4 Months and Counting

Okay so I have been here over 4 months now and to me that is just ridiculous. I can't even believe how fast the time has gone by. It feels like yesterday I was calling my Mom in the airport to say goodbye. Everyone says the first few months are the hardest, so I can only imagine how fast the next months will go by. As each day goes past I learn more and enjoy living in this beautiful place more.

So in the past few weeks we have had vacation because of Christmas. In these few weeks of vacation so far I have gotten the oppurtunity to do so much. Last week I went to the hospital with my host parents and watched my host father do 3 surgeries. One surgery was a torn meniscus and that was lacroscopicly. The second was removing cancer from a young womens throat. The third was a car accident and the boy needed sugery in his legs and arms. I thought the blood might gross me out, but it didn't. It was so interesting to see how intricate the work is and how they know exactly where to cut. I also had the anestheologist teach me about the drugs they use and about how they put people to sleep and furthermore how the drugs control the comfort of the body. It was all so interesting. Getting the oppurtunity to watch a surgery made me realize that is what I want to do with my life. It takes truely special people to do it and the rewarding gift of being able to better someones life is truely wonderful. I look forward to watching more surgeries and bigger ones. It is such a wonderful oppurtunity to be able to watch and learn about surgeries here and also learn about names of things here in spanish. This will surely open doors for me.

Last week I also went to a poor school here in Loja. These children don't pay for a uniform or for the school. The kids at the school also get fed there. For most kids it's the only meal they get all day. Most kids at the school have around 10 siblings and many of their parents are only around 30 years old. It was truely sad to see these kids living in such poor conditions. The kids are so sweet and truely want to learn. They may not have a lot, but they give their all to learn what they can. The school however, does not have many supplies and all supplies are great appreciated. Anything they can get truely helps. It broke my heart to see these children who are so full of love, to just not have the same oppurtunites as other children. This just makes me realize how truely lucky we are in the USA to have so many wonderful oppurtunites. If there is any way you could help please contact me. Anything is truely apreciated.

So yesterday was Christmas. It was deffinitally the worst day here in Ecuador. It didn't even feel like Christmas whatsoever. Not to mention in Ecuador they celbrate at Midnight of the 25th so during the day on the 25th we did not do anything. It really bummed me out because I love Christmas and it just wasn't the same. However , it wasn't all that bad. The food was great and my host family gave me beautiful white gold diamond earrings. So beautiful and so generous of them. I am truely blessed to live with Lily and Diego they are great people. I got to skype with both my Mom and her family and also my Dad and siblings. I recieved my package from home about 3 days before that and cried when I read my card. I have such an amazing family and being away from them makes me realize how lucky I really am. I could not ask for a better family. I am glad they all had such a good day yesterday. I am looking forward to next year with them.

So last night I read that my Amazon trip is the 13-18 of February. That takes place during Carnival. For me I think Carnival is one of the most important holidays here in Ecuador and I told my host dad I really did not want to miss it. I mean I can always come back to Ecuador to see the Amazon, but I can never experience Carnival in the same situation with my friends again. When I told my host Dad that he totally agreed and said that Carnival is very important. He told me that if I did not go with Rotary then we would go to the Amazon as a family. That is so amazing and great. Once again, how blessed am I to have such wonderful hosts parents.

Well thats all for now. I am off to Vilcabamba for the day. We are going to have a big family barbeque. I will be back tonight to spend more time with my family. I can not wait. This will be such a fun day. I'll write soon. Most likely after New Years.

Another Week Here

So we did not get to have a thanksgiving and that totally was a bummer, but I mean t's not a tradition here so I couldn't really expect that. However, my mom also reminded me that I will get to experience other holidays like Carnival. So now I am also trying to keep myself positive about that. However, in the past week other than no Thanksgiving, not much has happened.

There have been some ups and downs this week. For example, some people here are just so ignorant. They don't seem to realize they are just rich kids here. They dont have friends in other classes, only kids from like Liceo and Egugenio. It makes me mad when they say that Americans think they are better then them, when most people in my school think they are so much better than half the people in this town. I mean sometimes we can't even go places because it's filled with "chulos" or people who dont have a ton of money. To some extent okay I understand, but they make it so obvious and it has really started to bother me. I do not like that it's all about social ranking here. Another reason why I love the USA, many classes can intertwine and you can hang out wiht people from many different schools.

This past weekend we also went to Erika's house because Thanksgiving day was her birthday. It was nce to have everyone together. Although I am usually much happier just hanging out with Vale, Erika, Ana and Pedro. They are so much fun and really are such a amazing people with great hearts. I honestly am so happy and blessed to have gotten the chance to know them. That's also why this Thursday only they will come to my house to celebrate Vale's birthday. Another funny thing, all four of our birthday's are within 3 weeks of one another. Nice to be able to celebrate them all together.

I almost forgot. This week in school we started sports. Everyone has to play, because they are like intermurals. The school basketball team has not yet started. Each day we play a game. My team is doing really well and I am having a lot of fun. It's nice to remember why I love basketball so much. Another thing about school is that we now have a new American. She was born in the USA, but her Mom is from here. She is going to school with us for 3 months. She just arrived today so I hope she likes our school and fits in. She seems like a really great girl and I'm sure she will have a very good time.

Christmas is almost here and I am feeling very sad lately. I miss not being home with my family making hot chocolate and watching the 25 days of Christmas on ABCfamily. I miss getting our tree and setting it up. Oh and I especially miss Dunkie's gingerbread donuts, mmmmm! All I really want for Christmas from my parents is hand written letters. I think that should get me through the holidays okay. It will still be hard, but I am hanging in there. I can onlyremember that I will have many more christmases to follow.

I am also bummed because someone took $30 from my wallet. I know it wasn't our maid, she is always soo good. I leave money in my pockets and she puts it on my nightstand or even in my wallet for me. We have had a few people working in the house lately and it's a possability they went in my room while I was at school, it's just a really big bummer because that was my money for the month. I don't know lately a lot has been going wrong.

