Well that was fun, but now back to el campo!

So Thanksgiving didn't particularly feel like Thanksgiving (no waking up and watching the Macy's Parade, no making the "b word" with Chloe, no trip to Auntie Vera's and Grandpa Carl's, etc) but it was certainly the best day I've had in a while because I was fortunate enough to talk to most people I care about and I was able to see all the people I care most about in this country.

Our potluck feast was certainly something...I can't lie, I was overwhelmed by being with so many people in one place and so many mestizos! A strange form of culture shock, to say the least. Anyway. We all gave thanks for our families and friends back home and our families and friends here because the former has made this opportunity possible and the latter has made it fantastic. As I said before, I've got so much to be thankful for.

This was ALSO the first Thanksgiving in my entire life in which I DID NOT EAT MASHED POTATOES. And by choice! Don't get me wrong, I love my mashed potatoes, but this year I couldn't have been happier to choose not to eat them. Why? Because where I've been living/working for the past four weeks and where I'm returning to today I eat potatoes all the time because that's how the diet is. Potatoes in every soup and as I have soup as part of lunch and as dinner and many times as breakfast I'm a little over potatoes right now. Ridiculous I know.

Thursday was a lot of fun but it was a bit sad because a classmate and good friend, Felipe, had to go home to the States early and left on Friday. Thursday night a group of us went out for a last hurrah for Felipe...which was mellow and fun but bittersweet because he's a great guy and we're all going to miss him a lot.

It's been really great spending time with my host family here in Quito. They really are amazing and I love them a lot! Last night I went with my mamita and my little sister and her boyfriend to the start of the Fiestas de Quito, celebrating Quito's founding on December 6, 1534. I'm sad that I'll be missing out on most of them because they'll end before I get back December 6 but it was fun to see the opening ceremonies! Quiteños have a lot of pride and traditions, which has been cool to witness and take part in. As the announcer said last night, "Most people think we're sad, we Quiteños, but we're not. We're romantic." And that, my dears, is the truth.

I'm headed back to San Clemente this afternoon to wrap up my experience there! I'm a bit stressed because I really need to get a lot done on my final paper (20 pages, in Spanish, on the problems with English education in Ecuador) and I know this week is going to fly by and all of that. Even though I'll be changing internships next semester, I know I'm going to miss these kids and this experience because it's been a good learning experience and all of that.

So until after I'm back in Quito (aka one week), take care and have a great time!

Love,

Emily