"Life Lessons"

The overwhelming purpose of my trip here is to learn, or rather better learn, Spanish. However, already in the first week I have learned life lessons that will stay with me far beyond what any irregular conjugation will.

Things I've learned in my first week:
1) How to order a taxi to pick you up at your home and take you to Otavalo.
2) How to take the bus back from Otovalo at a fourth of the taxi price.
3) How to change your traveler's checks at a futuristic bank where you talk to the teller via video and phone.
4) How to become best friends with the owner of an empenada store (he even let's us "watch the store) while he quickly does an errand or two and gives us free tea. He doesn't even call us preciosas or princesas, so he wins my award for "Most Gentile Man in Ecuador")
5) How to make sure a taxi doesn't rip you off for your lack of melanin (make them use taxi metro- the taxi meter- that or barter your way down and look like you're prepared to walk for hours...which you might be.)
6) How to make friends with two old guys at a blues bar.
7) How to eat for 60 cents a day...including a cookie.

Numbers 4 and 6 are really the most important, no?

H has left us. It will be weird not having her here since she's been with us the whole time until now. I hope we sent her out in style. Her last day we went to Otovalo, took the last form of transportation that she had left (bus) and went to a blues bar. And NONE of us got mugged! (Picture a really cheesy smiling face with two thumbs up). I was planning on sleeping most of the day today, but my Ecuatorian schedule has messed that up for me as well. This week R and I might have a competition for spending the least amount of money. It'll probably end up equal since we do the same things, but she has a love for Oreos that cannot be quenched and I have the same problem with Coca-Cola Zero. What ya gonna do?