first ecua haircut!

i finally did it. i cut my hair after ten months. it was absolutely necessary---any day now an animal was going to start nesting in it. so i got up the nerve to have francisca cut it, one of our neighbors. now its not that i´m picky about my hair, but i just had these horrific visions of someone getting a little too cut crazy and chopping off far more than i wanted, and then having to come home with a mullet or something. which let´s face it, no one would have said "your hair looks like shitt", but they all would´ve wondered what the heck happened down there in that country. so i asked francisca to do it, and now ya know what, i´m actually considering coming back to ecuador everytime i need a haircut, so simple, so easy. not like having to go to a salon and having to make small talk with a hairdressor you don´t know, while listening to middle aged women gossip and complain about ridiculous things. here i just sat in francisca´s house as she cut off about three inches and angled the front in a matter of 10 minutes---so easy! and i didn´t have to pay an arm and a leg to get it done!

the funny thing too was that after i was done, her daughter, genesis was like okay well now you can cut my hair-----HA! if anyone has ever seen genesis´s hair, it´s absolutely ridiculous, i´ll have to post a picture of something----long, long black, curly hair all the way down to her butt----and she goes to me, just take off like 2 or 3 inches! i´m like uhhhh, i´m not sure if you want me to do this......but i did! francisca walked me through the whole thing, and while there was a little bit of unevenness here and there, it didn´t turn out half bad ha----although i did have to deal with all the commentary from the peanut gallery---lupita, fix that part, cut more there, that sides uneven, that side you need to wet more, yadda yaddda-- from her 3 other children who were sitting there watching me. the pressure was definitely on, but i think it all turned out okay. just another ecua memory to stash away. another example of how easy going people are here, and how little stress can be involved in activities that we sometimes overanalyze. within a half an hour two of us had new haircuts, and were feeling much better! and that was that.

i may even have her do it again before i leave.

alright, gotta run peeps---sending you a big hug and lots of love,
jamie

¡gloria a dios!

this has been the strangest day ever. literally. well, the week was also strange...good and bad, but overall just strange. i just have to say though, that as i sit here and write this, there is a HUGE evangelical sermon happening right outside this cyber----and all i keep hearing is "gloria a dios" repeat, repeat, repeat---it´s definitely an experience! they LOVE God, and i feel like saying to them, good for you! you go praise the lord! i´m certainly not going to stop you!

so yeah, about today---i guess the strange factor started when i had to help my little neighbor Belén chase her lost pig. She comes up and asks me, "Lupita si ha visto mi chanchito?"(lupita have you seen my little pig) and i´m like uhhh, no why? has he escaped? and she´s like yeah, will you help me catch him...so here i am, trying to find a pig, catch a pig, and get him back in his fence. it was literally one of the funniest things i´ve been a part of this year. i couldn´t help laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. "oh lupita what´d you do today, oh yah know, just helped catch a pig, nbd" but yes. it was a success, we found him in a marshy swampland next to my house and made here piggy piggy noises, to get him to come to us. so funny.

the week too---i was just in such a strange trance. like some days really high, others really low---but i think it was just from coming off my best week ever, ya know? and i think this whole transition thing is really starting to take a toll on me. i mean the new volunteers are picked, they´re coming in two months, and this is just a very odd concept for me to grasp. hence, my feelings of strange. neighbors keep telling me, this is so sad you´re leaving so soon---and i´m just like hold up! i still have two months! let´s not dwell here people!

alright, this cyber is going to close soon. i´ve got to run, even this entry is strange---there was really no point to even write it, i´m half considering just not posting it, but that would be a shame! so i´ll just end on the note i always do and tell you i still miss you all so much, hope you´re enjoying life to it´s fullest everyday, and laughing a ton! just think of me trying to catch that little piglet, that´ll certainly give you a chuckle!

love yous!
jamie

Best Week Ever

ha, so i know it sounds ridiculous, but if i had to rank my weeks here in Ecuador, I think this week would top the charts. so much to tell, so little time, and so many memories to recap! i think i may do this in bullet form, so here goes:

