you know you're in america, when...

1. there are more MLB hats than soccer jerseys
2. Starbucks is the first sight you see as you step off the plane
3. Kelly Clarkson's A Moment Like This is on the radio
4. the majority of people are over 5 feet tall
5. flushing toilet paper down the toilet is allowed
6. the national homeland security level is at orange
7. you mistaken every man with a mustache as Randy Gruendyke
8. meals without rice are complete
9. you fly through customs because you're white
10. men dedicated to protecting America get a standing 'O' before boarding the plan
11. a smoothie costs $5 (and it wasn't made in your mom's juicer or with fresh fruit)
12. you talk in Spanish but get a response in English
13. people coming back from South Africa are still proud of the U.S.A.
14. you have to search for a TV playing the World Cup
15. you see fat people consistently
16. your gringo-ness does not call special attention to you (that previously resulted in whistling and/or staring)
17. your Spanish-to-English pocket dictionary is at the bottom of your bags
18. Jason eats the pork
19. there is a drinking fountain with pure, drinkable water
20. you feel right at home

As we landed in Atlanta and spent time hunting and gathering to fill our materialistic needs (peep the picture below), Jon had the ingenious idea of coming up with this list. Needless to say, we got a kick out of it. If you didn't find the list that entertaining, don't worry your little self. Our laughter may have been accredited to: traveling for 24 hours straight (some not sleeping a wink), spending hours on end in the airport, and/or being filled with giddy because a two hour plane ride was the only thing separating us from home ...ANDDDD for any additional problems that were not covered in those three excuses, I blame it on the s-s-s-s-southern hemisphere. The southern hemisphere excuse covers any and all problems just as a-a-a-a-alcohol does for Jamie Foxx.

Cell phone on? Check. $5 Smoothie? Check. Starbucks? OF COURSE. People mag? Check.

mission accomplished

bidding Ecuador a fond farewell via our last bus ride

some favorites

my familia!

Well, it's been a few days since we returned to the States, nestled back into the luxuries of life, put on clean clothes (ahem, Kayla), and adjusted back to the English language. (It's almost scary how easily and naturally all of that came! ...not to say that we're not missing Ecuador, of course!) Everything we were wanting and 'needing' is now at our fingertips and if not, it's only a hop, skip, and a jump away. Laura is slowly checking off each line on her seemingly never-ending "to do" list, and I'm just beginning to realize how expensive it will be to ship my familia a simple box of chocolates. Life in Ecuador, as we know it, is no longer, but let's just say, the Summer 2010 Ecuador group left its mark, and Cuenca will never, never be the same!

Auf Wiedersehen. Au Revoir. Sayonara. Farewell. Adios. Slan. Tot Ziens.

The gang on the last day of school!

Everyone with our buseta driver, Diago. He was the bestttt,

and he gave me the CD we jammed to every morning!

Me, posing by our rockin' buseta. Thanks for keeping us so safe, despite that one dog we hit.

Well, I'm surprised that I even have time to be write this post because today is my very, very, very last day in Cuenca! It's unbelievable how fast the time in the southern hemisphere has flown. It's seems like yesterday I was stuffing my life into one suitcase, trying to make everything fit. And, now, the day has come where I have to face the challenge of re-packing. My suitcase and carry-on, I'm sure, will be filled to the brim, souvenirs taking possession of every nook and cranny. I'm praying for a miracle, including a sudden spiritual gift in smart packing.

On the bright side: The days of playing charades are not over BUT Spanish class is! I am pleased to announce that I passed, not with flying colors, but the point is: I passed.

No. More. Spanish. Class. EVER. ANDDDD... It's officially summer break!

Learning a new language is not my forte... but studying is not a strength either. When in Ecuador, do as the Ecuadorians. Right? That's what being 'immersed' is all about! And that's exactly what I spent my time doing. There isn't a spec of me that wished I would have studied more... is there ever? Ecuador was far too grand to waste time at home in order to study.

