view was over the ocean.
Here take a look at some pics from Manabi!

15th birthday party done Ecuadorian style

Hola my readers,
   So i have written this blog over three times already, so here it goes for the third time, short and sweet! I went to the biggest party of my school ( Catalinas) with two of my best exchange friends Theresa, and Malina, both from EUROPE! We got our hair done at a saloon, finished getting ready back at the house and was out the door at 9:00, people didn't show up till 10:30- 11:00, thats what happens when you are on European time in South America! Bad timing , but beautiful place, the party was held at the private tennis club, twenty minutes away from my house. Everything was in the shade of baby blue, there were baby blue light, candles, lolly pops, and even the three birthday girls were wearing three different variations of baby blue dresses. I think the party hit the max of around 400 people, not bad for a birthday! The night was filled with, snacks, music, and most of all DANCING! Thats Ecuador for you, lots of dancing! Well until my next adventure

CHAO!