1. SUSIE AND JIMMY B DO ECUADOR!---all of the hesitation, the anxiety, the nervousness immediately dissappated once i saw their faces in the airport--it was a reunion like no other---and the best part was....THEY BROUGHT BRANDON! okay so i´ll set the scene, they walk out and into the crowd and start telling me this story how they forgot two of their suitcases in customs, now i´m thinking to myself, are you kidding me?, how spacey can they get? not one but two suitcases?? so i´m completely distracted and trying to come up with ideas for entering back into customs, when out walks this tall kid with a hat---now i must´ve stared at him for about a whole minute before i even realized it was my brother--bc why would my brother be in ecuador--anyway, so much excitement, tons of screaming, and then security moving us towards the exit ha it was incredible!

so my parents and brother spent four full days with me and my housemates---and all of their questions were answered, both that is, those of my parents and those of my housemates as to why i´m so freaking crazy. i mean the curse words definitely increased this week, and the sarcasm was also upped a notch, but it was so much fun, i don´t think i´ve laughed that hard in a really long time. my mom was such a trooper too--although she came with her own bottled water and power bars, she went with the flow the whole time! waving down buses, eating ecua food, and handling 60 screaming kids---her tactics: miss merry mack, hangman, puzzles, and jump ropes--worked like a charm! it really could not have gone better. i was in a state of complete joy the entire time they were here, and on top of it they took us all out for dinner which was so very much needed!

my mom even said it was the best mothers day she has spent in like eighteen years--so that was huge. on top of it they had the opportunity to meet all of the people who i constantly talk about, lupe and lucy, lourdes and pastora---now they can finally put faces and names to all of the families i have come to know and love. so yeah, amazing visit, so much love exchanged and so many memories created. i will forever remember this. and as dan says now, "well at least we can all say we survived hurricane Buller" ha!

2. ya know i guess when i think about it there really isn´t anything else that spectacular to comment on. i guess my parents visit just held so much weight that i can´t really even think of anything else. today we did just get back from an awesome paseo to parque historico en guayaquil. we took 11 of our sweetest kids and it was the best paseo of all time. our kids were so well behaved, so respectful, and acted like real human beings. i was so proud of them. and even shocked by some of the questions they asked to the tourguides. at the park there were animals and gardens and the kids absolutely loved it. i mean these kids live amongst dirt rodes and barbed wire, and here they got a chance to see green grass, beautiful flowers, and cool creatures. it was a great day that i loved spending with them.

3. well now that i think about, i guess i just have had more of those amazing moments where you´re like "wow, i am so blessed to be exactly where i am" like the other day when karla, ricardo, daniel and i got coco ice creams and sat on the curb recounting the day, or when dan, karla, and i watched the sunset from our roof last night, or this morning when theresa, karla and i went out to coffee in the city (our first real cup of coffee in a really long time, and it was sooo good) i keep having these moments with people i really care about and when i´m in them i feel so much love and joy. it´s all so beautiful. and it only continues with our neighbors too. sitting crocheting with pastora and talking about crazy health remedies, laughing till my stomach hurts, or with lupe and her daughter joshua, eating chocolates and talking about boys, just like i would with anyone else. it´s so real here. life just feels so good.

and for that i had to award it: best week ever in Ecuador. and it just keeps getting better! next month i have my last retreat group and my two roommates from college are coming to visit me! can you believe it, at the beginning of the year i had no visitors, and now look at me! i am one lucky gal.

anyway, i´ve gotta say chao for now. i love and miss you all so much---especially my cousin lindsey who graduated with her masters in speech and language disorders!! you are awesome linds, i am so proud of you and miss you so much! sending love to everyone back home!
con paz y amor,
jamie

what´s your love language?

just came back from a BEAUTIFUL weekend at Playas spending our third retreat together as an entire community. i honestly could not have asked for a better weekend. great beach time, awesome conversation, hysterical memories, and plenty of time to think and reflect. (side note as i sit here writing this, the afternoon school kids are just getting out of school and sending me kisses through the glass windows, it´s making my heart melt-- i am so in love with all of them!)

