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-
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