Hey Everyone!

Iv finally gotten around to writing something!! Its weird, Im only here just over a week but it feels like longer with everything that Iv packed in so far... I seem to have met loads of people already and done lots of things!

Well since the last time.....
Iv arrived in Quito fine, my family are really really nice, I couldnt have asked for nicer really... Theres 4 kids in the family, 2 live at home and all of them are really good for bringing me out and including me in everything, I even got to go to one of the daughters husbands familys house for mothers day dinner!

Well, last Sunday, I went to the equator. It was really cool, one of those things that Iv wanted to do for as long as I can remember and yes the water thing does work, I have videos to prove it!

I did a week of spanish classes with my really nice teacher Betty. It was a really brilliant way of learnign Spanish and getting to know the city because we went out every afternoon and did something aroung Quito. I learnt lots this week, loooooads of Spanish (there was nooo English allowed) and lots of things about Quito and Ecuador and traditional food and everything!!!
I even tried lamb intestine soup with a side order or fried blood......
anyone who knows me at all will know that that was quite an achievement for me!! (I didnt manage to finish it or anything though, but still!!) Anyway, check out my photos of it all..... bebo and flickr for those who are more interested... I couldnt be arsed posting them up here too! Links at the side of the page!

Otherwise, Quito is a pretty cool city. Its hard to describe in a few words, it has so many different things about it and in it... from the absoutly amazing views and being in the andes to the really bad pollution. You can see everything here, the city is just huuugeeee, and then some more over that mountain type huge. Theres a historical center from the colonial times and a tourist center, commonly known as gringiolandia.... you can see everything here churches around every corner and indiginous people carrying really heavy loads and about 3 children. Its also the weirdest climet ever, it can be absoutly roasting and then in two seconds you need 2 jumpers.... The altitude definatly makes a difference too, you can really feel it when walking up hills and you get tired way easier....

I went to Otavalo this weekend too, its the largets artisinal/indiginous market in South America. And its absoutly massive, Id say I didnt even get to go around 1/4 of it. Its mostly indiginous crafts which are al pretty cool, rugs, bags, jewellery, clothes, painitings, huge jumpers...
The indiginous people are all really strining looking, from the most beautiful to the most wrinkelled youve ever seen. They all seem to be really hard working and proud of their culture and wear the tradational dress all the time.
The bus to Otavalo alone was enough to make my weekend, when youre travelling through the Andes at 2000m+ you see the most amazing scenery, the photos dont do it justice.

Besides the lamb intestine soup (which surprisingly didnt taste as bad as I thought!), the food here is realllly good. Im eating all around me, and theres all these cool exotic fruits.... my new favourite is taxos.

Iv started work this week, but thats a whole nother blog.....

Otherwise its great here so far, the times already flying, Iv got soo much to do and not enough time, and loads of people to meet, and Iv met loads already and made friends.... anyway I have to go and go back to my house and study some more and make some lesson plans for my six year olds....

Please all write me messages and emails, its nice to get them...

Otherwise hi to everyone and hope you´re all well.