A New Chapter Begins

So this past Friday was my 17th birthday. I can't believe I am finally 17. I feel so much older it's wierd. It's also nice though because I feel like it is a new chapter in my life. I have changed a lot already on my journey here in Ecuador, but I feel as though with new age comes new wisdom and more oppurtunities. I must say I am just having the time of my life. Anyways we'll talk more about my birthday in a minute.

So last week was a very good one. It started off a bit rocky since I was still having a lot of problems with my host brothers here. I was so close to asking to switch homes because I really could not stand being around them. However, my host mother asked me to talk to my host brothers and try to work it out. So I asked Andres why he hated me and what exactly I was doing that he didn't like. It turns out we both had misconceptions and now we are okay. We talk and joke around now, and he even invites me to hang out with him. I don't need to be his best friend but it is nice to just have respect for each other. It has made the living situation so much nicer. I am really really happy that it got all worked out.

Tuesday and Wednesday we didn't have school because it was Loja's Independance day. It was so nice to be able to sleep in and just hang out. The town had a huge parade on Tuesday and all my friends marched in it. I got to watch and it was really exciting. After we all went and hung out together which was fun. There are these cookies called Amor and they are so delicious. Those are deffinitally a favorite along with Aplanchados. Two things I will probably miss the most here. Wednesday was a nice family day. No one had work so everyone just hung out together and did whatever. We had a nice lunch together and then watched movies together. I really enjoy spending time with my family now.

Thursday was a regular day at school. However, in English class we learned that we get to do a play (IN ENGLISH) for the whole city. I am so looking forward to working on it and helping with everything. It will be a new experience, but a lot of fun. We also get to do a play in Spanish for the founder of our school. So many exciting experiences that will be difficult for me, but also an adventure. On Thursday, I also spent time preparing things for my birthday. I made Muddie Buddies and also Dirt. My host parents were very nice to buy me all of the ingrediants I needed.

Friday was the big day. I stayed up all night to wait till the clock hit 12. I was so excited to finally be 17. In the morning my host parents left me a present. They already had bought me a new camera, so I was suprised and grateful for anything more. I ended up getting more aplanchados (mmmm) and new earings that were absolutely beautiful. In school my friend Pedro's mom made me a delicous chocolate cake that I got to share with all of my friends. Truely a nice treat. I also got huge cards from my best friends Ana and Valeria. It was sooo nice of them. That night a few of my friends came over to have cake and talk. I wanted to go Karaoke but that didn't work out. Not a big deal because my birthday was still wonderful. I also got a teddy bear from my counselor that is sooo cute and I am in love with. I am so lucky to have such wonderful people around me here.

This weekend we had our sports inauguration thingy. Everyone in the school was involved and we all got to take part. However, it was pouring and that kind of put a damper on things. Although after the ceramony we all went to eat and that went well because it finally began to be sunny. It ended up being a really good and fun filled day. I now can't wait to have my first basketball game. However, this weekend I also got a cold and feel awful. I didn't go to school today because I feel like death. It's never a fun thing to be sick and it totally stinks to miss school here because I miss all of my friends. However, I should be back tomorrow.

So as of right now I don't think I will get the chance to make a Thanksgiving dinner. It kind of bums me out because I love thanksgiving and I love being able to spend time with my family, but I also understand its not a tradition here. It also stinks because all the other exchange students get to have thanksgiving besides me, but that happens. There will always be next year back at home. So I'm off. The power will be going out in about 20 minutes. I really hate that, but it's life. Anyways, I'll write soon. BYE <3

Almost Birthday Time!

So next friday will be my 17th birthday and I am so excited. I feel like I have been 16 forever, and I am sure my parents would love for me to never get any older. However, I can not wait. I am counting down the days. I plan to go out and Kareoke with all of my friends here. Which obviously will be a blast because I can do a great Cher. Although besides looking forward to completeing another year of life, I also have been doing a lot.

On Thursday people from Canada came to Loja to give out wheelchairs to adults and children who really needed them. It was so wonderful how the people did all of that. I left school early with my friend (the queen of the Loja Rotary Club) to help set up and put people in the chairs. It was extremely wonderful to be able to help them. The people from Canada could not speak any spanish, so my president asked me to take them on a tour of the city. We went around some of the places that for me really make Loja so special. For example, the town square with San Sebastion Tower and one of the churches that on the inside has tons of paintings and what not. It was nice to be able to translate for them and to also get to be around people who are so devoted to helping people who have nothing.

On Friday I helped my English teacher translate a document into English. Well she translated, I typed it. Everyday the power keeps going out and since I have a laptop I could type it for her. It was a lot easier especially since it was fourteen pages. It took us two hours, but we got it done. She needed the papers by Saturday because it is a proposal for a Women's Shelter. My English teacher already has a foundation where she looks after children in hospitals and other things, but she wants to do more. She wants to creat a place where women and children can go to learn skills to make them self dependant. It would be a home for women and children who have been beaten by their fathers or husbands. It is truely a great thing that she wants to do. If anyone is willing to help with this, or furthermore, with her foundation please contact me through e-mail. Every little bit counts.

On Friday the women from the United States also arrived in Loja. They are touring Ecuador helping in schools and bringing things for schools without much. They are doing a great deal here for the people with so little. They are staying in Ecuador for a month which is a long time to be touring. They are so devoted and so wonderful. I am truely greatful to have gotten the chance to meet them. Each of the women is so different, but also so wonderful and charming. It was also nice to finally be able to talk in English with people who remind me of my mother. They have good hearts, great personalities and love their families. It can not explain what a joy it was to see people from my country really helping the less fortunate. It makes me so proud to be an American let me tell you.

Today we went to Vilcabamba with everyone. It was a lot of fun, but also a lot of horse flies and they bit me sooo bad. I have over 27 bug bites on my legs. Not my version of lucky, but hey it happens. We had a very delicious meal. However, we ate fish and squid. Yes, I acutally ate squid and octopus! It didn't really have a taste, but still I can't believe I ate it. Still it was deffinitally a one time thing and I am looking forward to eating other food again. In a little bit I am going to Ana's house to have a sleep over with her and Valeria. They are my two best friends and it's nice to have a girls day with them. So happy.