anyway, back on track--so yeah, this weekend. so perfect. well, after a stressful start (we kind of forgot theresa, whoops!) but don´t all travel days start like that--everybody´s yelling at everyone--f bombs are flying, who´s late, who forgot the keys, who has to turn around to go get the keys, who´s gotta pee, who´s carsick--oh wait that was me---yadda yadda--BUT we made it! and were finally able to breathe once we got there.

our retreat was led by a former volunteer, and she did an amazing job. her theme for the weekend was "the five love languages"-- really focusing on which ways we share and receive love---understanding that not everyone gives and accepts love in the same ways. i had kind of heard of this before, but never really dove any deeper. so after doing a little self analysis, i felt like i best identified with receiving and sharing love in forms of affirmation and acts of service. most of my housemates will tell you that if you clean the kitchen for me, i will love you forever, the same goes for the bathroom, taking down laundry from the line, picking up crap etc. it´s little things like that that say to me, "hey, we´re in this together, let me help you out".

on the other end, i also realized that something i truly need to feel love is for people to tell me they love me. now, while that sounds a little self absorbed let me try to explain. i think that one of the most powerful things that has helped me get through this year has been the letters and emails i´ve received from all of those people i know and love back home. receiving letters and words of encouragement has been so life giving. something tangible that i can look back on when days can be so hard is one of the most empowering experiences because trust me, there have been some hard days. But knowing and seeing, and hearing that i have love and support from back home has meant so much to me. and i know that everyone doesn´t feel that way, but for me, it is so expressive. so those were the two basic conclusions i came to at the end of the weekend--the other three types are gift giving, quality time, and touch----i mean we all know i love LOVE, so all five of the types do fit me at times, but those first two were my primary and secondary. i feel like it´s a really important thing to figure out. because not everyone loves in the same ways, and let´s face it, we´re not mind readers. so yeah, definitely a great topic of conversation for our weekend away--and they should probably do it in marriage prep or something too--wouldn´t that be helpful?

let´s see, what else....well---the padres will be coming in this friday, and let´s just say someone is pumped!! it´s been so long, and i can´t wait to see them. let alone share this experience with people back home. already neighbors have been bugging me, "when are you coming by? what do you want to eat?, where are you going to go?, you have to come to my house"...and the requests continue! it makes me excited to know that so many people want to meet my family---i can already tell this is going to be a beautiful experience. i also just can´t wait to see my mom in ecuador---sometimes i wonder what she´s going to say ha, or do---there should be some comical moments for sure!

shoot, but i gotta run--i feel like they´res so many more things i want to share with you but it´ll have to wait dinner will be ready soon and i don´t want to be late! missing you as always--loving you so fully! my heart stretches everyday for you all, i hope you know that!

love you un montón,
jamie

ya´ done son---j.b. said to c.q.

hello again.

so sorry for the delay. i know i´ve been slacking---but seriously, i have been SO busy. most recently with my retreat group--a bunch of high school boys from Xaverian Brothers in Westwood, MA. let me just say, i had a lot of fun this past week---these boys definitely brought the energy, and were absolutely hysterical. i haven´t laughed so hard in a really long time. but not only were they funny and witty, they were also so loving and kind-hearted. their mere presence throughout our community brought so much warmth and compassion. sharing ecuador with them was truly a privilege for me, and i was pretty sad to see them go this morning. they reminded me a lot of all my boston friends, and kept me on my toes all week. not to mention their exquisite singing ability, i mean i haven´t heard backstreet boys like that in a really long time. these boys definitely re-energized me for what i hate to say is basically my "home stretch" here in Durán.

so yeah...this home stretch....i feel like i keep finding myself looking at the calendar and saying---but where is the time going? already it´s the end of april---how did that happen? didn´t i just get here? this time last year i was deciding what i would be doing with my life, and here i am again, at that same point saying---well what the heck am i supposed to do after this? didn´t i already go through that whole discernment process? aren´t i already supposed to "know", to be in the real world working....ughhh i guess i took a rain check on that huh?

sometimes i wonder though, if when i come home in august, this whole year, all of this, will feel like a dream. i´ll be picking up exactly where i left off---still recently graduated, with no "real" work experience, still apartmentless, still counting pennies, still unsure of so much.....and yet, ALL OF THIS has happened.

