Ecuador...the "leftovers"

Even as I type this I cannot believe it...but I said goodbye to my 3rd school, my 3rd group of students and my 3rd country today. How is it possible that my time in Ecuador is already over?

Of course I'm sad about this because I will probably never see my adorable kids again, there are many volunteers I will never be able to compare crazy host family stories with and because I will no longer wake up in the middle of the Andes Mountains.

But is it sick and wrong that I'm less stressed out about those things and more stressed out about the fact that there was so much about Ecuador I never got to blog about?? Maybe, yes. But nonetheless, I am going to try to capture at least some of the "leftovers" of Ecuador or at the very least, post some very fun pictures.

So first off, I don't think I've even metioned my host family. I lived with a woman named Pilar and apparantly, I also lived with her husband although, I kid you not, I saw him a total of 2 times. So here is Pilar...
I also lived with two kids named Jorge and Maybel who were cute...yes. But annoying. Seriously, these children were up at all hours of the night (they were 7 and 9) and pretty much abused there housekeeper and their dog. But like I said, they were pretty darn cute...but apparently not cute enough for me to get a single picture of these hellions.

On the other hand, my dog, Mimi, was defiintely photo worthy.
This dog was the best. She was chained up for about 95% of the day but this dog would literally choke herself to say hello when I got home every day. Seriously...I need a dog. Maybe I should spend more than 10 consecutive days in a row first I suppose...

Ok...so when you walk out of my house, right around the corner is the "gym." I know this does not seem noteworthy but for any of you who have ever seen the move Dodgeball, I am telling you, I lived next door to "Average Joe's." This picture doesn't really do it justice but here goes...
Moving onto cuisine. So if any of you have read my recent blog comments, my tastebuds have been severely desensitized. This comes as a result of eating a bread roll for breakfast, a bread roll (sometimes with butter on it) for lunch and a plate full of white rice and potatoes for dinner.

Let's just say that when I could, I ventured out of the house to seek out some more interesting options. Here is what I found...

The world's best french fries. I'm not kidding...amazing...
Chocolate pizza. You are probably imagining some dessert pizza with a pastry crust with chocolate and maybe even some ice cream. Nope, not in Ecuador. In Ecuador, they take a regular cheese pizza (imagine Tombstone) and just drench it in chocolate syrup. Bizarre...yes. Pretty decent? Yes!
Last food experience that I have to write about...So as many of you know, I love food. Love it. I have been known to search high and low to discover the new cuisines in a city. But if you truly know me, you would also know that as much as I love fine dining, there are very few foods that beat my classic favorite: Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.

The plain blue box, flourescent orange powder, delicious Kraft Mac. So when I saw the Kraft blue box on the shelves of my neighborhood grocery store, my mouth was watering.

So for my last day of school with no students, I proposed to the other volunteers that I cook them this culinary delight. Well, I was faced with a look of disgust from my fellow volunteer Danai who claims that she does not eat food out of a box. I almost responded by saying "You mean that food does not grow on trees in boxes?"

Anyway, I threw down the gauntlet and said that she should make her "au natural" Mac and Cheese and I will compete head-to-head with my Kraft. Thus, the 1st Annual Mac-Off was born...
Let's just say the reviews were mixed (ok fine, everyone preferred hers, except me) but I was proud of my Americana lunch and honestly, I don't think there is anything I would have rather eaten at that moment.

Speaking of school, here are just some more "school leftovers"...

Here is the swing we eat lunch on and sometimes take a little siesta...
I think I've mentioned that Thursdays and Fridays are maintenance days at the school and my artist's hand has been put to the test. Check out my alphabet and our two amazing murals...
And lastly, I can't end this blog entry in any other way than with my incredible students. I know I haven't written much about them this time but that doesn't mean that they aren't amazing and I am not going to miss them so much!
(one day, the government sent doctors to the school for checkups...this was not our form of torture)

Well...there you have it. Even with this "catch-all" entry, it is hard to even imagine how much more I could write about this amazing country in the middle of the world. And again, as hard as it is to imagine, I know Peru will have even more adventures in store.

BUT...before I get to Peru, I am headed on an "intermission" adventure to the...GALAPAGOS ISLANDS!! I am leaving tomorrow morning for an 8-day cruise around the unparalleled islands that people say is literally like leaving this planet. I am heading onto a boat with 15 other strangers (yeah...this is no Royal Caribbean...we're talking small...) and am a little nervous and a LOT excited.

Yes blog readers...that means 8 days with no internet and no updates but come back next Saturday for a full report. I don't think I'll let you down...

xoxo,
Debra

P.S...FYI...I finally added those crazy white water tubing pictures to my Mindo trip from a few blogs ago and they are pretty fun if you want to scroll down a ways to the blog "Things you tell your parents AFTER you do them..."