Hello, goodbye...

Okay lets see where we last left off, last blog I was saying my goodbyes to Cumandá and embarking on a new journey to Guayaquil. Now that two months have passed since I moved to Guayaquil I feel it’s an appropriate time to send out an update…

Work wise things have been going fairly well. I split my week working between the Peace Corps office and my new organizations office (ACDI-VOCA). The first few weeks were a little rough getting my positions worked out and getting comfortable in my new environment but things are defiantly looking up. Between both offices, my main responsibility is to work as a supervisor of the new volunteers and so I have been making lots of visits out to their individual sites, giving advice, providing support and a helping hand where needed.

Life in Guayaquil has been slightly boring due to my constant fear of being robbed and refusing to leave the house after 7 pm but my courage is beginning to build; not sure if that’s good or bad.

Last week we celebrated Peace Corp’s 50th Anniversary in Quito and I was one of the few volunteers who were lucky to get invited. Although after the 10-hour trip there and 10 hours back in two days merely for a 3-hour ceremony was barely worth it. Had it not been for the yummy food and free wine it defiantly would not have been worth the trip. The things I will do for free food and drink these days…

I must share my yesterday (Sunday) with you all for it was so glorious it has me still on a high. I started the morning off by competing in a 10k, which was the race of the bridges, and I finally got to run across the two giant bridges here that I’ve always dreamt about AND I also ran a new PR. Yay. Directly from the finish line I went to the bus terminal where I met up with 4 fellow volunteers and we jumped on a bus towards the beach where we spent the whole afternoon lounging in the glorious sunshine. Great company, fresh seafood lunch and a couple ice-cold beers under our umbrella makes for the ultimate Sunday afternoon one could ask for.

I still go home to Cumanda just about every weekend. I still have my old room with my host family, which is super nice and convenient. It’s still my favorite bed and the place that I refer to as home.

Well that’s about it for updates from here, either things are finally starting to settle down or I am getting accustomed to life in Ecuador. Hopefully it’s the latter…I hope you all have a great May and a safe Memorial Day Weekend! Love.