I thought that April was one of the slowest months to ever pass, but now I realized I may have been wrong. I think that May is going to go by even slower…June (and my trip home) just can’t come any faster.
Its not that things are going badly, they’re actually going really well and I am really happy but I feel like as if its 4 pm on a Friday afternoon and I just want my weekend to be here already!
I had a pretty fun experience a few weekends ago that I’ll share with you guys. I had a swollen lymph node (two actually but one giant) growing on my neck for about 2 weeks and it continued to get larger and larger and more painful I decided to call the Peace Corps doctor. He asked me to email a picture of it (which I then shamelessly posted on facebook) and the next day he called me and told me I needed to come up to Quito to get it checked out. So I scheduled an emergency trip up to Quito, spent all day in the medical office getting tests done. The doctors measured my growth and stated that since it was over 2 cm in width they needed to perform all possible tests. I mean you name it and I got tested for it. Had my ears checked, blood drawn, went to another medical office and received a TB test, went to the hospital got an X-ray done, pap smear etc etc. It was a stressful day. And as for the results, well the doctors informed me my white and red blood cells were normal (our biggest concern) and as for the million other tests performed they’ve yet to inform me on the results (more points for peace corps…) but the lump is almost gone and no longer visible. Thank goodness for I was getting to be worried that Rachel would kick me out of her wedding party with a lump like that.
Anyways after spending the entire day in Quito in the office, I went with some friends to a national park where we camped (I had planned ahead, brought along the tent), spent 2 hours trying to make a fire with damp wood and foot tall grass and slept under the stars. In the AM we got up early made some yummy oatmeal and headed out on a hike, which turned out to take us 9 hours up and down. But what an incredible view! The hike was glorious and moderately difficult. The last 40 minutes required scaling rocks with our hands and feet but made for a great picnic spot once we were on top.
This past weekend was a good friend’s birthday here in site. I had made his family an Easter bunny cake which I ended up not giving to him because it got destroyed I told him I’d make him another cake for his birthday instead. Well, with the aide of bad translation, he proceeded to assume that I just offered to provide the cake for his 60+ guests birthday party. Uhh…not what I had in mind. But I did a little cheating, bought 4 boxes of Betty Crocker Double Chocolate cake mix in Guayaquil, baked two boxes together for the bottom layer and the last two individually and made him a 3 layered chocolate cake infused with caramel layers, topped with vanilla frosting and chocolate covered strawberries. Only had a mild heart attack while I was stacking the third layer one and it started to crack. Next time I’ll cut the layers flat before stacking them. But the cake was a hit, I got many questions on how I made such a magnificent thing and the best I could tell them was “it's a baker’s secret” aka Betty’s secret…
This weekend I am planning on doing some more baking. I found a recipe for mango coconut bread so I want to make a loaf for Melita for Mother’s Day. Tomorrow (Friday) for Mother’s Day with the Women’s Group of Cumanda, we are hosting an afternoon potluck type thing for all of the elderly women of the community. Friday night a Peace Corp volunteer is organizing a welcoming potluck for all the new Ag and Natural Resource (What I was one year ago!!) volunteers in Guayaquil. Saturday am there is a 5k for Mother’s day in Guayaquil which I am doing and Saturday afternoon with the Women’s basketball team we’re going to a neighboring town to play a game. The Sports League president of the neighboring has specifically asked that the “Gringa” show up and play on Saturday. Does he think that his team has someone that can challenge my abilities? Please…ok maybe it has been about 4 weeks since I shot a basketball, maybe I should go practice a bit.
We’re now in our 6th week of classes I believe. I am really enjoying teaching. I have about 60 students (in 4 different classes which is perfect) and they’re all females with great attitudes and are very forgiving with my poor Spanish abilities. They laugh at me, I laugh at me, and then we playing an intense round of hangman.
Welp speaking of which I have some classroom plans to fill out (I have to fill out a form EVERYDAY of what we’re going to do in class for that day) and I’m managed to not fill them out for two weeks. Oops.
I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend and that you all send many thanks and love to your mothers. I thank my mom for teaching me to be independent and to constantly challenge myself, which have allowed for me to be here miles away from what I know and love. She says she shot herself in the foot years ago by always taking us on trips and instilling in us the love and adventure of travel; but that's not true ‘cause she knows if I weren’t here, I’d be at home driving her up the wall. So for the sake of both our sanities, thank you Mom.
As always, I wish you all my best and we’ll be seeing you sooooon. Love love.