This past week a soldier from our town and my church was killed in Iraq. His name was Ben Sherman. He was killed trying to save another soldier. He was a very bright charming and handsome young man with a baby due in March. He is a hero of our great nation and my thoughts and prayers are with his family. May he rest in peace and may his wife and unborn child live a healthy and full life. It is a sad day when a man dies, however, his family must be proud of this great man. Please pray for him and his family.

I must go now. Off to hang out with my friends. I love girls nights. Write more later.

Interesting Facts

So although Ecuador has beautiful people, and a beautiful country, it too has its' flaws. The past two weeks there has been no rain in Ecuador. This is especially rare where I live beacause we are so close to the rainforest. The country's electricity is not like ours. There electricity is hydropowered and without rain there is no electricity. Therefore, these past two weeks we haven't had enough electricity to light up the entire country. Here in Loja where we have more rain, we lose light for about 5 hours a day. They turn of lights in different parts of the cty at different times. That can be really difficult at night when you need to do homework or something. To me it's very eye opening. It also makes me appreciate all that the USA has. Of course we have an occasonal power outage, but it's always back within a few minutes or hours. Now I am just praying it rains soon.

Something else that has been going on here is public transportation. Usually, a taxi driver recieves $1.00 for a normal person and $0.20 for a student. The bus companies and taxi drivers do not like this. Today they are all on strike to raise the price for students to $0.25. The roads in the city are all closed and there are no classes. My host parents and most parents in my neighborhood are walking to work in order to protest the protesters. It is not only in my city though. It is in every city in the entire country. Which I must say is pretty admirable to be able to work together like that. I am happy however happy to be able to go back to bed right after writing this.

I also got my MCAS scores back finally. I saw my friends got theirs back and I wanted to make sure I passed. If I didn't I would have a lot of problems when I returned. It is a requirement to get above a Needs Improvement on all three subjects (Math, Science, English). Thankfully I did really well in all three subjects and I will be able to graduate on time with my class.

Now I am off to bed. I will write again soon.

Time Just keeps Flying by

So I haven't written in forever. Well it seems like it anyways. I haven't had all that much time really. It’s funny, the first few weeks you have plenty of time and then all of the sudden you have no time because you’re so busy with friends and what not.

First things first, Manabí. That was a very interesting trip. The beaches, the people, the food were all wonderful. I got to see and experience very new parts of Ecuador. However, we had many problems with the people who were in charge of the trip. They were very ignorant and had no respect for us as exchange students. The chaperones seriously made the trip a lot less enjoyable than it could have been. With that being said, we got to do so much. From a Parade in Portoviejo to playing volleyball on the beach and having a ball it was so much fun. We took so many pictures and just had a blast. We had a lot of seafood, so tasty since in Plymouth we eat seafood A LOT. My friend Matthew (California) and I also won a dancing contest because we are so pro at Ecuadorian dancing. When it came time to leave it was really a bummer. However, it was really nice that when I got the chance to check my facebook, I had a million wall posts from my friends here in Ecuador saying they missed me. To me that meant a lot because it means I really do have a connection with these people.

When I got home I spent plenty of days catching up with my friends. That following Monday I was back at school. Which I didn't mind because I really enjoy school here. The teachers are wonderful and now that I can understand most things I can talk to my teachers about anything. However, we only had 4 days of school that week because Friday was some kind of Flag Ceremony for the younger kids. It was nice to be able to sleep in. Furthermore, that Saturday was Halloween! So on Friday, my two best friends Ana and Valeria came with me and watched scary movies. I love scary movies right before Halloween. We chowed down on Ecuadorian snacks such as Manicho Bars, and Kachitos. Mmmm.

So last Saturday was Halloween. My class had a huge party for all the people in our city. This weekend was also a holiday for people here in Ecuador so all the college students came home. Early in the morning all the kids in my class went to Senor Feudal to help set up for the party. It was cool that everyone was putting in so much effort for this. After we got all set up I went to Ana’s house and we got ready for the night. All the girls in Sexto were Devils, and all the guys were Angels. Such a contrast. We met early at Senor Feudal to take pictures of everyone all dressed up. That night there were around 300 people at the party. Everyone was dancing and having a really great time. I can't lie; it was the best Halloween of my life. I will never forget that night. I met some really cool new people as well.

Sunday was my host father’s birthday. We spent the next three vacation days in Vilcabamba partying with the family. For family birthdays it is a big deal. We have a huge barbeque and swim and the pool, sing and dance. I ate so much delicious food. I also watched movies with my cousins and my littlest girl cousin Sarita did my hair and makeup. It's so cute. I also got the chance to meet my other Uncle for the first time. He just returned from a three month business trip in China. He is such a great guy and I am excited I got to meet him. We also had cousins from Guayaquil come to celebrate my host father's birthday. It was nice to be able to relax and just hang out with everyone, but I missed my friends in Loja.

Wednesday and Thursday I had school this week. Nothing really special about those two days. Just went to school and went home. Although, Wednesday my alarm clock didn't go off and so I had 5 minutes to get ready and eat for school, and I forgot my key to my locker at home. It was a horrible start to the day. Although it wasn't important because my teachers understand. The teacher I first hated is now one of my favorites. She checks the schedule everyday to see if I have her class the next day. She makes me laugh and always gives me a big hug in the morning. I thought it would be weird that Latinos are so touchy feely, but honestly it has really grown on me and I find myself really enjoying how much they all care for one another. In school on Thursday we found out a teacher from our school had passed away from a brain tumor. For that reason they gave us 3 days off for mourning. For me it is sad, but I never met this teacher so I don't have much to mourn for.

Tomorrow is Saturday and the Rotary Club is having a party. I am going as are many of my friends. It will be really nice to get all dressed up and go to the party. It is supposed to be very large and a lot of fun. Next Thursday a group from the USA is coming to Loja. One of the members will be staying with us for two days. It's nice that the club here does so much. We are also still in the progress of making an English class for kids who need help. I will get the chance to teach that. Furthermore, Thanksgiving is this month. That day is very important to me especially since I am from Plymouth. The city where they held the first Thanksgiving. So for my Rotary Club I will be cooking a Thanksgiving dinner. I am excited to bring a part of the US here to these people. Very much looking forward to that.

