AN OLDER POST FROM MY FACEBOOK NOTES
Viviendo en Quito - Day 4
Viviendo en Quito - Day 4
Day 4
I have been in Quito for 3 full days now and I haven´t really had time to stop and write anything - which is great. My friend/host, Augusto, had had a non-stop agenda for me so far - doing things with his family, friends, and seeing the city. Now that it is Sunday, I finally have time to write. Let´s see...
Augusto´s family:
Probably one of the nicest families I have ever met. They all get along very well and have taken me in like family. The family consists of Julianna (Augusto´s daughter) who is 2 1/2 years. She is so cute, yet very strong-willed. But, she only talks to me when she is forced – ella es timida. Then there is Neneca (Augusto´s fiance) who is 25. She is very smart, very pretty, and a good mother. She is finishing up medical school this summer. Then there are Augusto´s sisters. Nikki, who is 7, who is a lot of fun. I get to do a lot of arts and crafts with her. :-) Today I made her a mask out of styrofoam plates that looks like an ant (una hormiga). I took pictures. I will load them when I figure out how to do that. Mary Paz is 19. She is a senior in high school and a very good singer. She will sing Queen´s ¨Somebody to Love¨ in a city concert this month. We´re all excited for her. Annie is 20 and in architecture school. Every night she is drawing blueprints and making models. Then Augusto Jr. is 24. He is a father, a student, and a real estate agent, so he stays very busy. I feel very honored that he is willing to add me to his busy schedule. Then there is the mother, Meri Lu. She is very beautiful and friendly. She used to be an English teacher, but now she is an artist/mother. She makes beautiful paintings and quilts. She is adamant that the family speaks Spanish to me as much as possible. Which is great. Then there is the father, Augusto Sr. I was nervous about meeting him because father´s can be cold and stern. But he is the exact opposite. He is very friendly, approachable, and asks me how I am doing often. We like similar classic rock bands, like Genesis, Chicago, and Queen. :-)He works as a Engineer for one of the oil companies here and provides for his family well. He said his hobbies are wine, coffee, futbol and his kids.
What I have done so far:
Augusto has had a non-stop schedule since I have been here. We have gone out with friends every night – staying up until 3am most nights. We went to a club one night, two birthdays another, and then soccer, beers, and singing last night. Estoy cansado! During the days, I have toured part of the city, toured some Spanish schools, and bought an Ecuadorian jersey and some DVDs (pirated... I guess pirated DVDs are ¨legal¨ here.)
Today…
Today it is Dia de Padres, so we are having a real nice lunch-dinner. Yesteday, Augusto Sr said today is when he is King for a Day. :-)
My Spanish…
My Spanish is okay. Right now, its is still very hard for me to follow much of the conversation. I think it is partially because I haven´t done any lessons in my spanish textbook for a while. When I hang out with Augusto´s friends, I am able to pick up a few words. But usually, the friends that know English, will translate to me after a few minutes of talking. When I talk to them in Spanish, I make a lot of mistakes, but they are able to understand what I am saying. I am excited about starting classes so I can understand more. Tomorrow I go to Yanapuma for classes. I think I will do 3 hours of classes in the mornings and then go around the city with Mary Paz. After a week or so, I hope to start volunteering somewhere. Hopefully it will be in a children´s hospital.
I gotta go for now. I have been typing way too long.
Here are some pictures...
I have been in Quito for 3 full days now and I haven´t really had time to stop and write anything - which is great. My friend/host, Augusto, had had a non-stop agenda for me so far - doing things with his family, friends, and seeing the city. Now that it is Sunday, I finally have time to write. Let´s see...
Augusto´s family:
Probably one of the nicest families I have ever met. They all get along very well and have taken me in like family. The family consists of Julianna (Augusto´s daughter) who is 2 1/2 years. She is so cute, yet very strong-willed. But, she only talks to me when she is forced – ella es timida. Then there is Neneca (Augusto´s fiance) who is 25. She is very smart, very pretty, and a good mother. She is finishing up medical school this summer. Then there are Augusto´s sisters. Nikki, who is 7, who is a lot of fun. I get to do a lot of arts and crafts with her. :-) Today I made her a mask out of styrofoam plates that looks like an ant (una hormiga). I took pictures. I will load them when I figure out how to do that. Mary Paz is 19. She is a senior in high school and a very good singer. She will sing Queen´s ¨Somebody to Love¨ in a city concert this month. We´re all excited for her. Annie is 20 and in architecture school. Every night she is drawing blueprints and making models. Then Augusto Jr. is 24. He is a father, a student, and a real estate agent, so he stays very busy. I feel very honored that he is willing to add me to his busy schedule. Then there is the mother, Meri Lu. She is very beautiful and friendly. She used to be an English teacher, but now she is an artist/mother. She makes beautiful paintings and quilts. She is adamant that the family speaks Spanish to me as much as possible. Which is great. Then there is the father, Augusto Sr. I was nervous about meeting him because father´s can be cold and stern. But he is the exact opposite. He is very friendly, approachable, and asks me how I am doing often. We like similar classic rock bands, like Genesis, Chicago, and Queen. :-)He works as a Engineer for one of the oil companies here and provides for his family well. He said his hobbies are wine, coffee, futbol and his kids.
What I have done so far:
Augusto has had a non-stop schedule since I have been here. We have gone out with friends every night – staying up until 3am most nights. We went to a club one night, two birthdays another, and then soccer, beers, and singing last night. Estoy cansado! During the days, I have toured part of the city, toured some Spanish schools, and bought an Ecuadorian jersey and some DVDs (pirated... I guess pirated DVDs are ¨legal¨ here.)
Today…
Today it is Dia de Padres, so we are having a real nice lunch-dinner. Yesteday, Augusto Sr said today is when he is King for a Day. :-)
My Spanish…
My Spanish is okay. Right now, its is still very hard for me to follow much of the conversation. I think it is partially because I haven´t done any lessons in my spanish textbook for a while. When I hang out with Augusto´s friends, I am able to pick up a few words. But usually, the friends that know English, will translate to me after a few minutes of talking. When I talk to them in Spanish, I make a lot of mistakes, but they are able to understand what I am saying. I am excited about starting classes so I can understand more. Tomorrow I go to Yanapuma for classes. I think I will do 3 hours of classes in the mornings and then go around the city with Mary Paz. After a week or so, I hope to start volunteering somewhere. Hopefully it will be in a children´s hospital.
I gotta go for now. I have been typing way too long.
Here are some pictures...
Augusto and his friends ¨happy¨and singing Spanish tunes.
Nikki with the sign she made for my arrival.
Nikki with the mask we made. She looks like a ¨hormigita¨ (a little ant).
Some of the family dressed in their Ecuadorian jerseys for the futbol game:
Ecuador vs. Argentina
It ended in a tie: 1-1
Ecuador was winning until the last 30 seconds :-(
Ecuador vs. Argentina
It ended in a tie: 1-1
Ecuador was winning until the last 30 seconds :-(
Augusto with Julianna (left) and Nikki (right) before the game.
No comments:
Post a Comment