Bend over and kiss your ass goodbye!

Hey friends,

It`s been awhile since I`ve written, so I thought I would take a few minutes and update the blog. Last week was pretty tough, in that I had a bit of a bout of homesickness, and wasn`t sure I could handle Ecuador for another 6 months. However, I think that I can, with a few minor changes, so it`s all good now.

On Wednesday, an earthquake hit Ecuador. It went along the coast and down the Andes, and measured 6.7, and it went on forever! I was hanging out with my roommates in our top floor apartment, in the glass living room when the earthquake hit. My chair started rocking, and my friend Hannah jumped up. We realized it was an earthquake, and I had visions of the whole apartment building tumbling over into the river, 9 stories below. The others just sat calmly in the living room while Hannah and I scurried around, unsure what we were supposed to do. Eventually, I ended up jamming myself in a doorway, as if that would do a lick of good if the building decided to collapse...I couldn`t remember if that`s what you were supposed to do in a hurricane or an earthquake, but it made me feel better momentarily, so I guess it was the right thing to do at the time! That night I kept waking up and imagining my bed was moving towards the river. It was the very first earthquake I`ve ever really felt, although apparently I must have lived through several, being from Victoria.

On Friday, my roommate, Kristi, went in for surgery, to remove the cyst on her tailbone. As no one should go to the hospital by their lonesome, especially when you are in ECUADOR, I went with her. Truth be told, I wouldn`t be too put out if I needed to have emergency surgery done while I`m here. The hospital we went to, Santa Ines, is one of the best in Ecuador, and the doctor spoke English and had studied in the States. There was a translator who met us at administration who checked in every once in awhile to see if we were comfortable (although between Kristi and I, we pretty much understood everything). As well, Kristi was set up in this gorgeous hotel room, oops, I mean hospital room, with Direct TV and a very comfortable couch. We spent the day watching Desperate Housewives and sneaking chocolate.


Today, I taught in the morning, and after class tracked down a pirated copy of Stardust for $1.50. I`m supposed to go to a house party tonight, but I might just chillax with Kristi and watch it. Anyhow, I hope all is well back in the real world (wherever that may be!).

Always,

Emily