Last night, all of us (families, students & professors), had a final fiesta to celebrate our success and good times. We wined and dined (must the wine) at this schnazzy banquet facility with a beautiful manicured lawn (those don't really exist here). There, we presented a slideshow of pictures, opened our class gift (a t-shirt... yessss!), and received our certificate of graduation. For the finale, we 'wow-ed the crowd' by singing, "Nina Bonita" one last time. The feeling slightly resembled the time when the Von Trapps sung "Edelweiss" right before escaping from the evil Nazis ...well, almostttt.

Today's Mission: go out with a bang!

One More Reason Why My Familia is Awesome:

-While watching Isner's marathon match, my dad says, "Sarah! I think it's chocolate time!" He looks at me, smiles, rummages through his nightstand drawer, and pulls out a huge array of gourmet chocolates... unopened. We end up 'taste testing' three or four different kinds of chocolate bars. All were superb.

-Here, in Ecuador, you can't buy the luxurious chocolate that we can in the States. So, when my family visits the U.S., they stock up BIG TIME on chocolate. I'm not just talking about Hershey's and Dove. I'm talking about imported chocolate- some of the milkiest, creamiest, sweetest chocolate ever. Chocolate that I wouldn't even think about buying because it's so pricey.

-Mau told me that his mom literally has to hide the chocolate otherwise it's gone in two shakes of a lamb's tail. My family just went to Chicago in February. There, Mau bought a $50 box of Frango's mint chocolates. This was the biggest box he could find. Little does his family know, but in ONE MONTH the box disappeared- thanks to Mau's sweet tooth.

RFOTD: Operation Christmas Child boxes are sent to Verbo Church- the church we're associated with!

Itinerary:

• Roll out of Cuenca at 9 a.m.
• Drive 5 hours to Guayaquil
• Arrive in Guayaquil in time for lunch & USA vs. Ghana
• Abnoxiously celebrate USA's big 'W'
• Fly out of Guayaquil around 11 p.m. (I think)
• Land in Atlanta around 5 a.m.
• Love on the fifty, nifty United States
• Turn cell phone on
• Become bored out of our minds due to the 5 hour lay-over
• Return to the good ol' Hoosier State around 11 a.m.

Indiana composed by Ballard MacDonald & James Hanley, published in 1917

Back home again in Indiana,

And it seems that I can see

The gleaming candlelight, still shining bright,

Through the sycamores for me.

The new-mown hay sends all its fragrance

From the fields I used to roam.

When I dream about the moonlight on the Wabash,

Then I long for my Indiana home.

Well, that dreaded time has come, and the last supper has almost been consumed...

This is Sarah.

Signing off from Cuenca.

Thanks for listening.

See you all (or some) in the Crossroads of America

...in less than 48 hours!

So long, Ecuador. I shall remember you always!

over & out

-30-

hump week

According to study abroad experts (yes, there is such a thing), the 4th week abroad is referred to as, Hump Week. Hump Week was just last week for us here in Ecuador, and to our surprise and thanksgiving, natural selection favored us! We made it through the treacherous storm without too much angst- learning new survival skills, experiencing the normal growing pains, and becoming so much stronger*. To say the least, Hump Week shall not be looked-over or taken lightly. Thus, a more in-depth explanation is needed.

To begin, a definition from my new found savior- my bright yellow english-to-spanish pocket dictionary:

Hump Week, \Hump Week\ (h[u^]mp wi:k), [espanol: semana de bache], n.
 a period of seven consecutive days with a rounded raised mass or bulge

There are people in this world who study our [exchange students] habits and psychological processes while abroad. They hypothesize, question, test, theorize, and conclude, and then do it all over again... and again. To put it simply and unscientifically, though, these experts have come to the following conclusion:

While away from their mother-land,

study abroad-ers go through a cycle consisting of three main stages:

1. Tourism

2. Anxiety [Hump Week]

3. Normalcy

[This theory is not 100% full-proof, but for the majority (and those here in Ecuador), we believe this to be pretty accurate.]

