Sarita la Gringita

The last few days have been an absolute whirlwind. I FINALLY arrived in Quito at about 2 AM on Sunday, January 10. After getting through migration and customs (which is oh-so-nerve-racking!), I found my host mom and sister holding a sign “BIENVENIDOS SARITA LA GRINGITA!” In English? WELCOME SARA THE WHITE GIRL! Thanks for making me feel even MORE out of place.

We CRAMMED my bags into their teeny tiny car and made way to their apartment. My host mom, Lupe, is a cook, and her daughter, Pamela, helps her out at her pastry shop. On my second day in Quito, I was already pleasantly surprised when I got home from class and had chocolate cake after lunch. Yes, I am enjoying my home-stay! Except for one thing. One of the first things that Lupe told me when I arrived was that hooray! We have hot water!! Well, they might have hot water, but I can't seem to find it. Every morning I am woken up with a COLD shower, but hey, at least I'm not wasting water because you'd better believe that I am in and out of there so fast!!

On Sunday, my first day in Quito, I went to church with Lupe and Pamela, and then for the rest of the day we ran around (and by ran I mean drove) the city visiting family, picking family up here, and dropping family off there. Driving in Quito, to put it bluntly, is TERRIFYING. And is there a seat belt in the backseat? No. I think I prayed more yesterday on all of our car trips than I have most of my life. And I love Jesus. I was excited when they told me that we were going to a restaurant for lunch, something we do every Sunday with the family (Grandma, aunts, cousins, etc.). Much to my disappointment, going to a restaurant meant going to the newly re-modeled mall. “Sarita! You can choose anything you like to eat!” Awesome. I had a cheeseburger that was RAW on the inside. Yes, Mom, I gagged (but I covered it up REALLY well), and I was suddenly full. That didn't go over well with Lupe, who was so concerned about me that she told Pamela to take the burger back and get a new one well-done. Needless to say, I still didn't eat it, and it was later eaten by Pamela and one of her cousins.

On another note about the mall, Lupe's mom, who I'm guessing is in her 80s, is getting old. She can't move around well. She uses a walker and is reallllyyyyyyy slow, which is absolutely fine (shout-out to my darling Grandma Ann who also uses a walker... I'm no hater), but whoever thought it would be a good idea to bring this poor woman to a MALL to eat lunch is an IDIOT. A lot of times, I was on grandma-duty sitting with her in the car when everyone else went into the 1. supermarket 2. hospital to visit an ill relative 3. great Aunt Rosita's house and 4. the pharmacy. Yes, Grandma and I bonded, and I can't even count how many times she told me that I was the tallest person she's ever seen (she comes up to ooooooh, my waist).

The first week that I am here I have afternoons free and Spanish classes in the morning. The Spanish classes are REALLY basic, so I'm pretty bored (note to my mother: 4½ years of college Spanish classes DID pay off). In the afternoons, Pamela usually carts me around here or there, which is fine, she's kind of funny, and she lets me make fun of her which is always nice.

Until next time,
Sara the white girl.