Lava, Shukos, Quito...OH MY!

I drank diet coke significantly less during the summer, but it still was at least a once or twice a week thing. I usually couldn't help my self as the gang would be walking down the block back to work with our shukos in hand. We'd pass the first chiclero (little stand on the corner with all the snacks you could ever want for pennies- yes we need them in madison)...I'd say i'll just drink water at work... i don't need anything. We'd get the second chiclero on the next corner, realize soda is so good and ask for Diet coke. Every time i was well aware that this corner (closest to work) does not not sell diet coke, but i would ask, would be denied and say.. Hang on guys and run back down the street to the first chiclero and buy my wonderful DC.

I've been in Quito for just about a month and I bought my first DC on Monday at school for a ridiculous high price that I'm not used to. I've had one everyday this week.

Yesterday I also started volunteering at a day care center about 15 minutes walking from my university. I was there for a bout 3.5 hours ...with about 25 crazy 4 year olds running around like maniacs- or like 4 year olds. There was one other supervisor there, i don't know how she was not going crazy, because i basically was at 5pm when the parents came!! I've worked a lot with kids that age so i thought I was pretty well prepared going into it...and yes kids are kids where ever you go in the world, but MAN throw in the language barrier and it was a whole new element. Common things that you normally throw out there like"get down from there!" or " keep your hands to yourself" were just nooot flowing like they should. My requests and demands were came out choppy and stumbled upon. Some times the kids would just look at me like "what the heck are you saying and why can't you speak like everyone else?!"

I plan on going there Mondays and Wednesdays for about 3 hours after class. Hopefully my spanish will improve and the kids will have a lot more fun with someone actually to play with.

On a different note. Its the weekend (yay) and i didn't do a Volcano (for my class) field trip last weekend and next weekend i want to go to Banos...so i'm squeezing in 3 of my required field trips this weekend. Yes i will be going on three separate hiking excursions on active volcanoes this weekend. I miiiight die of exhaustion but hopefully i'll get some great photos.

And the whole "school" part of study abroad will hit me this weekend. I have my first paper to write and the lack of readings i've done is preventing me from going out this evening. catching up before things snowball.

This week was significantly better than last. Cheers to being in another country.