Oh and on another note, my birthday is in 14 days. Exactly two weeks from today. The big 17. I must say I cannot wait. Especially since when I go home I will only have like 4 months until I turn 18. So exciting. I feel all grown up. Well that is all for now. I'll post more sometime soon. Remember feel free to E-mail me. jessicalhowes@gmail.com

October Already!

So I can honestly say, I can't believe that it has almost been two months since I left home. This year is already flying by. I don't write all that often because during the week I have the same schudual. School, school, and more school, but atleast now I finally really enjoy going. In the past two weeks I did get to do some pretty cool things though.
Two weeks ago my camera broke at school. I was extremely upset. I did not want to be here in Ecuador without a camera, but I do not have that kind of money to buy a new one. My host parents being as generous as they are bought me a new one as an early birthday present. I wasn't expecting that, but I have to say I am so truely grateful and lucky to have such caring and generous parents. They help me with all my problems from school, to family, and even everything in between. I watch them work and see how devoted they are to their work, and it only makes me want to achieve my goals that much more. I aspire to be like those people.
This past weekend was a three day weekend because of Guayaquils Independance, so my family and I went to another towned named Machala. It was a 4 hour long drive, which wouldn't be bad if the roads were finished and not 85% rocks. Machala is on the ocean so it was also the first time I have seen the Pacific here. It is stunning and really beautiful. We stayed at the Hotel Oro Verde (a resort in Ecuador). It was really nice to experience something so different. My family took me all over the city and had me try new foods like ceviche and crab. I can't lie though, I throughly enjoyed all of the new foods. We also got to spend time as a family and watch the Ecuador vs. Uruaguay game. I never used to like football, but I really get into the games here. By the end of the weekend though I was really happy to go home and I still find myself loving Loja the most. It just suits me so well and is so clean and just has the homey feeling to it. I just can't help but love my city.
I also realised I do not talk about my friends specifically here. I am friends with everyone in my class. We are a pretty tight nit group. However, I also have friends I hang out with more often. My best friends are Ana Maria (who is also my cousin here), Valeria, Karol, and Erika. They are all so pretty and so much fun. They let me know what is going on and what I need to do. They make me feel right at home. It's funny how quickly I have bonded with them. For guys my best friends are Blacky and Andres. I can talk to them about anything and we help each other out with problems and just like to have fun. I also love Diego, Pedro, Fabian, Borrego, Daniel and Jose, but they aren't people who I go to when I have problems. I love to go to parties with my friends and spend time with all of them. They are all so different, but have such wonderful personalities.
My spanish is really improving. I practically understand everything that people say to me now! Which helps me so much more. I can also guess what words mean now because of the context. I feel accomplished, but I want to keep working and really be good. I can even roll my R's now which I never could before. I must say this experience has already given me so much and it's only just begining. It's funny because I find myself happy to wake up for school and happy just being here. Something I never looked forward to in school.
People say that this is a third world country, and many don't understand why I would want to live here, but trust me, if you visited this place you would see why I love it so much. These people have such big hearts, and are really wonderful.
I am so happy with my choice to live here and it has really opened my eyes to how people outside of the USA really live, and that not everyone in a third world country lives in complete poverty. I guess I really learned a lot about prejudices. I have also learned a lot about myself and learned to have better values and really keep to my morals. The change in pace here is so nice. I find myself really happy, and really growing, but in a very positive way. Well for now that's all. I will write after my Manabi trip this weekend. Feel free to e-mail me.

Over a Month

I honestly can not believe I have been over a month. It doesn't seem real to me. Time seems to just be flying by. Which in some ways is good, but I don't want this year to pass by to fast. For now I am just taking everything one day at a time.

I have done a lot in the past two weeks. I forgot to write about it all though. Whoops, it happens. School is getting better and better every day. My teachers are The so helpful, and really do their best to communicate with me now. Going to school now really helps me broaden my vocabulary and understand much more. I am taking English class, but the English teacher is not a huge fan of me. I wrote a friends paper and my own, she gave my friend a 28 and me a 22. Ha that made my day let me tell you. After school everyone in my class goes to a friends house to do our homework together. It gets done so much faster that way, plus it's like free tutoring! One boy thought my name was Rachel, so now they all call me Rachel or Gringa Loca (Crazy white girl) as a joke. I don't mind, it's rather funny. I really enjoy everything about my school, and classmates.

Other than schoolwise, I have been doing really well. Two fridays ago, I went to a birthday party. It was at a club, and it was so much fun. Everyone was just dancing and having a good time. I love the music here, I came home and downloaded about 1 million songs. During the weekend I went back to Vilcabamba and just slept/hung out. Always a good time. This past week was so much fun. On Thursday, I went to a concert for Franco de Vita. He's really famous here, and I sat 5 row with my counselor. It was one of the best experiences i have ever had. The next day we didn't start school till 9 because it was a ceramony day. I got to watch the top students from my school have a marching ceramoney. Very different, but it was nice to see my friends get honored for their hard work. This past weekend I hung around the house and with my friends, always a nice change of pace. This week I have been hanging out with my friends after school and relaxing. I love how relaxed this place is and how comfortable I am with everyone. People are so warm and open, however one big difference here is that many people get nose-jobs. People as in my classmates. I found that odd, but whatever makes someone happy.

I almost forgot! I also went to my first Rotary Club meeting! It was held at a hotel in our city. I am the only exchange student in my town. It's differnet, but I enjoy it. I had to talk for about 5 minutes about my home and my life in Ecuador. Luckily they were all pleased with my progress! Yay. We had some incredible food too. Blue- Rasberry shots to start. Followed by rolls and garlic butter. For the main course we had foods such as steak, shrimp, and chicken, with yapping gatcho ( potatoes fried with cheese) and vegetables. Desert was chocolate cake, or tiramasu. So yummy I must say. I can't wait for next months meeting.

One of my friends here almost had to return home because her mother's cancer has spread and her family can't afford chemo and her trip. However, her host family is generously giving her home family and her money. I can't explain how generous, and selfless that is. With that being said, I am just relaxing and living life. Taking everything at face value and not letting oppurtunities pass me by. I miss my friends and family, but still not homesick. My family, especially my grandmother, is in my prayers. I love them all so much. My trip to Manabi (the beach) is October 17-21. I can't wait. Counting down the days till I'm just relaxing with my other exchange students. That's all for now.

