¿Por qué querrías hacer eso?

I think I have figured out the slogan for Ecuador.... Ecuador: The land of no Post Offices.

Ok, they exist... but The other day I asked Gonzalo (my older, temporary new brother)* where I could mail a couple letters/postcards etc that I have. His response "Why would you want to do that? Isn't that what E-mail is for?" Turns out this kid has never mailed a letter in his life. So I went to the best source (his mom) and was told that people don't really mail letters down here. They operate on the PO Box system but even then many people don't even have a PO BOX. If something needs to be delivered it is usually not sent through the USPS but through someone like UPS. So to all of you back home... Hopefully your mail will be coming, I just need to figure out a convenient way to send it!


I have officially completed one week of Spanish Classes. I now know what it feels like to be mentally exhausted. I knew that learning Spanish would be hard but geeze, every day after class I was so exhausted, it was ridiculous. Now, let before you start to judge let me explain to you my thoughts on why I believe this happened:

Laura J's TOP 3 Reasons for Exhaustion

1.) For my classes it is just me and a teacher, which means that I have to be paying attention the entire four hours I am in class. If I daze off for even a minute, my teacher catches me because she asks me a question that I don’t know or asks me a how to conjugate a word that I should know by now but don't know how.

2.) Not only do I have to pay full attention to the topic but it is a topic that I don't know and can't fake a made up answer for. Yes, I took two years of Spanish in high school but most high school students just took it as a require class. And having taken it as a freshman, that is almost 8 years ago and you and I both know that it is hard to remember what we had for lunch last week, let alone what the past tense for tener is.

3.) I, Laura Anderson have not had to use my brain power this hard in a long time. I graduated from school almost a year ago. Now, I am not saying that I have stopped learning but I have not had to put that much brain power into many of my jobs. I feel like it is completely different learning a skill versus learning something like a language.

I have even had to get back into the homework mode. The best part about me doing my homework is that there are usually children around me when I have to do homework. So it ends up being me and 3 or 4 bi-lingual (for the most part) 10 year olds gathered around me VERY eager to help make sure I answer each question correctly but laughing at me when I don't understand something .**


The weather here has been extremely rainy this week, but it is unpredictable. One point during the day it is sunny and beautiful, then after lunch as I am walking to the bus it starts to hail. I supposed I shouldn't complain since it is not snow, and is usually rather nice, but dang... It would be nice for a little bit of a heads up so I would know what I need to wear to be comfortable for the day. I am guessing all of November and into December will be like this since it is their "winter/rainy" season.

Other than than the downpours, life down south has been great!I haven't really done much since the first week I was taking it easy and acclimating to all the changes and last week I was so exhausted everyday, I would eat lunch, go home, do homework and then hit the hay. The food here is wonderful and so are the people! Since I am staying with a family I have met SO much of their family and many of their son's friends. Everyone is so welcoming and always offers their phone number "Just in case you need anything or anyone to party with". I love that about the people down here because I honestly think they mean it. Once you are welcomed into their family/friend group.. you are there for the long run.

Ok. Enough rambling. There is tons more to say but it will just have to wait for other posts. I have already stayed up past my bedtime and my teach can totally tell when I have been up all night.*** No bueno.


*Who is this HERMANO guy....
**When they start to get cocky I throw out words in English that they don't know, just to make myself feel better.
***Maybe if she didn't give me so much, I wouldn't have to stay up so late. *

             *also, maybe if I didn't put it off for so long I could go to bed earlier. It's bitter sweet really.