Stage 1. Everything is fresh. Everything is fun. You have not a care in the world besides seeing and experiencing all there is to see and experience. You are the epitome of a tourist- from the fanny pack cinched around your waist to your camera dangling around your neck. Classes have yet to begin, and when something does go wrong, you let it roll off your back like water off a duck.

Stage 2. Now, it's time to CRASH and BURN... or for the "poop" to hit the fan. You've been on a high for the last couple of weeks. Life is as golden as the streets in Heaven. However, as we learn from the Stock Market, things can't continue to sky rocket. So, when things are SO high, and they begin to decline, it seems even more drastic. This stage begins around week four, Hump Week. Life abroad is certainly not as new, classes are getting harder, and home never sounded so sweet.

During this stage in Cuenca, it seemed like we had a ton of nostalgic talks that comforted us like mom's home cooking always does. These talks ranged from Nickelodeon to picture day in elementary school to "Don't Go Chasing Waterfalls" by TLC to Little House on the Prairie. In addition, one day in class, tensions flared... and blew up. We had to have a little meeting to discuss our 'struggles'. "We get no break. Class for seven hours, every meal with the family, chicken and rice, chicken and rice, chicken and rice..." You get the point. It wasn't pretty, but it was necessary.

For those of you who have not been away from home for a long-ish period of time think about the glorious day, Wednesday. Wednesday, also known as Hump Day, is smack dab in the middle of the week. Once you get past it, everything is a-okay... BUT getting through it is the real challenge. I don't think Hump Week or Wednesday know the meaning of mercy.

Stage 3. Whew! Here, you begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel, and you're feeling a little more settled. You're no longer straddling between being a tourist and being a resident... at least, not as much. You feel good about things becoming more normal and can appreciate the smaller bits and pieces. We're creatures of habit, so the lack of chaos brings your blood pressure back down to earth. Things are looking up, and in fact, they are going up.

At the end of stage three, you return to stage numero uno. Ah-ha! That's probably why the experts call this a "cycle". [Side Note: Mental preparation is a big factor in the height, depth, width, and length of each stage, as well as the amount of time abroad.]

• It's a bummer that as soon as we reach stage three, we are whisked away to go back to where we came from. We mine as well have gone to Busch Gardens, had countless amounts of beer, and ridden all the roller coasters. The feeling, I bet, is very similar. You know you had fun but can't remember exactly why. You were at the disposal of complete strangers [host family], taking twist after turn after up after down [the cycle], going to places you don't even know [touring], and at the end of the ride, you realize it all went by way too quickly... but you wouldn't trade it for the world!
• Tomorrow marks our last day of exams [three to be exact], and I couldn't be more excited! Spanish class looms over my head more than I would care to admit. I'm to the point where learning more is NOT an option, and it's safe to say that I'm on Spanish OVERLOAD. I've become far too acquainted with my yellow pocket dictionary. I'm ready to set it on my bookshelf at home so it can collect dust, become more yellowed, and age like fine white wine.

As for now, it's the bottom of ninth, the bases are loaded and [insert your favorite baseball player here] is up to bat. Our game in Ecuador is coming to a close faster than I can say:

"Adiosss,"-to-bonita-Ecuador-and-never-ending-slash-confusing-Spanish-class,-and-"HELLO,"-to the-rich-American-soil-I know-and-love.

Grand slam? I believe so.

Ecuador's 411 [the spice of life]-

A picture of Cuenca's 2010 Dream Team! I'm positive I couldn't ask for a better line-up.

["Accurate?" you ask. Absolutely!]