my whole year, filled with so many amazing experiences, feelings, and memories--this is now a part of who i am. does that change things? i mean, i think i´m okay with that. this may come as a shock to many of you, but i truly am a much calmer person down here. and if it´s one thing i´ve learned it´s that, really, we´re in no rush to get anywhere. my life WILL unfold as it will, whatever that may be. however, sometimes i do revert back to that nervous jamie, anxious in thinking about the "what´s next" on my life agenda.

spending time with these boys this past week helped me focus a lot on the present moment. here were a bunch of 17 and 18 year old boys ready to set off to college. so excited about what´s ahead. they have so many amazing experiences awaiting them, and while i was a bit nostalgic, it just reminded me that i really do have to savor every moment. time´s flying, and i can´t get it back---even as hard as i try. pretty soon, ecuador will be part of my past tense vocab, and that´s going to be okay. maybe hard at first, but if i keep reminding myself that i still have time here, keep focuing on the present, keep loving with my heart open, it´s going to be okay. it always is.

ya know, i don´t even really know what i just wrote about. i feel like my mind is really all over the place. so i apologize for that. well, anyway, maybe you get my drift, maybe you´re thinking, this girl has really lost it over there---either way, thanks for reading! ha--i still miss you all so much, especially the XB boys----don´t forget to email me! hope everyone is having a great sunday!
back to work on monday.....
love you un montón,
lupita

oh p.s. les and katie....only 45 days, not like i´m counting or anything!!! ahhhh get ready!

movie recommendation

this is more of a PSA. last night, after banana smoothies and grilled cheeses, we watched a movie called Sin Nombre. very violent and hard to watch at times, but just so thought provoking. there are a lot of themes woven into this really well done movie, but the gist talks about immigration and crossing the border, gang presence in both latin america and the US, and a whole lot of other stuff. after watching it, we all kind of just sat there in silence. there weren´t words. i was just thinking so much about all of the immigrants i know from back home, and all of the people who have made that journey. so powerful. and then thoughts about the US´s idea of immigration and comments i have heard throughout my life came into my head too, it´s just so sad really.

i just thought i should pass it on, that´s all. i think if you have the opportunity to see it, it´s something worth watching. having a great morning here in Durán. today we´re going on a field trip to the historical park of guayaquil--the kids are really excited. our numbers have been low this week due to back to school routines, but hopefully the numbers will pick up. ha i can´t even believe i´m saying this---8 months ago and i would´ve been thrilled by our 15 census numbers, and now i´m wishing for more kids....what´s gotten into me? oh that´s right....i´ve fallen in love with all of them :-) crazy how this year is going....

sending you all lots of love, and so many happy thoughts,
jamie

back to school...back to school

so today i woke up, and i smelled that smell----and no it wasn´t shitt--however, sometimes our house does smell like that....it was that "first day of school smell", and it was definitely in the air. when i went outside all the kids were back in their uniforms, hair all geled nicely, new clean socks, and shoes polished---i love first days of school, and even here, something special was in the air. there were good vibes all around.

and another holiday has passed---easter went down very nicely here---very tranquila, but very full of love too. this past weekend was pretty eventful as well. with a retreat group here last week, we entered into the weekend a little jumbled and tired, but saturday we all decided to go out to the new "rostro" land and do some painting in a small school. this new land is where rostros new house will be next year, called Mt. Sinaii----it´s about an hour from our house, and has a very similar feel to arbolito--a lot more isolated though, and not the same sense of community...well yet anyway--so we painted little red riding hood murals saturday, and then well....had a big fight ha---but i´m not gonna get into that---let´s just say community is hard, and the five of us living together is not always peaches and cream---we are all so different, and when you put five different people together you´re bound to have problems---just think of the real world---well, minus the hooking up, and crazy drunken nights, actually, nothing like the real world, i absolutely take that back....anywho---we all made up, and think it was a huge point of growth for us, then we all sat down and watched fight club, which i had never seen....and all i can really say is ....wow--what an incredible movie----geeze----some people think up the craziest things....

