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Showing posts from October, 2018

Weekend Getaway in Otavalo

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Just a couple-uh-teachers ready for the weekend to begin! There were 7 of us that shared the cost of a little getaway an hour and a half outside of Quito in a town named Otavalo (a place I visited last year). We stayed in Casa Monica at San Juan de La Vega. The place has 3 different houses with a few bedrooms, a huge living area, a dining room, and a kitchen. To prep for the weekend, each person was assigned a meal to cook: Britt and Ed decided on chicken curry for dinner Friday night. Ben and Priscila took on breakfast both Saturday and Sunday. Laura and I were in charge of lunch on Saturday. Finally, Brian was in charge of bringing snacks for the weekend. Britt and Ed with their curry!  Gotta give mom credit for the chicken salad with grapes-- this has saved me on several occasions in this country. We also added some bacon which was a nice touch if I do say so myself! We also made a tuna salad and served it all with avocado hummus and fresh ...

Beginning of Quito Year 2!

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I had a month an a half at home to mentally prepare for year two in Quito. Ecuador is a beautiful country, filled with amazing people, but last year I didn't feel like I fully took advantage of it. I basically allowed school to consume every waking moment, even when I was on a weekend getaway. I was mentally exhausted every day. Not wanting that to happen again made me super anxious toward the end of the summer! That being said, The start of year 2 has looked promising! Not having to adjust to a new school, new culture, or new expectations is a lot off my plate this year. Knowing what to expect is half the battle for me. I am still mentally exhausted every day, but I am pushing myself to be busier on weeknights and weekends--otherwise I would just plan for school all the time, and I know that I need to give my brain a break. So far, I have been eating like it's nobody's business and I'm still being a tourist, finding new places to explore! Day 1 back in Quito: Fr...