*A Tribute to Week F-O-U-R [inspired by Christina Aguilera]:

You make us that much stronger

Make us work a little bit harder
Make us that much wiser
So thanks for making us fighters
Made us learn a little bit faster
Made our skin a little bit thicker
It makes us that much smarter
So thanks for making us FIGHTERS

RFOTD: You ready?! Not just one random fact BUT millions! To learn how to decaffeinate coffee beans, click below:

http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/58841

Remember: Mentalfloss.com is your place for useless knowledge. Don't forget to subscribe to their magazine!

QOTW:

"I can speak five languages... Chinese included" - Margaret

"PROVE IT!" - Alex

"I lived there" - Margaret

BIG MONEY: You can bet your bottom-dollar that I'll be kissing the Kingdom of Freedom's ground the second we touch down in Atlanta

Best Purchase of the Week: an Ecuadorian soccer jersey for only $8!

Word of the Week: bear : oso

And, don't forget, "If Ron Burgundy says it, it's the truth!"

[A guy at church was wearing a this jacket. Couldn't resist snapping a pic!]

a day in the life of...

... A FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENT!

Please, if you will (and are capable), think with me for a second. Think back to when you had some sort of encounter with a foreign exchange student... whether it be at school, church, wherever you make your rounds. What words come to mind?

Quirky?

Peculiar?

Strange?

Just straight up different? Well, there's no doubt, exchange students are all of those and more... and being one, I can rightfully say so! FACT: Exchange students are a bit offbeat, AND they live hard-knock lives. Our group knew that we would stick out, seem kooky, and be uncomfortable at times while in Ecuador, but lately, we've realized what this really means. In addition, we've learned why exchange students do what they do.

For example, exchange students...

• laugh during movies because they don't understand what's going on
• take cold showers because they don't know how the hot water works
• purposely don't go down stairs because it may be awkward
• don't finish their entire meal because they're either sick of chicken and rice OR because they were served way too much
• are tired and drained because they're always a few notches above 'total relaxation'
• don't wear shoes because that's 'normal' for them (which is offensive in Ecuador)
• are not always properly dressed because they didn't pack the right clothes OR just came from class
• don't ask for a lot of things: toilet paper, washing clothes, rides because they don't want to be a nuisance
• zone-out because they're overwhelmed and can't find a better escape
• would like to explain more but literally can't find the words

Somehow we survive. Creativity and ingenuity suddenly kick-in, and we find ways around our little issues.

(guys, let me know if i left something out, por favor!)

A Typical Twenty-four Hours:

1. 6:20 a.m. - the rooster calls & i roll out of bed, make my bed (must be polite) and freshen up for the day
2. 7:05- say, "buenos dias" to mi madre, prepare my 'coffee', eat, drink, and be merry
3. 7:15- buseta arrives and picks me up, have interesting conversations and/or finish homework
4. 7:45- arrive at school
5. 8-10- speaking/grammar class
6. 15 minute break- get the latest updates on the world cup or watch jason's band on youtube
7. 10:15-12- vocab/attempt-to-learn-something-new class
8. 12:30- buseta arrives at school to take us home
9. 1:30- arrive at mi casa, eat a delicious, made-from-scratch lunch (the size of american dinners)
10. 2:20- finish lunch, watch the world cup/siesta time
11. 3-6- culture class: either a field trip, dancing lesson or boring lecture
12. 7:20- arrive home, relax, or run errands with the family
13. 8:30- dinner of some sort (usually a sandwich or fruit and yogurt)
14. 9- go out with my siblings/TU or watch a movie (...or do homework, if necessary)
15. 12-1: go to bed, dream good dreams
16. 6:20: start the whole process over

Back to the Basics: (I should have gone over this earlier, oops!)