Make that Three!

So I haven't written in the past 7 days, not because I didn't want to, but because I was at a camp in Guayaquil, with 50 of the most amazing people in the world. I was not looking forward to going to camp, and really just wasn't in the mood for anything. Not to mention I had a cold too. However, the moment I arrived in Guayaquil, I knew it would be a fun week. Guayaquil is a beautiful city, with huge malls, and nice people, yet, I still find that Loja is where my hearts lies. Loja has something that just draws me to it. I don't know what it is, but I know that while away for a week, I missed just being in Loja. Anyways, the camp's view was beautiful. It over looked a river, and it was truely one of those things you see on National Geographic. Though, the beauty around the camp was breath taking, the living situation was pretty rough. The beds were not comfortable, half the time the water didn't work, and the food made me bloated, but hey you win some and lose some. While there I met amazing people, seven in particular that I am sure will be life long friends. We have so much in common, and just really have a great time together. It's cool that so many people from all over the world have so much in common. During the five days there I got to do so many things. I learned to dance salsa, reggaton, and buchata. We played a game in which we had to explore another groups culture, and ways to not force your culture on others. We also learned to cook typical Ecuadorian food such as patacones. One day we had arts and crafts and another we learned all about the rules of Ecuador. Of course everday we also had 4 hourse of Spanish. Talk about a drag, and not to mention my teacher was mean, but hey what can you do. Throughout the day we had so much with our activities. I painted my face like a man on arts and crafts day, dressed up like a latina for the dance show, and took around 200 photos. The day was fun and all, but the most fun was at night. We got to talk to the other exchange students, play games like I've never, and even have dance parties. I can't tell you how wonderful of an experience it was. However, once it was over I was happy to head home to Loja. On my way home I ran into a classmate in Quito. I went out to Pizza hut with her and her family and it was nice, that her family was so generous to take me with them. I really enjoyed myself, and got to see even more of how caring Lojanos are.

Yesterday, I went back to school for round two. I was really nervous and not looking forward to it. My stomach was in nots and I wasn't sure if I could do it. However, I went and stuck it out. It turned out not ot be that bad. Today however was even better, because once the teachers do more than talk I can understand better. It's difficult to just listen because I have nothing to see what they are refering too. Now, I am starting to get into the swing of the things and really enjoying myself. I also went on a field trip today to the Univerity. I had to listen to people talk for 3 hours. Talk about awful. However, I did get to write a nice letter to a friend from home that I miss a lot. This friday is a party for a girl. I don't know her, but she invited me so I will be going, along with the whole school. I am really starting to get the hang of things here.

Even though, everything is going well here, I am still worried more about my home. My grandmother is ill, and I am praying that she will get better. I love her very much, and I know how worried my mother is. I feel bad because my mother works so very hard, and has so much to handle. I don't want her to worry about anything else so I am trying my best to keep things to myself, because there is nothing here that is a real problem. I am lucky to have such supportive family and I will cross my fingers for my grandmother to get better. She is a beautiful person. My brother also brought home a kitten. He told my mom it was a stray, but he really got it from a person giving away free kittens. He's a little sneak. I guess I have a new family member now. My dad went out this past weekend to visit my Uncle Buck in California. He had a wonderful time. Then Sean and my dad went to the Red Sox game, because a friend gave my dad two tickets. Everyone in my family is so busy, but I am so happy they are all doing well. I am looking forward to a lovely year here.

A lot of Firsts

Okay, so in the past few days I have had a lot of firsts. Which is not unusual since I am living abroad in a different country, but they have been both fun and also difficult firsts.

Last Friday, I got the oppurtunity to go out to eat with a bunch of friends. We ate wraps and smoked flavored water from a hooka. Do not worry it was not tobacco and not bad for you. I asked my host parents who are both doctors and they said it was not harmful. It smelled so good and I enjoyed playing with the smoke. Later that night we went to a friends house where we hung out, had food, and just talked, or in my case tried to. I met almost everyone who would be in my companera (class). They are funny, outgoing, and very welcoming. I have also noticed that anyone is always welcome here. They don't exclude people and welcome those who they do not know.

This weekend, I went to Vilcabamba again. I slept at my cousins' house (Sarita, and Camila) on Saturday. We stayed up late and watched movies & enjoyed popcorn. I chose to watch Marley and Me, which was really good and also really sad. Sarita is only 7 and just kept crying. I felt so bad afterwards. The next day we went in the pool and tanned in the sun for about 20 minutes. If you lay out to long, you'll be a lobster. For lunch we had a big meal all together, because it was my other cousin's birthday. They made a beautiful cake and we sang happy birthday to her. It is very nice to be with family and people who really try to help you learn spanish better. We left Vilcabamba early Sunday because it was a school night, however, it was another wonderful weekend.

Today, I started school. I woke up around 5 A.M. to get ready. We took first day of school pictures for my mom and host parents. When we arrived at school we found out that we got let out at 9 and that there were no classes for the rest of the week. This works out well for me because I am going to Guayaquil tomorrow for Orientation Camp. I waited for about 20 minutes and finally entered the class with my classmates. There are about 20 students in each class, and each grade has two classes. We went to the court where we start everday, and the kids sang the school anthem. It is wonderful to see such a different enviornment. After the principal and a few other teachers talked, we were dismissed. All the students filed back to class without a riot and without pushing or shoving. That was a nice change in pace from home. Once seated in class, my teacher began talking and went on for two hours. About five minutes before we left, she asked my name. She then realized I was from the United States and did not understand a word she had said, yet continue to speak rapidly. At the end of the class I had understood a total of 2o words, maybe. I went home on this beautiful day and had a snack.