so i´d like to think that we´re all back on a really big upswing---oh my gosh, how could i forget.....such a huge detail! i brought my rice pie tradition down here to ecuador this week...yes...i did it....i figured, well i´m in ecuador, and there sure isn´t a shortage of rice---so i set out to do them this past weekend, and ya know what---they actually came out surprisingly well....with a lot of help from my community mates----and continual correction--"no dan, they´re not rice cakes, they´re rice pies....get it straight" i think everyone enjoyed them, or i´d like to think so anyway. regardless, i was really happy to share them, and felt like a part of me was shared with my community.

anyway folks, thats the gist of life here---things are good--neighbors are awesome---lucy is great, lupe is great----kids are sweet-----oh! and!!! this is huge---really, how could i forget---get ready for it.....MY PARENTS HAVE DECIDED TO COME---not even just decided---the ticket is booked! okay, this is huge people---brace yourselves---no, seroiusly, i am so pumped for this, i really feel like i´m glowing---i can´t wait to share this part of my life wtih them, and i know it will be great.

thats really all for now---happy belated easter----hope the candy was good--easter candy really is my favorite--and all those pretty colors!
i love you all so much, you´re always in my heart and prayers,
lupita

Duran does the Olympics.

So while I may have missed the "world" olympics due to my current life situation...today i plenty made up for it by participating in our 3rd annual after school program wide Olimpiadas, or Olympic Games. And ya wanna know what, they were about 100x better than any Nancy Kerrigan ice capade. Let me set the stage. This happens every year---every year the three programs that we as volunteers run, Valdivia, Manos Abiertas, and of course Semillas compete in a grueling academic and athletic event to determine who in fact is the best program. Well, okay, that may not be the exact point, but from our stand point, there is a lot of taunting and name calling about who has the best/smartest/most athletic kids---all in fun of course. We all love our kids, in fact, we love all kids, well most of us, but it´s fun to get a little competative blood running. And we all know how I love competition.



And today were the games. The past week we have been preparing, drilling, practicing, getting ready to bring our best game to the events. Geografía, well that was easy, Jhon and Victor Cuenca can fill an Ecuador map with 24 provinces and capitals in less than 2 minutes---Matemáticas--alright, Adonis knows all his time tables and writes at rapid pace, along with José who´s only 10, but can do just as well--Lenguaje-Joselyn y Marcía, well they write better spanish than me and they´re only 11. Alright, we got this i´m thinking. Boris and Diego--two solid brothers who are so sharp and on their game. Gavi---so much creativity--he´ll definitely rock the invention convention. Solid. So much potential. And on top of it, our chiquititos--so smart--vowels, numbers, shapes, colors---damn this kids are GOOD. I´m pretty pumped to say the least.



So anyway, as today came, the nerves started building. Some may have said I went into "crazy Jamie" mode a few hours before we started, but i might beg to differ---where are the markers? the t-shirts? the cups? the face paint? the keys? the microphone? the CDs? the pencil sharpeners? Did someone remember to pop the popcorn? While I love big group events like this, they tend to make me a little...okay maybe a lot, yes, crazy---but I was still under control.



Then we get to Semillas, where the event took place---and the intensity started rising---our kids were so pumped! They looked awesome in their yellow t-shirts! We all wore yellow, Valdivia-red, and Manos-blue. They were just so excited, and with the music blasting, and our newly painted banner all ready from yesterday, we were legit. We also invited parents to come and support---it was really just a great sight.



And then we started with opening ceremonies---we had 16 kids from each program compete, but there was still a lot of kids who came to support family, brothers, friends, etc. We lined them all up with our awesome banners, played the Ecuadorian anthem, and processed in like champs---They were proud. Heck, I was proud. I felt like they were so grown up! Anyway, enough sentimental crap...Then we started, with the cheering, the yelling, the screaming, the dancing! It was sooo much fun. Our kids were doing well too---acing their events, trying their best--even supporting the other teams. I mean I barely have a voice right now.



It was just such an awesome day where I felt like, "Wow, I´m so glad they could have this...I´m so glad they could feel proud of themselves, have confidence, feel important, feel support, and most of all have fun"....So now i´m sure you´re all wondering how it turned out....



