Long, but great week!

2.26.11

Wow, where did the time go??? It’s been 5 days since I’ve blogged. That’s a long time! It’s been a long, but great week! I’ve been so tired all week that all I do when I get home is eating dinner, do homework, and go straight to bed. But I haven’t been sleeping well for some reason so I’ve been extra tired the past couple days. I was supposed to go meet up with some of my PC friends and their family members tonight to go out, but I’m just way too tired, unfortunately. I’m really run down and don’t feel like getting sick right before and awesome week. So I’m being responsible and staying in. No fun! Haha.

Thursday a current PCV came to the training center and showed the NRC (Natural Resource Conservation) group, also the program I’m in, how to construct a tree nursery. It’s pretty simple, but requires some time. We had 22 people and it took us 4 hours to construct a small nursery, fill bags with dirt, plant some trees, and a few other things. I took before and after pics, no worries! I will hopefully post them soon. I did manage to get a pretty good sunburn on the left side of my neck. My host sister put some Caladryl lotion on it for me though and it felt a little better Friday morning, but it was def still tender. Caladryl looks exactly like Calamine (spelling?) lotion that you put on chicken pox. It dries just like chicken pox lotion too. I looked like I had a ghost around my neck!

Friday our NRC program spent the afternoon making recycled paper, wallets out of juice cartons, piggy banks out of plastic bottles, flower pots out of plastic bottles, and noise makers out of bottle caps. You should be jealous because it was pretty stinkin’ fun! And after school I finally got to play soccer with everyone! We played for about an hour 5 on 5.  I about died the first 30 minutes… the altitude definitely kicked my butt. After my lungs recovered from the shock of exercise in the altitude, it wasn’t so bad. My quads are a little sore today, but not too bad considering I haven’t worked out hard in about a month J

Saturday, today, each language group had to prepare a different Ecuadorian food and we had a fiesta, it was great. Don’t ask me what some of the dishes were called because I definitely don’t remember, go figure.  After we ate, one of the staff members played an Ecuadorian song on the guitar and the other staff members sang while he strummed away. Then one of the guys in my group played an American song on the guitar and we all sang along for the staff members. We went back and forth like 3 times, it was sooo fun!

I walked home from class with a group of friends. Before we all headed home we stopped at a fruit store that one of my friends host parents is starting up. They had a dj outside playing load music and some people hanging around outside. The store is really nice! And they had an awesome selection of food! The host mother gave all of us an orito (mini banana) for stopping by. I bought a Gatorade to go along with it. That Gatorade tasted soooo good! A nice touch of home to go with my banana J

I then went to the grocery store with a friend to buy some snack for the bus ride on Monday. When I got home my family was going to the other grocery store in town so I went with them. We stopped at the Heladeria (ice cream store) on the way back. YUMMMAYY!!!

We had hamburgers for dinner. They were really good. The hamburger and ketchup tastes a little bit different here than it does in the States, but it was still really good! I ate SO MUCH food today. Let me rattle it off to you for your entertainment: 1. Breakfast: fruit, scrambled egg with peppers, ham and spinach. Croissant when I got to the training center. SNACK: small handful of tortilla chips, pear 2. Lunch: tons of Ecuadorian food during our fiesta at the training center, a tiny plate of rice and chicken when I got home from class, Peanut butter and jelly while walking to the grocery store with a friend, large slice of pizza when we were on the way home from the grocery store. 3. Dinner: ice cream and a hamburger. I haven’t eaten that much food in I don’t know how long!

Now I’m sitting on my bed blogging and ready to go to bed and it’s only 8:30pm. So lame. So lame. Wish I had the energy to go out, have a couple drinks, and dance with everyone, but I don’t. Oh well, maybe next time!

I just asked my host mom if we were going to church in the morning and she said, “yeah we are going if you want to go.” I said, “yes I want to go.” But she looked at me and said, “Heather, it’s okay if you want to sleep in. You don’t have to go.” I must look really tired. I gave her the “are you sure” look? And she was like, “Of course, sleep in, you need your rest. Be calm. It’s okay!” She is so sweet! She then went on to ask me if I was going to sleep until 11? Haha, I said no I will be up before then. She then proceeded to tell me to sleep for as long as I want and if I want to lay around and rest all morning/day tomorrow that I can. I said I just needed a little extra sleep since I haven’t slept well the past few nights and then I will be good to go! My host parents are so easy going, it’s amazing. I feel bad that I’m not going to church with the in the morning… but I seriously haven’t been this tired in months. I also haven’t gotten to sleep in since I’ve been here, so I’m looking forward to it! I’m glad my host parents are so understanding!

I guess I should tell you that I’m going on what’s called a “technical trip” all next week with 11 people in my group along with our trainers and a few staff members. We are going to Cotocachi. There are a TON of things we have planned!! I know one day we are going hiking, but that’s as far as I read on the itinerary. I will fill you all in on everything when I get back. I’m SOOOOOOOO excited!!!!

Alright, bed time for me!

Until next week,

Heather