• Here in Cuenca, everything is close together... especially the houses. Because of this, there are no yards what-so-ever (unless you're super wealthy), and our house practically connects to our neighbors'. I mean, the view out my window is a bunch of roofs, and my house has a TINY, TINY patch of grass. This patch is so tiny I could take my nail clippers, and cut it all in less than 10 minutes.
• My house is long and semi-narrow with three floors. The top two floors are bedrooms, bathrooms, and two landing areas. The first floor is the entrance/bookshelf/salon/dining room area, kitchen, and informal eating area with a tiny laundry room in the back. I'm currently staying in my 'sister's' room on the second floor which is pretty modern, and I have my own bathroom! The cars are parked outside, in front of the house, yet guarded by a gate.
• Like I mentioned earlier, everything is pretty up-to-date. I feel like they are just 6 or 7 years behind on technology (cars, TV, computers), furniture/decor, and fashion. A few differences I've noticed are: no toilet paper in the toilet, only one person can take a shower at a time because of lack of water pressure, small cars only, and no dishwasher.
• The town of Cuenca, I think, is overall pretty clean and well-off, however you can be driving down a street and see a nice house next to a dump. The buildings seem mismatched and have no real continuity.
• Although things seem pretty great, Ecuador is considered a third world country. My dad wanted to make sure I knew this fact. When our electricity went out for 15 minutes or so, he yelled, "Sarah, this is a third world country for ya!" However, no matter the conditions, there is always a nicely lit soccer/futbal field that is in constant use.
• Cuenca's population numbers somewhere around 417,000 people (thank you, culture class). This is a pretty small city, and wherever we go, my family seems to know somebody. The locals sometime complain about how everyone knows everything about everyone. One way or another gossip spreads like wildfire.
• Cuenca LOVES round-abouts... probably even more so than Carmel, IN.
• Living with a host family is a truly unique experience. Other study abroad programs at Taylor have the students live together... which I'm sure is great! At times, I know we've wanted that for ourselves. I like it the way it is, though. We're all down here together, having bonded plenty, and we share awesome experiences, but at the same time, we're all living out our own, different lives.

Time to Wrap This Baby Up:

Yesterday, our group travelled to Cajas National Park and hiked for about 5 hours! It was super muddy and rained part of the time, but the views were spectacular... more to come, below!

For culture class, we cruised down to a hat making museum. Here, Laura and I are trying on the best of the best. (thank Laura for this stellar pic)

These tiny guys were scattered all around Cajas

Like I mentioned, Cajas was very muddy. There was a part in the trail where our guide warned us, "DON'T STEP IN THE MUD!" It was kinda tricky, but unfortunately, Meghan fell in... waist deep! From then on out, she slid down the mountain. What a sport!

Jason throwing/spinning me around during dancing class

Ecuador's 411-

QOTW: "Laura, how long have you and Andy been dating?" "14 mesas." (Translation: 14 tables, instead of 14 months)

RFOTD: Toy Story 3 scored a 100% on RottenTomatoes.com ... and I agree 100 and 10%!

LLL: Me quieres o me amos? (Translation: Do you like me or do you love me?)

And, on a final note, a very important lesson we learned from Patricia, our prof:

"Men have problems, women have solutions."

A-men, sister!

gluttony: 1 of the 7 deadly sins

A wise, wise man once said, "Food is a central activity of mankind and one of the single most significant trademarks of a culture." So with that quote in mind, came the inspiration for today's blog.

Quick Bites (random observations):

• KFC is as abundant as Starbucks
• After dinner mints taste like cough drops
• Hot dogs are a favorite for the locals

Update:

Cereal has been located in the house. Fruit loops AND Frosted Flakes! Life. Is. Good.

Top 5 Foods that Tantalize the Taste Buds:

1. Jugo [juice]: I'm positive, there is none like it anywhere else! Pineapple, strawberries,

papaya, lemon, watermelon, tomate de arbol, passion fruit, you name it! All that and a

bag of chips for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

2. Fresas con chocolate: I had this treat my very first night in Cuenca. Five of the juiciest,

sweetest strawberries on a kaibob dipped in 3 different kinds of chocolate- for only $1.80!
3. Pescado [fish]: From the ocean to our lunch plates to our stomachs in less than 24 hours. No complaints here.
4. Aguacate [avocado]: Not only good in guac, but by itself... sprinkled with a bit lime juice

and topped with a few onions.
5. Tres Leche Torta: I'm not sure what's even in this cake (besides 3 types of milk) but it's,

"the sweetest thing since sugar," raves Kayla.