Well, unfortunately, we didn´t come in first....but! we didn´t come in last either, and really, our kids were great about it. In the end, along with a diploma they each got, every participant got a very "cool" neon orange or neon green backpack with all fresh school supplies, so they were in their glory! Forget they Olimpiadas, they all got prizes! So all in all, just an awesome day. All of the stress, all of the sleepless nights, yes i´m serious--i´ve been stressing about these for at least a week. All turned out really well. Lots of smiles, lots of laughs, and great memories for these kids to have. That´s really all it´s about anyway right---happy childhood memories?



Still loving life here, everyday brings about something beautiful. I hope you are all smiling and feeling great as the weather warms up. Missing you insanely.



Love,

Jamie



Semillas! Semillas! Semillas!!!!!!!

God, are you punishing me??

i take it back....i take it all back....

teaching is God´s way of punishing innocent human beings who "think" they have something good to share with others. seriously, what did i ever do to deserve this???

was it that time in seventh grade when i harrassed Mrs. Johnson about the metric olympics? or back in high school when we were smart ass teenage girls to Mr. Girard?? please, i am sorry for all i have done, but don´t make me go back to school and teach!!

let me give you some highlights from my day:
---today i had two kids, not one, but two throw up in my classroom
---today i was dished out 12 year old attitude, by kids who are obviously too cool for school
---today i sang the "wheels on the bus" 14 times and i still had kids picking their noses
---today, and this tops it, i had one child, who will remain nameless for confidentiality sake, actually climb up my body grab my neck and bite my arm....i do not kid here.

to every teacher i have ever had in my life----you are my idol. i could never do what you do, nor do i want to ever again.

i have tried to be creative. i have tried to be nice. but i´m over it. these kids are not nice. okay, there was that one kid who offered me his toni mixto( a delicious yogurt treat that i politely declined--who knows where that cup has been). but the majority no. and on top of it all. they do not know a word of english----so me teaching english, has really turned into me being in front of a classroom stuttering out spanish with english vocab inserted here and there. i honestly do not know how people do it. and the thing is, teaching is such a crap shoot. one year, you could have an amazing class---kids who actually listen, kids who actually do what you say. and then the next----it could be like all hell has broken lose.

so today i had my septimo (7th) class for two hours, then recess, and then kinder for two more. two hours of those little devils. talk about two different worlds. septimo was just pure attitude. and i dished it right back. i told them, hey, i´m not the one going to school next year, i don´t HAVE to know this information, so really, it´s only yourself that you´re hurting if you don´t want to learn. and then i said, i have kinder kids who listen better than you (which of course is a total lie, but i had to make them feel really bad)....that shaped them up a little, but it was still a war zone.
and then.....

kinder.

really there are no words for kindergarten teachers....they are little angels sent to this world to take care of other peoples´awful children. we all owe our lives to kindergarten teachers. i mean this one´s throwing up, the other is throwing blocks, that one is jumping off the table, the next is eating jello (seriously where did that kid get jello?)...i mean come on people----what do i have to do to get you to listen????.....well i´ll tell you.

ladies and gentlemen, the hokie pokie. if teaching is god´s punishment, then the hokie pokie is god´s savior. children love the hokie pokie, no matter how ridiculous you look doing it, they will do it again and again and again. and never tire. if i didn´t do the hokie pokie 20 times today....

so as awful as today was on a whole....there were moments of pure genius, hence, hokie pokie. maybe i exaggerate a little. maybe i´m just coming off a tense day, but seriously, this shitt is hard. the past two weeks i have had no voice whatsoever. i have been taunting my roommates with rhymes and songs...which is really just asking for a beating. i have entered into the elementary world, and i´m going to be there for at least two more weeks. but it´s true, they´re not all bad. of course after class is over, they all run up to me and hug and kiss me and tell me how much they love me, but of couse i´m only thinking to myself, you little hypocrite---playing mindgames with me.

yup, so that´s been my life lately. i´m still great though, health is solid, attitude, solid----i´m just really happy. despite my adventures in grade school of course. went to the beach this past weekend, so that was awesome. and tuesday lupe had karla and i over for a cangrejada which was delicious. so yeah as i always say, estoy contenta, estoy feliz.

