¡Hola y Chao!

Hola from Ecuador! I've been here for two weeks and I absolutely love it! Today we finally have wifi, which is such a blessing. I don't know how the past 100 billion residents of this earth lived without instant communication between people on a different continent (partial sarcasm there) but I am so grateful to be able to talk with my family again!

The city of Quito is dwarfed by nature.

The Andes are beautiful––every time we go for a drive I am awed by the landscape around me. The city stretches out as far as you can see, eventually fading into the hazy sky, and the mountains are so massive they thrust through the clouds. Yes, their peaks reach higher than most clouds!! (Granted, I spent most of my life in the very flat state of Florida, however, these mountains are BIG.) I've never seen anything like it, but I could totally live here.

Actually, I do.

Another wonderful aspect about my new situation is that my bedroom has a huge window (almost as big as those mountains) that takes up an entire wall. An orange tree is blossoming just outside––attracting plenty of emerald-colored hummingbirds––and the sweet scent drifts inside when I open my window. It's perfect. In late afternoon, I can listen to the birds singing, and the dappled sunlight flickers and whirls across my floor. Sunlight coming through big windows makes my heart happy.

My beautiful window.

The only thing I feel bad about is that I left the States so suddenly I didn't get to say goodbye to a lot of people, such as my dear brother, Alec, and all my friends in Virginia. So, to all mis amigos…I miss you. I think of you often (in a fond, non-creepy way). And since I've noticed people rarely say "adios" here: Chao! (Or tchao, if you're French…which none of you are. I just need to practice my French.)

At night, the clouds hang low over the city and reflect the lights.