Restaurant Rendezvous (story time):

On Friday night, my family took me to my Cuenca's dad favorite eatery ...and I must admit, he

has exquisite taste. The meal started out with stove-top popped popcorn (not too usual for

down here). The popcorn was followed by french bread and butter, and then, a bit later, white

wine. Next, we ate empanadas (a fried dough pouch thing with meat and vegetables) as our appetizer. My 'dad' then ordered each of our meals, which consisted of meat topped with heavy gravy, rice, and papa fritas. While ordering, he asked me (or so I thought), "How do you like your meat cooked?" I responded, "Medium, please." The main course came out a few minutes later, and I was shocked. I guess my, "Medium, please," was the answer to the size of the piece of meat, not the 'done-ness'. My piece of meat was at least TWICE the size of everyone else's. It flanked the length/width of my entire plate. My family must have thought I was crazy when I ordered! Regardless, I didn't want to waste any meat (fortunately, it was really good), so I pretended like I was in an eating contest, taking huge bites, and trying not to think about my belt needing to be loosened. I could only finish 3/4ths of it, but that was a victory in itself. My family was very supportive through the whole process as well. After stuffing my face with the meat, we ended the meal on a high note: coffee and dessert. I, of course, was able to stomach a few bites- fresh strawberries, chocolate, and whipped cream as well as a rice, sugar, cake type thing... who could resist?! Bon appetite!

From this night came The Quote of the Week:

My Cuenca mom, who speaks little English, mistook the word "version" for "virgin"

"Your father is not a virgin. How do you think you got here?" she said. "No, Mom! I'm talking about his version [of the story]," responds Juan.

Our Stomachs Have Spoken (latest cravings):

• Me: Olive Garden and Indiana State Fair food
• Alex: a Turtle Mocha from Caribou Coffee
• Melissa: Chick-fil-a chicken sandwich with a strawberry milkshake
• Jason: "a real, american salad" and chocolate chip cookie dough
• Laura: mom's home cookin, Stir Crazy, and cake batter ice cream with Reese's from Coldstone
• Taylor: venti iced coffee from Starbucks, sushi, and mom's home cookin
• Kayla: "a super thick hamburger" with a spinach salad
• Jess: spaghetti and bread
• Jon: "meat, meat, meat... manly food only"

Now, to conclude, the usual, regular routine...

Kayla and I proudly supporting our Stars and Stripes in honor of the World Cup! GO USA!

View of Cuenca

When I took this picture, it was about 53.7 degrees outside. My Cuenca madre was wearing a big winter coat, heavy duty shoes, and a scarf... AND insisted that we get hot chocolate. I did not refuse, although I had ice cream earlier that day.

One day for class, we went to the fresh, local, semi-dirty/smelly, crowded market and practiced our spanish skills by buying all different types of fruit. We then ventured back to class and made fruit salad! Rico!

I'm convinced that Ecuador loves up-side down flowers

Our ten hour drive from Quito to Cuenca through the Andes consisted of back roads, dirt hills and steep valleys. This was our view from the bus most of the time.

LLL: A mi, cae el (translation: I fall/am falling, for him); prometidos (translation: lovers)

RFOTD: Neil Armstrong walked on the moon when he was 35(ish) years old

# of stray dogs that have chased Jon: 3.5

Hi-light of the week: Watching HOME ALONE. in SPANISH.

I know, I know. I cheated and watched it during the summer, but hey, it was on TV, practically begging me to watch it... and I learned an important life lesson: You can find a little bit of home (no pun intended), no matter where you go!

So... on that note, I'm gunna give you to the count of ten, to get your ugly, yellow, no-good keister off this blog before I pump your guts full of lead.

1.

2.

10!

Keep the change, ya filthy animal!