That's when it happened, the first time I broke down while I was here. It wasn't that I was home sick and wanted to go home, but more of the fact that I didn't understand anything. People here almost expect me to know Spanish and don't understand that I really am trying here. A different language does not just come over night, and in the United States another language is not required. It's hard because things usually come so easy for me, yet here I feel out of place because I know very little. All my friends from home gave me the push though, and made me remember why I am here. I am not here for others I am here for myself, and am here to better myself. If I try my hardest and I know I am working that is all that matters. I will do my best and keep trying to learn Spanish. I am really lucky to have such a wonderful sister, and friends who know me so well.

Tomorrow I am off to Guayaquil, and before I was not looking forward to it, but now it can't come soon enough. I am looking forward to learning more about the culture, and also the four hour daily spanish classes. It will be nice to talk to the other exchange students and talk to them about how they are dealing with the problems.

Other than that I am enjoying myself, and looking forward to many adventures here. Peace, love, and happiness.

Semana Numero Dos

So it has almost been two weeks in Ecuador. Surprisingly though, I am not homesick at all. I thought I'd miss little things and really just want to be home. However, that is not the case at all. I thought the first two weeks would be really hard because I am alone and don't know anyone, but I find myself enjoying my life here none the less. And how could I not, the people are wonderful that I do know, my family has really begun to open up to me here, and I've gotten the chance to do some really cool things.
Since the last time I wrote, I have done so much. A few days ago I read another exchange students blog. It was very honest and he talked about how homesick he was, and how he has already asked his parents to go home. That was only the first week of being here. After reading that blog it made me re-examine a lot of things. First realized that I appreciate everything my host family does, and how accommodating they are. They try very hard to make me feel right at home, and also respect things that I dislike. They do not make me eat banana or plantains, which is very kind of them because it is such a major crop here. They have made me truly part of the family, and I am so blessed to live with people who are so generous and loving. Secondly, I also realized my parents have raised me to be strong and push for things I want, to stay committed and NEVER quit what I start no matter how tough it is, independent and rely on myself to do things not others, and to know that no matter how far away I am from them they will always love me. Lastly, I learned that by dwelling on the negative things, only makes me miss out on all the beauty here that surrounds me. If I write about the bad things, and the things that make me sad, it only makes them worse. The other day a friend of mine here said, "Don't compare things to home, take everything at face value, because when you do that, you can see all the wonderful and beautiful things surrounding you." That made me really open my eyes and give everything a closer look. I am only here for a year and I want to get the most out of it.
This weekend we went back to our country house in Vilcabamba. I also learned that Vilcabamba has a lot of tourists because it is very hot and in the mountains. When we arrived at the house I got to set up my room. It was painted pink for me which I love! I even got my own bathroom. My family is always thinking of me and it means a lot to me that they are so considerate. On Sunday, I got to ride the horses in Vilcabamba. Diego and I rode around the city and through the river. I saw all these beautiful places and mountains. It was an adventure like I had never been on. However, my horse was lazy and didn't like to do what I told it to do, but they were still beautiful and full of kisses. Later in the day we had a lunch of chicken, corn, salad, and mashed potatoes. Delicious. We went for a swim, played some basketball, and I even get to draw a lot up there. I love to draw and Vilcabamba is just so calm and relax, that it is really nice to just sit there with a pen and paper and draw about all the beauty. We left Sunday night back to Loja. The city at night, from afar, is one of the most majestic sights I have ever seen. A whole mountain filled with lights, the stars sparkling brightly. I love just gazing up at them the whole ride home. When we got home it was time for dinner. Of course at 8:30 no one wanted to cook, so we went to the mall and got KFC, which happens to be my favorite fast food restraint. I pigged out at KFC and then headed home for some much needed rest.
This week has been a very good and interesting week. I wake up around 10 everyday, make myself some toast with Nutella, and grab a glass of juice. The juice here is freshly squeezed and as sweet as can be. I then shower and get ready for the day. Since I don’t know that many people here still, I tend to watch movies or play Wii until lunch. When Lily and Diego arrive home we sit down as a family and enjoy a wonderful meal. After all lunch is the biggest meal of the day here. These past few days, Lily has been taking me out after lunch to buy things that I need for school. I needed to buy a skirt and sweater still. However, absolutely no stores had my size. I am way to tall and broad for the younger girls here. Lily had to ask her mother to make a skirt for me. Not to mention this makes me feel like Shrek, but hey that happens. I am me and sometimes you have to do things out of the ordinary. The important thing is that I will have a skirt in time for school Monday. I then had to find shoes. I have very wide feet, so I wear a 9 ½. However, all the stores here mainly had 8’s. I finally at the last minute found a store that had 9’s and decided I’d squeeze my feet in them. Even clothes are cheaper down here. It was only $20 for leather shoes. Even though I don’t fit right into all the clothes, and my feet are rather large, it doesn’t matter. What amazed me yet again, is how willing people are to help you find, get, or make what you need. The next day, we shopped for school supplies. In the United States all the supplies cost $100 or more, here on $37 dollars. Not to mention I got so many more things. At least now I am finally ready for school to begin. My host brothers have also really opened up to me. At first I was, a bit saddened that they didn’t want to talk to me and get to know me more, but I looked past that because it is worse to dwell on the negatives. Now they have really opened up to me. We joke, play games, talk, and it really feels like home to me.
Today, I finally met my counselor. His name is Steve Brown, very American right? Well, his father was in the Army and got stationed here in Loja. He fell in love with a Lojanan women and they had him and his brother a few years later in Ecuador. Steve’s wife is technically American, because she was born in the United States, however, her parents were originally from Ecuador. It made me giggle, how they had the exact opposite lives. Steve and Patricia have three children who are all dual citizens, one lives in Michigan, the other in Spain, and one in Quito. I will get the chance to meet them later this year. Anyways, today I went to Steve’s home to have lunch with him and his wife. There house is like something I have only seen on T.V. They have 3 living rooms, 5 bedrooms, a kitchen, 4 bathrooms, a dining room, Patricia’s office, Steve’s home office, and here it goes, a pool, a hot tub, a sauna, and an exercise room. Yup, can you believe it, those are all INSIDE the house. Not to mention the view is to die for. What makes me really happy though, is that despite all these people have, they are so down to earth and so caring, that it makes you happy to see people like that be so fortunate. I am lucky because he lives 5 minutes walking from my house. Every day after school, and basketball I am going to his house to run and take a swim. I get luckier every day I live here, and not because of everything that I am given, but because of the generosity and compassion that all these people give to me. Even the people here who have very little, do as much as they possibly can for you. It’s wonderful to see how huge all these people’s hearts are.
My cousins were here tonight, at my house in Loja. They came over for a family dinner. I let the littlest one Sarita, who is 6, do my make-up and my nails. My host mother thought I broke out in a rash, but no it was just blush all over my face. I didn’t mind though because that is what little girls. They make you look pretty. Then I straightened all of their hair because they wanted it to look like mine. They are all so cute, and so sweet. I just love being around them. When I finished Sarita’s hair she wanted me to take pictures of her because she said she looked and I quote “sexy”. I couldn’t help but laugh. When they left they all squeezed me so tight. It’s nice to know that they already care about it. It is a very warm feeling.
I got the chance to talk to my mother this week for an hour or so online. It was nice to hear from her. I don’t get to talk to her often, but that is not bad thing. I know they love and miss me, but they have their own lives and are busy people too. Plus, if I relied on talking to them too much, it would only make me miss home, and also miss out on really great experiences. My brothers are doing well in school, and football. Although neither of them is thrilled to be in school. The exchange student seems to be the perfect match for my family. She made varsity volleyball, which is extremely good, and such a difficult task being from another country. She likes her classes and seems to be enjoying herself. I am so happy that everything is right where it should me. My family means a lot to me, and I am glad they are doing well.
Well I am off for now. I should get some sleep. Still working on a way to show pictures, but it is a work and progress. When you see the photos, I am telling you that you will fall in love; with not only the city, but the all the people here in it. Buenas Noches (Goodnight).

