Here's the Scoop…

Dear Everybody, I'm going to Ecuador. And France.

Here's how it happened: Once upon a time when I was in college (I'm pretty sure that was, like, two thousand years ago), my phone rang. It was my dear father, who had seen a post from a family friend, Emme, explaining an opening for a mentor to move in with her family in Ecuador. My dad leapt on this opportunity, immediately phoning and encouraging me to contact Emme.

(Before we go any further, I'd just like to point out that when I got the phone call it was 10:30 at night and I was in bed, on schedule, having rigorously worked out at the gym earlier that evening.)

That was, as I mentioned, a long time ago. Two semesters, actually. I graduated college in December and spent January wallowing through the mire (mostly just spending lots of money) that comes with getting a passport and visa. My mom and I drove up to the consulate today where I spent more money, sat around watching EcuadorTV for four hours, and got a beautiful stamp in my passport that says something in Spanish. I assume that's a good sign.

Now I'm going to Ecuador in less than two weeks. I'll admit, I'm a little dazed. I'm not really sure what to expect, but here's the basic rundown: 1) I'll be living with my friends whom I originally met in the States, 2) I'll be working as a mentor with the kids, which I hope will consist of learning and exploring new things together, 3) I'll be taking language classes in preparation for 4) a trip to FRANCE, and 5) it will all probably be the experience of a lifetime.

This blog has two purposes: One, I need a place to post all my pictures. I'm a pretty dedicated (read obsessive) photographer and one or two facebook albums just aren't going to be sufficient. Two, I love to write, which is perfect in this case as it will allow me to keep my friends and family up-to-date with my, uh, escapades. And hey, I get a detailed (and hopefully totally-cool-and-not-boring) record of my life in the process.

Oh, and did I mention I don't speak Spanish?