still missing each and every one of you. don´t think for a minute that you are not in my thoughts and prayers, because you are. everyday.

i love you all,
cuídense,
jamie

water water everywhere, and not a drop to drink....

how many times a day do you turn on the sink, the shower, the hose, to wash dishes, take a shower, wash your hands, water the lawn, do laundry, flush the toilet, drink some water. repeat. water. water. water. all the time, never a question.

where i live right now, for this year anyway, water is a luxury. everything we do that involves water has to be intentional. our showers, our dishes, cleaning, doing our laundry, flushing the toilet (yes we´re fans of the "if its yellow let it mellow...."well you know the rest)---we´re always thinking about how much water we´re using, and how to make it last longer. unlike most of our neighbors. we´re actually lucky because our water comes out of the faucet and we have a cistern that holds gallons of water. but when the powers out, or when the truck doesn´t come to, we too have to haul water out of the cistern and into buckets to shower and clean.

one day a few weeks ago, we lost power for two days straight, and it happened while we were in the middle of our BIG three month clean---so what could we do, well, we just proceeded by pulling water up out of the cistern, being so frugal with the usage, while trying our best to clean as meticulously as possible---and then after, when we were filthy dirty from cleaning our dirty house, we only had buckets of water to clean off with....now it doesn´t sound so difficult, but its moments like those when you would really appreciate water coming out of a shower spicket.

but this was only two days for us. for the majority of our neighbors, they have to constantly wait. wait for the water trucks (tanqueros) to come by while they shout Agua, Agua, trying to get their attention. if they are heard, the truck comes to their house and fills up trashcan like buckets that remain outside their house and serve as the storage of water they have until the next truck comes. if the truck comes. i have heard stories of people waiting eight days without water. imagine. eight days, without water. incredible.

and here we are in the hottest days of the year---and water is still not easily accesible. i was really thinking about this last week when we took our kids to the pool for their paseo. they were absolutely ecstatic. and i...well...was disappointed....kinda like "are you kidding me, this is the pool" if you could even call it that. it was literally a cement hole, with water that went up to your knees, but nevertheless, the kids had a ball. i just kept thinking--these kids live in ecuador, on the equator, where it is usually over 100 degrees, and some had never EVER been to a pool. ridiculous right? and i mean it rains like crazy here at night, but still that doesn´t even provide relief for the heat during the day.

i really just can´t stop thinking about it. water. something so essential, and here, so sparce.

and its not like i can even drink the water that comes out of our tap, because its not clean. ridden with parasites.....its crazy. i have literally gotten my shower down to two minutes too. turn the water on. turn the water off. shampoo, soap, face wash. turn the water on. rinse. get out. i´m a pro.

so yeah, just some food for thought. next time you turn on the water, and let it run without looking, or take a 1/2 hr shower, just think about all those places in the world where water is not so simple. where people have to be really conscious about water usage, and don´t have the luxury of not thinking about it. and i don´t mean to get all preachy on you all, its just something to think about, because honestly, before i came here, i never thought about it. and now, it´s always on my mind.

all is still really great here, i´m actually going to the beach this weekend with a bunch of people from the neighborhood. oh! and how could i forget! i´ve started teaching during my morning job! do´n´t know how i let that slip.....brief update: the school next to my clinic is running summer school classes for a month, and long story short, i got roped in to teach english. so now, for one month, i have twelve classes a week ranging from kinder to seventh grade----hysterical so funny, i love my kids. and teaching is soo fun. exhausting but fun. everyday i´ve left wtih no voice. we do songs and games and cute little rhymes---i always wanted to be a teacher, and now it´s like a get a little glimpse of what life would´ve been like. BUT, i´m also glad this is temporary, because its so hard to be creative 24/7, and think of how to entertain a classroom. so yeah, for 3 more weeks, my days are spent in front of class, acting ridiculous and trying to engage them however i can.

that´s about it. life is solid. always laughing, always smiling here. hope life is just as great in the northern hemisphere.

love you all,
miss you everyday,
jamie