much needed update

this weekend we took our first overnight trip to Otavalo, which is a little town about 2 hours from Quito where the indigenous people come and sell their crafts and basically everything. And Saturday is the HUGE market day. The weekend's adventures included:

-Using my great...or not so great...bartering skills to get some really great things at the market (but i do want to go back about 15 more times!)
-eating bread, cheese, avocados, and water for two meals in the same weekend
-staying overnight in a hostel for $6!!!
-getting to know the girls in the program a LOT better and just being able to be all together. (they experienced more of my laugh..including snorting)
-Adventuring to a waterfall and climbing back through the water to a second waterfall
-Riding in the back of a pickup truck up a mountain to a GORGEOUS lake. (such an adventure!)
-Eating our bread, cheese, and avocado lunch in a meadow by the lake with a Swiss Army knife and a stolen spoon

Overall a really fun weekend and just a great bonding experience with all the girls.

This week I also started my service. Through my program I am required to do 200 hours of service while I am here. I am volunteering at a school called Raices where the kids are in pre-school through 5th grade. I am going to be doing 12 hours a week (6 hours each on Tuesdays and Thursdays). So I have just been two times already. My role is going to be helping out in the classrooms and teaching English. Basically it's waaay different from the school experiences than I have had in the states. It's a lot more laidback and very unorganized. It's been difficult as they have expected me to come in knowing what I was doing and have lesson plans ready for English! crazy. It's going to take a lot of getting used to and figuring out just exactly what my position is at the school. But I am excited for the opportunity! And I for sure have a lot to learn!