BENGARLAND!com

It’s been a crazy two weeks in Quito. I learned more Spanish in 9 days of class than I would have in an entire semester. I still need a lot of practice. Met a lot of cool Americans and Germans down here. Been hanging out with Dena, Mac, and Agnes for the last few days. Agnes lives in Atlanta and goes to Emory, but I don’t think we will get to hang out cause she’s coming back to Ecuador at the end of the year right around the same time that I’ll return to the states from Costa Rica. But I’m going to put her in touch with Jenna, cause I think they will get along really well. Dena is from Boston and goes to med school up there somewhere and is starting work in an Ecuadorian hospital tomorrow for two weeks. Mac is from Baltimore (currently) but is moving back to Boston when he returns to the states. He’s a “Government” graduate from Harvard who has been traveling around South America for a while just to take a break. Cool people.

Anyway, here’s a synopsis of what I’ve done in only 13 days:

• 7hr/day for 9 days of Spanish class.
• Lived with a really cool couple who are now my friends.
• Kinda learned to Salsa dance (need practice).
• Became good friends with a Swiss guy named Jonas.
• Visited the old historic district at night and saw massive cathedrals.
• Took a cable car (gondola?) ride up the side of the Volcan Pichincha.
• Went to the Saquisili indigenous market about 2 hours south of Quito.
• Saw a few snow-capped volcanoes, one of which was Cotopaxi.
• Went to the tourist-oriented market of Otavalo (bought some stuff for Jenna).
• Had $450 worth of camera stolen during the bus ride to Otavalo (don’t ask).
• Ate a couple dozen empanadas.
• Missed my girlfriend every damn day.

So this is it for a while. I go to Maquipucuna tomorrow morning. I’ll probably be back in Quito in two weeks and will check my email and make phone calls then. Ciao.