I'm finally here!! All the planning, scheming, dreaming, sweating, stressing and laughing have led me to the place of my dreams.
Ecuador is like Never-Never land or Alice's Rabbit Hole; completely turned upside down from what I had established as my life. It is simply overwhelming. My senses are on overload, lending no doubt to my complete exhaustion and need for a siesta right about now. The elevation here is 2800m or 8,400ft or so. The people are gorgeous and generous and the traffic is like none other.
From where I sit I see tropical flowers and trees and so many houses. It is like walking onto a movie set. I do have to say that I kind of miss my American ways, but being inundated by Spanish and Quechua is helping wipe that out of me. Of course America has stretched it's sticky fingers here (there are Domino's and Pizza Huts and Curves), but all in all it is completely different.
I guess what I mean to say here is that being a gringo hasn't been so bad so far. I've been introduced to all sorts of new fruits, food and customs. And I've only been here for a day! The Indigenous people here are selling things on every corner. You can literally buy oranges, avocados, sun glasses and a lottery ticket from one block to the next. I'm in love with this place.
To some up my experience so far in one word, I'll use ANDES. They are my next door neighbors and they leave no surprise as to why the Indigenous people believed they were Gods.
Hasta luego y mucho amor a mis amigos!!