I'm Here!

Hola Chicos,
I am here. I am finally in Loja, Ecuador. I arrived in Guayaquil, Ecuador last Friday. Saturday I flew to Loja, where I will be living this year. I cannot wait to explore.
Loja is a small city in Ecuador. It is located in the mountains near the Amazon. It is warm during the day and cold at night. I love that because I hate to sleep when I am hot. This city is one of the oldest in Ecuador. It is known for it's music, as well as churches. I got the chance to explore some of the city this past week, with my host family's friend Emiliano. There are churches every few blocks. They are so beautiful and unique. Loja is in the mountains and the city reminds me of San Francisco because of all the curvy roads. The buildings here are very different from Plymouth. They are close to one another and made of a concrete substance. There are many street vendors and stores through out the city. It is wonderful to look through all the shops, and see new things that I have never heard of before. Loja is a very clean an beautiful city.
My family in Loja is absolutely wonderful. My host parents are Lily and Diego. They have three sons: Diego (in Switzerland) 17, Andres 16, and Daniel 13. I have gotten the oppurtunity to talk to and get to know each one of these wonderful people. I absolutely love how generous and caring they all are. My host parents are so funny and helpful. We live in a house near the soccer stadium. It is a beautiful 4 story home. I have never seen anything with such beauty. There is a lot of art in the house that makes it feel very homey. I have my own bedroom and bathroom, which is nice since I am a girl! My family has a dog, her name is Conija, which is Mexican. She is a small little black dog. We also have a maid in the house. Her name is Margarita. She is so kind and sweet. My family also has another house in the country (Vilcabamba). It overlooks the mountains, and is right next to Lily's and Diego's family's other homes. On the weekend we go to Vilcabamba to spend time with their family and swim in our pool or play basketball. It is amazing how the simple things are so beautiful.
The food here is surprisingly very similar to home. I eat delivery pizza, ham sandwhiches, tacos, apple jacks, toast, oreos, and many other from home. However, I have also gotten the chance to eat different, but very tastey foods. We eat rice every other day, along with some type of soup. The corn here is HUGE, the size of a gumball. I eat pig from the grill, and drink fresh squeezed juice daily. I never knew there were almost 10 types of lemons. There are sour lemons, sweet lemons, lemonade lemons, and so many more. I have tried many other fruits from Brazil and other countries. Here they have the most delicious desserts. I have tried caramel cakes, chocolate cakes, cookies, chocolate, crepes, and so many other that make my mouth water. Ecuador is famous for it's bananas and coffee. The food here is also very cheap. I can buy a cheeseburger for $3.00, or a soda for $0.50. I love the food here and how different, but delicous it all is.
I have met many wonderful people here in Loja. I am not in school yet so I still do not know many people. However, I have met some wonderful people already. The people here are very sweet, and funny. They try very hard to help me with my Spanish and feel right at home. In Ecuador most people are short, so I am tall here. They are tan, with brown hair, and most have brown eyes. They are very beautiful people. I can go to clubs here and dance. The people here can dance and know the salsa and reggaton dances. It is so exciting to watch them all. The people are all so willing to help teach me to dance, since I am awful at it. I love talking to the people here because they can make me laugh so hard. I cannot wait to meet more people once school starts.
Today, I went to my school. It is called Liceo de Loja, a private school. I enrolled in my classes and also got my uniform. My school colors are yellow and navy blue. My uniform on monday is a skirt with a polo shirt. All the other days it is sweat pants, with a polo, and a hoodie. Very comfortable I must say. My classes for school are very difficult. I am taking Math, Biology, Physics, Phsycology, Philosophy, Art, Investigation, Spanish, Gym, Social Science, and Ecuadorian History. I will also be helping the English teacher after school teach some students. I am excited because the school also has a basketball team, so I get to play this year! The school starts at 7am and gets out at 1:30pm. It is very close to the house which is nice. I will be a senior here because the classes are more difficult. This is exciting because I get to go on class trips and attend prom here! The people I have met so far in my class are so great.
I have also seen some very interesting things. People here that are poor go the the houses asking for money. There is a baby lamb at the Rotary Club place. I saw pig heads hanging from store doorways as part of a religous holiday. They take 2 hours of English here. Everything is very conservative here. I am going horse back riding through the mountains tomorrow. Then Sunday another barbeque with the family. School starts September 7, but on the 8th I have to go to Guayaquil for an Orientation. I will be there for 5 days. I am excited to have this amazing oppurtunity and be given such a special gift.
I am not homesick yet, but I do miss my family, because although they are loud and nuts they are wonderful. They now have the exchange student from Turkey who is smart and beautiful. She has a great sense of humor and will fit right in with my family. I am so happy she is enjoying herself and gets to play volleyball. I will be so surprised to go home because my brothers will be so big and grown up. I cannot wait to explore more and have a wonderful year here. The simplicity of this place is just beautiful. I will write soon. Any other questions feel free to ask or email me: jessicalhowes@gmail.com

