Feb. 13th

Exactly a month ago I wrote an entry, what happens to the time?!? seriously....Back at work today after having a great 10 days with one of my good friends from college. It was really interesting to realize that many of the things I see as day to day activities are considered very different back in the states. I guess that means that I´ve become some what integrated. Reflecting on these past 8 months there have been very many ups and downs...mainly ups to be honest, but also lots of "getting used to" cultural differences.

My new goal for this next semester is to get more active within the student body. I want to work first hand with students and hopefully get different groups on campus started. I haven´t done any charlas on my own yet and I feel that after all that training we received back in the summer I should put some of it to work, right? I have an opportunity to go into a school and do handwashing workshops with kids so hopefully I can schedule a meeting with the rector of the school to get that started!

My family comes will be here in about a month. It seems like forever ago that we were planning for them to come down and now I am actually going to be seeing them :) Im hoping they will enjoy their time here and can put their spanish skills to work because translating really does get tiring after awhile.

My apartment is doing well and I´ve developed a schedule for coming home every day for lunch and then walking or taking the bus back to work in the afternoon. It prooves to be much more cost affective than eating out every day. I´m trying to get a running schedule down after work and then going to spend time with Chino and his family. I usually end up eating dinner with them at their house.

The weather has been mild. Technically we are in winter, which means lots of rain, but really here in Ambato it doesnt rain a ton. It will rain every day but either in the morning or in the afternoon. So you know if you wake up with rain, the afternoon will be sunny or vice versa. Im hoping as we move into March the weather will get better for when my fam comes. When my friend was here she was really surprised at how cold Ecuador was, haha.

Alright, they just cleaned the floors in my office and Im about to pass out from the fumes so Im gonna go get some fresh air!!

Sending love to whoever reads these posts, lol