10 More Days

Hello Everyone,
So in exactly 10 days, I will be on my way to Ecuador. I can not wait one minute. My sister Ashley leaves tomorrow to move to the Dominican Republic. I am very excited for her. She has been looking forward to this for a long time. So needless to say everything in my house is crazy.
Last Wednesday, my mom and I drove to New York City to get my visa. Everything went well and I was approved. However, we could not go back the next day to pick up my passport and visa so our travel agent had to. We had a lot of fun in New York City. We went to lunch, saw time square, the statue of liberty, and ground zero. It's amazing how different New York City is from Boston. I am so grateful my mom drove 10 hours just to get that paperwork for me.
For the next week and a half, I have my days all planned out. I have to say goodbye to all of my friends and family. They're bittersweet days because I am so excited, but I will miss them all. I have spent a lot of time at the beach to get a base tan. This is te first time I am not as white as a ghost.
Packing is a huge hassel. Everytime you go somewhere you remember something you forgot and you have to write it down. I still have to pack a bunch, but most of it is last minute stuff like make-up and everything.
I have talked to my host family a few times. They are planning to pick me up at the airport so I can not wait to meet them. I am sad that I have seen no pictures of them and not had the oppurtunity to talk to their kids. All is well though, and I will meet them very soon.
Both my mother and I have talked with our exchange student. My mom has even e-mailed with Gizem's (exchange student) mother. She is a lovely girl from Turkey. Very smart, funny, and very pretty. She will do just fine here in our schools. She arrives four days after I leave so I will meet her when I return from Ecuador. My family is excited to retry the exchange student thing. The experience already is so different, in a very good way.
Well for now that is all. I will write again when I arrive in Ecuador. Oh boy, I can not wait!

Two Months Left

So I leave in less than two months, and let me tell you I am beyond excited. But now all the hard stuff comes. I have to pack, get shots, visit doctors, get a visa, and spend time with my friends of course. I just finished my sophmore year, yay! I have been able to enjoy lots of time with my friends so far, but I need a job to help pay for my trip. My parents have been so supportive of my trip and are doing so much for me. Now we just got word that I have to go all the way to NYC, NY to get my visa. That's a long drive for a paper let me tell you, but it is well worth it.
We had a Rotary Lunch a week ago. We had to talk about all the rules and regulations. I got to see all my fellow exchangees though and that was fun. I also learned that I have to go to atleast two meetings before I leave to speak to the people who are sponsering me. I am happy to talk at the Rotary meetings because the Rotary is giving me the oppurtunity of a lifetime and I am so grateful.
I also met a man who went through Rotary to Ecuador 20 years ago. He told me all about his trip and how it was the best thing he has ever experienced. Even though back then Ecuador had barely any phones and no internet, the friendships he made have lasted him all these years. That made my day to hear because friends that are with you through everything are hard to come by, and it shows how warm and kind these people are.
As for now I am off. Many things to do and people to see before I leave. I am counting down the days till I get on that airplane. Ecuador, here I come!

Ecuador, here I come!

So a lot has happened since my last post. I went to international night on April 6. There I spoke in front of the entire Rotary Club, and met the other students going abroad next year. It was a very exciting night and I met a lot of new friends. It's amazing how sharing an experience like this really brings people together. I also got to thank all the people who have given me this amazing oppurtunity, and show to them how greatful I truely am. After the dinner we did not hear much about the exchange.
Then, last weekend I recieved an email from my host family. I was so excited to finally learn where in Ecuador I will be living. The answer: Loja, Ecuador. It is a small city right near the border of Peru. It is home to 180,000 people and is one of the oldest and cleanest cities in Ecuador. My host mother's name is Lily (pediatrician), and the host father's name is Diego (surgeon). They have three sons, Diego 17 (going to Switzerland), Andres 16, and Daniel 13. I will be attending Liceo de Loja which is said to be one of the nicest schools in Loja. The family seems extremely nice, and the city sounds like one of the most amazing places I've ever heard of.
Summer is just around the corner, however, I'm ready for summer to be over. I just want to go to Ecuador already and try something new. I leave August 21st! Seems like so far away. I am currently applying for a Visa and also booking my flight. I'm counting down the days!

The Big News!

Hello everyone,
Today is the first day of my new blog. This coming August I will be leaving for Ecuador. I will be an exchange student there 10 months. I will go to school down there and learn to live the way the Ecuadorians do. I am sponsered by Rotary International Youth Exchange. They're an amazing group of people so check them out: . Throughout the next 18 months I will be posting blogs about my life. I will post about preparing for my trip, as well as all the meetings and places I go before my trip. When I leave for Ecuador I will post pictures, music, and a lot more about my life down there.
I haven't always wanted to be an exchange student. It was only once I saw what a great experience my sister had that I developed a desire for it. This is an experience of a lifetime and I am truely greatful to be given this oppurtunity. I hope to develope a better understanding of people, and also have a respect for others cultures. When I grow up I hope to become a doctor. Doctors are very smart people. I just hope to be able to connect with people of all origins because of my life experiences. Studying abroad also allows you to make life long friends and see parts of the world you may not otherwise get the chance to see. It's not just about learning another language either. When people travel to other countries they tend to stay at resorts, they see the beauty of the beaches. Submerging myself into another countries culture will give me an outlook on life that many others will never get to experience.
So far I know very little about where I will be living. I do not know where I will be staying or who the first host family is. It's a little nerve-wracking if you ask me. I'm not nervous about living in a different country, mainly overwhelmed. My year abroad will be an exciting one. It will be a long year away, however, I believe this will prepare me for my life away from home and will give me great tools to face the problems I will have in the future.